1. Learning in a New Culture Learning in an Intercultural Context
Xiangyun and Lars Peter
October 11th, 2005

2. What are the things confronting when entering a new culture?
Is there anything 2 learn bout this

3. Things that have been taken for granted in one culture might be unknown in another
Parents
Not for you maybe but it was for my parents!!!!!

4. Things that have been taken for granted in one culture might be unknown in another
Hotpot
If I want to have a fub evening I invite some Danes

5. Agenda 8:15 - 9:15 Presentation by Xiangyun
- My story – learning in a new culture as a foreign student
- Reflection on cultural background
- Intercultural communication
9:30 – 10:45 Intercultural group discussion and preparation for poster presentation
10:45 – 12:00 Poster presentation

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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!

10. Difficulties in Getting In the New Learning Culture –With Lectures
Answers
Knowledge

11. Problems in Project Work -With Supervision
What Shall I do?????
Why? How? What?
The project is your own baby!

12. Problems in Project Work -With Group Work
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 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 such easy things!!

13. Am I stupid?
Am I different?
Why?

14. 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

15. Learning in a new culture
New country
Rethinking
about NEW
Learning in a new culture
New
study form
New
Environment

16. Learning Environment I was used to in China
Teacher-centred
Fixed contents
following authority (teachers and textbooks)
Big class – little discussion
Principles and regulations
Learning by heart
Scores and ranks-based assessment – motivation (ranking system)

17. Learning Environment I was used to in China How do Chinese Learn
Students are expected to
- Learn what and how rather than why
- Follow superiors’ experiences and suggestions
- Behave well
- Be diligent
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

18. Learning Environment in Denmark in My Eyes
student-centred (group work and varied teaching methods)
Contextualized contents
learning by doing
smaller classes
warmer class climate
more ways of assessment than multiple choice- centred exams

19. What I have learned - ‘Survival’ Strategies
To open up my eyes and mind
To be active and initiative
- chances are created
To be patient
- to ask ‘why?’ before getting offended and complaining ‘how!’
To ask ‘stupid’ questions

20. How do you understand
culture and
cultural difference?

21. Cultural Differences 1 - Different ways of doing the same thing

22. – 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

23. Intercultural Communication 1 Impact of globalisation
Future engineers are expected to know cultures and have social concern
‘entering into management and co-operative contexts with people of different educational cultural background’ - Danish Ministry of Education
Companies will look for engineers with international perspective…

24. 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?

25. 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

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

27. Intercultural Communication 3 miscommunication and conflicts
Miscommunication arises
when behaviour of a person from one
culture is judged within the framework
of another culture

28. Intercultural Communication 4
Positive communication
-Understanding cultural differences - to Learn from cultural differences
Intercultural Communication 4

29. An example of
Cultural difference
In concern with
Student life

30. Student Life in China
6:30 Get up in dorm
6:30-7:00 Morning Exercise

31. 7:00 Breakfast in Canteen
7:30 – 8:00 Morning Reading

32. 8:00 – 9:50 Morning Lectures
10:10 – 12:00
Morning
Lectures

33. 14:00-16:00 Afternoon Activities
Lectures
Supervision
Library
Laboratory

34. 16:00-18:00 Leisure time

35. Evening Activities – study individually

36. Exams
Written form
Hard tasks
Textbook knowledge based
Scores matter

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

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

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

40. Doing project in groups
meeting
Life
Brainstorm
Exam
Report
writing
Presentation
Doing project in groups
Subgroup
work
Compromise
Discussion
Disagreement

41. Spare time
activities

42. 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

43. Intercultural Group Discussion Reflection on your own experiences
To understand and learn from cultural differences