The role of learning approaches in explaining the distinct learning behaviors presented by American and Chinese undergraduates in the classroom

The distinct learning behaviors observed in the classroom between American and Chinese students have been discussed extensively in literature. The authors speculated that learning approaches (structure-oriented approach vs. depth-oriented approach) might play a role in explaining different behavioral traits presented by American and Chinese students. Two measures assessing learning approaches and learning behaviors in the classroom were administered to two samples: American undergraduates (n = 199) and Chinese undergraduates (n = 265). The results revealed that American undergraduates appeared to be more “active” in the classroom compared to Chinese undergraduates. Chinese undergraduates scored significantly higher on the structure-oriented approach, but did not differ significantly in the depth-oriented approach compared to American undergraduates. The results also indicated that the structure-oriented approach mediated the relationship between cultural group and learning behavior, and thus suggest that the structure-oriented learning approach might partially explain the distinct behavioral traits presented by American and Chinese students in the classroom.     

Teaching assistants from the People's Republic of China and US undergraduates: Perceptions of teaching and teachers

Abstract

The paper summarizes the results of a series of focus group interviews with Chinese teaching assistants and US undergraduates on their perceptions about teaching and teachers in their own and US cultures. Focus group interviews were held with Chinese math‐based science teaching assistants (CTAs) who were at three different stages of the teacher preparation process. Similarly, American undergraduates’ perceptions were elicited through focus group interviews and questionnnaires. CTAs viewed American college instructors as exciting, but unclear in their organization and presentation. Undergraduates thought ideal US professors should spend more time with their students, and have interpersonal skills in teaching. They did not value the professor's knowledge of the subject matter as much as CTAs did. Implications for future TA development programmes are also discussed.     

Differences in electronic exchanges in synchronous and asynchronous computer-mediated communication: the effect of culture as a mediating variable

Two hundred and eighty undergraduates from universities in two countries were asked to read didactic material, and then think and write about potential solutions to an ill-defined problem. The writing was conducted within a synchronous or asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) environment. Asynchronous CMC took the form of email exchanges between American learners only, Southern European learners only, and American and Southern European learners together. Synchronous CMC was restricted to dyads consisting of American–American, Southern European–Southern European, and American–Southern European students dialoguing. Additionally, a number of Americans and Southern Europeans were each paired with a content-“mirroring” computer-generated partner to account of the effect of thinking with an unresponsive partner in synchronous CMC. Results revealed that dyadic learners in asynchronous CMC used significantly more reasoning skills to think about solutions to the problem, while dyadic learners in synchronous CMC exchanged significantly more personal knowledge and features of emotion. However, the tendency among dyadic learners to include emotional features in their dialogues was mediated by their cultural background.     

“美德—心智”视阈下我国学生学习概念的发展——基于字词联想测验的实证研究

学习概念是从主位视角出发的学习观,是指学生个体对学习现象和学习经验所持有的直觉认识的综合。华裔美国学者李瑾教授在上个世纪末采用字词联想测验范式,以成人大学生为被试,对学习概念结构进行了系统的跨文化比较研究,提出西方人的学习模式为"心智导向",而东亚人的学习模式为"美德导向"。本研究对李瑾的研究方法做了必要的修正,据此对小学一年级至大学三年级的我们中国学生进行调查,探究我国学生学习概念的发展变化情况。研究发现,随着学龄的增长,我国学生的学习概念呈现出由"美德主导"向"德智并重"转变的发展趋势。这说明,在我国"美德导向"的学习传统依然根植在我国,但全球性的文化交融以及现代化教育对心智开发的更加重视导致了我国学生学习概念中"心智导向"的成分亦不断增长。在可以预见的未来,"美德导向"与"心智导向"的分野必将进一步缩小直至消失,而"心智"与"美德"平衡并重的教育模式也应当成为全球化背景下东西方彼此互鉴的育人理想。     

Exploring expectations,experiences and long-term plans of Chinese international students studying in the joint Sino-Russian degree

This article investigates the transitioning process of international Chinese undergraduate students studying in Russia. The paper offers new insights into changes in the expectations and experiences of Chinese students at various stages of their joint educational studies in China and Russia. Drawing on a qualitative study of 20 Chinese undergraduates studying in Russia, the findings of the study indicate that before studying in Russia, most of Chinese students had low expectations about their study programme. However, once they were in Russia, students’ perception of the value of their international education experiences changes through varied opportunities for self-reflexivity in an unfamiliar cultural environment. The study also offers an example of methodological approach useful for researching international students’ experiences, particularly within but not limited to context of Sino-Foreign university partnerships.     

