Re-constructing “culture of learning” – international student experiences in China and in the UK

1. Re-constructing “culture of learning” – international student experiences in China and in the UK Dr Monika Foster Dr Xiaowei (Vivien) Zhou Edinburgh Napier University

2. Outline • Introduction • Literature review • Research objectives • Methodology • Some initial findings • Discussion

3. Introduction (next -> literature review) • shared research interest in international students’ learning experiences • funded with Teaching Fellow grant • cross-faculty and cross-subject collaboration Leading to … an initial researchfocus on “cultures of learning” associated with China and the UK

4. Literature Review Diverse conceptualisations of “culture of learning”, but typically it is conceived as … • the expectations of learning and … concepts about what should happen in the classroom, especially regarding expectations of ‘good’ teachers, of ‘good’ students, and about asking questions in the classroom. Such expectations are key elements in cultures of learning (Cortazzi & Jin, 1996).

5. Literature Review (cont.) Some typical representations of the ‘Chinese culture of learning’: • students ‘do not question accepted norms and ideas’ in the classroom (Turner, 2003) and teacher’s status and authority as a source of norms is central (Chee and West, 2004; Turner, 2006); • influence from the Confucian heritage (Jin and Cortazzi, 2006); • students have a reflector learning style preference which would mean that they could take less active role in learning, prefer to learn through observation and benefit from the opportunity to think before acting (Wong Pine and Tsang, 2000).

6. Literature Review (cont.) Some typical representations of the ‘British/Western culture of learning’: • direct communication, low-context, make things as explicit as possible (Holmes, 2005); • students address questions and puzzles in the classroom by interacting with the teacher (Holmes, 2005); • teachers do not tend to give clear definitions of terms and concepts (Huang, 2005).

7. Literature Review (cont.) Insights from the debate between essentialist and non-essentialist perspectives (Holliday, 1999): • From an essentialist perspective, culture is … • a priori • objective • usually at a national level • relatively stable • relatively homogeneous • From a non-essentialist perspective, culture is … • emergent • constructed • across, within and/or beyond national boundaries • fluid and dynamic • complex

8. Literature Review (cont.) (next -> research objectives) Therefore, we wonder that … Some typical representations of the ‘Chinese culture of learning’: • students ‘do not question accepted norms and ideas’ in the classroom (Turner, 2003) and teacher’s status and authority as a source of norms is central (Chee and West, 2004; Turner, 2006); • Influence from the Confucian heritage (Jin and Cortazzi, 2006); • students have a reflector learning style preference which would mean that they could take less active role in learning, prefer to learn through observation and benefit from the opportunity to think before acting (Wong Pine and Tsang, 2000); Some typical representations of the ‘British/Western culture of learning’: • direct communication, low-context, make things as explicit as possible (Holmes, 2005); • students address questions and puzzles in the classroom by interacting with the teacher (Holmes, 2005); • teachers do not tend to give clear definitions of terms and concepts (Huang, 2005). Are they necessarily in sharp contrast, with no similarities at all? Do they change over time? (Zhou, 2010) Are these over-generalisations? (Foster, 2008) Are these ‘objective’ or ‘constructed’ realities? Constructed by whom?

9. Research Objectives (next -> methodology) Research objectives sharpened… • In this project, we examine the learning experiences of students (originally from China) studying in the UK and students (originally from the UK) studying in China by adopting a non-essentialist approach. The project team, consisting of international members, explored the students’ perceptions of the cultures of learning they experience(d) in both countries as they progress through the study-abroad experience, i.e. how they understand their “home” and “host” cultures of learning and how these understandings might change over time.

10. Methodology Participants: • 9 students (originally from the UK) spending one trimester in a partner university in China, all of whom are undergraduate students studying Design. • 9 students (originally from China) spending one year in a UK university, including five students undertaking Masters studies in subjects related to English Language teaching and Publishing and four undergraduate students majoring in Finance who were undertaking an English and academic preparation course at the time of the data generation.

11. Methodology (cont.) Methods adopted: • Interview (semi-structured, video-recorded) Sample questions: “What are your expectations of ‘good’ lecturers?” “What do you think constitutes ‘good’ learning?” “How do you expect to be assessed in order to properly demonstrate the outcomes of your learning?” • Video diary or reflective journal Sample instructions: “pick at least one specific event that you find particularly interesting or significant that happened in your academic life since the previous diary entry and reflect on it” • Multimedia activities Sample instructions: “Find an object from your host country that you would like to show to your fellow students back home.” “Find a place you would like to remember in your host city and photograph a scene that has a strong sense of smell.”

