1. Cross-cultural Team Building Learning in a New Culture
International Master Program POL Course Mm3
Cross-cultural Team Building Learning in a New Culture
Lars Peter Jensen
Xiangyun Du
October 15th 2003
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

2. Presentation – learning in a new culture
Cross-culture group discussion
Poster
Presentation
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

3. My Journey from China to Denmark Educated as a teacher of language
Worked
as a
teaching
assistant
in an
engineering
University
in China
International Master program ‘Science, Technology and Society’
Study in Roskilde University, Denmark and experienced PBL
Study ‘Gender & Technology’ in Linköping University, Sweden
Ph.D. project ‘Gendered way
of learning engineering in PBL’
Teaching
assistant in POL
for international students
Research on learning styles
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

4. Experiences in RUC - a hard time
Environment – How to use copying machine?
Life
– Where and how to buy food?
Experiences in RUC - a hard time
Study
– what is ‘problem solving’ and project work?
School
– different relations with teachers and students
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

5. I thought and communicated things in a different way
Am I Strange?
I could not understand what was happening -metaphors, references and jokes
Am I Different?
I thought and communicated things in a different way
Problems
Study
Am I Stupid?
I got a nick name of ‘question person’ from asking all kinds of stupid questions in
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

6. 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 comments rather than suggestions – ‘What do you think?’
It is your BABY! It is the students’ role to be active and take the responsibility of the project.
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

7. 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.
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

8. Main Barriers Culture Differences in learning Come from Communication
Language
Social
customs
attitudes,
norms,
and values
Knowledge
background
- lack of
knowledge
others
grow up
with
-different
under-
standing
of the
same thing
Main Barriers
in learning
Come from
Culture Differences
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

9. I come here to learn! Why I am here? What I am doing here? 2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

10. When, where and how will learning take place?
What is Learning?
When, where and how will learning take place?
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

11. - Jean Lave & Etienne Wenger
Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experiences David Kolb
Learning is a function of the activity, context, and culture in which it normally occurs, thus it is situated
- Jean Lave & Etienne Wenger
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

12. We learn when we deal with knowledge in social context
Learning is not only a matter of processing of information in people’s brains, but a social activity
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

13. Learn in a Cultural Context
Individuals are socialized, thus what we learn and the ways we learn are greatly influenced by cultural values, attitudes and beliefs
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

14. What is Culture?
A Culture is a particular society or civilization that consists of ideas, customs and art produced or shared by this society
- Collins Cobuild Dictionary
A culture is a shared set of or a cognitive map of meanings
- James Spradley
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

15. Learning in a new culture
New country
Learning in a new culture
New
study form
New
Environment
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

16. How to learn in a new culture?
To understand the cultural differences
To accept and learn from the cultural differences
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

17. Learning Environment in Western Countries 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
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

18. Learning Environment in China
Teacher-centred with focus on lectures
Fixed contents as obligation
Big class – little discussion
Principles and regulations to follow
Scores and ranks-based assessment - motivation
Marks are the only way of evaluating students - ranks in the exam are the standard for ‘good’ student
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

19. How do Chinese Learn Students are expected to Principles Uniforms
- 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
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

20. Chinese Beliefs on Learning
Basic skills should be developed before exploration
Repetition is a strategy to ensure accurate recall for understanding in rote learning
To learn from others’ experiences will help to save time and efforts
Loyalty and obedience to authority is highly essential to keep the social order
Success and failure is attributed firstly to efforts and lack of effort rather than ability
Success in academic work and career is related to success in family and social life
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

21. Eastern Philosophy on Education
People are encouraged to conform to the prevailing norms and culture
Examination - diploma certificate are regarded as the means of upward mobility on the social ladder
Social hierarchy are reinforced and reproduced
prestige,
power
social status
Eastern Philosophy on Education
Confucianism
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

22. 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!
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3

23. Cross-cultural Group Discussion Reflection on your own experiences
To understand and learn from cultural differences
2/24/2019
POL course Mm3