Resumen de Creating a Globally Enhanced Chemistry Course through an Intercultural Collaborative Assignment

Kanchana Watla-iad, Supaporn Kradtap Hartwell

• The ability to collaborate with culturally diverse groups is essential, not only to further scientific knowledge but also to solve complex global problems. However, not all students have opportunities to develop intercultural competencies through study abroad programs, due to various issues such as cost, rigid curriculum, and unrelated field of study. Despite the importance, implementation of intercultural and global issues in science classrooms is rare, as they may seem out of context and unnecessary for the limited class time. An example approach to create a globally enhanced chemistry course through an intercultural collaborative assignment is presented here. The shared assignment, creating a presentation on an assigned chemical analysis topic, allowed students in Quantitative Analysis and Analytical Chemistry classes in the USA and Thailand to interact and work as a team to complete the task. Students practiced critical thinking while applying knowledge learned in class to extract and translate information reported in the research articles. In addition, students also gained intercultural working experiences in a chemistry context at no cost. They negotiated the time zones and language barrier while realizing the relevancy between analytical chemistry and society. This model of intercultural collaborative class assignment should be applicable to various subjects. It is beneficial in broadening students’ perspectives within their field of study, and it can serve as a low cost approach to incorporate intercultural experiences in other subject areas throughout the curriculum.