Crisis of Cross Cultural Communication on our campuses!

1
Crisis of Cross Cultural Communication on our
campuses!

• Lorraine Brown
• Nicola Peacock

2

• We cant reach them, we dont know how!

3

• Its so much easier to go with whats easy.

4

• The ideal of transforming a culturally diverse
  student population into a valued resource for
  activating processes of international
  connectivity, social cohesion and intercultural
  learning is still very much that, an ideal.
• De Vita (2005)

5
A comparison of two studies..

• BU international students / Masters cohort in
  Tourism / longitudinal survey - interviews
• BU and UWE undergraduate students / business and
  arts / focus groups

6
Friendship and segregation

• I dont have the feeling that they have need to
  make interaction with us. I think they are trying
  to be more by themselves. Slovenian student
• We do have a lot of Chinese students..theres
  loads, they do all seem to group together and I
  dont think they integrate quite as well.
• UK student

7
Anxiety

• The British are weird! So cold! They dont want
  to talk at all. International students dont like
  the people here. They do not match with their
  expectations. Are they shy? Sometimes it makes
  me worry, dont they like me?
• Indonesian student
• I find always that I cant approach them and I
  find that a bitnot intimidating but I wouldnt
  ever approach a big group its just because its a
  bit daunting.
• UK student

8
Anxiety in the classroom

• This sounds really horriblewhen we got put into
  groups there were people I didnt want to work
  with because of their level of English.
• UK student

9
Motivation

• If you get on really well with people that
  arent (international), its much easier,
  especially if youre tired and youre working
  hard you dont want to have to spend a whole
  evening trying really hard to get on with people
  you dont really get on with.
• UK student
• Its easier being with Thais we understand each
  other.
• Thai student

10
Language barriers

• I think a lot of them who spend a lot of time
  socially. Their English is quite good and they
  are quite confident. And like the others, we
  dont socialise with them, but thats because we
  dont really know them they havent been as
  approachable as people who are fluent in
  English.
• UK student

11
Drinking culture

• All of the Chinese students I know, I cant
  imagine any of them on a night out sort of
  getting drunk. Thats stupid, but thats like
  the way most of us meet all our mates.
• UK student
• I can imagine when were drunk, its a lot more
  difficult to understand cos that makes everything
  ten times morelike humour and like (banter with)
  people is suddenly like ten times worse when
  youre drunk.
• UK student

12
Racism

• I saw some young, maybe teenagers on the subway
  and they are drinking. Its terrible for me, Im
  a little nervous, I heard many bad things. So I
  walk quickly. A little run. When they are drunk,
  they may do something bad to me. It make me feel
  bad.
• Taiwanese student

13
Passive xenophobia

• You are not racist, but you dont like
  foreigners!
• Turkish student

14
Conclusions

• Human nature? Capacity for change
• Role of Higher Education?
• Recommendations for action
• Teaching and learning strategies
• Curriculum development
• Orientation
• Accommodation
• Social / Buddying