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Intercultural Modules

Intercultural Learning: University of Toronto’s Framework

This Intercultural Framework was created through a collaboration between the University of Toronto’s three international student centres:

  • Centre for International Experience (CIE) at the St. George campus
  • International Student Centre (ISC) at the Scarborough campus
  • International Education Centre (IEC) at the Mississauga campus

Our work in developing the final intercultural framework was informed by the voices of over 165 students through focus groups and surveys, as well as 50 one-on-one interviews with various internal and external experts in fields related to interculturalism. The feedback received from over 76 faculty, staff, and students through “roadshows” that took place on all three U of T campuses also contributed to the Enhancing Intercultural Learning Framework.

Intercultural Learning Framework

Several theories were used to build the framework, including:

  • Intercultural Competence Model (Deardorff, 2006)
  • Social Change Leadership Model (Higher Education Research Institute, 1996)
  • Social Action, Leadership, and Transformation Model (Museus et al., 2017)

As part of the framework creation process, an environmental scan was conducted with stakeholders both within and outside the University of Toronto. This process identified several strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, which helped categorize emerging themes. These themes align with the “Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes” from the Intercultural Competence Model and the “Self, Other, and Global Community” from the Social Change Leadership Model.

The framework identifies three core capacity areas:

  • Knowledge: Definitions, theories, and history
  • Skills: Hard and soft skills, linked to CCR competencies and proficiencies
  • Attitudes: Behaviors, approaches, motivation, feelings, and perceptions

Each core capacity is further categorized into three levels:

  • Self: Individual
  • Other: Peer-to-peer, academic, professional contexts, neighbours, institutional level
  • Global (Community): International relations, between nations

Based on data collected from the environmental scan, the term “learning” was more frequently used than “development.” This suggests a focus on “intercultural learning” rather than “intercultural development.” Therefore, the framework centers on intercultural learning in the graphic.

The impact of the intercultural framework is to extend to the following groups at the University of Toronto:

  • For Students: Domestic, international and any student participating in international experiences as they reflect on their intercultural learning and competence
  • For Faculty & Staff:  A deeper understanding of their intercultural competence to better interact across differences with students and in their workplace

Online modules were also developed to complement the framework so that they could be embedded on websites, in courses or used for training.

There are five key considerations when interpreting and applying the Framework:

  • A guide and reference for you. Select a few areas of focus to start with
  • There is flexibility in how one can interpret and implement the framework, selecting knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop that most align with your context
  • No radial trajectory in this framework; individuals can choose their own path
  • All components in the knowledge, skills and attitudes are considered equally important
  • Not the sole way of dictating programming, nor is it a perfect model. It does not fully represent “interculturalism”

Whether you are a domestic or international student, staff, or faculty, you can select knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop your intercultural mindset that aligns with your current context. There is no prescribed path for this framework; your own lived experience will help determine your trajectory. The knowledge, skills, and attitudes are meant to be developed over a lifetime, emphasizing that intercultural learning is a lifelong process.

The video below details some examples of the framework in action:

ISEF Video

Links to Online H5P Modules

Resource Document

A resource repository linked to this project is available upon request by contacting the international offices at the University of Toronto. Contact details are shared below:

The Enhancing Intercultural Development project was funded by the International Student Experience Fund (ISEF), sponsored by the Office of the Vice-President International. ISEF was granted in 2021 and the project was completed in 2023. The project aimed to:

  1. Conduct an environmental scan both within U of T and externally
  2. Develop a common intercultural framework across all three campuses’ international centers
  3. Build and modify programming and workshops to align with the framework
  4. Develop an outline for a U of T intercultural development assessment tool

An overview of this project and the Framework generated can be accessed via PDF here.

We would like to acknowledge and express our gratitude to the faculty, staff, students, and external partners who contributed to the consultation and development of the Enhancing Intercultural Development Project funded by the International Student Experience Fund (ISEF). ISEF aims to foster a supportive environment on the University of Toronto’s (U of T) campuses by funding initiatives that enhance the experience of international students, in alignment with U of T’s international strategy.

