1. Intercultural Learning in a PBL Environment
Xiangyun Du
Department of development and planning
Aalborg University

2. Overview Intercultural competencies
Intercultural issues at international programs
Reflection and discussions
PBL course

3. What are the most surprising experiences you have had with in an intercultural context?
PBL course

4. Intercultural competencies for future engineers
Globalized context
Interdisciplinary knowledge
Lifelong learning
Effective communication
Analytical skills
Designing and conducting experiments
Application of
mathematics and science knowledge
Diverse capabilities
Intercultural competencies
Team work
Identity and solve applied science problems
Project management
Social, environmental, and ethical concerns
Characteristics of a communities of practice are cultivated in the historical, social and cultural context.
Learning as personal growth and development process – being and becoming through interaction with others in the social context
National Academy of Engineering, The Engineer of 2020, 2004
EUR-ACE (Accreditation of European Engineering Programmes and Graduates,
- ABET:
PBL course

5. Engineering programs are no longer just dominated by native young men.
Increase of diversity
Engineering programs are no longer just dominated by native young men.
PBL course

6. Potential advantages from international programs at AAU
New experiences and eye-opener
Development of process competencies
Development of intercultural competencies
Prepare to become a global engineer
PBL course

7. Challenges and identified problems 1
Miscommunication arises due to
Use of second language (English) as a means of communication
Learning and working styles
Personality
PBL course

8. Challenges and identified problems 2 Different beliefs on/ways of learning – different expectations
Knowledge
Answers
Opinions?
Educational background
PBL course

9. Nobody knows the exact answers until the project is finished
Challenges and identified problems 2 Different beliefs on/ ways of learning
Nobody knows the exact answers until the project is finished
Students are responsible for managing their own learning
Learners are creating new knowledge
Studying in a PBL environment, Denmark
PBL course

10. Challenges and identified problems 3 Can group work be an efficient way of learning?
Will they believe me because I am a girl??
NO, I can’t get up anyway
YES, we can meet at 8 tomorrow morning
It is my turn to talk?
If we don’t follow the supervisor’s suggestion, will he allow us to pass?
Listen to me, I am very experienced
He complains of my garlic, but he has coffee and carrots all the time!!!
They don’t understand even such easy things!!
PBL course

11. Foreign students’ perceptions
Challenges and identified problems 4 Different expectations between students and teachers
Danish lecturers’
perceptions
The lecturers’ role:
Enter into a dialogue
refrains from giving answers
moves activity onto students
The students role:
Participation in formulation of course content
commitment and self-
management
Foreign students’ perceptions
The lecturers’ role:
Transferor
Is responsible for course contents and organization
The students role:
Receivers
Reproduction of knowledge at examination
PBL course
(Reimann & Ulsig 2005)

12. An example: Major differences confronting Chinese students in PBL
A new way of living: from being arranged to being independent
A new way of being a student: from fitting to established expectation to setting up one’s own learning goals and self management
A new way of learning: from lecture based, theories focused, obligation orientated to student-centred, practice focused, interest oriented
A new way of handling relations with teachers and students
PBL course

13. Student’s reflection
`I have never worked in a group in my educational life… In group work, I preferred to listen when some students discussed intensely, because I could not understand why it was a question to discuss. Sometimes I could not follow their ideas or thinking. I need to change and actively work in the group.´ (Chinese female master student)
PBL course

14. How to understand? Model of asymmetrical cultural convergence
New context -
Mediated by
the classroom
dialogue
Context:
The lecturers’
perceptions of
the relations
between them-
selves and the
students
Context:
The students’
perceptions of
the relations
between them-
selves and the
lecturers
(Reimann & Ulsig 2005)
PBL course

15. How to understand? Model of asymmetrical cultural convergence in a multi-cultural learning environment
New context -
Mediated by
the classroom
dialogue
Context:
The lecturers’
perceptions of
the relations
between them-
selves and the
students
(Reimann & Ulsig 2005)
PBL course

16. How to understand? Bigg’s (2003) model of cross-cultural teaching
Cross-cultural teaching ladder
Teaching as…
The focus on…
Level 3 educating: involving cognitive process
Beyond
culture
What students do
Good teaching activate the learning process as appropriate to the objectives
Level 2 accommodating: involving teaching techniques
Cultural
differences
What teachers do
Teachers adapt to students’ cultural expectations
Level 1 assimilating:
involving student differences
Cultural
differences
What students are
Student adapt – a ‘good’ student
Western educational system
‘Exotic’ educational system
PBL course

17. Handling Strategies - a new (shared) platform for cultural meeting
Shared perceptions on
Learning objectives
Educators’ role
Learners’ role
Communication methods
Teaching
Learning
PBL course

18. Handling Strategies - Two approaches to teaching international students Bigg’s (2003)
Three levels
Two approaches
Focuses
Level 3 educating
The context approach
Use the context established to extract the appropriate learning behaviour from students – all students
The context approach
Level 2: accommodation
Adapting teaching techniques to meeting the preferred ways of learning
The deficit approach
Level 1: assimilation
Identify skills and knowledge that the target students ’lack’ and mainstream them
PBL course

19. Facilitative activities
Project organized Learning Courses
as a means of facilitation
PBL course

20. Is ethnicity the only reason that
Muslim
Is ethnicity the only reason that
makes us different?
Young girl
Philosopher
Animal
doctor
butcher
farmer
artist
wolf
PBL course

21. Reflections on ‘culture’ and ‘intercultural’
What are the factors that influence intercultural communication in teaching and learning?
Ethnical culture
Disciplines/programs – professions
Educational background (system, institutional environment)
Gender, religion, age, generation, etc
Personality, individual interests and learning styles …
PBL course

22. Reflections on teaching and learning
How to obtain a better understanding of interaction and communication in different learning activities at multicultural contexts?
How to handle issues arising from intercultural communication so as to maximize learning and prepare students for the complex and changing world?
PBL course

23. Discussions Based on your experiences, please identify the main issues confronting teaching and learning in a multicultural context
PBL course