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Cross-Cultural Issues in a Tutored Video Instruction Course

Natalie Linnell, University of WashingtonRichard Anderson, University of Washington

Jane Prey, Microsoft Research External Research and Programs

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The CourseBeihang University contacted the

instructor about offering an American-style Algorithms course ◦Improve quality of the course◦Side benefit: Improve students’

technical EnglishWent forth with remote offering

in Autumn 06

The ProblemOffer an American-style course at a

Chinese university◦Using distance learning◦Preserve interactive learning atmosphere

Our solution:◦Tutored Video Instruction augmented with

Tablet PC-based classroom interaction system Additional materials: Activities, Lecture

Summaries

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OutlineIntroductionThe Augmented TVI MethodologyCultural IssuesConclusions

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Tutored Video Instruction (TVI)Method of distance learning

pioneered by Gibbons (Gibbons et al. 1977)

Video shown by a facilitator who stops the video for questions and discussion

Facilitator need not have strong background in subject

More interactive than other distance learning techniques

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Classroom Presenter at UWTablet PC-based classroom

presentation and interaction system

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Webviewer

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Classroom Presenter at Beihang

Students

Facilitator

Public Display

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The Beihang ClassroomThree sectionsThree TAs/Facilitators~25 students in each section8 tablet PCsPublic display switched between

video and Classroom PresenterMet twice a week for two hoursGraduate students

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A Unique TVI DeploymentCross-Cultural Setting

◦Students unfamiliar with interactive classroom environment

◦Language differenceAugmented TVI framework

◦Active Learning using classroom technology

◦Supporting Materials Lecture Summaries, activities

Amount of data collected◦Surveys, interaction data, artifacts

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Lessons from Other TVI Deployments

Ownership of course at remote site

Skill level and motivation of facilitators

Student options and valuesQuality of materials

OutlineIntroductionThe Augmented TVI MethodologyCultural IssuesConclusions

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Cultural IssuesLanguage issues and culturally-

specific referencesRelationships between Beihang

and UWAtmosphere of interaction

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Addressing the Issue of Language and Cultural ReferencesSupporting Materials provided

Lecture videos available online◦17 of 19 students reported spending

between 1 and 4.5 hours a week reviewing lecture video outside of class

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Language Wasn’t a Major Block to Student Learning

“Did the instructor speaking English make it difficult for you to understand the course content?” ◦ <10% “Very difficult”

“Did the American cultural references in the lecture video make it difficult…” ◦ <5% “Very difficult”

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Forming and Maintaining Relationships Between UW and Beihang Teams

Communicating UW team’s investment in course◦Instructor made two visits to Beihang

Institutional RelationshipsLocal grading

◦All grading done by TAsTAs’ ownership of the course

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Evidence of TAs’ Investment in the Course

Preparation ◦TAs reported ~10 hours/week

Inking on slides◦TAs inked on 24% of slides

TAs taught sections of the course◦Re-creating instructor ink and

portions of lectureInking during video

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Individual TA Inking Styles

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Creating an Atmosphere of Interaction: The Problem Very different from traditional

Chinese classroom◦Students reported speaking once a

week in a traditional classVery important for TVI

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Creating an Atmosphere of Interaction: Our SolutionTraditional TVI centered on

student-initiated interaction Added infrastructure for TA-

initiated interactions◦Active learning exercises with CP◦Lecture Summaries

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Interaction Comparable to an American Class

2/3 interaction events of UW class

Students reported speaking ~3 times a week

19.5 student speech acts/class ~6.1 different students

spoke/class◦About a quarter of the students

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Informal Classroom AtmosphereLaughter observed in person, in

videosStudent submissions

TAs were peers

Is it that to find the smallest n is O(log n) ? Negate the problem, then find the minimum;Then negate the minimum to get the maximum.

OutlineIntroductionThe Augmented TVI MethodologyCultural IssuesConclusions

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The Course was SuccessfulStudent grades on midterm and

final exams comparable to American students’

Achieved interaction comparable to an American course

Students reacted positively to both the course and the course methodology

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AcknowledgementsJie Luo, Jing Li, Ning Li, Valentin

Razmov, Jiangfeng Chen, Fred Videon, Lolan Song, Harry Shum, Wei Li

Microsoft Research Asia and Microsoft Research External Research and Programs

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Thank you!

Classroom Presenter: Free for downloadhttp://

classroompresenter.cs.washington.edu/

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Implications for Future TVI DeploymentsWas direct contact with UW

necessary?◦ Future deployment: stable

materials, technologyWere Tablet PCs necessary?

◦Activities could be done on paperAutomate creation of some

supporting materials

Students preferred the course to other courses at their university“How would you rate this class

overall in comparison to other classes at your university?”

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Students reported high levels of learning“How would you rate your

learning in this class in comparison to other classes at your university?”

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Study GoalsNew TVI methodology

◦Evaluate success in promoting interaction

Cultural issues◦Understand issues at play◦Evaluate techniques for overcoming

issues

Language Background8 years of English studyLots of experience in writing,

little in speaking◦Highly variable

English TV and movies

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