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Challenges of Practicing and Honing Leadership Skills through Cross-Cultural Service Learning

Challenges of Practicing and Honing Leadership Skills through Cross-Cultural Service Learning

Jeff Zimmerman
Copyright: © 2017 |Pages: 27
ISBN13: 9781522508748|ISBN10: 1522508740|EISBN13: 9781522508755
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-0874-8.ch010
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MLA

Zimmerman, Jeff. "Challenges of Practicing and Honing Leadership Skills through Cross-Cultural Service Learning." Student Experiences and Educational Outcomes in Community Engagement for the 21st Century, edited by Cathryn Crosby and Frederick Brockmeier, IGI Global, 2017, pp. 225-251. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-0874-8.ch010

APA

Zimmerman, J. (2017). Challenges of Practicing and Honing Leadership Skills through Cross-Cultural Service Learning. In C. Crosby & F. Brockmeier (Eds.), Student Experiences and Educational Outcomes in Community Engagement for the 21st Century (pp. 225-251). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-0874-8.ch010

Chicago

Zimmerman, Jeff. "Challenges of Practicing and Honing Leadership Skills through Cross-Cultural Service Learning." In Student Experiences and Educational Outcomes in Community Engagement for the 21st Century, edited by Cathryn Crosby and Frederick Brockmeier, 225-251. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2017. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-0874-8.ch010

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Abstract

This chapter provides insight into the unexpected cross-cultural challenges faced by service learning project coordinators in an overseas setting. The chapter focuses on a service learning project geared towards undergraduate U.S. leadership students on a 5-week summer study abroad trip to Austria. The instructor sought to utilize the abroad experience to highlight the value of service learning as a medium to benefit the local Austrian community, while furthering the U.S. students' understanding of cross-cultural leadership. Like other individuals in a new host culture (i.e. expatriates), the service learning project coordinator (US instructor) faced a variety of unexpected cross-cultural challenges upon arrival in the host culture (Austria). This chapter highlights some universal cross-cultural challenges (lack of cultural and organizational familiarity, culture shock), why they can be expected, and why they are often difficult to resolve. Potential solutions addressing these challenges in the context of cross-cultural service learning projects are also explored.

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