Teaching and learning about culture: a European journey.
This paper explores the evolving nature of an understanding of culture through attendance on an Intensive Programme (IP) funded by ERASMUS-SOCRATES.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper is to report a journey of learning about culture through attendance on a ERASMUS-SOCRATES funded Intensive Programme (IP) for nurses in Hasselt, Belgium.


METHODS
This paper seeks to describe the process and experience of our involvement through an examination of the authors' participation as teachers and students. This was undertaken using serial taped group and individual interviews. The metaphor of the IP as a journey is described and used as the vehicle for data collection and analysis.


RESULTS
The key findings were the development of key themes relating to: Personal Values and Culture, Engagement and Culture, Personality and Culture and Physicality and Culture. Discussion of these findings raises issues of language and language skill, communication and listening skills, stereotyping, personal awareness, cultural awareness, sensitivity and competence.


CONCLUSIONS
It is proposed that direct engagement through programmes, such as the reported IP, with other nurses and nurse educationalists in Europe is an essential part of any modern nursing curriculum and aids the development of internationalisation. Without such direct engagement there is potential for a narrower, limited view of culture and a lack of sensitivity in understanding our own and other cultures.
Wimpenny
Peter
P
School of Nursing and Midwifery, The Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Garthdee, Aberdeen AB10 7QG, United Kingdom. p.wimpenny@rgu.ac.uk
Gault
Barry
B
MacLennan
Vivienne
V
Boast-Bowen
Lesley
L
Shepherd
Patricia
P
D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004506:Education, Nursing; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D016746:Transcultural Nursing / Q000193:education*