FBE Geert Hofstede Teaching Learning

8/2/2019 FBE Geert Hofstede Teaching Learning

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Cultural Differences inTeaching and Learning

FUHU conference on Education and

Training in the Multicultural ClassroomCopenhagen, 8th May 2008

Geert Hofstede


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3 meanings of culture

1. Literally: tilling the soil, cultivation

2. Training or refining of the mind: civilization

3. Collective ways of acting, thinking, andfeeling: collective programming of the mind

distinguishing the members of one group orcategory of people from another


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Levels of mental software


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ValuesValues are the stable core of culture.

They are strong, unconscious emotionswith a minus and a plus pole, like:

evil-gooddangerous-safedirty-clean

ugly-beautifulabnormal-normal

What is normal is a matter of values


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Acquiring mental programmes

unconscious,unchangeable

valuesconscious,changeable

practices

age

0

10

20

place

family

school

work

pre-puberty

post-puberty


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Which culture is transferred when

values

practices

age

0

10

20+

culture level

gender,national

social class,occupation

business,organization


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Dimensions of national cultures

Cultures Consequences, Hofstede 1980 and 2001

Same 5 problems, different solutions:

1. Inequality:Power Distance, large or small2. Need for security:

Uncertainty Avoidance, strong or weak3. Relationship with others:

Individualism or Collectivism

4. Emotional gender roles:Masculinity or Femininity

5. Time horizon:

Long- or Short-term orientation


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National culture dimension :Power Distance

Extent to which the less powerfulmembers of institutions and

organizations expect and accept thatpower is distributed unequally

Transferred to children by parents andother elders


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National culture dimension :Uncertainty Avoidance

Extent to which the members of a culturefeel threatened by ambiguous and

unknown situations

Not to be confused with risk avoidance:

risk is to uncertainty as fear is to anxiety.Uncertainty and anxiety are diffusefeelings anything may happen


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SMALL PD, WEAK UA LARGE PD, WEAK UA

SMALL PD, STRONG UA LARGE PD, STRONG UA

NORDIC COUNTRIES

ANGLO CTRS, USA

NETHERLANDS

GERMAN SPK CTRS

BALTIC STATES

HUNGARY, ISRAEL

CHINA

INDIA

LATIN COUNTRIES

CZECHIA, POLAND

KOREA, JAPAN

RUSSIA


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Power Distance, teaching and learning

Large Power Distance

Students dependent

on teachers Students treatteachers with respect

Teacher-centerededucation Teachers initiate all

communication inclass Teachers are gurus

who transfer personalwisdom

Small Power Distance Teachers treat

students as equals Students treat

teachers as equals

Student-centerededucation

Students initiate some

communication inclass

Teachers are experts

who transferimpersonal truths


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Uncertainty Avoidance, teaching and learning

Strong Uncertainty Av.

Students want to

know right answers Teachers supposed

to have all answers

Emotions in class canbe expressed

Pressure amongstudents to conform

Teachers inform

parents

Weak Uncertainty Av.

Students want good

discussions Teachers may say

I dont know

Emotions should becontrolled anywhere

Tolerance fordifferences in class

Teachers involve

parents


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National culture dimension :Individualism vs. Collectivism

Individualism: A society in which the tiesbetween individuals are loose: everyone

expected to look after self andimmediate family

Collectivism: A society in whichindividuals from birth onwards are partof strong in-groups that last a lifetime


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National culture dimension :

Masculinity vs. Femininity

Masculinity: A society in which emotional

gender roles are distinct: men aresupposed to be assertive, tough and

focused on material success, women onthe quality of life; mens culture prevails

Femininity: A society in which emotionalgender roles overlap: both men and womenare supposed to be modest, tender, and

focused on the quality of life


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COLLECTIVIST,FEMININE COLLECTIVIST,MASCULINE

INDIVIDUALIST, FEMININE INDIVIDUALIST,MASCULINE

THAILAND, KOREA

COSTA RICA, CHILE

RUSSIA, BULGARIA

PORTUGAL

CHINA, JAPAN

MEXICO, VENEZUELA

ARAB WORLD

GREECE

SPAIN, FRANCE

NETHERLANDS

BALTIC COUNTRIES

NORDIC COUNTRIES

CZECHIA, POLAND

HUNGARY, ITALY

GERMAN SPK CTRIES

ANGLO COUNTRIES, USA


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Individualism/Collectivism, teaching and learning

Individualist

Purpose of education is

learning how to learn Students individual

initiatives encouraged

Students are expected tospeak up in class whenthey need or want to

Students associateaccording to interests

Diplomas increase

economic worth and/orself-respect

Collectivist

Purpose of education

is learning how to do Students individual

initiatives discouraged

Students only speakup in class whensanctioned by group

Students associateaccording to in-groups

Diplomas provide entry

to higher-status group:are sometimes bought


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Masculinity/Femininity, teaching and learning

Masculinity

Brilliant teachers

admired Best student is norm Competition in class

Praise for good student Students over-rate own

performance

Competitive sportsbelong to curriculum

Failing in school is a

disaster

Femininity Friendly teachers most

liked Average student is norm Over-ambition impopular

Praise for weak student Students under-rate own

performance

Competitive sportsextra-curricular

Failing in school is a

minor incident


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National culture dimension : Long-termvs. Short-term Orientation

Long Term Orientation is the extent towhich members of a society adapt

themselves to reach a desirable future

Short Term Orientation is the extent to

which members of a society take theirguidance from the past and try to fulfilltheir present needs and desires


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LONG TERM ORIENTATIONCHINA & OVERSEAS CHINESE

JAPAN

KOREA

BRAZIL

INDIA

NORDIC COUNTRIES

NETHERLANDS

BELGIUM, FRANCE

GERMANY

USA, BRITAIN

SPAIN

ISLAMIC COUNTRIES

AFRICAN COUNTRIES

SHORT TERM ORIENTATION


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Long/Short Term Orientation, teaching + learning

Long term

Students attributesuccess to effort andfailure to lack of effort

Studying hard is norm High performance at

mathematics

Talent for applied,concrete sciences

Children learn to save

Short term

Students attribute bothsuccess and failure toluck and occult forces

Enjoyment is norm Low performance at

mathematics

Talent for theoretical,abstract sciences

Children learn to spend


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Academic book 1980

entirely re-written version 2001 For researchers, not

for teaching

Published in USA bySage Publications

2001 version reviewsall uses of the 1980edition (> 800 newreferences)

Extensive validation ofdimensions: > 400

significant correlationswith external data


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Student book 2005 (first edition 1991)McGraw-Hill USA Handelshjskolens Forlag


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Book for trainers 2002

First author Gert JanHofstede

Focuses on themulticulturalclassroom

Exercises andsimulations

Published in USA byIntercultural Press

Info on all books at

www.geerthofstede.nl

Documents

FBE Geert Hofstede Teaching Learning