understanding and managing multi-cultural...
TRANSCRIPT
Understanding and Managing
Multi-cultural Classrooms
Some personal reflections
over the years at MCUW. Emily CHOW (PhD. Cantab; EdM Harvard)
2009
Copy right reserved
Outline
The Phenomena & Facts
Cultural Implications & Analysis
Suggestions
THE PHENOMENA & FACTS
CASE 1
Video Omitted
Some individuals express too much; others too
quiet and never express themselves
Hard to manage the lecture as planned
Do not know whether the quiet ones comprehend
the lecture
Co-existence of Active and Passive
Learning Styles in One Classroom
CASE 2
Some individuals are over-assertive
and even confronting
Hard to manage the classroom
Undermines Your Feeling of Authority
CASE 3
Local Students Always Sit Together
No Interaction between Local &
International Students in Class
Divided Class
Seating Choices
IC Class X (Apr. 2009 )
podium
podium
IC Calss Y (Apr. 2009)
IC-Class Z
(Apr. 2009)
IC Class Elective
(Jan. 2009)
Asian (same nationality)
Asian (same nationality)
DOESN’T SOUND TOO POSITIVE?
FACTS
FACT 1
Learning outcome
Average Written Exam Scores:Sample from My Class X (IC)
Note: Subject matters– math (IB/ IM) vs. social science/language/humanity (IT/ MC)
45%
55%
Total: 69 students
Local students
International
students
數列1
62.00
64.00
66.00
68.00
64.27 65.2266.46
Total
Local International Average
Top 5 Students
Rank Mid term Final Average Nationality
1 91 87 89 I
2 86 88 87 I
3 84 86 85 I
4 84 84 84 Taiwan
5 88 77 82.5 I
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SEEM
TO PERFORM SLIGHTLY BETTER
THAN LOCAL STUDENTS?
Top 1/3
1211 Local
students
International
students
Lower 1/3
1112
Local
students
International
students
If we enlarge the picture, you will find
similar performance between local and
international students
differences narrowed
64.3 64.23
65.88
67.03
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
Score Change: Mid-term to Final
Local students↓0.07
International students↑1.15
Drop-outs after the mid-term
ID Name Nationality
97470184 Michael X International
97450144 黃藝穎 Local
97470150 吳俊宏 International
97160063 王威傑 Local
97480054 Charles Kie International
97480063 張智勇 International
97480161 馬如龍 International
OMITTED
If take attendance into consideration, local
students averagely have better attendance
records
Local students seem to be the more stable
ones while international students bear more
in-group variety (and with M shape
performance)
IN GENERAL, THERE WAS NO
OBVIOUS DIFFERENCE IN
LEARNING OUTCOME BETWEEN
LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS IN MY CLASS
FACT 2
Outside the Classrooms
• 217Total
• 87Locals
• 3Local with 0 Foreign Friends
• EnglishLocals with Foreign Friends
Choice of Language
• AveragePerformance in Class
DIVIDE BETWEEN LOCAL AND
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
DIMINISHES OUTSIDE THE
CLASSROOMS
FEEL BETTER?
CULTURAL IMPLICATIONS &
ANALYSIS
學生行為與文化意涵
33
527 international students/ 378 in IC(2.8% of the total MCU student population)
Source: IEE
Asia (East & Southeast)
AfricaEuropeCentral & South
America
North America
The Pacific
West Asia
Students with Eastern Ed Background
•High Power Distance/ Passive learning style
•Collective
•High Context/ Indirect communication style/ focus on NVC
•Anti-language
•Avoiding/ compromising
•Other face/ mutual face concern
Students with Western Ed Background
•Low Power Distance/ Active learning style
• Individualistic
•Low Context/ Direct communication style/ focus on verbal communication
•Articulate
•Confronting
•Self face concern
Behavior Cultural Value
Seating blocks Collective
Passive learning
(Silence/ smile/ indirect
& ambiguous answers
etc.)
