Weblog-based Blended Learning: Crossing Cultural Barriers Gently

 

Chen, WeiChao 

Peking University, China

Crossing Cultural Barriers Using Technology and E-

Learning

Outline

Overview: Needs, Goals, and Targets Design of Weblog-based blended

Learning Research and Evaluation approach Schedule (Tentative) Special Issues

Overview

Asia as major sender of foreign studentsData from Hugo(2005): Proportion of foreign students from Asia, 2002

Source: OECD 2004, Education at a Glance Table C3.7

Number of Foreign Students Percent from Asia

Australia 119,737 66.7New Zealand 13,883 78.4

UK 80,857 35.6

US 364,418 62.5

Overview

It has been repeatedly reported (Chen, X. 1994; Jones 1999; Tatar 2005a; Tatar 2005b) that Asian students face a series of challenging adaptation issues,

esp. in academic group discussion at class

Goal

Target Groups• Asian students pursuing further education

opportunities at higher education institutes in English-speaking developed countries. English is not their mother tongue, and they have never lived in English-speaking countries before they go abroad for study.

Goals• We hope through Weblog-based blended

learning, Asian students could enjoy a class with supportive atmosphere of learning community, and get enough scaffolds that help them participate actively in class group discussion.

ABC ModelAffect: Stress amd Coping Theories

Behavior: Culture Learning Theories

Cogintions: Social Identification

Theories

Adapted from Ward, Bochner & Furnham (2001)

Asian students in group discussion

Affect: Stress amd Coping Theories

Behavior: Culture Learning Theories

Cogintions: Social Identification

Theories

Language problems

Cultural problems

Differences in educational

tradition

Communication skills

Anxiety

Outsiderness

Unfairness

Stereotype

Challenge

A major challenge for educators and social capital developers is how they can construct a model of cultural competence that recognizes cultural differences without promoting cultural stereotypes at the same time, and a model that will protect cultural minorities from the harmful effects of stereotype threat while simultaneously empowers cultural minorities. (Chiu & Hong, 2006)

Weblog-based Blended Learning:

A promising Terms Blended Learning: a key future trend in

higher education Weblog and its implications for education

• Weblog: New Trends of Online Activities• Weblog: instructional candidate

Establishment of a learning community, development of writing habits (Chen, W. & Bonk 2007)

Cultivation of reflection habits (Shoffner 2006; Chan & Ridgway 2006)

Design of Weblog-based blended Learning

Building of learning community. • Supportiveness, Harmony and mutual

understanding Improving preparedness and

relevancy of group discussion. Posting discussion summary. Meta-communication thinking.

Mix-Approach: Probing, Evaluation &

ImprovingQualitative approach Quantitative approach

Interview Logging Blogging Behaviors

Weblog-based Content Analysis

Online Survey

Open-ended Questions in Online Survey

Mix-Approach: Probing, Evaluation &

Improving2 Formative evaluation

• looking for information to guide decisions about how to improve the system (Reeves & Hedberg 2003)

• observe blogging behaviors, collaborate with instructor, interview

Summative evaluation • content analyses of blogging posts• online survey

Schedule (tentativ

e)

1 1st-3rd week: work with the instructor to generate a detailed course plan

2 4th-8th week: implement & adjust the course plan

3 9th-11th week: individual interviews with Asian students and Native Speakers

4 12th-16th week: implement the adjusted course plan

5 17-18th week: online questionnaire

6 Data Analysis & Report Composition

Special Considerations… Integrating with educational practices Weblog: Throw out there and see what

sticks? Complex Educational Practices: full of

adjustments and compromises Differences among Asian students from

different nations Differences between Weblog culture

and Asian culture

Stay in harmony while tolerating differences

All things are nourished together without their injuring one another. The courses of the seasons, and of the sun and moon, are pursued without any collision among them.

Some sayings from Confucianism

Acknowledgements

Heartfelt thanks to Pro. Curtis. J. Bonk for his encouragement, kind help and suggestion

Many thanks to friends’ helps and encouragements during research.

And thank you for all the people making this wonderful trip possible.

Little me and Mum before TianAnMen Square of Beijing