SIETAR Europa Congress 2007 SIETAR Europa Congress 2007 (Sofia, Bulgaria, (Sofia, Bulgaria, April 25th-29th, 2007)April 25th-29th, 2007)

Developing awareness of the Developing awareness of the richness and challenges of richness and challenges of

computer-mediated intercultural computer-mediated intercultural communication: Curriculum communication: Curriculum

design and participant design and participant experiencesexperiences

Richard Fay, Susan Brown, Milena Katsarska, Richard Fay, Susan Brown, Milena Katsarska,

Diane Slaouti, and Magdalena de StefaniDiane Slaouti, and Magdalena de Stefani

richard.fay@manchester.ac.ukrichard.fay@manchester.ac.uk

In this presentation, we will:In this presentation, we will:

set the contexts for our curriculum set the contexts for our curriculum collaboration;collaboration;

describe the design of the resulting describe the design of the resulting course(s) based on the CMIC Project;course(s) based on the CMIC Project;

present a case study of the participant present a case study of the participant experience of the CMIC Project; andexperience of the CMIC Project; and

conclude with some ongoing conclude with some ongoing considerations.considerations.

Fig. 1: Overview of the CMIC Project Collaboration 2007Fig. 1: Overview of the CMIC Project Collaboration 2007

Country I nstitution Students Status

UK University of Manchester

(3 tutors)

31

Bulgaria Plovdiv University

(1 tutor)

20

Uruguay I nstituto Cultural Anglo-

Uruguayo (1 tutor)

22

Registered and

assessed

Bulgaria Sofia University (2 supervisors)

13 Non-assessed

volunteers

3 countries

4 institutions; 7 staff

86 students 2 participant

types

Setting the ContextsSetting the Contexts The rapid development of computer-mediated The rapid development of computer-mediated

communicationcommunication (students need to develop their mediated (students need to develop their mediated communicative competence).communicative competence).

Increasing multiculturalism / transnational Increasing multiculturalism / transnational interactioninteraction (students need to develop their intercultural (students need to develop their intercultural communicative competence).communicative competence).

The rapidly developing phenomenon of The rapidly developing phenomenon of computer-mediated intercultural communicationcomputer-mediated intercultural communication (students need to bring together their mediated communicative (students need to bring together their mediated communicative competences with their intercultural communicative competence).competences with their intercultural communicative competence).

The impetus for curriculum internationalisationThe impetus for curriculum internationalisation..

The foreign language learning context in the UK.The foreign language learning context in the UK.

Fig. 2: Changing Student Profiles at ManchesterFig. 2: Changing Student Profiles at Manchester

I n 2001 In 2007

Sex mostly female

Age mostly in their early-20s

Nationality mostly British

Languages Mostly monolingual English (or with some basic communication skills

in 1 foreign language) +

Some bilingual students (often from ‘ethnic minorities’)

CMC experience

Often inexperienced and lacking confidence

in their technological competence

Mostly experienced and quite confident

IC experience

Limited intercultural experience; not very confident in their

communicative skills for such interactions

CMIC experience

Mostly inexperienced; excited / apprehensive about the possibilities

Fig. 3: Students’ Communicative Competence and CMICFig. 3: Students’ Communicative Competence and CMIC

[2] Mediated (CMC)

[4]

mediated, communication involving no significant cultural distance

mediated communication

involving cultural distance

of some kind

CMI C Project

I ntracultural Communication (familiar parameters)

I ntercultural Communication

(less familiar parameters)

F2F communication involving no significant cultural distance

F2F communication

involving cultural distance

of some kind

[1]

Face-to-face (F2F)

[3]

Fig. 4a: Tutors’ Developing Experience of Fig. 4a: Tutors’ Developing Experience of CommunicationCommunication

Childhood Adulthood

[4] Intercultural

Mediated Comm.

[1] Intra-

cultural F2F

Comm.

[3] Inter-

cultural F2F

Comm.

