Ragia Hassan, a doctoral candidate in the Curriculum and Instruction program, published the chapter "As if in Their Shoes: Use of Virtual Reality to Enhance Faculty Intercultural Competence" in the book Innovative Digital Practices and Globalization in Higher Education, edited by Jared Keengwe and published by IGI Global.
Abstract
Intercultural competence is essential for faculty working closely with students from diverse backgrounds. There is a need to bridge the gap between faculty and students from different cultures and enable them to effectively work in a diverse place and speak to a global audience. This chapter proposes a framework consisting of empathy and self-reflection, and virtual reality (VR) training is currently being developed by the author based on this framework. This chapter argues that the proposed framework and VR training will enable faculty to integrate cultural competency and provide them with the essential tools to play their roles as responsible members of our worldwide community, which is aligned with the UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development.