During Ohio University’s summer sessions, select Communication 101 classes are combined with Ohio University students and Chubu University students.  The inclusion of different cultures in a classroom setting allows for students and instructors to experience first-hand the significance as well as the challenge of communicating with diverse others.

Mr. Dante Morelli, a second-year doctoral student explained, “The experience was particularly challenging because of the dynamics in the classroom.  With many students knowing very little English, I found myself in a role where I had to completely change my teaching style,” Morelli said, as he described the difficulties of teaching such a diverse group. “I had to think critically about how I was teaching and adapting to the needs of all students, while never really feeling like I was completely being myself.”

Other instructors experienced challenges with their teaching, but also noted the potential benefits of teaching communication to a linguistically diverse group. As doctoral candidate Mr. Joe Mazer observed, “Often times I would watch as the Chubu University students struggled to understand the course content. I watched how the Ohio University students struggled to explain concepts to the Chubu University students during group activities,” he said. Yet, through the difficult experiences the students grew as Mazer pointed out, “they became clearer and more sensitive communicators who gained a better appreciation for what constituted effective communication in an increasingly diverse world.”

Other instructors who taught in this classroom setting also shared difficult, yet rewarding experiences when working with diverse student cultures. Second-year doctoral student Megan Dowd explained how the Chubu University students became familiar with American cultural expectations in the classroom. Coming from a background where students are expected to remain quiet during instruction, these students struggled to participate actively in class. “After five weeks on the second to the last day of class, I had two Chubu University students raise their hands to participate in class.” Dowd said. “At that moment, I felt that I had witnessed and achieved something truly spectacular. We created as a class an environment where the study abroad students felt comfortable to really step outside of their culture and attempt something counterintuitive.”