[2] Intracultural

Mediated Comm.

Fig. 4b: 2001 Manchester Students’ Developing Fig. 4b: 2001 Manchester Students’ Developing Experience of CommunicationExperience of Communication

Childhood Adulthood

CMI C Project

[4] Intercultural

Mediated Comm.

[2] Intracultural Mediated Comm.

[1] Intra-

cultural F2F

Comm.

Fig. 4c: 2007 Manchester Students’ Developing Fig. 4c: 2007 Manchester Students’ Developing Experience of CommunicationExperience of Communication

Childhood Adulthood

[2] Intracultural Mediated Comm.

[1] Intra-cultural F2F Comm.

CMI C Project

[4] Intercultural

Mediated Comm.

The Crisis in UK Foreign Language EducationThe Crisis in UK Foreign Language Education

““'Free fall' fears as pupils abandon languages”'Free fall' fears as pupils abandon languages” ““Shake-up urged to stop pupils dropping Shake-up urged to stop pupils dropping

languages”languages”

Where will the UK's future linguists come from? Where will the UK's future linguists come from? As fewer and fewer students opt for languages at As fewer and fewer students opt for languages at GCSE, many university departments face closure. GCSE, many university departments face closure. … the problem starts at school. Since learning a … the problem starts at school. Since learning a language ceased to be a compulsory subject after language ceased to be a compulsory subject after the age of 14 just over two years ago, the the age of 14 just over two years ago, the proportion of pupils taking a language at GCSE proportion of pupils taking a language at GCSE has slumped.has slumped.

The Seven Phases of the CMIC ProjectThe Seven Phases of the CMIC Project

PHASE A – PreparationPHASE A – Preparation

PHASE B – Establishing ContactPHASE B – Establishing Contact & & PHASE C – Personal IntroductionsPHASE C – Personal Introductions

PHASE D – Cultural Perspectives ExchangePHASE D – Cultural Perspectives Exchange

PHASE E – ReflectionsPHASE E – Reflections

PHASE F – Data AnalysisPHASE F – Data Analysis

PHASE G – Demonstration of LearningPHASE G – Demonstration of Learning

Fig. 6: CMIC Classes and PhasesFig. 6: CMIC Classes and Phases

Classes Project Phases

(1) Culture and communication

(2) Computer-mediated communication (I)

(3) Computer-mediated communication (II)

(4) Intercultural communication

Phase A (Preparation)

(5) Computer-mediated intercultural communication

Phases B / C (Establishing Contact & Personal Introductions)

(6) Cultural Perspectives Exchange

(7) Language Perspectives

Phase D (Cultural Perspectives

Exchange)

Easter ‘Break’ (no classes but CMIC Project continues)

(8) Data Analysis (I) Phase E (Reflections)

(9) Data Analysis (II) & Assessment Preparation

Phase F (Data Analysis)

Phase G (Demonstration of

Learning)

Short Definition of CMICShort Definition of CMIC

We use the term CMIC to refer toWe use the term CMIC to refer to

the phenomenon, processes, and emerging the phenomenon, processes, and emerging characteristics of interpersonalcharacteristics of interpersonalcommunicationcommunication conducted throughconducted throughnetworked telecommunications systemsnetworked telecommunications systemsandand realised throughrealised through interactions betweeninteractions betweenindividualsindividuals who differ significantly in theirwho differ significantly in theircultural backgroundscultural backgrounds..

