Study Guide

Objective

After successfully completing the course
- you are aware of the factors that may influence professional practice and leadership of multicultural work communities
- you are capable of adapting and adjusting your professional behavior and actions in a culturally sensitive way
- you have developing skills to communicate and lead multicultural teams or communities of practice
- you are able to resolve disputes and disagreements at the workplace through intercultural conflict mediation

Content

The main content of the course relates to the following central themes in leading and managing culturally diverse teams and communities of practice:
direct, low-context and indirect high-context communication,
conceptions and management of time,
hierarchy, status and positioning in organisations,
individual responsibility, collectivism and teamwork, as well as
feedback and conflict resolution.

Location and time

This 1-credit course can be timed individually and taken between the 3nd of February and the 16th of May 2025. The course takes place in the Moodle environment of Karelia University of Applied Sciences. You will receive the link and enrolment key to the learning environment after registration.

Teaching methods

This bilingual (Finnish-English) online course focuses on

- how cultural diversity and diverse backgrounds impact on and can be seen in workplace relationships and ways of working.
- in which ways employees and work communities can create shared organisational culture where differences are seen as a resource.

The course include such topics as:

- The many layers and dimensions of culture and cultural diversity
- Verbal and non-verbal communication in culturally and linguistically diverse communities of practice
- Workplace relationships, roles, status and hierarchy
- Time conceptions and their impact on work organisation
- Culturally sensitive ways of resolving conflicts

Student workload

The online course is one credit (1 cr.), which is equal to approx. 25 study hours.The course is divided into seven sections all containing a short introduction to the topic and a quiz. The participants can then deepen their understanding of the topic with the help of self-study materials, self-reflection assignments and/ or online discussion.

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

The course progresses section by section (theme). To be able to move from one section to the next one, the participant needs to pass the quiz (60% of the multiple-choice questions). It is possible to take the quiz several times. The self-reflection assignments or online discussions are not graded and will not influence assessment. When all sections are completed, the participant will receive a passing grade and a certificate.