INTR 3091: Intercultural Social Innovation - Montreal 

In the Fall of 2023, I had the opportunity to take the honors seminar: Intercultural Social Innovation. The course also included a study abroad component in Montreal. This class challenged students to think globally and act locally. It started with learning the human-centered design process as a mode of social innovation. Halfway through the semester, we traveled to Montreal, where we were put into small teams with students from the University of Quebec and Montreal (UQAM). We were then assigned to come up with an innovative way to solve a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal.

 

Our group decided to tackle the teacher shortage issue that both Canada and the United States face. After completing field and desk research, we began our ideation and prototype phase. We came up with a wide variety of creative solutions, ranging from redesigning the education degree to a tax system that would pay student teachers. Ultimately, our team decided to create a service-based business that would empower burnt-out teachers to leave their field, while also encouraging those who are burnt out from another profession to become teachers. Then, in November, the students from UQAM joined us in Cincinnati to pitch our ideas to our class and professors.

 

While I learned a plethora about the design thinking process and how to tackle these large social issues that seem unbeatable, my most important takeaway came from working on an intercultural team. There were often hurdles to overcome when it came to communicating each of our visions and ensuring that our solution met the needs of both Cincinnati and Montreal. At the same time, it showed me the importance of having diversity in background on teams. The solution that we came up with would have never happened if it weren't for these differing perspectives. Moving forward, I hope to seek out more experiences like this that allow me to engage in intercultural teams. 

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