Expanded Definition of CMICExpanded Definition of CMIC

We use the term CMIC to refer to We use the term CMIC to refer to the phenomenon, processes, the phenomenon, processes, and emerging characteristics of interpersonal and emerging characteristics of interpersonal communicationcommunication which is particularised in two important ways: which is particularised in two important ways:

such communication, on the one hand, is such communication, on the one hand, is conducted throughconducted through (i.e. situated, informed, shaped through the affordances of) (i.e. situated, informed, shaped through the affordances of)

networked telecommunications systemsnetworked telecommunications systems; ;

andand, on the other, is, on the other, is realised throughrealised through interactions interactions betweenbetween (i.e. the creating, exchanging, perceiving of, and attributing (i.e. the creating, exchanging, perceiving of, and attributing meaning to, messages from) meaning to, messages from)

individualsindividuals (understood to be culturally-unique and culturally-complex beings (understood to be culturally-unique and culturally-complex beings participating in, and being influenced by, the particular societies in which participating in, and being influenced by, the particular societies in which they ‘reside’ and with which they identify) they ‘reside’ and with which they identify)

who differ significantly in their cultural backgrounds.who differ significantly in their cultural backgrounds.

For CMICFor CMIC, , the competent communicator needs to the competent communicator needs to be able tobe able to

avoidavoid miscommunication which results from the miscommunication which results from the characteristics and challenges of communication characteristics and challenges of communication which is intercultural and computer-mediated in which is intercultural and computer-mediated in nature;nature;

recogniserecognise when miscommunication could be the when miscommunication could be the result of the characteristics and challenges of result of the characteristics and challenges of communication which is intercultural and communication which is intercultural and computer-mediated in nature; andcomputer-mediated in nature; and

repairrepair miscommunication which may have miscommunication which may have resulted from the characteristics and challenges resulted from the characteristics and challenges of communication which is intercultural and of communication which is intercultural and computer-mediated in nature.computer-mediated in nature.

(adapted from O’Sullivan, 1994: 99)(adapted from O’Sullivan, 1994: 99)

Bringing IC Skills to Bear on the CMIC PhenomenonBringing IC Skills to Bear on the CMIC Phenomenon

Externalisation skills Externalisation skills (Stepping outside your usual perceptions)(Stepping outside your usual perceptions)

Context 1Context 1: A Manchester CMIC Project : A Manchester CMIC Project student sends their first message to their student sends their first message to their ebuddy at the beginning of Phase B ebuddy at the beginning of Phase B (Establishing Contact). How long might (Establishing Contact). How long might their reply typically be?their reply typically be?

Your preferenceYour preference::

Their possible preferencesTheir possible preferences: :

Task 1Task 1:: Consider the email below. What is being Consider the email below. What is being communicated by this ebuddy? What might your communicated by this ebuddy? What might your initial response be to it? Do you feel that initial response be to it? Do you feel that externalisation / analysing skills are being externalisation / analysing skills are being usefully employed in it? How would you reply? usefully employed in it? How would you reply?

Hi C, I am really keen to talk to you and you didn’t contact Hi C, I am really keen to talk to you and you didn’t contact me this past week me this past week ………………. ……………….I have sent you a photograph of myself and my boyfriend. I have sent you a photograph of myself and my boyfriend. We are eating a famous dish here called ……. I have been We are eating a famous dish here called ……. I have been with him two years and we intend to marry. My boyfriend with him two years and we intend to marry. My boyfriend does not earn much money but this is not a problem for does not earn much money but this is not a problem for me. Do you have a boyfriend? me. Do you have a boyfriend? I have read an article that says that young people in your I have read an article that says that young people in your country drink lots of alcohol and don’t eat food as well with country drink lots of alcohol and don’t eat food as well with it. I think this is bad for young people. We drink here but it. I think this is bad for young people. We drink here but with food and we drink lots of water also. Young people are with food and we drink lots of water also. Young people are very respectful here. Why do you think you think young very respectful here. Why do you think you think young English people are not so respectful? …………….English people are not so respectful? …………….

The Student Experience of CMICThe Student Experience of CMIC ‘‘Lisa’ (Manchester) working with ebuddies in both Lisa’ (Manchester) working with ebuddies in both

Bulgaria (‘Ayshe’) and Uruguay (‘Victoria’).Bulgaria (‘Ayshe’) and Uruguay (‘Victoria’).

