How does cultural intelligence differ in India and the United States?
Cognitive Skills and abilities:
The paper “Social Skills Intervention for Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: A Literature Review from the American Perspective” by Kaili Chen assesses the relationship between social skills and behavioral difficulties for students in special educational programs. The author contends that social skills are a necessary element in the learning environment due to the capabilities that they provide to learners in interacting and communicating in order to help determine their difficulties and to help them function more successfully. Difficulties with these faculties is often discovered to be a primary factor in the inability for an individual to effectively learn. Although these are necessary skills for young learners to develop, educational systems are often administered which prioritize academic skills over these more basic social skills. The capacity for a student to receive a positive response when interacting with others in a learning environment presents a challenge for modern educational organizations. In the modern day, “a variety of strategies that hold benefit in teaching social skills for students with interpersonal difficulties have been documented” (Chen, 2006, p. 145). Using these techniques in order to help students to learn these skills can help teachers to boost their overall potential. Modeling, the use of role play, and peer mediation have all been shown to be effective methods for promoting positive learning within these environments. Cooperative learning and problem solving also helps students to develop their academic skills while learning essential social skills that will help them be successful in the future. Learning essential problem-solving skills as well as the value of ethical and moral behavior are considered to be important ways that these types of difficulties can be addressed by educators. The consideration of the theoretical basis that specific educational goals and values are built upon will help to promote effective learning methods in the classroom. Although for decades, these practices have been discussed, trialed, and developed they have yet to be fully implemented within the educational environment in a consistent way. The need to base learning objectives on empirically derived research and challenged entrenched beliefs regarding student education becomes evident when considering the expectations of social and academic learning in the modern world. The paper “Cognitive skills gaps in India: can (late) nutrition ameliorate them?” by Florencia L´opez B´oo and Maria Eugenia Canon explores the connection between nutrition and cognition in students in India. The authors demonstrate that they expect to overcome the underlying biases that have previously been present in such research by examining specific data that has been gathered through a panel exercise. In looking at how the nutrition of an individual correlates to their enrollment and success in public school the underlying correlation between the factors can be established. Differences in caste structure that had previously resulted in lower scores for those in lower castes were seen to be effectively closed when the nutrition value of consumption was increased for the lower-caste individuals. This seems to indicate that nutrition is an essential element in promoting equal educations and opportunities for those of a variety of social and economic backgrounds. Skill formation and cognitive development in early childhood were seen to be essential factors that would impact the overall success and knowledge that a person is able to develop during their education. The findings suggest that “nutritional interventions as well as stimulation interventions could be promising given the magnitudes ofthe effects” (Boo & Canon, 2013, p. 4). The improvement of nutrition during the years of early childhood education help to promote positive and healthy growth, which have been directly linked to educational success. The coordination of efforts to provide more nutritious food for those in educational settings should be prioritized. Increases in structure, community, and health can help to promote a much more positive and significant educational experience. The authors contend that decisions regarding the allocation of resources should, for this reason, be directed towards the principles of nutrition and individual health. In doing so, schools will be better equipped to provide a more thorough education for their students.“Critical Thinking: A Literature Review” by Emily R. Lai presents a research report that was done on the importance of critical thinking and logical judgement in education and learning. The ability to effectively solve problems and relate new information to knowledge that has already been obtained is essential for effective learning. For this reason, the author contends that it is necessary to develop not only effective cognitive skills but also the disposition necessary to be successful in such environments. Habits of mind such as openness, honesty, flexibility, and a willingness to learn new things are all considered to be critical elements in a student’s capacity for adapting to new information. This helps them to not only successfully merge learned experiences with those they have had in their past but also to overcome the challenges that they face when presented with difficulties. “Although critical thinking skills and abilities are part of the content to be learned, critical thinking instruction is not made explicit” (Lai, 2011, p. 31). Cooperation and collaboration are essential elements to working with other students, which itself can help students to learn in new and profound ways. Research suggests that there is much more to learning than simply being taught. The level to which students are willing to immerse themselves in the educational experience and work to interact with others who are doing the same is a major factor that can contribute to their success. The role of critical thinking and problem solving in the outcome of student learning and success should therefore not be underestimated. Analysis of arguments, making inferences, judgement and evaluation, and the ability to make difficult decisions have all been pointed out as being essential elements in educational success. The underlying motivations that a student has to succeed can go a long way in helping them commit to learning and understanding new forms of knowledge and skills.The paper “Cultural Intelligence: Its Measurement and Effects on Cultural Judgment and Decision Making, Cultural Adaptation and Task Performance” by Ang et al. attempts to better understand theoretical measurements of cultural intelligence by integrating new models that correspond to interrelationships into the development of their criteria. The authors assert that the increased level of globalization present in the world have resulted in the need to consider the aspects of diversity and multicultural communication that are at work in the world. The frameworks by which these competencies arise can be challenged in relation to the cultural intelligence that an individual is able to develop. Education in the modern world must be dedicated towards “intelligence that focuses on specific content domains such as social intelligence, emotional intelligence, and practical intelligence” (Ang, 2007, p. 337). The requirements of observation seem to indicate a deeper connection that the authors express, which motivates a deeper comparison between the ideological nature of perceptions of difference. The way in which these perceptions are altered through the personal values of those who experience them are further evidence of this cultural attachment in the modern world.The paper “A Comparative Study of Creativity among Boys and Girls of Class VII” by Saima Siddiqi presents the results of research that was done in an effort to better understand the differences in creativity between boys and girls in the classroom. 50 boys and 50 girls from secondary school were evaluated in order to better understand the underlying variables that can be associated with creativity. While in regards to verbal creativity no major differences were found, evidence suggests that in the realm of originality there are fundamentally different conceptions of creativity. The authors define creativity as the ability to confront new and difficult circumstances by integrating previous knowledge into the situation in unique and innovative ways. This has generally been seen as an essential element in the progression of society. This has been attributed to the tendency for men to be more dominant and conform to standards while women have, in the present day, been adapted more to questioning and confirming information for themselves rather than taking it at face value. The author argues that it is necessary to “ resist any attempt to curtail or limit the development of creativity and imagination in the early years and beyond” (Siddiqi, 2011, p. 11). These fundamental differences seem to indicate a stark contrast between the social values inherent in the lives of both males and females. These differences are important to consider due to the effect that they can have on a student’s capacity to learn and adapt to new environments and information. While the author indicates that more research is needed in order to fully comprehend the implications of the collected data, it is also important to consider the impact that creativity can have on learning and education in the classroom and to develop ways to overcome these limitations.