High power distance/
High context/ anti-
language
Over-active/ assertive Individualistic
Confronting Self face / low power
distance
PDI (Power Distance Index)
High PDI Low PDI
Learn to decode NV behavior Focus on words/ documents
Paternalism/ top-down
(Appease superiors:
smile/tension)
Individual responsibility/
bilateral info flow
Calm voice Exaggerated voice
High vs. Low Context Cultures
High Context Low Context
How is said (+non-verbal) What is said (verbal)
Indirect Direct
Feelings (relationships/
gift-giving/ trust)
Messages (tasks/ facts)
Speech Act
East
• Less assertive
• Japan: “culture of consideration” (honorific system)
• Suppress emotion & increase ambiguity
• (還好, 不錯)
West (except UK)
• More direct
Prof. John Hwang:
Value on Speech
East
• Distrust
language
Confucianism/ Taoism/ Buddhism
West
• Emphasis on language/
• dialectic
• Socrates, Plato, Aristotle/God is word
Face Management and Culture
• Preserving one’s own face is more important than maintaining the face of others.
• Face controlling negotiations are commonly direct, dominating and confronting
Individualistic cultures
• Mutual preservation of face is extremely important.
• Face negotiation strategies are often indirect, obliging, and smoothing.
Collectivist cultures
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
PDI IDV LTO
Asian Countries
European Countries
USA
Source: 周宛青, 趙福容, 陳芯儀 (March 14, 2009) <全球化下的亞洲文化價值變遷與新義--台灣案例> , 國際治理、國際泛領域暨議題及全球化之下的台北、北京與海外華人國際學術研討會論文集,台北。
Low Context Other Face Oriented
Avo
idin
g/ C
om
pro
mis
ing
Co
nfro
ntin
g
ANOTHER CAUSE
Emotional
State
High
Low
Adjustment
Time
Crisis
The Culture Shock Problem
HoneymoonRecovery
Note: W curve/ Spiral model Note: W curve/ Spiral model Getting the Most from an International Experience , Dr. Susan M. Bacon, Institute for Global Studies and Affairs, University Getting the Most from an International Experience , Dr. Susan M. Bacon, Institute for Global Studies and Affairs, University of of Cincinnati, October 6, 2004Cincinnati, October 6, 2004
2nd Semester of the First Year
For both international & domestic students at IC
SUGGESTIONS
Cultural Value Suggested Management
Strategy
HC/ anti-language Use visual aides/ pictures/
diagrams/ body language
LC Give specific answers/ seek
help
High PDI/ Passive learning
Collective/ Other & mutual face
Encourage teamwork/ group
activities/
Individual care outside
classrooms
Low PDI/ Active learning
IDV/ self face
Take and give challenges/ set
clear rules in advance and stick
with your principles/ give
assurance
No contradiction between strategies !
We can use them all based on
different situations
HEAR THEIR VOICES
Interviews with 10 local and 10 international students
(random choice)
Most Effective Teaching Methods
Local Students
•Involvement in class discussions
•Lively teaching style
•Interactions between the teacher and students
•Assign presentations with international students
•Team work
International Students
•Involvement in class discussions
•Taking notes (vs. assign textbooks)
•Having at least two Quizzes each semester
•Assign oral presentations
•Organizing lecture tips for students
Most Ineffective Teaching Methods
Local Students
•Lecture only
•No interactions between the teacher and students
•Use only one language (English only or Chinese only)
•Ignorant of students’ needs (Use English only or Chinese only)
International Students
•Lecture only
•No interactions between the teacher and students
•Too much homework
•Teaching word by word (reading PPT files etc.)
Suggestions for IC?
Establish a “language consulting unit (with
lab equipments/ language-learning
resources/ English and Chinese language
teachers to assist students <paid staffs>)”?
Establish a “writing center” for both
professors and students?
Thank you
Special thanks go to Christina Wang (王若凡), my graduate student, for her great help with
the video, interviews, facebook and GPA data analysis
Thank the IEE for the information on MCU international students and organization chart
Works Consulted
Gudykunst, William B ed. Cross-cultural and Intercultural Communication,
London: Sage Publications, 2003
Hall, Edward T. The Silent Language, Anchor/Doubleday, 1981
Hofstede, Geert, Cultures and Organizations, McGraw-Hill International, 1994
Reynolds, Sana & Valentine, Deborah. Guide to Cross-Cultural Communication.
Prentice Hall Series in Advanced Business Communication. New Jersey:
Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004
周宛青, 趙福容, 陳芯儀 (March 14, 2009) <全球化下的亞洲文化價值變遷與新義-- 台灣案例> , 國際治理、國際泛領域暨議題及全球化之下的台北、北京與海外華人國際學術研討會論文集,台北。
http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php
https://digitalcommons.georgetown.edu/blogs/isdyahoofellow/edward-halls-
context-prism/
http://changingminds.org/explanations/culture/hall_culture.htm