Reflective Journal Week 1

Topic: What cultural expectations are different for you in the Australian academic context.

It is a priceless opportunity to get admission to study in an Australian university such as the University of Canberra. I am from Cambodia, an Asian nation; therefore, I find it hard to adapt the learning styles in this institution as well, not just the students from Asian countries: Japan, China mentioned in the week 1 reading material regarding academic communication, critical thinking, referencing and learning routine. Firstly, it surprises me the way the communication happens in UC. There are different ways to get in touch including face-to-face interaction and online forum among students and lecturer(s). On contrary, students in Cambodia rarely have chance to communicate with their lecturer as it follows teacher-based learning style, which students listen passively and take notes. Moreover, they cannot contact their lecturer(s) after class. Secondly, I find critical thinking challenging. Due to low standard of the materials and under-committed teaching professionals, students generally have low level of thinking critically as a result of close questions and answers. In Australian context, students are encouraged to give comments, ask questions both in class and online discussion forum. By doing this, students eventually build their academic capability related to critical thinking. Next, attention to referencing has to be carefully paid. Both speaking and writing, students have to list source of reference otherwise they will be found plagiarizing, which is a bad academic fault. Additionally, students have to summarise, paraphrase the ideas and give credit to authors by doing in-text referencing. Finally, the learning habit has also changed dramatically. For instance, students have various learning styles including learning independently, learning with groups. I have gain various learning experience both independent and cooperative learning which improve the ability to research and develop my knowledge and skills leading to academic success.

Reference

Ballard, B. & J. Clanchy (1988). What do we mean by ‘cultural variations’ of thinking?, in Studying in Australia, Longman Cheshire: Melbourne, 25-32.

Reflective Journal Week 2

Topic: How does the anthropology student fail to be critical?

From the reading material in week 2, an anthropology student was asked to write an essay about the function of ‘potlatch’, which was studied by several anthropologists. The work, which was done by that student, fails obviously to be critical. Firstly, in the beginning paragraph it seems to be a good start. With this regard, there is a clear point of view of definitions to ‘potlatch’, which that student gave as well as a short summary. Secondly, that student continued the following paragraphs by comparing and contrasting views by different authors by writing them separately. That student tried to combine two different groups of ideas backed up by other reference. However, it is not what his lecturer looks for. In my point of view, after grouping the related ideas that student has to give his own point of views by discussing with relevant ideas which has been read from other sources. Furthermore, there should be a conclusion following evaluating those ideas.

Reference

Ballard, B. & J. Clanchy (1988). Critical thinking in Studying in Australia, Longman Cheshire: Melbourne, 65-76.

Reflective Journal Week 3

Topic: What is ‘Culture’?

It is hard to define the term ‘culture’. Also, there are hundred of definition of culture given according to their context. Lonner and Malpass say in Somovar, Porter & McDaniel (2010) that culture is related to human mind in a particular environment. For example, if we talk about US teenager’s culture, we will think of their daily routine of texting on their mobiles, or playing computer games or even having snack at KFC or McDonald. If we think of Cambodian people, we will see they are doing farming, fishing or living in poverty and so on. In this regard, culture is defined in a context it is referred to. Broadly speaking, culture includes ‘patterns of symbols, meanings, premises and rules’ which can be transmitted and shared (Samova, et al (2010)). In this regard, people share their identities for just on special occasions whereas they practice for their most comfort. In Australia, there are many different kinds of cultures and nationalities. However, the ways they live, communicate are common with other. For instance, Indian Australian women do not wear Sari because they feel it is not convenient. Another example of that is most Muslim women do not wear mask because they want to see the world in different way and especially Indian Australian and Muslim women speak fluent English.

Reference

Samovar, L., Porter, R., & McDaniel, R. (2010). Communication and culture: the challenge of the future in Communication between cultures. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 22-29.