Learning in a New Culture Learning in an Intercultural Context

1. Learning in a New Culture Learning in an Intercultural Context Lars Peter and Xiangyun Du xiangyun@plan.aau.dk October 19th, 2004

2. Agenda • 8:15 – 9:10 Presentation by Xiangyun - My story – learning in a new culture as a foreign student - Reflection on cultural background - Intercultural communication • 9:10 – 11:00 Intercultural group discussion and preparation for poster presentation • 11:00 – 12:00 Poster presentation

3. Doing research on intercultural teaching and learning Helping foreign students learn how to learn in PBL, Denmark PHD project on Learning engineering in PBL – gendered practice WHO AM I ?

4. Routine Student life School -home Study hard Active in class A good girl In the eyes of teachers Became a teacher My Personal GrowthFrom a ‘good’ student in Chinato a teacher in an Engineering University Hard work – good performance - Good student – diploma

5. 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

6. I don’t understand the lecturer What on earth the supervisor wanted me to do? I am Depressed! So difficult to do a project in group work! Life was not easy!

7. 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

8. 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 questions rather 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.

9. 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.

10. Am I stupid? Am I different? Why?

11. 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

12. New country Learning in a new culture New study form New Environment

13. 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

14. Learning Environment in China 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 Principles Uniforms No interruption to teachers No speaking in a lecture unless when asked personally No challenge and criticism to teaching contents and teachers Not to make teachers lose face

15. 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

16. Things I Did Learn in the New Culture - 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!

17. How do you understand culture and cultural difference?

18. Cultural Differences 1 - Different ways of doing the same thing

19. 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

20. 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

21. Intercultural Communication 2Cultural stereotypes • Western World in the eyes of Chinese : • Individualism • Free • Open and straight French: Romantic American: free German: principled British: reserved Italian: warm • What is the stereotype of Chinese in your impression?

22. 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

23. Cultural Factors Cognition Behavior Affect Contextual Factors Intercultural Communication 3 Theory

24. Intercultural Communication 3 miscommunication and conflicts • Miscommunication arises • when behaviour of a person from one • culture is judged within the framework • of another culture

25. Intercultural Communication 4- Understanding cultural differences- Learning from cultural differences To provoke learning in an Intercultural context, it is Important to achieve positive communication

26. An example of Cultural difference In concern with Student life

27. Student Life in China 6:30 Get upin dorm 6:30-7:00 Morning Exercise

28. 7:00 Breakfast in Canteen 7:30 – 8:00 Morning Reading

29. 8:00 – 9:50Morning Lectures 10:10 – 12:00 Morning Lectures

30. 14:00-16:00 Afternoon Activities Lectures Supervision Library Laboratory

31. 16:00-18:00 Leisure time

32. Evening Activities – study individually

33. Exams Written form Hard tasks Scores matter Textbook knowledge based

34. Good Good Study, Day Day Up! Study hard - high marks - diploma - good student

35. Housing? Shopping? Cooking? New Life in Denmark Transportation?

36. Lectures Study in Aalborg University, Denmark Practice Supervision Doing project In groups

37. Brainstorm Presentation Doing project in groups Group meeting Life Report writing Exam Subgroup work Compromise Discussion Disagreement

38. Spare time activities

39. However, please note that Cultural Differences Are only one of the Reasons that Make us Different… Muslim Young girl Philosopher Animal doctor butcher farmer artist wolf

40. Intercultural Group DiscussionReflection on your own experiences To understand and learn from cultural differences