1. Learning in a New Culture Learning in an Intercultural Context
Lars Peter and Xiangyun Du
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. WHO AM I ? PHD project on Learning engineering
in PBL – gendered practice
WHO AM I ?
Helping foreign students
learn how to learn
in PBL, Denmark
Doing research on intercultural
teaching and learning

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

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

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. Learning in a new culture
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
Learning Environment in China
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 Denmark in 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. – different strengths and weakness
Cultural differences 2
– different strengths and weakness
Example: Secret plan for harmonising EU
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

20. Intercultural Communication 1 Impact 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 2 Cultural 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 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

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

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 up in dorm
6:30-7:00 Morning Exercise

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

29. 8:00 – 9:50 Morning 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
Textbook knowledge based
Scores matter

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

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

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

37. Doing project in groups
meeting
Life
Brainstorm
Exam
Report
writing
Presentation
Doing project in groups
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 Discussion Reflection on your own experiences
To understand and learn from cultural differences