Data for Lisa: CMC logs, diary entries, assignment Data for Lisa: CMC logs, diary entries, assignment commentary, and post-experience interview with commentary, and post-experience interview with her Manchester tutor. her Manchester tutor.

Analysis focuses on: her interactions with her Analysis focuses on: her interactions with her ebuddies (log data), her reflections on these ebuddies (log data), her reflections on these interactions (diary data), and her discussion of interactions (diary data), and her discussion of her CMIC experience with reference to e.g. her CMIC experience with reference to e.g. O’Sullivan’s intercultural skills (assignment).O’Sullivan’s intercultural skills (assignment).

Lisa’s Reflections on her CMIC ExperienceLisa’s Reflections on her CMIC Experience

When Ayshe replied straight away and Victoria When Ayshe replied straight away and Victoria didn’t, [I] wondered if she wasn’t going to.didn’t, [I] wondered if she wasn’t going to.

This is a problem of CMC, don’t know if they This is a problem of CMC, don’t know if they haven’t received e-mail, or have and are ignoring haven’t received e-mail, or have and are ignoring you!you!

[Whereas][Whereas] Ayshe replied to my questions about her Ayshe replied to my questions about her culture within a day, Victoria has not replied at all culture within a day, Victoria has not replied at all which is making me a bit annoyed. At least I have which is making me a bit annoyed. At least I have one e-buddy I can talk to. one e-buddy I can talk to.

The Uruguayan girl e-mailed me back saying she didn’t get The Uruguayan girl e-mailed me back saying she didn’t get my last e-mail. This shows a problem of CMC as I thought my last e-mail. This shows a problem of CMC as I thought she was ignoring me when actually she hadn’t got my e-she was ignoring me when actually she hadn’t got my e-mail. With e-mail you don’t know whether they’ve got your mail. With e-mail you don’t know whether they’ve got your e-mail or not, or if they have and are purposely ignoring e-mail or not, or if they have and are purposely ignoring you. I guess you have to give people the benefit of the you. I guess you have to give people the benefit of the doubt.doubt.

When Victoria replied with her first real letter I was When Victoria replied with her first real letter I was surprised because I thought she wasn’t going to. It was surprised because I thought she wasn’t going to. It was hard to understand what she had written because her hard to understand what she had written because her English was not good. I couldn’t always understand what English was not good. I couldn’t always understand what she was asking me. Wrote word jajaja which I think is equal she was asking me. Wrote word jajaja which I think is equal to hahaha but it shows the problems of not having common to hahaha but it shows the problems of not having common cyber talk in CMIC.cyber talk in CMIC.

Victoria is e-mailing more now, I think she just never got Victoria is e-mailing more now, I think she just never got around to it .. she wasn’t being rude, but that shows the around to it .. she wasn’t being rude, but that shows the problems you can have with CMC - don’t know their problems you can have with CMC - don’t know their intentions. intentions.

When [I] e-mailed Victoria about education speaking about When [I] e-mailed Victoria about education speaking about calling teachers by their first name, and if this was calling teachers by their first name, and if this was respectful or not, [I] was worried she wouldn’t understand respectful or not, [I] was worried she wouldn’t understand me as [I] had to speak about some quite complex ideas … me as [I] had to speak about some quite complex ideas …

This is the problem with discussing inter-cultural ideas This is the problem with discussing inter-cultural ideas which in their nature are complex subjects with a person which in their nature are complex subjects with a person who doesn’t speak your language. Yet this is the irony, you who doesn’t speak your language. Yet this is the irony, you need to discuss it with a person from a different culture to need to discuss it with a person from a different culture to understand it, but you might not be able to discuss it understand it, but you might not be able to discuss it because they can’t understand you!because they can’t understand you!

