Learning Cultures:

The Impact of Culture on Learning

Tim Buttress and Katja Durkin

qualifications are better understood

Culture

“No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive”

Mahatma Gandhi

“It is not the biggest, the brightest or the best that will survive, but those who adapt the quickest”

Charles Darwin

Culture – another view!

“Culture is roughly anything we do and the monkeys don't”

Lord Raglan

What we are going to do

Concept of credential evaluation and why it is important

Education systems and education models

Cultural impact on communications

Impact of Bologna

Credential Evaluation

Credential evaluation is the process of converting foreign academic credentials into educational equivalents.

Best way to understand the competencies, skills and abilities of an individual from overseas.

Used by universities, colleges, employers, professional bodies, central and local government, careers advisory services, charities…

Why is it important

Understanding the abilities of an individual

Entry to regulated professions

Immigration

Combating fraud

Credential Evaluation and Combating Fraud

Some estimates suggest that up to 25% of CVs contain false claims about qualifications

Under qualified professionals working as teachers, engineers…

Students losing their entire family income on a bogus institution

Undermining the image and quality of UK higher education

Entering the UK illegally

Education worldwide

Education models

Anglo-Scottish Model

Humboldt Model

Napoleon Model

In sum …

Anglo-American model students from the UK would be used to:

• Some independent study, focused and modular study, specialised

Humboldt model students would be used to:

• Independent study, specialised but not modular studies, considerable freedom of subject choice

Napoleon model students would be used to:

• Taught and guided studies, lots of examinations, not much independent study experience, very focused but not necessarily modular.

Issues facing Students from other models

Humboldt Napoleonic

1 Wider academic base in degrees 1 Less freedom than in UK system

2 No professional rights with UK quals 2 More teaching contact

3 UK degrees shorter 3 Less research

4 More teaching contact than in UK

5 Practical aspects?

What is Culture

Culture

Law and politics

Language Values and attitudes

Social organisation

Aesthetics Education

Religion

Technology and material

culture

Terpstra and Sarathy 2000

Impact of Culture on Communication

What is more important, rules or relationships?

Do we function in a group or as individuals?

Do we display our emotions?

Is responsibility specifically assigned or diffusely accepted?

Do we have to prove ourselves to receive status or is it given to us?

Do we do things one at a time or several things at once?

Do we control our environment or are we controlled by it?

Alfons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner

Emotional -v- Neutral

Emotional

Neutral

What does this mean?

Japan indirect style of verbal communication

messages are implicit and indirect

voice intonation, timing and facial expressions

UK and Germany exacting style

too many words is considered an exaggeration

too few words is perceived as ambiguous

USA and Canada direct style of verbal communication

accomplish objectives

What does this mean?

So what does this mean?

In the USA an Administrative Assistant might call a Senior Executive ‘Bob’ or ‘Dan’ or ‘Barak’!

Would this happen in Japan? Or other parts of Asia?

What about mobility across Europe?

Implications of Bologna Process

Features of Bologna

2 cycle degrees (undergraduate and postgraduate)

ECTS

Diploma Supplement

Mutual recognition

Bologna Agreement

Doctoral Cycle of minimum 3 years

Masters Cycle – 60 – 120 ECTS

Bachelor Degree Cycle – minimum

of 180 ECTS

Secondary school leaving certificate required for university entrance

Bologna Changes on Study Style?

Overall more modularised

Overall more focused

This might mean that students are: • More prepared for labour market• Study less long and are more focused on a particular learning

outcome• Less academic/independent

Bologna Changes on Study Style?

Will Bologna remove the cultural issues associated with education?

Conclusion

Credential Evaluation plays a vital role is selection

Awareness of culture and the learning styles within those culture uis a vital aspect of improving student welfare

HSBC effect (self-reference criteria)