Social Skills and the Learning Environment:
The paper “The Impact of School Environments: A literature review” by Higgins et al. examines the effect that the built environment has on individual learning. Considerations such as attainment, engagement, affect, attendance, and well-being are all presented within the text. The systems and processes that are in place to establish these elements present the need to direct the focus of analysis towards the implementation of these values. Not only the overall capacity of the environment, but also the instruments used in order to develop skills, the relationships that teachers develop with their students, and the overall concern that the administrative faculty has for students are all primary aspects that relate to the development of cultural intelligence. How a school is administered and the values that are in place are profoundly tied to the direction that it takes for its students. This demonstrates the importance of considering the underlying beliefs and values of educators and the impact that they have on their students. For this reason, it is necessary to “the genuine involvement of students and teachers in the design process” (Higgins et al., 2005, p. 12). Looking at the relationship between the design of a building and those that are within challenges perceptions of personal development as the behaviors that people take have been associated with the built environments that they exist within. Financial and monetary concerns must be carefully balanced with the needs of the students, such as their health and comfort. Issues such as noise and distractions that result from architectural design are also important components that should be addressed when considering the built environment that people learn within. These environments can profoundly affect the way in which people learn. Acoustics and visual factors should be considered when designing constructions for educational purposes. This can also relate to the individual classrooms themselves. The way in which students are situated in a room have been shown to have a profound impact on the way that they perceive their learning experience.
The essay “The University as Global City: A New Way of Seeing Today’s Academy” by Susan Frost and Rebecca Chopp presents a new vision of the university, which they view as an essential organizational foundation in the modern world. Universities, the authors contend, face similar organizational challenges as entities such as government and business. They require the resources to not only provide the most effective education to their students, but also to participate in a global market of education by attracting the most successful and motivated candidates to their schools. For this reason, the essay focuses on concerns such as how the various departments and divisions interact with one another as well as how the university at large interacts with the outside world. These considerations are based on the desire for universities to present themselves as exemplifications of the pursuit of research and learning. This view of universities, the authors argue, present striking similarities to the political structures of cities. The desire to subsist and act independently as a cohesive unit has resulted in a profoundly solitary view of how campuses are supposed to be established. In this way, the universities can be sovereign actors that are able to perform the increasingly complex functions that exist today. This includes the establishment of a variety of fields and departments, the pursuit of comprehensive subjects, and the valuation of certain ideologies and standpoints. As universities grew from being the arbitrators of undergraduate education, the focus of subjects became narrower over time. The cultivation of leadership and the general governing of academic principles indicates a stronger foundation upon which these viewpoints can be established. The authors contend that the natural growth of universities into such designs can help to facilitate learning in the future with flexible, diverse, and rich forms of knowledge that can extend into a variety of areas. Communication and design can work together in order to create a more supportive and nurturing environment.
The paper “Managing Cross-Cultural Dynamics in IT Offshore Outsourcing Relationships: The Role of Cultural Intelligence” by Gregory, Prifling, and Beck presents an overview of the cross-cultural dynamics that are at work within the offshore IT outsourcing field. The authors contend that their research provides evidence for the idea that specific forms of communication, conflict-resolution, and interpersonal practices are able to help to promote the positive interaction of fundamentally different viewpoints. The level of cultural intelligence an organization expresses is therefore “driven by a person’s ability to adapt to new cultural settings” (Gregory, Prifling, & Beck, 2008, p. 2). Not only does prior knowledge of these adoptions but also motivations for learning new and important forms of understanding is an essential element in this regard. The capacity to establish a stronger learning environment within such a field demonstrates the significance of cultural intelligence in the modern business world.
