Learning in a New Culture Learning in an Intercultural Context

Xiangyun and Lars Peter xiangyun@plan.aau.dk

October 11th, 2005

What are the things confronting when entering a

new culture?

Things that have been taken for granted in one culture might be unknown in

another

• Parents

Things that have been taken for granted in one culture might be unknown in

another

• Hotpot

Agenda Agenda 8:15 - 9:15 Presentation by 8:15 - 9:15 Presentation by

Xiangyun Xiangyun

- My story – learning in a new - My story – learning in a new culture as a foreign student culture as a foreign student

- Reflection on cultural background - Reflection on cultural background

- Intercultural communication - Intercultural communication 9:30 – 10:45 Intercultural group 9:30 – 10:45 Intercultural group

discussion and preparation for discussion and preparation for poster presentation poster presentation

10:45 – 12:00 Poster presentation 10:45 – 12:00 Poster presentation

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 Growth From a ‘good’ student in Chinato 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

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!

Difficulties in Getting In the New Learning Culture –With Lectures

Problems in Project Work -With Supervision

Why? How? What?

What Shall I

do?????

The project is your own baby!

Problems in Project Work -With Group Work

YES, we can meet at 8 tomorrow morning

NO, I can’t get up

anyway

Will they believe me

because I am a girl??

Listen to me, I am

very experience

d

If we don’t follow

supervisor’s

suggestion, will he

allow us to pass?

They don’t understand such easy things!!

It is my turn to talk?

He complains of my garlic, but he has coffee and carrots all

the time!!!

Am I stupid? Am I different? Why?

Main Barriers in learning Come from Culture Differences

Communication • Language• Social customs, attitudes, norms, and

valuesKnowledge 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

Rethinking about NEW

Learning Environment I was used to in China

Teacher-centred Fixed contents following authority

(teachers and textbooks) Big class – little

discussion Principles and

regulations Learning by heart Scores and ranks-based

assessment – motivation (ranking system)

How do Chinese Learn

Students are expected to - Learn what and how rather

than why- Follow superiors’

experiences and suggestions

- Behave well- Be diligent

Learning Environment I was used to in Learning Environment I was used to in ChinaChina

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

Principles

Uniforms

Learning Environment in Denmarkin My Eyes

student-centred (group work and varied teaching methods)

Contextualized contents learning by doing smaller classes warmer class climate more ways of

assessment than multiple choice- centred exams

What I have learned - ‘Survival’ What I have learned - ‘Survival’ StrategiesStrategies

To open up my eyes and mind To be active and initiative

- chances are createdTo be patient - to ask ‘why?’ before getting offended

and complaining ‘how!’ To ask ‘stupid’ questions

How do you understand culture and

cultural difference?

Cultural Differences 1 - Different ways of

doing the same thing

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 1

Impact of globalisation

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

‘entering into management and co-operative contexts with people of different educational cultural background’ - Danish Ministry of Education

• Companies will look for engineers with international perspective…

Intercultural Communication 2

Cultural 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 2

Cultural 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

Intercultural Communication 3

Theory

Cultural Factors

Contextual Factors

Cognition

Affect

Behavior

Intercultural Communication 3

miscommunication 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

Intercultural Communication

4

Positive communication -Understanding cultural differences- to Learn from cultural differences

An example of Cultural difference

In concern with Student life

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

8:00 – 9:50Morning

Lectures

10:10 – 12:00 Morning Lectures

14:00-16:00 Afternoon Activities

Lectures Supervision

Laboratory Library

16:00-18:00 Leisure time

Evening Activities – study individually

Exams

Written form Hard tasks

Textbook knowledge based Scores matter

Good Good Study, Day Day Up!

Study hard - high marks - diploma - good student

New Life Shopping?

Cooking?

Transportation?

Housing?

in Denmark

Study in Aalborg

University, Denmark

Lectures

Practice

Supervision

Doing project In groups

Doing project

in groups

Group meeting

Brainstorm

Subgroup work

Discussion Disagreement

Presentation

Compromise

Exam Report writing

Life

Spare time activities

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