Event details

Details: Tuesday 26 November 2024, 15:15-16:45

Location: MS Teams

Who was the event aimed at? This seminar was aimed at all members of the academic community

Event description

Our ideas and beliefs are shaped by our own individual cultural lens, which is influenced by our individual, social and educational experiences. We, therefore, see our own world clearly and feel confident in the clarity of our vision. However, at times communicating and collaborating with others from different backgrounds is like picking up the wrong reading glasses which can help us to recognize vague shapes, but the details and nuances seem to be fuzzy or out of reach. In such processes, we feel confused, frustrated and even upset at times while our approach may be confronting to others. The solution lies in donning “cultural spectacles” (intercultural understanding) by recognizing difference through the lens' of positionality and intersectionality to devise a mindset which creates common ground between the differing perceptions. Social interaction and collaboration shape and test meanings and help to construct greater understanding. If the university is regarded as a true reflection of diverse society, it is important to develop the concept of RID (Respectful, Inclusive and Diverse) communities within university and the ground rules for running active and effective RID practices. Ultimately this will foster discussion on how through shared understandings and collaborations, respectful, inclusive, diverse communities can be constructed.

Since knowledge is socially constructed, it is heavily influenced by society and the cultural setting in which it is developed. It is important to acknowledge that human development is socially situated, and knowledge is constructed through interaction with others. Social interaction and collaboration shape and test meanings and help to construct greater understanding. This workshop triggered discussion to explore the ways to foster a safe teaching and learning environment where all students feel like they belong and respectful, inclusive, diverse dialogues can occur. The participants engaged in hands on activities covering from problem identification to resolution for facilitating the discussion on how individuals might make sense of their own experiences in their academic journey and how academic community might provide support for developing intercultural understanding and enhancing learning/partnership experiences.

Event speaker

Dr Nira Rahman is an Academic specialising in Educational Design and Student Engagement in the Arts Teaching Innovation in the Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne. Her works are focused towards a more inclusive, applicable, transformative and internationalised Arts and Humanities Education.

Her specific interests lie in co-creation in higher education; student voice and agency; student employability and articulating transferable HASS skills; intercultural communication and competencies in inclusive diverse classrooms. Dr Rahman’s passion for her work in education, music and community inspires her to find ways to start and continue the robust discussion around the various diverse and intersectional identities present within the community and how that can be more inclusive. She also regularly writes for Australian and Bangladeshi (in both English and Bangla) media on various topics that connect her academic interests to her personal insights around culture, language and identity.