12. Methodology (cont.) • Data generated (with each participant) over a three-month period: Interview 1: Focus on “home” Interview 2: Focus on “host” Our discussion of the initial findings Multimedia Activities Video Diary or Reflective Journal 36 interviews, 13 reflective journals; 65 video diaries; and over 100 multimedia units of information

13. Methodology (cont.) Some initial data analysis: thematic analysis of the 1st round of interviews, for example …

14. Methodology (cont.) (next -> some initial findings) Patterns of the categories…

15. Some initial findings • Monika’s interpretations - A complex and emergent picture of international student experience – much more fluid that the typical, over-generalised picture - Through the lens of study abroad which in itself is a life changing event creating a rich data environment - A snapshot of student preferences beyond national boundaries or the location of study abroad - Centered around strategies for study / study skills - this seems a core concept shared by the majority of the participants, regardless the nationality.

16. Some initial findings (cont.) • (D) • (S) • (C) • (S) • (C) • (S) • (C) • (S) • (D)

17. Some initial findings (cont.) Vivien’s interpretations: viewed from different perspectives, for example …

18. Some initial findings (cont.) Vivien’s interpretations • … could hardly find anything that was exclusive to either national group • … yet, some salient patterns seemed to emerge

19. Some initial findings (cont.) (next -> discussion) • Vivien’s interpretations - Some evidence that seems to confirm typical views, e.g. Chinese students’ expectation for a lecturer-focused learning environment and priority placed on assessment - Some similarities across national groups (e.g. expecting the lecturer to be a supporter) and some differences within the same national group (e.g. ‘hard work’ and concentration) - challenges typical views - Various cultural influences seem to be at play in addition to nationalities, e.g. levels of study, subject areas - challenges typical views - Questions for further exploration: How did the participants construct their ‘host’ culture of learning? How did their constructions of the ‘home’ and ‘host’ cultures of learning resonate or differ from each other? Did their constructions change over time? How? Can we find shared or differing constructions of the cultures of learning in terms of other social groupings? …

20. Discussion • Is study abroad a central experience, rather than the location or the nationality / ‘culture of the students’? If so: • How to best capture the richness of study abroad and its affect on the development of key learning skills, and how to use this to enhance student preparation for and evaluation of the experience of study abroad? • How can student mobility programmes draw on the central concepts explored in the study around learning, teaching, developing independent skills, while also paying attention to the students’ own ‘culture of learning’? • Q & A

21. References • Chee, H. and West, C. (2004) Myths about doing business in China. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan • Cortazzi, M. and Jin, L. (1996) Cultures of learning: Language classrooms in China. In H. Coleman (Ed.), Society and the language classroom (pp. 169-206). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press • Foster, M. (ed) (2008) SEDA Special 23 Enhancing the experience of Chinese students in UK HE – lessons from Collaborative project. London: SEDA • Holliday, A. (1999). Small cultures. Applied Linguistics, 20(2), 237-264 • Holmes, P. (2005). Ethnic Chinese students’ communication with cultural others in a New Zealand university. Communication Education, 54(4), 289-311 • Huang, J. (2005). Challenges of academic listening in English: Reports by Chinese students. College Student Journal, 39(3), 553-569 • Jin, L. and Cortazzi, M. (2006). Changing practices in Chinese cultures of learning. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 19(1), 5-20 • Turner, Y. (2003). Chinese students in a UK business school: Hearing the student voice in reflective teaching and learning practice. Paper presented at the Improving Students’ LearningSymposium: diversity and inclusivity, Birmingham, England • Turner, Y. (2006) Chinese students in a UK business school: Hearing the student voice in reflective teaching and learning practice. Higher Education Quarterly, 60 (1), pp. 27-51 • Wong, K. K. F., Pine, R. J. and Tsang, N., (2000), Learning style preferences and implications for training programs in the hospitality and tourism Industry,Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education, 12(2), 32-40 • Zhou, X. (2010). A narrative exploration of the UK academic acculturation experience of students from mainland China. PhD thesis, University of Manchester, Manchester.