Victoria has not replied again! I don’t think she’s doing it to Victoria has not replied again! I don’t think she’s doing it to be rude, she just forgets to e-mail, because she told me be rude, she just forgets to e-mail, because she told me that once. Anyway, it’s really annoying me! I can’t continue that once. Anyway, it’s really annoying me! I can’t continue with [the next phase] because she hasn’t even replied to with [the next phase] because she hasn’t even replied to my …answers [to this stage]! my …answers [to this stage]!

Victoria finally e-mailed me back today. She said sorry she Victoria finally e-mailed me back today. She said sorry she took so long but didn’t give any explanation, which really took so long but didn’t give any explanation, which really annoyed me. Maybe it’s a cultural thing?annoyed me. Maybe it’s a cultural thing?

I felt a bit bad that I had been so negative about Victoria I felt a bit bad that I had been so negative about Victoria because in her final e-mail she was really nice, saying she’d because in her final e-mail she was really nice, saying she’d really enjoyed talking to me and that she had always really enjoyed talking to me and that she had always thought my communication was good, and that it was thought my communication was good, and that it was probably her communication that had been bad.probably her communication that had been bad.

I’m not sure if she really realises it was, but it was I’m not sure if she really realises it was, but it was nice for her to say it, and it had made my feelings nice for her to say it, and it had made my feelings less harsh towards her. Despite this I was still less harsh towards her. Despite this I was still annoyed at her infrequent contact, but I think this annoyed at her infrequent contact, but I think this is a cultural difference which will never be is a cultural difference which will never be overcome, purely due to a different mentality overcome, purely due to a different mentality towards politeness and responding promptly.towards politeness and responding promptly.

When she asked me to clarify what my course When she asked me to clarify what my course

was about, I also did not really understand what was about, I also did not really understand what she was asking me she was asking me (see e-mail 6, p13).(see e-mail 6, p13). This could This could have led to misinterpretation; however I used have led to misinterpretation; however I used O’Sullivan’s skills of analysis in order to interpret O’Sullivan’s skills of analysis in order to interpret what she was asking me.what she was asking me.

Analysing the DataAnalysing the Data

experience experience (of the CMIC interaction)(of the CMIC interaction)

↓↓initial reflection on that experience initial reflection on that experience (often without use of the meta-language of IC)(often without use of the meta-language of IC)

↓↓considered reflection on that considered reflection on that

experience experience (often using the meta-language of IC)(often using the meta-language of IC)

Some Ongoing ConsiderationsSome Ongoing Considerations

volunteer groups / groups with substantially different study volunteer groups / groups with substantially different study agendas? Or move towards course parallelism between the agendas? Or move towards course parallelism between the collaborating institutions?collaborating institutions?

balance between a) the cultural awareness insights balance between a) the cultural awareness insights resulting from the cultural perspectives exchange and b) resulting from the cultural perspectives exchange and b) the participants’ critical reflections on their CMIC the participants’ critical reflections on their CMIC experience and what they have learned from it?experience and what they have learned from it?

solutions to organisational challenges (student numbers, solutions to organisational challenges (student numbers, allocations, absentee-ism, poor participation)?allocations, absentee-ism, poor participation)?

innovation - CMIC courseware development combines CMC innovation - CMIC courseware development combines CMC and IC ideas, appropriate for changing pattern of students’ and IC ideas, appropriate for changing pattern of students’ developing communicative competence regarding developing communicative competence regarding mediated and intercultural communication.mediated and intercultural communication.

crossfertilisation of the tutoring teams.crossfertilisation of the tutoring teams.

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

Developing awareness of the Developing awareness of the richness and challenges of richness and challenges of

computer-mediated intercultural computer-mediated intercultural communication: Curriculum design communication: Curriculum design

and participant experiencesand participant experiences Richard Fay, Susan Brown, Milena Katsarska, Richard Fay, Susan Brown, Milena Katsarska,

Diane Slaouti, and Magdalena de StefaniDiane Slaouti, and Magdalena de Stefani

richard.fay@manchester.ac.ukrichard.fay@manchester.ac.uk