MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- The Air Force Culture and Language Center now offers a new Introduction to China Culture Course on its free Culture Guide mobile app, untethered from government IT platforms. This course coincides with AFCLC’s vision to lead the U.S. Air Force in building a cross-culturally competent Total Force to meet the demands of the Service’s dynamic global mission.
Upon completing the course, Airmen and Guardians will receive a Certificate of Completion to upload to their learning record.
During his speech at the sixth Annual Air University Language, Regional Expertise and Culture Symposium in October, and later quoted in Air Force Magazine, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall highlighted the importance of understanding Chinese culture for integrated deterrence.
“Collectively, we Americans lack an adequate understanding of Chinese culture,” Secretary Kendall said. “We run a significant risk of misinterpretation and missed signals when we project our own perspectives upon Chinese actions and communications.”
AFCLC’s China course provides foundational information on basic concepts and practices enhancing our cross-cultural competence in interacting with Chinese nationals. The course is divided into two parts. Part 1 teaches key culture general terminology while Part 2 focuses specifically on Chinese culture using the framework of the 12 Domains of Culture. The China course is a 40 minute, self-paced, asynchronous offering accessible on the Culture Guide mobile app.
Students will learn:
- What is meant by the term “Culture”
- How to distinguish between Culture-General and Culture-Specific
- How to define Domains of Culture
- What is meant by the term “Worldview”
- How to relate the 12 Domains of Culture to Chinese culture
AFCLC’s Culture Guide app is available to all military service members and civilians through the App Store and Google Play, and it is safe for Department of Defense mobile devices.
For iOS users, the app and course can be accessed here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/culture-guide/id1001309672
For Android users, the app and course can be accessed here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bah.afclc&hl=en