Creating International, Multidisciplinary Service-eLearning Experiences

Increasing the cultural and linguistic effectiveness of health providers and their understanding of the pervasiveness of culture itself can reduce barriers to effective care. International service-learning experiences allow health professions students the opportunity to work in communities where patients have emigrated from, contributing to a deeper and more applied understanding of cultural differences. However, faculty in any cultural immersion or study abroad program face challenges to develop and facilitate these experiences. Online technologies can be used to decrease these challenges and enhance learning. This chapter describes an international service-learning course that incorporated eLearning to facilitate communication, cultural adaptation, and learning outcomes. Chapter from Service-eLearning: Educating for Citizenship.