‘A Stranger in a Strange Land’*

Issues and Challenges in crossing academic and cultural borders

* Title of Book by Heinlein, Robert (1961)

Heather BigelowConsultant – Cross Cultural IssuesRMIT Business Portfolio(Registered Psychologist).Telephone: 9925 5617E-mail: heather.bigelow@rmit.edu.au

Phases of Adjustment

Phase 1 –

Excitement

Initial Adjustment Issues

Accommodation

Transport system

Language

Orientation/Transition

Phases of Adjustment

Phase 2 –

Confusion

‘Things are not the same here’!

Different teaching and learning expectations

Different work place expectations Financial issues ‘Life skills’ – ‘housekeeping’, nutrition,

etc. ‘Culture/Learning Shock’

‘Why do you do/see things that way?’

What are the ‘rules’ here?

What do you mean you don’t give the best jobs to family members?

“There is no ‘respect’ here!

Phases of Adjustment

Phase 3 –

* Anger – Anxiety

‘Chicken Soup’

“This is the worst idea I’ve ever had!”

“I just want to go home/quit”. Loss of ‘self’ – the familiar Family pressures to succeed Personal/developmental issues Everyone else is coping – except me! Medical problems Psychological problems for some

Phases of Adjustment

Phase 4 –

Self-assurance

“I think I can……”

Understanding academic requirements Making friends

“It was still better back home but I will complete this semester”

Phases of Adjustment

Phase 5 –

Understanding of, and ability to function in, a variety of settings.

Additional difficulties

‘Loss of face’ – failure

Pressure to complete in minimum time – from family (financial?) and DIAC

‘Co-op’ – finding suitable employment

Phases of Adjustment

A ‘sixth’ phase of adjustment – that of returning ‘home’ – has also been proposed.

Phase 6 –

kcohS eurtluC esreveR

Phases of Adjustment

‘Culture Shock’Identifying Features

1. CUE Problem – a feeling that the ‘rules have changed’ – don’t know what’s expected!

2. VALUE Discrepancies – old, familiar ways no longer valid.

‘Culture Shock’

3. EMOTIONALITY – feeling bad without knowing why.

4. ISOLATION – no-one understands – avoid contact.

‘Culture Shock’

5. HOMESICKNESS – a feeling of being well adjusted before (in country of origin). Does not help now!

6. PERFORMANCE – sense of alienation will never go away.

‘Culture Shock’

‘Culture Shock’ also applies to – Job changes Marriage Divorce Poverty Wealth Unemployment

Internationalising the Curriculum

Different value systems

‘Right’ and ‘wrong’ ways to success

Training students to work internationally

Developing Cross Cultural Competence

3 steps to developing cross cultural competence –

(a) Awareness

of one’s own attitudes, values, beliefs and cultural assumptions, including personal biases and stereotypes.

CCC 2

(b) Knowledge – Gained through interactions with culturally different

students, teachers, partner, parent(s), community, employer, employee, organisation.

Learn the history, religious practices, beliefs important to the ‘other’, societal organisations, cultural ‘rules’ under which the ‘other’ operates.

CCC 3

(C) Skill –

Develop a ‘global mind’

Learn to act sensitively and appropriately in the presence of culturally different ‘other’, in formal and informal, work or study-related situations.

Source: Pedersen, P. (1994)

Discussion Questions

How is my course ‘internationalised’? Is there something different I can add? What might my ‘ideal’ internationalised

course(s) look like? How can I use my own experiences and

those of colleagues and students to move more toward my ideal?

‘Why’ would this not work here?’

• Use knowledge and experience of students of all nations

Case studies from other cultures ‘Peer pairing’ – ‘local’ and ‘international’

students on assignments Study abroad, student exchange, study

tours, travel

‘Everyone wants the same things’

“Culture Shock’

originates from the belief that

everyone is the same”

Hur and Hur (1988, p.196) Culture Shock! Korea.

Don’t they?

“All people are the same …

It’s only their habits that are so different!”

Confucius (Kung Fu Tse)

Cross-Cultural Exploration

“All cross-cultural exploration

begins with the

experience of being lost.”

Hall, Edward T. (cited in Bond, Michael Harris (1991, p .v).