文化启动对文化蕴涵词再认的影响实验研究

通过不同文化（中国文化和美国文化）的图片启动及随后的文化蕴涵词（中国文化和美国文化）再认测验,考察不同英语水平的大学生是否会出现文化适应性反应。结果发现：⑴文化图片、文化蕴涵词及英语水平的主效应均不显著;文化图片与英语水平的交互作用不显著;文化图片、文化蕴涵词及英语水平三者的交互作用不显著。⑵文化图片与文化蕴涵词的交互作用显著：在中国文化图片启动下,被试对中国文化蕴涵词的再认率显著高于对美国文化蕴涵词的再认率;而在美国文化图片启动下,被试对美国文化蕴涵词的再认率显著高于对中国文化蕴涵词的再认率。被试出现了文化适应性反应。⑶文化蕴涵词与英语水平的交互作用显著。     

中西比较文学视域下的英美文学教学

中国文化背景下的英美文学教学中有必要引入比较文学教学内容。学生以已有的知识经验和审美价值观阅读英美文学作品时会自发地加以比较,而纯粹的英美文化的教学易导致学习者抛弃本民族文化价值,变成文化虚无主义。作为异质性的中英文学具有可通约性,二者间的比较有助于彼此的理解,化解文化冲突,实现文学的互识和互补。当然,英语专业英美文学教学中培养学生比较文学意识要有一定的方法以及教学指导原则。通过这种中英文学对比教学,可培养学生世界性胸怀,极大地促进英美文学教学的目的实现。     

A cross-cultural investigation into the development of place-value concepts of children in Taiwan and the United States

This study builds on previous investigations that have compared the mathematics achievement of Asian and American students by analyzing the arithmetical learning contexts of children in Taiwan and in the United States. To this end, interviews were conducted with parents and teachers to identify cultural beliefs about learning arithmetic, ten lessons were video-recorded in one classroom in each country to identify classroom social interaction patterns, and interviews were conducted with children to identify the level of sophistication of their arithmetical concepts. Consistent with previous research, the arithmetical understandings of the Chinese children were found to be generally more advanced than those of their American counterparts. The analysis of the other data sources indicates that these differences in understanding reflect two significant differences in the sociocultural context within which Chinese and American children learn arithmetic. First, the arithmetical learning activities in which the Chinese children engaged at home and in school appeared to give them greater opportunities to construct consistenst arithmetical concepts. These differences in the arithmetical learning activities used in the two countries in turn appear to reflect different cultural beliefs about what constitutes normal or natural development when children learn arithmetic. Second, the obligations the Chinese children attempted to fulfill in order to be effective in the classroom were such that they had greater opportunities to explain and to reflect on their arithmetical interpretations and solutions. This in turn gave them greater opportunities to reorganize their thinking and construct increasingly sophisticated arithmetical concepts.     

中美小学教师归因反应模式的比较

基于克拉克修订的教师归因反应测验及相关研究,比较了中美小学教师对不同特征学生学业失败的归因反应模式.结果表明:中美小学教师都对高能力学生或低努力学生的失败更生气,并给予更高的惩罚.但与中国教师相比,美国小学教师对高努力学生的生气程度较低,对低努力学生的惩罚较高.美国小学教师预期低能力或低努力学生未来学业失败的可能性更高,中国教师却认为当学生不努力时,学生的能力高低对于其未来的学业成绩没有影响.     

