cross-cultural collaboration using video and social networking

Cross-Cultural Collaboration Through a Virtual Community of Practice Using Video and Social Networking

Cross-Cultural Collaboration Through a Virtual Community of Practice Using Video and Social Networking

ED-MEDIA 2011Lisbon, Portugal

Bert Kimura, University of Hawaii, USA

Mary Kimura, Kansai University, Japan

Kenichi Kubota, Kansai University, Japan

Curtis P. Ho, University of Hawaii, USA

Bert Kimura, University of Hawaii, USA

Mary Kimura, Kansai University, Japan

Kenichi Kubota, Kansai University, Japan

Curtis P. Ho, University of Hawaii, USA

Panel Session OverviewPanel Session Overview

• Project Background

• Cross-Cultural Collaboration & Social Media

• Video Production at a Distance

• Learning Implications for VCoP & Cross-Cultural Settings

• Q & A

Goals & ObjectivesGoals & Objectives

• Student performance objectives– Plan using social media– Collaborate to produce

a short video

• Instructor expectations– How community

emerges & evolves• Cross-cultural context• Social media

BackgroundBackground

• Student Populations– Language level– Technology

experience– Graduate student

status

• Class Descriptions• Schedule of Classes• Friends

University of Hawai‘iUniversity of Hawai‘i

• Honolulu, Hawai‘i• ETEC 602, Teaching/Training

Technologies • Graduate students (17)• Working• Online classes

• Osaka, Japan• ICT for Learning• On campus (14)• Younger in age• Use of second

language• Limited online

experience

Kansai UniversityKansai University

Project DescriptionProject Description

LogisticsLogistics• Student status

• Semester schedule

• Class schedule

• Technology skill

• Collaboration & teamwork

• Time zone

• Language

Getting StartedGetting Started

• Students introduce themselves

• Student divided into project groups

• Facebook Group created for communication

Student IntroductionsStudent Introductions

• Initial Skype Sessions– Students introduce

themselves– Some chatted on

Skype with group members

• Elluminate Sessions– Background discussion

of Japanese students characteristics

– Report on what they were doing

Forming Project GroupsForming Project Groups

• Divided students into seven groups– Two Japanese

students and 2 – 3 Hawaii students

– Bilingual speaker in each group

– Japanese groups had high and low level English speakers

– Technically skill student in each group

Main Communication ToolMain Communication Tool• Facebook Group

– Closed group– Video/pictures– Discussion Board

• Kansai University/UH Facebook Group– Video introductions of

Japanese students

– Hawaii produced video about themselves

– Students commented on videos

– Discussion thread used for video project

Additional ToolsAdditional Tools

• Communication– Email– Skype

• File Sharing– Dropbox

• File editing– JayCut– iMovie– MovieMaker

Survey of Communication ToolsSurvey of Communication Tools

• Survey given in Japanese and English

• Some students were interviewed by a bilingual UH student

• Review of online discussions

Survey ResultsSurvey Results• Facebook used as the primary means of discussion

– Students could check discussion at any time– Easier for Japanese students to read and write English

• Five of 7 teams used another tool with Facebook– Skype

• Could talk with group members about plans and progress• Scheduling difficulties• Sometime difficult for Japanese students to follow

– Email• Some Japanese students didn’t like face-to-face

communication• Easier for those unfamiliar with Facebook

– Text Chat• Students could communicate in real time• Difficult for Japanese students to type ideas quickly

Using Facebook GroupsUsing Facebook Groups

• All students could review discussion and share ideas

• Japanese could read comments, use dictionaries, ask for help

• Students could plan and assign tasks

• Faculty could track of student progress

Cultural DifferencesCultural Differences

Characteristics– Communication styles

• Hawaii students were more direct

• Japanese did not want confrontation

– Decision making• Hawaii students were task

oriented• Japanese students

consensus oriented

– Personalities• Hawaii students outgoing,

assertive• Japanese shy, modest

about abilities

Cultural StylesCultural Styles

• Communication missed cultural signals– Japanese students used indirect communication

• Suggested what they wanted to do• Would not object if their ideas weren’t considered

– Hawaii students were more direct• Stated what they thought would be a good direction• Would explain why and how to use their ideas

• Group Dynamics– Hawaii students wanted ice-breakers

– Japanese students wanted some way to encourage “nominication”

Language DifficultiesLanguage Difficulties

• Hawaii students tried to speak slowly and used simple English

• Lower level Japanese students had difficulty following Skype conversations

• Japanese students who were stronger English speakers took a greater role in communication and decision making

• Some Japanese students reluctant to use English and needed encouragement to participate

SummarySummary

• Online tools allowed for a variety of ways of collaborating

• A Facebook Group discussions provided written documentation of progress

• Using other online tools with Facebook facilitated collaboration

• Time differences made face-to-face interaction challenging

• Possible future direction is to find a way to have online “nominication”

Collaborative video production processCollaborative video production process

Objectives: To produce two-minutes cross-cultural video program collaboratively.

Topic: Comparing media use in Japan and US

Period: October 15, 2010 – November 19

Seven groups: Each group consists of 2 Japanese and 3 Americans.

Self Introduction 1 Self Introduction 1

American Student Japanese Student

Self Introduction 2 Self Introduction 2

American Student Japanese Student

Video Production Process

Collaborative Project:How has social networking services changed your life?

Collaborative Project:How has social networking services changed your life?

Collaborative Project:

Facebook vs MixiCollaborative Project:

Facebook vs Mixi

Collaborative Project:

Tag… You Are It!Collaborative Project:

Tag… You Are It!

• 24-item online survey• F2F interviews• Online discussions• Quantitative and qualitative

data analyzed• High level of satisfaction overall• Japan students slightly less • Challenges identified

Summary of ResultsSummary of Results

ImplicationsImplicationsIssues with time management:

• Provide timeline to students

• Create milestones for incremental project outcomes

• Incremental feedback

• More time for project

ImplicationsImplicationsTime-zone difference:• Provide guidelines for collaborative work at a

distance

• Schedule synchronous sessions as part of class activity

• Encourage asynchronouscommunication

ImplicationsImplicationsEstablishing relationships:

• Need team-building activities at outset

• Allow time up front for “socializing”

• Need to make some activities “language

independent”

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned• Need to be more explicit on instructions

• Allow for more socialization time

• Provide more milestones

• Provide more time to work on project

ConclusionConclusion• Intercultural projects can be successful• Need to consider language proficiency and

confidence• Clear guidelines and expectations critical• Project should be both outcome and

process focused • Team-building is

essential

Future WorkFuture Work

• Planning for a Fall 2011 project underway

• Focus on implementing lessons learned

• Will consider using a virtual learning environment like Second Life for team-building and socializing

• Collect more data

• Include classes fromother countries

DiscussionDiscussion• What is your experience with cross-cultural

collaboration?

• How do you deal with language differences?

• How do you deal with time differences?

• How do you deal with cultural differences?

• What are your strategies for team or community building?

Mahalo!Mahalo!

Bert Kimura, University of Hawaii, USA

bert@hawaii.edu

Mary Kimura, Kansai University, Japan

marykimu@gmail.com

Kenichi Kubota, Kansai University, Japan

kubota@res.kutc.kansai-u.ac.jp

Curtis P. Ho, University of Hawaii, USA

curtis@hawaii.edu

Bert Kimura, University of Hawaii, USA

bert@hawaii.edu

Mary Kimura, Kansai University, Japan

marykimu@gmail.com

Kenichi Kubota, Kansai University, Japan

kubota@res.kutc.kansai-u.ac.jp

Curtis P. Ho, University of Hawaii, USA

curtis@hawaii.edu