Chapter_08_The_Educational___Setting

nullChapter 08 The Educational Setting Chapter 08 The Educational Setting Why is it important to examine the educational setting? To American teachers, it is because: 1) By studying a culture’s perception and approach to education, they can gain valuable insight into the culture. 2)  An awareness of cultural variations in education will help their understating of specific communication behaviors in multicultural classrooms.null3) As parents, or potential parents, the educational setting behooves them to know the manifestations of a culturally diverse classroom. According to this book, schools have the following three functions: 1)  They help fashion the individual; 2)  They are a primary means by which a culture’s history and traditions are passed from generation to generation. 3)  They teach the informal knowledge of a culture.null1. Educational differences 1) What is emphasized in every culture? Educational differences can be found in the following: a.  The history (the content) emphasized by a culture is its own; b.  The language (the form to express the content) emphasized by a culture is also its own;nullc.  The historical, scientific, and artistic accomplishments glorified by a culture are also its own. Schools in all cultures teach ethnocentrism. 2) How is the content taught? a.  In some cultures, teachers talk or lecture a great deal of the time, while in other cultures, students do most of the talking. nullb.  In some cultures, silence and minimal vocal participation characterize the classroom, while in other cultures, the classroom tends to be noisy and active. c.  In some cultures, students recite and then write down what their teacher has said, while in other cultures students can use individual textbooks. nulld.  The authority vested in teachers (provided with power and authority by teachers) varies from culture to culture (For example, in Korea, teachers are expected to assume leadership and they are also responsible for disciplining students. In Japan teachers are esteemed as role models. So they are expected to be correct in their behavior at all times.) and nonverbal aspects such as space, distance, time, and dress codes also differ from culture to culture. null3) Discussion: What is emphasized in the educational system of China? How is the content taught in China? 2. Multicultural education in the United States Some of the figures listed on p.204: 1)  4 in 5 legal immigrants to the USA have been of non-European ancestry; 2)  Nearly 1 in 4 Americans identifies themselves as black, Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander, or American Indian.null2.1 Approaches to Multicultural education Current American textbooks have the following characteristics: 1)  Textbooks incorporate variety of ethnic individuals who have achieved success; 2)  Struggles for equality are vividly depicted; 3)  Past racism is bluntly acknowledged; 4)  Cultural pluralism is recognized as the organizing principle of education; 5)  Children in American schools learn that variety and cultural diversity are assets. null2.2 Learning styles What is learning style? A learning style is a particular way that an individual receives and processes information. (p.205) 2.2.1 Cognitive styles There are four cognitive styles: 1) Field independence vs field sensitivity The two terms correspond to field dependence and field independence. nullIn a field-dependent (field-sensitive) mode of perceiving, perception is strongly dominated by the overall organization of the surrounding field, and part of the field are experienced as “fused” (composed of “discrete parts”). In a field-independent mode of perceiving, parts of the field are experienced as discrete from organized ground. Field-dependent learners operate holistically, whereas field-independent learners are analytic. Low-context, highly industrialized, individualistic societies (e.g. USA)—field independent;nullHigh-context, traditional, collectivistic societies (e.g. Mexico, Japan)—field sensitive. 2) Cooperation vs competition Students from cultures where children are raised cooperatively prefer cooperative learning; while those from cultures where children are raised competitively prefer competitive situations. What style do you think Chinese students prefer, cooperative learning or competitive situations? null3) Trial and error vs “watch then do” Trial and error: a means of learning, by which students learn how to solve problems and reach conclusions. In the USA, students are used to this approach. “Watch then do” is another means of learning, by which students watch how something is done for many times and then they begin to do it. Native American students like this kind of approach of learning.null4) Tolerance vs intolerance for ambiguity American culture prefers a structured, predictable environment in the classroom (p.207), so that the school day is highly structured. (p.207) 2.2.2 Communication and rational styles 1) Direct vs indirect communication Americans value frank and blunt ways of expression but such a behavior often results in losing face. Because Chinese culture views directness as a lack of intelligence, Chinese value indirect ways of expression. null2) Formal vs informal communication In Egypt, Turkey, Iran, China, etc. teacher/students relationships are extremely formal and respectful. 3) Nonverbal communication In most Asian and Native American cultures, direct eye contact with the teacher is perceived as rude, whereas in the USA, a lack of direct eye contact is considered rude. nullDiscussion: According to this book, in Chinese culture, “a person’s name is written in red only at the time of death or the anniversary of a death”. Is it true to your knowledge? 4) Topic-centered communication vs topic-associating communication a.  European American students tend to be topic centered b. African American students tend to use a topic associating approach, (See the example on p.208.) and Chinese students also tend to use a topic associating approach. nullCan you give an example to show that Chinese students tend to use a topic-associating approach? 5) Dependent vs independent learning Many non-European American students are more interested in obtaining their teachers’ direction and feedback. 6) Participatory vs passive learning What do you think of Chinese students? 7) Reflectivity vs impulsivity reflectivity—seeking answers slowly impulsivity—making quick responses to questions/responding rapidly to tasksnull8) Aural, visual, and verbal learners Verbal: European American Visual: Native Americans Aural: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Haitian Americans and Hmong (A member of a people inhabiting the mountainous regions of southern China and adjacent areas of Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand) Americans 9) Energetic learning vs calm learning Many African Americans are used to energetic learning.null2.2.3 Motivation styles 1) Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation Intrinsic motivation refers to the fact that students are motivated intrinsically to succeed while extrinsic motivation refers to the fact that students are motivated extrinsically. European Americans students: intrinsic motivation Asian students: extrinsic motivationnull2) Learning on demand vs learning what is relevant or interesting a. Japanese culture: learning on demand b. Hispanic and Native American cultures: learning what is relevant or interesting