Outposts of Americana: Bringing Iowa Grassroots Democracy to European English-language Classrooms

We present a project that used the Iowa Caucus, an American political tradition, to support English-language instruction in Belgium and Luxembourg. Educators acknowledge that the cultural dimension is critically important in the acquisition of foreign languages, yet questions remain about effective ways to incorporate it in the classroom. Begun as an attempt by two American educators to introduce European students to American culture, our activity went further, addressing core questions about how we interpret cultural identity. Just as grassroots democracy is able to shift control of political narratives to individual voters, we found that our student-centered role-play shifted control of cultural narrative to participating students. Thus, we argue that students were more than viewers: they felt ownership of a piece of Americana. Our engaging pedagogical tool can be of use to social studies and language teachers, both abroad and in America, who are too often caught between presenting politics and culture as “fossilized” and who struggle to create a living representation of culture in the classroom. Finally, we situate our findings in the context of larger educational trends, particularly critical pedagogy and foreign-language instruction theory, which we use to foreground a discussion about the challenges of describing and interpreting culture.     

Differences in African‐American and European‐American students' engagement with nanotechnology experiences: Perceptual position or assessment artifact?

This study examined middle and high school students' perceptions of a weeklong science experience with nanotechnology and atomic force microscopy. Through an examination of student self assessments and their writing, the study allowed us to examine some of the issues that may contribute to discrepancies that are seen between European‐American and African‐American students in science. The results of the study showed that after instruction, African‐American students were significantly more likely to agree with the statement that “science involves mostly memorizing things and getting the right answer,” than European‐American students. In addition, European‐American students were significantly more likely to write their newspaper stories from a first person perspective than their African‐American peers. The results are discussed in light of the assessment task, students' interpretations of formal writing, cultural differences in the use of language in writing, and possible cultural differences in students' perceptions of the science experience. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 787–799, 2007     

COLLABORATION AMONG EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS AND FACULTY THROUGH A REGGIO INSPIRED LONG‐TERM PROJECT

To effectively teach young children, early childhood teachers must be prepared to collaborate with families of diverse backgrounds. Studying the unique cultural contexts of children and families in American early care and education programs and communities will offer early educators information needed to develop empathy for the families with whom they wish to partner. This study investigated the attitudes of Chinese graduate students in the United States toward American early care and education programs. Chinese graduate students are a unique and growing population of approximately 189,000, 40% of whom have at least one child attending American early care and education programs. Chinese graduate students’ educational expectations for their young children and reasons behind these expectations were also explored. Findings showed that participants’ views of American early care and education reflected Chinese culture and life experience. In terms of American education, these Chinese graduate students compared the American programs’ curricula to the Chinese national curriculum, a curriculum they successfully mastered. Implications for early childhood teacher education programs are discussed.     

On the pedagogy of examinations in Hong Kong

We present a portrayal of the pressures exerted on Hong Kong students by the examination system. However, the examination experience in China should not be confused with the contemporary emphasis on examinations in North American schools. We involve both teachers and students in experiential writing with respect to their experiences of examinations. These writings provide opportunity for reflections about pedagogical questions and dimensions of examinations in Hong Kong schools and society. We describe the historical background, the functions and the nature of examinations in Hong Kong. It is in the context of an awareness of such cultural traditions and present day global pressures that teachers (and their students) may gain a more thoughtful pedagogical perspective.     

Conceptions of Ability and Achievement Goals in Physical Education: Comparisons of American and Chinese Students

This study focused on comparisons of American and Chinese students in conceptions of ability and achievement goals in physical education. Three hundred eight American students and 371 Chinese students in 4th, 8th, and 11th grades completed questionnaires assessing their conceptions of ability and achievement goals. Results indicated that for both American and Chinese students, as they progressed through the grades they tended to develop a differentiated conception of ability and to become more ego-oriented. Achievement goals were related to conceptions of ability. Cultural differences were found in the two variables. The findings offer additional empirical support to the view that goal theory is relevant to physical education settings and that achievement-related cognitions vary as a function of children's age and cultural background.     

