Cultural Immersion Project

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Cultural Immersion Project

Connect with and conduct in-depth research on a group represented in your community that meets the following three criteria:

1. Constitutes a unique “culture” or clear value system, 2. Is or has been disenfranchised or oppressed, AND 3. You envision a potential need to know more about the group in your professional setting

for which you are currently studying (i.e., counseling, teaching, administration). This can include racial/cultural, sexual identity, religious/spiritual, economic, or ability diversity.

Project Steps

• Step 1: Conduct in-depth research on the chosen culture/group. Search for historical documents, texts, videos, documentaries, musical heritage, world cinema and TV shows, Ted Talks, online worship services, local food establishments, etc., that will provide a well-rounded view of the culture or group.

• Step 2: You will journal throughout your research, outlining all the following: 1) your reactions to your experiences with various mediums associated with the culture/group, 2) your thoughts and feelings about beliefs and traditions of the culture/group, and 3) your thoughts and feelings about yourself in relation to your chosen culture/group. NOTE: This journal will be submitted with your paper.

• Step 3: Reflect on your experiences and preconceived ideas to construct a comprehensive and cohesive paper outlining all you have learned about the culture/group. Which of those preconceived ideas are now open to re-interpretation and why? What have you learned about yourself and “them” now that the immersion is over?

The 8-10-page paper will be a culmination of all you have learned in your cultural immersion experience, as well as classroom learning. Be sure to include the following headings and sections in your final paper and presentation upload:

1. Identification and Description of the Population (1-2 pages long. Include credible research and citations to support your writing).

2. Reflection of your Virtual/Hybrid Immersion/Research Experience (what did you observe/perceive, how were your pre-conceived ideas changed, what surprised you, what is different from your personal culture? (1-2 pages).

3. Reaction and critical analysis of the culture (include research on culture, values, beliefs, and behaviors and compare to your observations/perceptions). (2-3 pages).

4. Additional documents in the appendix: Include any pictures, quotes, symbols, or links to videos or music.

Scoring Guidelines

Points available: 100.

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Component Unacceptable Acceptable Target

Journal: Multiple entries that include detailed

notes regarding reactions and reflections with multiple mediums

Journal is missing or provides little to no

evidence of authentic reactions and/or

reflections. (0 points)

Journal includes multiple entries, but details

related to reactions and reflections to

experiences and sources are limited. (5 points)

Journal includes multiple entries that include

detailed notes chronically authentic reactions and

reflections on experiences and

sources. (10 points)

Introduction: Establishes historical

background and defensible thesis that

supports a logical line of reasoning

Underdeveloped introduction; reason for

culture selection is unclear or missing;

historical background is inaccurate or missing.

(0 points)

Coherent introduction that includes a reason for culture selection;

historical background is accurate but limited.

(5 points)

Engaging, well developed introduction that includes a detailed

reason for culture selection; historical

background is accurate and thorough. (10 points)

Focus & Purpose: Developed thesis and

attentive focus on topic

Missing thesis; confusion about or

misunderstanding of topic; no sense of purpose. (0 points)

Simplistic and unfocused ideas; limited sense of

purpose. (5 points)

Developed thesis; represents sound

understanding of the assigned topic; focused.

(10 points)

Ideas, Support & Development: Supports

ideas and reflections using specific and

relevant examples of evidence

No or limited evidence is provided to support

ideas and reflections; evidence is incomplete, incorrect, oversimplified, or disconnected from the

context. (0 points)

Provides necessary evidence to support

ideas and reflections; the importance/relevance of all pieces of evidence is

unclear or underdeveloped but

does support the ideas and reflections

presented and is placed properly within the context. (5 points)

Relies on compelling and detailed evidence to support ideas and

reflections; the importance/relevance of all pieces of evidence is clearly stated; considers alternate interpretations of evidence/experiences

to enhance demonstration of cultural intelligence. (10 points)

Conclusion: Establishes clear conclusion based

upon evidence

Missing or no connection of evidence and analysis to the reflections; fails to summarize the argument

coherently. (0 points)

Limited connection between evidence and analysis to reflections;

summarizes some ideas and thoughts but repeats

ideas to support reflections. (5 points)

Engaging, strongly connects evidence and analysis to reflections; summarizes the main

topics without repeating previous ideas.

(10 points)

Structure & Organization: Text has unity and coherence to accomplish the focused

purpose

No paragraph structure; or single, rambling

paragraph; or series of isolated paragraphs.

(0 points)

Organization is confusing or disjointed;

weak paragraph structure; transitions are missing or inappropriate.

(5 points)

Clear organizational structure; easily followed;

includes transitions; structured format.

(10 points)

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Component Unacceptable Acceptable Target

Audience & Tone: Audience appropriate and consistent tone

No awareness of appropriate audience for

assignment; tone is inappropriate. (0 points)

Lacks awareness of appropriate audience for the assignment; tone is inconsistent. (5 points)

Effective and accurate awareness of audience; tone is appropriate for

audience and assignment. (10 points)

Sentence Structure & Mechanics:

Demonstrates varied sentence structures to enhance meaning. The

text has few grammatical, spelling

and punctuation errors

Contains multiple and serious errors of

sentence structure: i.e., fragments, run-ons;

unable to write simple sentences; Frequent errors in agreement,

verb tense, spelling, and capitalization; intrusive

and/or inaccurate punctuation;

communication is hindered. (0 points)

Formulaic sentence patterns or overuse of

simple sentences; errors in sentence structure;

Contains several errors in agreement, verb

tense, spelling, capitalization, and

punctuation (up to 6); errors interfere with meaning. (5 points)

Effective and varied sentences; errors (if

present) due to lack of careful proofreading;

Virtually free of errors in agreement, verb tense, spelling, capitalization,

and punctuation (no more than 3); errors do

not interfere with meaning. (10 points)

Vocabulary & Word Usage: Uses extended

and appropriate vocabulary

Vocabulary is unsophisticated; or

subject specific vocabulary or

sophisticated vocabulary used incorrectly.

(0 points)

Proper, but simple vocabulary used; subject specific vocabulary used infrequently. (5 points)

Vocabulary is varied, specific and appropriate;

uses subject specific vocabulary correctly.

(10 points)

APA Format/Citations: Correctly uses APA style

and formatting

Reference page includes frequent errors (more

than 3); no attempt was made to cited supporting sources in-text; contains multiple errors in APA

format. (0 points)

Reference page in accurate and virtually free of errors (no more than 3); all supporting

sources are cited in-text, but minor errors in APA

format are present. (5 points)

Reference page in accurate and free of errors; all supporting sources are properly

cited in-text; APA format is correct and accurate.

(10 points)