Interpreting Ethics and The Impacts of Cultural Lag: Enhancing our Toolkit During Rapidly Evolving Technology
Workshop Description:
Our profession has been undergoing a multitude of changes, some of which parallel real world challenges, such as navigating a pandemic, sheltering in place, social distancing, loss of work, connection to family and friends, and a variety of other overwhelming issues. As our society grapples with the impact of “cultural lag” (Ogburn, 1922), interpreters too are attempting to catch up to warp-speed technological advancements which impact our sense of professional values, a
changing community, connection to consumers, how we choose assignments, manage teaming, and many other complex adjustments that none of us ever could have imagined possible. This is the perfect time to take a step back, assess our resources, obtain support from our interpreting Best Practices, and use what we know is at the core of our CPC’s mission and philosophy: Full and Equal
Communication Access for all Deaf Consumers and to Do No Harm. This workshop is designed to help define the meaning of “cultural lag” as it pertains to our profession, and its impacts on interpreters as well as the society in which we live. It will also assist interpreter’s in navigating many current day challenges: technological advances, a pandemic causing community disconnect, how to navigate the continued demands of social media, our “new normal” work environment (i.e. VRI), and more. We will review past concepts such as “cognitive dissonance” and work with sample ethical scenarios, referring to an easy step-by-step template with our CPC as a guide, in order practice critical thinking skills and create “win-win” solutions to ethical dilemmas. Additionally, students will have a chance to re-vamp their interpreter “tool-kits”, so that they may be prepared for future changes, and learn how to de-stress during these trying times.
Workshop Objectives:
As a result of attending this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Clearly describe cultural lag and it's application to our profession
- Demonstrate how to navigate a rapidly changing technology while maintaining best practices as outlined in our Code of Professional Conduct
- Practice ethical decision making using a step by step EDM template
- Describe how high cortisol levels can lead to stressors which impact EDM and critical thinking during assignments and how to mitigate these stressors.
- Show how they revamped their toolkits for interpreter preparedness during changing times and the many new demands we face in the for-seeable future
Presenter Bio:
Teresa Sedano is a resident of Santa Rosa, California and a certified-retired interpreter as well as former adjunct faculty at American River College, instructing sign language interpreting students in the area of Ethics and Professional Standards. She continues to provide workshops and mentoring to interpreters and is particularly interested in the area of self-care. In 2011, Teresa suffered an injury to her left side and retired from interpreting, focusing on teaching and mentorship while completing her Master’s degree in Contemplative Education at Naropa University in Colorado.
She has a passion for art, and is a member of the Northern California Art Therapy Association. Teresa has a certificate in “Expressive Art Therapy”, and has taught pre-school children at “Young Rembrandts”, an after-school art program. In addition, Teresa is currently teaching an online “Art and Story-time” class for elementary students through “ArtPlayLearn”(www.artplaylearn.com) as well as having taught contemplative courses at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, involving instruction in mixed media, and working as a meditation guide via their “Artful Meditation” program. At present, Teresa is involved in teaching an online guided meditation course: “Shelter in Place Sangha”, which meets every month on the 3rd Saturday.
Teresa is also the owner of Awakened Heart Designs, providing workshops and 1-1 instruction in contemplative art concepts: mindfulness, presence, and breath work, in order for each individual to explore the joy of self expression during the creative process. It is Teresa’s desire that all individual’s benefit from many of these therapeutic techniques and improve their health and wellness.
Teresa welcomes any and all questions or comments whether via email, phone call, texting, Skype, or snail-mail. ☺