The Fund is intended to support curricular and co-curricular initiatives that:

  • Enhance the experience of international students;
  • Foster intercultural and international-to-domestic student, staff and faculty engagement;
  • Internationalize the U of T student experience.

We appreciate your dedication and time in sharing your expertise and experiences, and they have led to the successful completion of this project.

The Enhancing Intercultural Development Project was a collaborative project between the international offices of U of T tri-campuses. If you would like to use the Framework in your work or have any questions, please reach out to the international offices:

Intercultural Fluencies in Teaching and Learning

The “Intercultural Fluencies in Teaching and Learning” program is a six-module series for Teaching Assistants, graduate student course instructors, and faculty members who are seeking further development in intercultural competency skills for teaching in the classroom. The series is rooted in the institutional Enhancing Intercultural Learning Framework (EILF). 

Individuals who complete the series should be able to:  

  • recognize and understand the impact of cultural differences on learning and assessment;
  • navigate the nuances of teaching and learning in a culturally diverse institutional context by using the knowledge, skills, and attitudes described within the University of Toronto’s Enhancing Intercultural Learning Framework (EILF);
  • apply key concepts from the EILF framework to create an inclusive learning environment by integrating pedagogical strategies that promote humility, collaboration, and intercultural competencies; and
  • integrate culturally responsive teaching and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into curriculum and assessment design, including equitable grading and feedback practices.

The modules include the following topics:

  • Module 1: Foundations of Intercultural Learning
    Module 1 will introduce you to key foundations and terminology in intercultural learning at the University of Toronto. As an educator, you will have the opportunity to reflect on your own intercultural competency skills, grounded in the six key aspects of the Enhancing Intercultural Learning Framework.
  • Module 2: Hidden Curriculum and Critical Pedagogy
    Module 2 introduces the concepts of hidden curriculum and cultural dimensions of learning, as well as the importance of cultural humility and teaching approaches that can support educators in fostering equitable and inclusive dynamics in culturally diverse classrooms.
  • Module 3: Preparing to Teach in the Intercultural Classroom
    In Module 3 we will consider how positionality impacts pedagogy, and we will explore practical strategies that you can use to prepare yourself to teach – and your students to learn – in an intercultural classroom.
  • Module 4: Facilitation Strategies for Culturally Responsive Teaching
    Module 4 examines the influence of cultural dimensions on learning activities and identifies teaching strategies that can enhance active learning in intercultural classrooms. As an educator, you will have the opportunity to reflect on navigating heated, offensive, or tense moments in the classroom.
  • Module 5: Strategies for Culturally Responsive Curriculum Design
    In Module 5, we will reflect on opportunities for incorporating interculturality into your curriculum design process. As a local context example, we will examine practical strategies for incorporating Indigenous knowledge into your curriculum.
  • Module 6: Assessment, Feedback, and Grading in the Intercultural Classroom
    Module 6 examines knowledge and tools necessary to create assessments, rubrics, and feedback mechanisms that are valid, reliable, and culturally responsive. 

Enroll here: https://q.utoronto.ca/courses/385535/pages/module-series-overview

We believe in the power of shared knowledge and so this resource was developed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). University community members are encouraged to adapt and repurpose these resources. Contact us for further details.

This resource was developed as a collaboration between the Centre for Teaching Support and Innovation (CTSI) and the Centre for International Experience (CIE), with funding from the International Student Experience Fund.

The Fund is intended to support curricular and co-curricular initiatives that:

  • Enhance the experience of international students;
  • Foster intercultural and international-to-domestic student, staff and faculty engagement;
  • Internationalize the U of T student experience.

We would also like to thank all the faculty, staff, and students who were involved in consultations and content review in the development of the Intercultural Fluencies in Teaching and Learning program. This work would not have been possible without their contributions.

If you would like to use these modules in future trainings or should you have any questions, please reach out to: