combining skype with blogging: a chance to stop reinforcement of stereotypes in intercultural...

Combining Skype with Blogging:A chance to stop reinforcement of

stereotypes in intercultural exchanges?

14.02.2014L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

Overview

L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

Course Structure

Time permitting - Skype: reinforce or refute stereotypes

Time permitting - Blog as a Reflective Tool

Results

Cultural Metaphor

14.02.2014

Courses

German 3011 Level B1 Learning goals: improve oral and

written competencies

No data collected for study

Blog-Versity Level B2.2 Learning goals: improve written expression and cultural under- standing Collected data for study

Results of class discussion after first and last skype 2 Blog entries about skype experience and course content SurveyMonkey of class views

Blog-Versity – Leuphana Universität

German 3011 – University of Minnesota

L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University 14.02.2014

Skype Assignments


‘How do students see the world?’

‘The perfect society – visions of the future’

‘Globalization and Culture’ - How has globalization changed culture?

First Skype week 3

Second Skype week 5

Third Skype week 7

Try to find what you have in common and what you see differently.Since the future belongs to the youth, interview your partner about how they see the future and how you see the future.You should also find out if you and your partner find this good, bad, ok, normal, etc.

The blog entries following the skypes had to include both German and US American opinions in their blog entries.

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Reflection: A Definition

John Dewey’s (1933) defines reflection as “active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends” (p. 16).

Active and persistent = Skype assignments

Careful consideration and grounds that support it = Class discussions, content and blogging


Cultural Metaphor


Gannon 2010 4th ed. (1994)

Something a culture considers important and can identify with emotionally and/or cognitively

Cultural Metaphor

Singh 2010

Constructivist view, which asks the listener or reader of the metaphor to go beyond the literal

Learnersdictionary.com

One thing that shows or suggests that two things are similar

Lakoff and Johnson 1980

Humans perceive the world through metaphors

Example 2.2: identify, discuss and analyze intangible products of the target culture as social, economic, political institutions, and explore relationships in these institutions and perspectives of culture. (Shrum and Glisan 2010)

Standard for Foreign Language Learning: Culture

Standard Outcome

Example 2.1: identify, examine and discuss connections between cultural perspectives and socially approved behavioral patterns. (Shrum and Glisan 2010)

Culture 2.1: demonstrate an under-standing of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.

www.actfl.org/node/192

14.02.2014L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University 7

Culture 2.2: demonstrate an under-standing of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.

www.actfl.org/node/192

Results of First Skype: How do you see the world?


Practices (2.1)

self-responsibility - building friendships - commuting - bear the consequences of our behavior – small talk

vegetarianism – smartphone behavior – demonstrations/protests - hobbies - enter university

Products (2.2)

globalization as mixing of cultures - free trade - globalization self-development - express political view through art – history of WWII

school systems – social inequality – economic powers and refugees - political and social perspective: war, poverty, hunger, and justice

Perfect Course?


One was off topic Five of them were either slightly off

topic or not clear as to if a general opinion was stated or if a skype partner was involved.

“U.S. do not reflect as much as students from other countries because they see their own country as a well -structured place, they do not have a varied comparsion to other countries like europe and get only one sided information through a powerful news station.” Charly

“Some of the Americans feel culturally in a certain way on the same level with the Canadians. Certainly because they speak the same language.” Butterfly

“Students today are very, very hard-headed”. knaufi

Quotes from bloggers

Out of 19 blogs 6 showed difficulties

Results of Last Skype: Globalization


Practices (2.1):

Mixing of families and traditions – relationships – change in behavior/cultural behavior or rituals – different beliefs – eating habits – exchange between cultures

Holidays – language – food

Products (2.2)

Internet (most mentioned) – fast food (next highest) – travel – trading – migration – music – price wars – art – work – fashion

Holidays – language – food

Perfect Course Again?


One person did not write an entry Five not clear as to if a general

opinion was stated or if a skype partner was involved.

Kiah told me, she thinks Americans don’t really have their own culture. Probably she doesn’t “see” this, because it’s just normal to her and part of her everyday life. Ferry

I thought that despite my appreciation of the Americans, I do not like their politics either. Budoka

Quotes from bloggers

Out of 18 blogs 5 showed difficulties

Cultural Metaphors: week 6 and 9


Surprised at results 7 (15)

Expected more negative for both (personal outlook 2x)Not patriotic but more positive for Germany (media influenced his view) Focus on topic: work, economy (produced more negative than thought)Conclusion opposite of thought. (matter of interpretation)Retrospectively too positive (didn’t differentiate enough)Not even one negative about US (no reason offered)

Not surprised at results 8 (15)

Expected positive for both (personal outlook 3 x)Personal experience in both countries allowed for realistic answersHeld back on negatives (normally negative outlook)“Every stereotype could be seen either positive or negative and sometimes it is not possible to say.” BalouI like people so answer is clear (2x)“I tried to write my cultural metaphors neutral without judging both nations.” PlutoAware of own stereotypes

