Project Summary:
This GLE project had two levels of collaboration with two different countries. With Brazil the students were in a cross-cultural virtual team and exercised project management for a local company looking to go global. The deliverable was a global expansion plan of a real Brazilian company into two countries. On the side of DePaul students, this required them to manage the Brazilian team, provide feedback, motivate, and make sure the deliverables were on target and on time.
With Mexico, the students experienced cross-cultural virtual teamwork on a related case study. The teams worked on an international case study where they had to reach a consensus on what a cross-cultural training program for a business management plan (BMP) would be like, and created a video that summarized their work and action items for the training program. Both sections were based on project-based learning (PBL).
Project Length:
- 10 Weeks (Brazil)
- 6+ Weeks (Mexico)
Technology Tools Used:
- Slack
- Flipgrid
- Google Docs
- Whatsapp
- Zoom
Interaction Mode:
Learning Outcomes:
- Students developed critical and analytical thinking by recognizing and emphasizing the existence and validity of other types of thinking.
- Students developed your ability to communicate effectively through an online interaction with people from different cultures and disciplines, showing pride in your national identity and respect for the richness and characteristics of other cultures.
- Students reflected and increase tolerance and respect for reasoned arguments other than one's own.
- Students recognized how multicultural and multidisciplinary differences impact the same situation.
- Students developed the capacity to identify, analyze and evaluate ethical dilemmas related to intercultural differences in sociological and work environments, valuing human dignity in a diverse context.
Faculty Feedback:
" I witnessed the growth of the students in terms of learning to adapt to the various team projects and teammates rhythms, and becoming resourceful, while using the theoretical foundation of the course to solve problems and enhance communication skills, revise the workflow and motivate and/or reach consensus in their teams."
~ Mona Pearl
" Three aspects caught my attention: The main challenge for the vast majority of the teams, if not all, was coordinating agendas to hold work meetings; Several of the participants learned to communicate and work through Slack or Google Drive since, contrary to popular belief, they had no experience in that field; I realize that several of the participants developed tolerance and respect for arguments other than their own and this was more evident at the time of confronting the way to approach the work of the case."
~ Jesus Lechuga
Mona Pearl
Institution: DePaul University
Discipline: Management & Entrepreneurship
Course name: International Management
Jesus Lechuga Almaraz
.jpg "Jesus Lechuga Almaraz")
Institution: Tec de Monterrey
Discipline: Engineering/ HR
Ricardo Nobrega
Institution: Faculdade de Tecnologia de Indaiatuba (FATEC)
Discipline: International Trade
Course name: International Trade