I use and recommend this activity. One suggestion is to change the second slide so as not to reproduce dated visual stereotypes and language that assumes a non-Native American farmer. I've created an alternative for my own use. This activity could be adapted for a language classroom if the descriptions and questions were translated into the target language and care taken to explain the analogy as one situated in the US northwest. Students could then be asked to think of similar "scenery/machinery/people" analogies in their own and other cultural communities.   

We'd like to include your updated imagery in the Toolbox, stahl23, if you would like to supply us with the images that you use.  

Scenery, Machinery, People is an activity that we have been using at Purdue in various contexts - it seems really effective for encouraging self-reflection and empathy for others. In COIL/international virtual education as well as in study abroad, I think it makes students more aware of how they are treating others (and how that feels). To modify it for COIL, you could either assign a pre-reading or give instructions with the powerpoint in a synchronous meeting. Debriefing can be in groups via discussion board or individually in a reflective writing assignment. 

I really liked this activity! It made me think about my interactions in a different way. 

I participated in this activity in class, and I found it to be extremely useful. It seems easy to create these categories until you start to work on it. I enjoyed working in a small group, 2-3 people, for the discussion. I would recommend this activity as it caused me to deeply reflect on my relationships.