Questions about CuCo?
Our FAQs give you all the information you need about how CuCo works — including use cases, existing features, and what’s planned for the future.
What will I learn in the app? - Examples
With CuCo, you will learn to better understand cultural differences in everyday life.
Imagine you are in Germany and meet people from different cultures. The app helps you understand typical behaviours in everyday situations and avoid misunderstandings. Here are a few examples:
- Greetings,
- Politeness;
- Eye contact:
With these insights, you will become more confident in your interactions with others and better able to understand cultural perspectives – for respectful coexistence.
How do I learn in CuCo?
The topics are presented in quiz form. Each topic has the following screens: First, an episode is described in which something seems strange. On a screen, questions are asked and possible answers are presented. Here you can think about where the problems might lie. Then, on another screen, the solution and a comment follow.
Here are two examples:
The translation of the following two examples can be taken from the translation of the Culture Quiz!
Body language – looks and eye contact
Situation:
You are talking to Julia to prepare for an appointment at the immigration office. She explains which documents you need to take with you to your next visit to the immigration office. During the conversation, she maintains constant eye contact.
Question: Why does she maintain constant eye contact?
- a) Because she wants to intimidate you?
- b) Because she doesn’t like you?
- d) Because she thinks you don’t understand her?
- c) Because it’s normal for her?
Answer/solution/comment: In Germany, when you talk to someone, you maintain relatively constant eye contact (c). It does not mean that Julia wants to intimidate you or does not like you, or that she thinks you do not understand her. Incidentally, the eye contact would be the same if you were talking to a man.
Dealing with children
Situation:
You are accompanying Paul, who wants to pick up his children from nursery. In front of the nursery, you can observe German parents interacting with their children. You notice that German parents seem to involve their children in decisions more often and give them a lot of freedom.
Question: Why do German parents involve their children in decisions?
- a) Because they cannot control their children?
- b) Because they do not like their children?
- c) Because they want to encourage independence?
- d) Because they don’t have any rules?
Answer/comment: In Germany, it has recently become common practice to involve children in decisions in order to support their independence (c). Different cultures have different approaches to parenting. In other cultures, parenting is often more strongly influenced by parental guidance in order to give children security and orientation. The different approaches reflect the values and priorities of the respective society. Ultimately, however, every region and family has its own ideas about what is best for children.
What is culture? What is intercultural communication?
Intercultural communication refers to the exchange of information and meanings between people from different cultures. This involves not only the spoken word, but also non-verbal elements such as gestures, facial expressions, eye contact and social forms of politeness, which can vary greatly depending on the culture.
For example, politeness can be expressed differently in different cultures: in some cultures, it is more respectful not to make direct eye contact, while in others, strong eye contact is a sign of attention and respect. the way people greet or say goodbye, can also vary culturally. In intercultural communication, it is important to recognise and respect these differences in order to avoid misunderstandings and promote better cooperation.
The term “culture” is used in many different ways. It is very common in everyday language alone, and often those who use the term do not think carefully about what they mean. We want to define the term “culture” here, at least roughly, in the sense used by Bolten, who has also dealt extensively with intercultural training. For him, culture is changeable. Culture functions as a system of orientations that guide action. There are always subcultures (youth culture, regional culture and individual variations, etc.) and overlaps between different cultures. (Lit: see in particular Jürgen Bolten: Interkulturelle Kompetenz, Landeszentrale für politische Bildung, Thüringen, 2007)
So when we talk about culture in Germany, there are always exceptions and (other?) “rules”. We are only trying to provide a rough insight into the culture of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, which should make it easier to find your way around and act here. There is a danger that you will always assume that your own culture is the natural and obvious one, and not see or know what is “normal” for others.
We hope that our culture quiz will help to broaden your perspective a little!
What are CuCo's goals?
CuCo offers you:
- A better understanding of different cultures and behaviours.
- Support in settling in Germany – practical and relevant to everyday life.
- Playful learning that is fun.
What topics does CuCO cover in the test phase?
The following topics, among others, will be covered in the test phase:
- Greetings and
- Forms of politeness.
- Interactions in social situations.
The following will also be covered later:
- Behaviour at government offices and when dealing with authorities.
- First steps in finding accommodation.
- Behavioural expectations at work
What can I expect in the first test phase of CuCo?
CuCo will start a test run in 2025. Only selected content will be available in this limited version. We will use this phase to gather feedback and further improve the app for the full version.
The full version will be released based on the results of the test phase and the user feedback collected.
Do I need to speak German to use CuCo?
No, CuCo is multilingual. CuCo is available in German, English and Arabic, and more languages will be added gradually.
Which languages will be supported in the future?
In the test version, CuCo will be available in English and Arabic. For the full version, we are working on integrating additional languages such as Dari, Turkish, Farsi and Ukrainian.
Can CuCo also be used in the classroom?
Yes, CuCo is ideal for use in the classroom. CuCo can be easily integrated into teaching settings, for example in language or integration courses.
Why is CuCo available as an app?
CuCo is being developed as an app because smartphones are the most widely used medium, especially among people who are new to Germany. CuCo can also be used in browsers on computers or tablets.
How can I give feedback on CuCo?
During the CuCo test phase, we welcome your feedback to improve user-friendliness and content.
If you have suggestions or questions about the project, we look forward to hearing from you!
We haven’t answered your question yet? We are happy to hear from you!