The essay “Cultural Intelligence” by Arnold Kling discusses the cultural environment and context in which intelligence can be said to arise. While traditional learning theorists have generally considered knowledge to be derived from large-scale hierarchies which result from careful planning and effort, new evidence suggests that learning occurs instead through a more social and interpersonal trial and error process. Rather than being the result of a particular framework, the notions of trial and error indicate the various challenges and obstacles that an individual faces when learning and the capacity that they have to overcome these challenges. The values that are promoted by the institutional values in place should therefore be considered in order to establish a more profound and nuanced valuation of learning and the contexts from which knowledge is derived. It is possible to “observe the decentralized, incremental, trial-and-error process of evolution in all human endeavors, including culture, law, business,and technology” (Kling, 2016, p. 155). When these institutions that have been built begin to suppress the faculties of social intelligence that are necessary for learning to occur it becomes evident that there is a need to reconsider their implementation. The capacity to relate to other cultures and work with them in an effective way is considered to be the primary source of power by which knowledge and learning can arise. Within the organizational structures of social inclusion and hierarchy it is necessary to commit to the progression and evolution of interpersonal values and communication. Culture and policy have a direct impact on the creation of institutional value. In considering the foundation of knowledge and the objective focus that educational institutions have towards these elements it is possible to build a more accurate representation of social and cultural need. In looking at how society naturally advances, rather than at how advancement is engineered, it is possible to attain insight into the most important relationships that can be established.
The essay “Personal Leadership Development in International Business” by Aggarwal and Goodell presents the need for development of personal leadership skills alongside more traditional areas such as theory and pedagogy. More recent evidence suggests, however, that it is necessary to develop skills that promote interpersonal communication and independence alongside these more traditional aspects of learning. This lack of diversity in the tenets of student education has resulted in skill gaps that leave those who enter the workforce unprepared for the challenges that they will face. Due to the increasingly interconnected relationships between business and society, the globalization of business models, and the radical increase in the opportunities that these changes afford, it is necessary to commit to the education of young people that prepares them for the challenges of living and working in a more global environment. This presents the need to respond to the existence of “business leaders of cultural and societal influences in the functioning of businesses, and the important nature of competent personal interaction across borders” (Aggarwal & Goodell, 2014, p. 3). The rapid changes in technology that have occurred over the past century have resulted in a working landscape like none that has existed in the past. New and emerging economies present sources of competition that demonstrate the need for strong working ethics, leadership skills, and a willingness to continue to pursue education and learning throughout one’s life. The underlying focus that multinational employers now have presents the need to establish values that reflect the increasingly competitive market. The development of global leadership skills as a fundamental element in education should correspond to the need to address this lack of core requirements that reflect the realities of the changing world. The most fundamental elements driving the globalization of the international market include changing demographics, the growing need for sustainability, and developments in technology. These three factors, which often work hand-in-hand with one another, are the fundamental forces that drive change in the global market. Addressing them and providing an education rooted in leadership capabilities, learning environments will be better equipped to deal with the rapidity of the changing world.
The paper “Gaining Cultural Intelligence through Second Life Learning Interventions” by Sarah E. Siegel, the author argues for the value of cultural intelligence in the modern workforce. Due to the increasingly globalized nature of the business world and the need for cross-cultural competencies that extend beyond the range of a single culture or entity, the establishment of new and more effective commitments to cultural intelligence should be considered. In order to do this, it is necessary to immerse oneself in the cultural values of others and explicit attempt to understand their ideologies and values. The paper complements the success of “cultural intelligence-building through immersive experiences with colleagues from around the world and requires no travel” (Siegel, 2010, p. 1). Real-life learning situations are given priority due to the level of insight that they are able to provide to students of culture. The role of technology in promoting this interaction is an essential advantage that modern businesses have at their disposal.
The paper “Cultural Intelligence” by Christopher Earley and Elaine Mosakowski argues for the importance of understanding how groups think and behave and how better understand them so that management can be successful in adapting policies and practices to new and different cultures. Empathetically understanding difference is an essential aspect of cultural intelligence. Furthermore, while this form of intelligence is often considered to be something emotional or innate that comes from within, it is also evident that it can be taught to a certain extent. For this reason, managers, employers, and professional trainers often utilize the methods of cultural intelligence when promoting specific policies or practices in the workplace. This can help to successfully identify deficiencies in relation to how employees perceive others and their relationship with them and promotes the adoption of new and effective means to overcome these deficiencies. Evidence suggests that “cultural intelligence can be developed in psychologically healthy and professionally competent people” (Earley & Mosakowski, 2004, p. 7). While some managers or workers may be successful a establishing policies within their own cultures, when faced with new and different environments they can often have trouble overcoming the various challenges that they might face. The often unfamiliar ambiguity of new experiences can be an obstacle to the success of those that do not possess a strong cultural intelligence. Reservations about certain behaviors or actions could render the communication between these cultural divides ineffective. Lack of understanding or awareness regarding the principles that cultures live by can be destructive in such a field. The potential for an individual to access the underlying cultural competencies of those that they are dealing with should be assessed and developed so that the implementation of new cultural values will be more easily adopted.
References
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