The Power of Breaking Barriers: Strengthening Integration of Students From Different Countries Through Projects
- 02-01-23
Our world is becoming increasingly interconnected and globalized, with more students and professionals traveling and studying abroad to broaden their horizons. In this process, the one-way flow of knowledge is often disrupted and replaced by exchange of cultures and ideas, leading to greater understanding and integration of people from different countries. In order to further strengthen this process of integration, projects that break barriers such as language, religion and culture can be particularly effective. These projects provide an opportunity for students to come together, learn about each other’s backgrounds and understand the challenges faced by individuals from different countries. By engaging in such projects, students can gain a deeper appreciation of the diversity of our world and the power of breaking barriers to strengthen integration.
Definition of Strengthening Integration
Integration is the process by which people from different countries and cultures come together to live and work in harmony. Integration can be further defined as the process of merging different societies with different cultures and traditions into one community, and includes the harmonization of cultural differences and allocation of individuals in the society. The process of integration can occur between individuals, between cultures, and between societies. Integration is often a two-way process in which both parties come together to understand each other, learn from each other, and work towards building a better society. Integration can occur within a school community, between schools and universities, between countries, and between cultures.
Benefits of Projects that Break Barriers
Students come from a variety of cultures and backgrounds, and projects that break barriers provide an opportunity to learn more about their classmates and what they bring to the classroom. Students who are part of the minority in their classroom or who come from a different cultural background can feel isolated and not be able to express themselves in the classroom. By engaging in projects that break barriers, these students can learn more about their classmates and take a more active role in class discussions. This, in turn, can help students overcome their fear of expressing themselves and make them feel more comfortable and better integrated in the classroom. Students who participate in projects that break barriers can also acquire new skills such as conflict resolution and cultural sensitivity. In the process of working on these projects and coming together to solve problems, students can see how negotiating and resolving differences can help to strengthen their relationships and the bonds of their classroom.
How to effectively implement the project
One way to implement projects that break barriers is to ask students to choose a theme that brings together people of different backgrounds. For example, if a class is predominantly made up of Asian students, the teacher can ask them to explore a theme such as Asian culture. Similarly, a class that is predominantly made up of European students can be asked to explore European culture. This can help students explore the similarities and differences among themselves and learn more about the diverse backgrounds of their classmates. Another way to implement projects that break barriers is to select a topic that can be explored from different perspectives. For example, a topic such as “What makes a good citizen?” can be explored from the perspective of different cultures. Students can be asked to prepare presentations on their own perspective on citizenship and share their ideas with the class. This will help students explore the topic from their own perspective, as well as understand the perspectives of their classmates.