This presentation will help faculty amplify excellence in their training program by learning how to incorporate cultural immersion trips in ways that complement their social justice ethos and align with APA competencies. The presenters will specifically address how cultural immersion trips enhance the value of social responsiveness in curriculum. The Cross-National Cultural Competence (CNCC) model (Heppner et al., 2012) will be provided as a 1) Participants will be able to explain the benefits of incorporating cultural immersion trips into their training programs in ways that augment social awareness and social responsiveness 2) Participants will be able to apply the information discussed toward developing a socially responsive curriculum for cultural immersion in their own programs
theoretical framework to help guide faculty in developing these trips in order to foster student’s cultural awareness, knowledge, and skill-set. Although scholarship on cultural immersion trips in doctoral programs is limited, research on the topic will be covered in the session. Information on associated cost, time commitments, choosing successful destinations, and creating agendas will be discussed. Examples will be used from trips led in El Salvador, China, and Israel as part of the Psy.D. program in counseling psychology at Northwest University. This presentation will explain how to develop socially responsive learning objectives, readings, and assignments for cultural immersion trips. Presenters will provide insight into their own andragogical approaches and experiences facilitating cultural immersion trips and qualitative research on how students perceived these experiences impacting their role as social change agents. Audience members will have the opportunity to dialogue with presenters about challenges and benefits of leading cultural immersion trips.
Learning Objectives:
1) Participants will be able to explain the benefits of incorporating cultural immersion trips into their training programs in ways that augment social awareness and social responsiveness
2) Participants will be able to apply the information discussed toward developing a socially responsive curriculum for cultural immersion in their own programs
3) Participants will begin the process of creating a proposal to present to their faculty and administration on incorporating a cultural immersion component into their training program