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Learning in a New Culture Learning in an Intercultural Context

Lars Peter and Xiangyun Duxiangyun@plan.aau.dkOctober 19th, 2004

Agenda Agenda !! 8:15 8:15 –– 9:10 Presentation by Xiangyun 9:10 Presentation by Xiangyun

-- My story My story –– learning in a new culture learning in a new culture as a foreign student as a foreign student -- Reflection on cultural background Reflection on cultural background -- Intercultural communication Intercultural communication

!! 9:10 9:10 –– 11:00 Intercultural group 11:00 Intercultural group discussion and preparation for discussion and preparation for poster presentation poster presentation

!! 11:00 11:00 –– 12:00 Poster presentation 12:00 Poster presentation

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Helping foreign students learn how to learn in PBL, Denmark

PHD project on Learning engineering

in PBL – gendered practice

Doing research on intercultural teaching and

learning

WHO AM I ?

My Personal GrowthFrom a ‘good’ student in China

to a teacher in an Engineering University

Routine Student life School -home

Study hard Active in class A good girlIn the eyes of

teachers

Hard work – good performance- Good student – diploma Became a teacher

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I want to see the world!I want to learn new things!

An international master program in RUC, Denmark,

where I experienced PBL as a student

Specialization of Gender & Engineering

Education in Linköping, Sweden

Life was not easy!

I don’t

understand

the lecturer

What on earththe supervisor wanted

me to do?

So difficult to do a project in group work!

I am Depressed!

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Difficulties in Getting In the New Learning Culture –With Lectures

• I expected to get more ‘knowledge’(facts) from teachers

• I expected to get ‘right’ answers from teachers

• I expected teachers to talk more and be the hero in class

• I was not used to be asked about my opinion in public

• I dropped the head unconsciously when the teachers were asking questions and expecting response

" To rethink the culturally situated meaning of knowledge and to be open to another way of learning

Problems in Project Work -With Supervision

• We shifted the topic in order to draw the interest of the supervisor

• Supervisor sometimes could not remember our progress in the project

• I expected to have more inputs from supervisor at the beginning

• Supervisor only provide questionsrather than direct answers –‘What do you think?’ ‘Why?’ ‘How?’

" It is your BABY! It is the students’ role to be active and take the

responsibility of the project.

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Problems in Project Work-With Group Work

• misunderstanding arising from saying something we don’t actually mean (language use)

• different values on ‘good manners’ (‘Yes’ to be polite)• different norms on human relations (social status/genders)• different attitudes towards success and failure• different ways of conducting discussions and arguments (one-

way meeting, order for speaking)• different ways of learning (learning styles)" Cooperation is very important to get the project done! – To understand, negotiate, and compromise.

Am I stupid?

Am I different?

Why?

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Main Barriers in learning Come from Culture Differences

"Communication • Language• Social customs, attitudes, norms, and values"Knowledge background • lack of knowledge others grow up with • different understanding of the same thing

New country

Learning in a new

culture

New study form

New Environment

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Learning Environment in China# Teacher-centred with focus on lectures # Fixed contents as obligation • Loyalty and obedience to authority (teachers and

textbooks) is highly essential (‘One day a teacher, Father for the whole life’)# To be fed up with fish rather than be taught to fish# Big class – little discussion# Principles and regulations to follow# Learning by heart # Scores and ranks-based assessment - motivation# Marks are the only way of evaluating students - ranks in the exam are the standard for ‘good’ student

How do Chinese Learn

Students are expected to - Learn what and how rather than why- Learn knowledge (facts) transferred

from teachers- Follow up superiors’ experiences and

suggestions- Obey disciplines and rules- To study diligently by repetition and

memorizing

Learning Environment in ChinaLearning Environment in China

No interruption to teachers No speaking in a lecture unless when asked personallyNo challenge and criticism to teaching contents and teachers Not to make teachers lose face

Principles Uniforms

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Learning Environment in Denmarkin My Eyes

# student-centred, involving sufficient cooperative group work and varied teaching methods

# contents are presented in a meaningful context# learning by doing# smaller classes# warmer class climate # more ways of assessment than multiple choice-

centred exams # assessment is conducted in less threatening

ways

Things I Did Learn in the New Culture -- My Strategies to ‘Survive’My Strategies to ‘Survive’

" To be open- to understand and see things in a new way - to share some common understanding

" To be active- to catch chances rather than wait passively- to explain and clarify myself - ‘By saying this, I mean…’ ‘Am I clear in this way?’ ‘Is this understandable?’