中美大学生关系型自我构念与亲密关系质量比较研究

本研究随机选取东肯塔基大学、爱荷华大学、杭州师范大学、新疆大学等多所高校的1071名大学生,比较中美大学生关系型自我构念与亲密关系质量的差异,探究大学生关系型自我构念与亲密关系质量间的关系,研究表明:第一,中美两国大学生的关系型自我构念存在差异,虽都偏向独立,中国大学生比美国大学生更倾向于以非亲密关系来构念自我,美国大学生的关系型自我构念存在性别差异;第二,美国大学生的亲密关系质量高于中国大学生,女性大学生的亲密关系质量均高于男性;第三,大学生关系型自我构念与亲密关系质量正向相关,前者对后者有正向影响。     

理科大学生社会责任意识的性别差异分析——基于兰州大学的实证研究

大学生的社会责任意识状况,既会影响其自身的社会化进程与成人成才,也事关其国家和民族的命运与前途。目前,社会上对理科大学生的社会责任意识现状存在不同论断。本文调查发现理科本科生社会责任意识方面表现较好,但仍有提升的空间。文章提出可以通过加强思想引领,用新时代中国特色社会主义思想理论武装头脑;躬身实践;积极占领网络阵地,严防腐朽思想对大学生的影响等方式培养理科大学生的社会责任意识。     

论美国电影对大学生思想道德观念的影响

随着国家之间文化交流的日益频繁,美国电影也以更多的形式出现在中国大学生面前。许多大学生热衷于美国电影,大学生在观看美国电影的同时也对其道德观、价值观、人生观等思想道德观念造成了一定的影响。     

A cross-cultural study of learning behaviours in the classroom: from a thinking style perspective

Chinese students were often portrayed as passive learners in the classroom, whereas their American peers have been viewed as active learners. This study was designed to examine and explain the distinct learning behaviours in the classroom between these two student groups in relation to thinking style. Surveys of learning behaviours and thinking styles were administered to three samples, American students (n?=?129), Chinese students in China (n?=?134) and Chinese students in the USA (n?=?121). The results of the study revealed that American students reported higher activity level in the classroom and tended to be analytic in thinking style, while Chinese students, both in China and in the USA, reported lower activity level in the classroom, and were inclined to be holistic in thinking style. Furthermore, the thinking style variable was found to mediate the relationship between cultural group and learning behaviour, suggesting that thinking style might partially explain the distinct learning behaviours presented by American and Chinese students.     

浅谈通过语文教学法课程培养师范生良好的学习态度

对于高等师范院校汉语言文学专业本科生而言,语文教学法课程是至关重要的,教师要通过这门课程来让学生掌握教学方法与教学规律,提高他们的专业能力,更重要的是在教学过程中有意识地培养他们形成良好的学习态度,增强其对于该门课程的学习兴趣,提高学习能力和学习效果,为毕业后成为一名合格的语文教师打下基础。     

Cheating by economics and business undergraduate students: an exploratory international assessment

Today’s economics and business students are expected to be our future business people and potentially the economic leaders and politicians of tomorrow. Thus, their beliefs and practices are liable to affect the definition of acceptable economics and business ethics. The empirical evaluation of the phenomenon of cheating in academia has almost exclusively focused on the US context, and non-US studies usually only cover a narrow range of countries. This paper presents a comprehensive, cross-country study on the magnitude and determinants of cheating among economics and business undergraduates, involving 7,213 students enrolled in 42 universities located in 21 countries from the American (4), European (14), Africa (2) and Oceania (1) Continents. We found that the average magnitude of copying among economics and business undergraduates is quite high (62%) but there was significant cross-country heterogeneity. The probability of cheating is significantly lower in students enrolled in schools located in the Scandinavian, and the US and British Isles blocks when compared with their Southern European counterparts; quite surprisingly this probability is also lower for the African block. On a distinctly different level, however, students enrolled in schools in Western and especially Eastern European countries reveal statistically significant higher propensities towards committing academic fraud.