COUC 504 Cultural Immersion Project: Research & Events Paper Guide

BENCHMARK CULTURAL IMMERSION PROJECT: RESEARCH AND EVENTS PAPER

ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
This portion of the Benchmark Cultural Immersion Project Assignment consists of two parts: a research-based portion and an events-based portion of the cultural group you identified in Week 2 that you will be exploring (I selected the Muslim Community).

This group must be (I am of the Christian Faith) a different religion and/or
culture that which you identify. You must discuss significantly different religious and/or cultural differences.

In addition, you must have selected a group with whom you have little or no prior experience and cannot use cultural groups identified in prior cultural immersion experiences. In other words, the cultural group for all parts of this Benchmark Cultural Immersion Project must be new for you.

COUC 504 Cultural Immersion Project additional INSTRUCTIONS
Please utilize the guidelines noted below in completing this assignment:

• This paper should be approximately 2,300 words (approximately 9 pages) and use the suggested approximate word count for each prompt noted below.
• Please note that the quality of your answer is more important than the word count, and you may expand further; however, it is not required.
• Please use current APA style which is the 7th edition of the APA publication manual which includes information on appropriate formatting for section headings (Chapter 2), levels of headings (Chapter 2), in-text citations (Chapter 8), and references (Chapters 9and 10). In addition, review the sample professional paper on page 50 for more information.
• Scholarly sources are required and must be published within the last 5 years. A minimum of seven (7) sources are required for this assignment, and you are welcome to use more as needed in your research.
• Acceptable sources include journal articles, scholarly websites, one (1) pertinent chapter from the McGoldrick et al. supplemental e-book.

NOTE: The Hays and Erford textbook may not count as a source.

For the two parts of this assignment, address the following prompts, and organize the paper based on the prompts using appropriate section heading format:

Research Portion:

1. What are four (4) key elements you learned about the culture through your scholarly
   research? (approximately 700 words). Please select four (4) elements from the list below and elaborate on what you learned from the literature:

? Inter-group characteristics (compared to other groups) and intra-group characteristics
(differences within the cultural group)

? Common attitudes, beliefs, and values relative to the cultural group

COUC 504 Cultural Immersion Project

• ? Prominent customs, practices, and behaviors
• Spirituality and/or religion as appropriate to the cultural groups (Please note that spirituality/religion may not be a central theme for some populations.)
• Key historical events and figures impacting the cultural and societal perceptions of this group
• History/patterns of immigration of this cultural group to the U.S

2. Historical and Current Oppression (approximately 250 words)
   ? Please write a summary of the historical and current oppression of the chosen cultural group. This information is to help understand how oppression has impacted the group.
   Ideas to explore can include the effects of oppression and the subtle rules or unwritten
   practices of oppression within structures such as companies, schools, organizations, etc.

Events Portion:

You will attend and participate in two (2) events related to your selected cultural group, and
these events can include (but not limited to) activities such as religious/faith services, community organization meetings, volunteer work with homeless shelters or food kitchens, attendance at
support group meetings, fund-raising events, school-related meetings/activities, etc. The key
thing is that these activities focus on the chosen cultural group and that you can learn
about them through these activities. (NOTE: Eating at ethnic restaurants does not count as an
event. In addition, each event must be distinct and have a qualitatively different experience than the other.

For example, attendance at two different faith/religious services would count as one
event as they are similar experiences.)

Your total participation for the events should be for (4) hours (approximately two (2) hours per
event) where you engage in learning more about your chosen cultural group.

Please note that if you choose to attend a faith/religious service, do not be surprised if the service is longer than anticipated and if you are invited for a meal afterwards. Hospitality for such events is common for many cultural groups, and it may be insulting if you do not eat with them following the service. For such instances, the church service and the meal would count as one event.

With any activity, it is important that you interact with members of the cultural group to developan understanding of the event and the motivations of individuals in participating in them.

Consider some of the following factors as you think about this portion: purpose of the activity or event; cultural underpinnings for the events, possible religious/faith influences for event; and social/political/economic beliefs or values.

Events section prompts for the COUC 504 Cultural Immersion Project

•  Identify the two attended events and describe your experience of these events. (approximately 250 words)
• How did your participation in these events impact you emotionally? In other words, how did you respond as you engaged with and learned more about the cultural group? Why do you think you responded this way? (approximately 350 words)

COUC 504 Cultural Immersion Project

? What are three (3) key things you learned about the culture through these events that was
not reflected in your research? What makes these three learned elements significant for
the culture? (approximately 350 words)
? Among the major counseling theories (psychodynamic, Adlerian, existential, person-
centered, Gestalt, cognitive-behavioral, reality, behavior, family systems, etc.), what are
two (2) theories that have been empirically validated as effective with the selected group?
What are the characteristics of these two (2) theories that make them effective?
(approximately 300 words)

Note that the research and events portion of the project is necessary for completion of the final portion of this immersion project.

Organize all the notes and resources you have gathered thus far to enable you to easily accomplish the interview portion of this project.

Note: Submit your paper in the course and in Tevera/LiveText:
? If you are a School Counseling student, please submit to LiveText.
? If you are a Clinical Mental Health/Professional Counseling student, please submit to
Tevera.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.COUC 504
? What are three (3) key things you learned about the culture through these events that was
not reflected in your research? What makes these three learned elements significant for
the culture? (approximately 350 words)
? Among the major counseling theories (psychodynamic, Adlerian, existential, person-
centered, Gestalt, cognitive-behavioral, reality, behavior, family systems, etc.), what are
two (2) theories that have been empirically validated as effective with the selected group?
What are the characteristics of these two (2) theories that make them effective?
(approximately 300 words)
Note that the research and events portion of the project is necessary for completion of the final
portion of this immersion project. Organize all the notes and resources you have gathered thus
far to enable you to easily accomplish the interview portion of this project.
Note: Submit your paper in the course and in Tevera/LiveText:
? If you are a School Counseling student, please submit to LiveText.
? If you are a Clinical Mental Health/Professional Counseling student, please submit toTevera.

Additional Resources

COUC 504 Cultural Immersion resource pdf