" To be patient- to understand others’ point before getting offended

‘do you mean… by saying this?’ - to think from other’s perspective - to ask myself ‘why they do it in this way?’ rather than just complaining ‘how can they do it in this way!’

" To ask ‘stupid’ questions– There are NO stupid questions!

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How do you understand culture and

cultural difference?

Cultural Differences 1 - Different ways of doing the same thing

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Plan A:• Salaries like in Switzerland• Taxes like in Luxembourg• German cars• English country style as

standard housing• French wine• Italian food• Belgium beer• Austrian skiing facilities • Public authorities like in

Denmark

Plan B:• Polish salaries• Danish Taxes• Spanish cars• East German housing • German wine• Norwegian food• French beer• Dutch Skiing facilities• Public authorities like

in Italy

Cultural differences 2

– different strengths and weakness Example: Secret plan for harmonising EU

Intercultural Communication 1Impact of globalisation

• Future engineers are expected to know cultures and have social concern

• Engineering teams will be multi-national, diverse in terms of language, culture, and geographically distributed

• Companies will look for engineers with international perspective, who are able to conduct business globally, and deal with diverse business cultures and government regulations

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Intercultural Communication 2Cultural stereotypes

$ Western World in the eyes of Chinese :• Individualism• Free• Open and straight French: Romantic American: free German: principledBritish: reservedItalian: warm $ What is the stereotype of Chinese in your impression?

Intercultural Communication 2Cultural stereotypes

$ How do you think about Danish culture? $ Danish in my eyes: • Friendly-indifferent-warm to outsiders• Committed and responsible in work • Self-principled and contextual flexible • Collaborative in work but self-concerned

individualism in private life • Fair• Honest • Enjoying life• Value-driven

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Intercultural Communication 3 Theory

CulturalFactors

ContextualFactors

Cognition

Affect

Behavior

Intercultural Communication 3miscommunication and conflicts

••Miscommunication arises Miscommunication arises ••when behaviour of a when behaviour of a person from one person from one ••culture is judged within culture is judged within the framework the framework ••of another cultureof another culture

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Intercultural Communication 4- Understanding cultural differences- Learning from cultural differences

To provoke learning in an Intercultural context, it is Important to achieve positive communication

An example of Cultural difference

In concern with Student life

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6:30 Get up in dorm

6:30-7:00 Morning Exercise

Student Life in China

7:00 Breakfast in Canteen

7:30 – 8:00 Morning Reading

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8:00 – 9:50Morning Lectures

10:10 – 12:00 Morning Lectures

14:00-16:00 Afternoon Activities

Lectures Supervision

Laboratory Library

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16:00-18:00 Leisure time

Evening Activities – study individually

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Exams

Written form Hard tasks

Textbook knowledge based Scores matter

Good Good Study, Day Day Up!

Study hard - high marks - diploma - good student

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New Life Shopping?

Cooking?

Transportation?

Housing?

in Denmark

Study in Aalborg University, Denmark

Lectures

Practice

Supervision

Doing project In groups

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Doing project in groups

Group meeting

Brainstorm

Subgroup work

Discussion Disagreement

Presentation

Compromise

Exam Report writing

Life

Spare time activities

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However, pleasenote that Cultural DifferencesAre only one of the Reasons thatMake us Different…

Muslim

Philosopher

Animaldoctor

Young girl

butcher

artistwolf

farmer

Intercultural Group Discussion

Reflection on your own experiences

To understand and learn from

cultural differences