German MetaphorsCars (3) Teacher Filofax (2) Orchestra Clock (2) Swabian festivalSoccerLibrary system Faust Bread Roll Forest (off topic)Office Setting table (off)

US MetaphorsRiver (2) CocktailPaint box BurgerSmart phone Coffee to goMall of America WarUS FootballKing Size False friendSeashells InternetSun Paraglider

End Skype Discussion: Week 11


12 out of 17 discussed politics – 10 had different opinion from partner

Americans liked German system

‘Stereotype’ not mentioned

Americans criticized their country (11 from 17) – very objective

High level of German – knew a lot about Germany

Open minded about religion- Rep. against guns

Not able to say what was ‘refuted’

Increased awareness in sustainability

Results from SurveyMonkey: Week 13


agree mildly agree mildly disagree disagree0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Blogging helped me to actively reflect on cultural aspects of both cultures.

Blogging motivated me because it was a useful task.

The weekly in class writing assignments helped me improve my writing skills and apply course content.

In addition the writing assignments allowed me to analyze how I view other cultures.

Skyping provided me with insight(s) to another culture that I would not normally have had.

I gained intercultural knowledge via skype.

Skyping and blogging helped me be aware of the stereotypes I have been using.

My perceptions about stereotypes have changed and I now know some possibilities to hopefully counteract them.

Series9

Skype: Reinforce or Refute Stereotypes


Good way to avoid simplified and tourist like treatment of culture

Depending on question only 5% reinforce stereotype

‘Confirmed what I knew‘ question equally distributed

Synchronous exchanges are ‘unreflected’

Negative experience can lead to reinforcing stereotypes

Godwin-Jones 2007

Guth et al 2012 INTENT Project Team

Guth et al 2012 INTENT Project Team

García and Craprotta 2007

Byram and Feng 2005

14.02.2014

Blog as a Reflective Tool


Realistic and authentic communication that can be reflected

Personal blogs → self-reflectiveCollective blogs → collaborative learning

New or poorly functioning technology means of frustration

Without guidance and feedback → little reflection

Sideka and Yunusa 2012

Lee 2011

Sharma and Xie 2008 Hosack 2004

Lee 2011

14.02.2014

Thank you for listening


Lynette KirschnerLeuphana UniversityZentraleinrichtung Moderne Sprachen(Modern Language Center)

Sources


Byram M. & Feng A. (2005) Teaching and Researching Intercultural Competence. In H. Hinkel (Ed.). Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning (pp. 911-930). Mahwah, NJ: Laurence Erlbaum. Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Gannon, Martin J. & Rajnandini Pillai (2010). Understanding global cultures: metaphorical journeys through 29 nations, clusters of nations, continents, and diversity. 4 ed. Los Angeles: Sage Publishing. García, J. S. & J. Crapotta (2007). Models of Telecollaboration (2): Cultura. In Robert O’Dowd (Ed.). Online Intercultural Exchange: An Introduction for Freign Language Tearchers (pp. 62-84). Clevedon: Multilingaul Matters. Ltd. Godwin, Robert (2013). Integrating Intercultural Competence into Language Learning Through Technology. Language Learning & Technology, 17(2), 1-11. Retrieved from http://llt.msu.edu/issues/june2013/emerging.pdf Guth, Sarah, Francesca Helm & Robert O’Dowd (Eds.). (2012). University Language Classes Collaborating Online: A Report on the Integration of Telecollaborative Networks in European Universities. Retrieved from http://www.intent-project.eu/sites/default/files/Telecollaboration_report_Final_Oct2012.pdf Hosack, I. (2004). The effects of anonymous feedback on Japanese university students’ attitudes towards peer review. In Ritsumeikan Hogaku (Ed.). Language and its universe (pp. 297-322). Kyoto: Ritsumeikan Hogaku. Lakoff, George, & Mark Johnson (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Lee, Lina (2011). Blogging: Promoting Learner Autonomy and Intercultural Competence Through Study Abroad. Language Learning & Technology, 15(3), 87-109. Retrieved fromhttp://llt.msu.edu/issues/october2011/lee.pdf Shrum, J. L., & Glisan, E. W. (2010). Teacher’s handbook: Contextualized language instruction (4th ed.). Boston: Heinle Cengage Learning. Sideka, Emelia A.Rahman & Melor Md.Yunusa (2012). Students’ Experiences on Using Blog as Learning Journals. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 67, 135 – 143. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042812053001 Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Culture (http://www.actfl.org/publications/all/national-standards-foreign-language-education) http://www.actfl.org/node/192 Xie, Ying & Priya Sharma (2011). Exploring evidence of reflective thinking in student artifacts of blogging-mapping tool: a design-based research approach. Instructional Science, 39, 695–719. doi 10.1007/s11251-010-9149-y

combining skype with blogging: a chance to stop reinforcement of stereotypes in intercultural...

Documents

skype week

perspectives of culture

blog entries

target culture

university of minnesota

foreign language learning

cultural perspectives

cultural metaphor singh