Welcome! The objective of this session

is to discuss how we can learn and work together

effectively even though we are all different

About me…• Lisa Harris is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of

Southampton, currently developing a new MSc programme in Digital Marketing. She is an accredited tutor for the University of Liverpool online MBA programme, and has completed four research projects investigating how ‘early adopters’ of new technology are using Web 2 tools to ‘punch above their weight’ through a combination of online and offline promotion, collaboration and networking. Lisa’s latest research investigates the development of “digital presence” and the role of social media in education.

• l.j.harris@soton.ac.uk • http://twitter.com/lisaharris • http://www.lisaharrismarketing.com

George: our course mascot

What is Difference?

• Can we always see people’s individual differences?

What are our differences below the surface that others don’t generally see but that drive our behaviour?

Managing

Valuing

Understanding

Awareness

Tolerance

Intolerance

Where do you think you are on the attitude pyramid?

Stereotypes

• Generally what we believe and think about people is based on what we see.

• We make general assumptions about people’s intelligence, income, status, value system based on what they look like and how they behave.

• Usually these assumptions have negative or derogatory implications.

• Can lead to discrimination.

Student Quotes

• “Just when we are talking and when I say something they didn’t listen, I feel very upset and isolated. Taiwanese student

• “And sometimes the Asian people just hide themselves too much. We need to express some things more.” Chinese student

• You pick up that the far eastern Asians have come over, well their manners and their way of working can be very different to ours, but just as effective” UK Student

Student Quotes• “Chinese people, they seem to think it through

in their heads before they say anything, so when you try to have a discussion it doesn’t really work because they don’t say anything for ages. And they said to me that’s because they want to get the right answer before they say anything. I think that is really different to the way I have done it before where everyone just throws ideas in whether it is right or not.” UK student

Student Quotes

• “But in my country, usually you just do what the leader thinks. Then he tells them, “You do this, you do that” and other people don’t want to think because the leader has the responsibility and they don’t have, so they don’t think.”

Thai student

Student Quotes

• “One of my friends, she is the only Nigerian in a group of Asians and sometimes complains that they will say to her, “Oh, hold on…” and they just start speaking in their own language. She feels then no one has really said anything to her and she is not involved”

Nigerian female

Group exercise: cultural stereotypes

• Think about your perception of the British culture – what are your stereotypes?

• Think about your perception of your own cultural stereotypes - how do you think people perceive you?

1. How did you work as a group?2. How difficult was the task to manage?3. Did you encounter any problems when talking with each other?4. Were any of your group offended or did any of the group feel that they could not contribute to the discussion?5. How do you think this activity relates to learning and completing your degree programme here?

In your group please answer the following questions

Please let us know if you feel like this

‘Individuals are selected and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and

abilities, and are given equal opportunities within the University.’

So now please reflect on what this means to you and how you will think, behave and learn together.

What do we value at Southampton?

What is the educator’s role in a world where production and consumption of information is now…

Democratic

Amateur

Distributed

The world is changing…

• Educators are no longer the ‘gatekeepers’ of knowledge

• Acquiring information is no longer the issue – critical evaluation is the key skill

• Contributing effectively to your community• Educators and students are learning

together• “Sage on the stage” to “guide on the side”

Some tools to help you learn more effectively

• http://www.lisaharrismarketing.com/personal-branding/get-your-studies-off-to-a-flying-start/

• http://www.lisaharrismarketing.com/online-learning/getting-started-with-your-studies-some-key-social-media-tools-for-effective-learning/

Good luck!

• Make the most of your time here:– Learning about your chosen subject– Preparing for your future career– Making new friends– exploring new places

• Carpe Diem