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Cultural Differences inTeaching and Learning
FUHU conference on Education and
Training in the Multicultural ClassroomCopenhagen, 8th May 2008
Geert Hofstede
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3 meanings of culture
1. Literally: tilling the soil, cultivation
2. Training or refining of the mind: civilization
3. Collective ways of acting, thinking, andfeeling: collective programming of the mind
distinguishing the members of one group orcategory of people from another
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Levels of mental software
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ValuesValues are the stable core of culture.
They are strong, unconscious emotionswith a minus and a plus pole, like:
evil-gooddangerous-safedirty-clean
ugly-beautifulabnormal-normal
What is normal is a matter of values
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Acquiring mental programmes
unconscious,unchangeable
valuesconscious,changeable
practices
age
0
10
20
place
family
school
work
pre-puberty
post-puberty
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Which culture is transferred when
values
practices
age
0
10
20+
culture level
gender,national
social class,occupation
business,organization
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Dimensions of national cultures
Cultures Consequences, Hofstede 1980 and 2001
Same 5 problems, different solutions:
1. Inequality:Power Distance, large or small2. Need for security:
Uncertainty Avoidance, strong or weak3. Relationship with others:
Individualism or Collectivism
4. Emotional gender roles:Masculinity or Femininity
5. Time horizon:
Long- or Short-term orientation
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National culture dimension :Power Distance
Extent to which the less powerfulmembers of institutions and
organizations expect and accept thatpower is distributed unequally
Transferred to children by parents andother elders
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National culture dimension :Uncertainty Avoidance
Extent to which the members of a culturefeel threatened by ambiguous and
unknown situations
Not to be confused with risk avoidance:
risk is to uncertainty as fear is to anxiety.Uncertainty and anxiety are diffusefeelings anything may happen
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SMALL PD, WEAK UA LARGE PD, WEAK UA
SMALL PD, STRONG UA LARGE PD, STRONG UA
NORDIC COUNTRIES
ANGLO CTRS, USA
NETHERLANDS
GERMAN SPK CTRS
BALTIC STATES
HUNGARY, ISRAEL
CHINA
INDIA
LATIN COUNTRIES
CZECHIA, POLAND
KOREA, JAPAN
RUSSIA
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Power Distance, teaching and learning
Large Power Distance
Students dependent
on teachers Students treatteachers with respect
Teacher-centerededucation Teachers initiate all
communication inclass Teachers are gurus
who transfer personalwisdom
Small Power Distance Teachers treat
students as equals Students treat
teachers as equals
Student-centerededucation
Students initiate some
communication inclass
Teachers are experts
who transferimpersonal truths
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Uncertainty Avoidance, teaching and learning
Strong Uncertainty Av.
Students want to
know right answers Teachers supposed
to have all answers
Emotions in class canbe expressed
Pressure amongstudents to conform
Teachers inform
parents
Weak Uncertainty Av.
Students want good
discussions Teachers may say
I dont know
Emotions should becontrolled anywhere
Tolerance fordifferences in class
Teachers involve
parents
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National culture dimension :Individualism vs. Collectivism
Individualism: A society in which the tiesbetween individuals are loose: everyone
expected to look after self andimmediate family
Collectivism: A society in whichindividuals from birth onwards are partof strong in-groups that last a lifetime
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National culture dimension :
Masculinity vs. Femininity
Masculinity: A society in which emotional
gender roles are distinct: men aresupposed to be assertive, tough and
focused on material success, women onthe quality of life; mens culture prevails
Femininity: A society in which emotionalgender roles overlap: both men and womenare supposed to be modest, tender, and
focused on the quality of life
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COLLECTIVIST,FEMININE COLLECTIVIST,MASCULINE
INDIVIDUALIST, FEMININE INDIVIDUALIST,MASCULINE
THAILAND, KOREA
COSTA RICA, CHILE
RUSSIA, BULGARIA
PORTUGAL
CHINA, JAPAN
MEXICO, VENEZUELA
ARAB WORLD
GREECE
SPAIN, FRANCE
NETHERLANDS
BALTIC COUNTRIES
NORDIC COUNTRIES
CZECHIA, POLAND
HUNGARY, ITALY
GERMAN SPK CTRIES
ANGLO COUNTRIES, USA
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Individualism/Collectivism, teaching and learning
Individualist
Purpose of education is
learning how to learn Students individual
initiatives encouraged
Students are expected tospeak up in class whenthey need or want to
Students associateaccording to interests
Diplomas increase
economic worth and/orself-respect
Collectivist
Purpose of education
is learning how to do Students individual
initiatives discouraged
Students only speakup in class whensanctioned by group
Students associateaccording to in-groups
Diplomas provide entry
to higher-status group:are sometimes bought
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Masculinity/Femininity, teaching and learning
Masculinity
Brilliant teachers
admired Best student is norm Competition in class
Praise for good student Students over-rate own
performance
Competitive sportsbelong to curriculum
Failing in school is a
disaster
Femininity Friendly teachers most
liked Average student is norm Over-ambition impopular
Praise for weak student Students under-rate own
performance
Competitive sportsextra-curricular
Failing in school is a
minor incident
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National culture dimension : Long-termvs. Short-term Orientation
Long Term Orientation is the extent towhich members of a society adapt
themselves to reach a desirable future
Short Term Orientation is the extent to
which members of a society take theirguidance from the past and try to fulfilltheir present needs and desires
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LONG TERM ORIENTATIONCHINA & OVERSEAS CHINESE
JAPAN
KOREA
BRAZIL
INDIA
NORDIC COUNTRIES
NETHERLANDS
BELGIUM, FRANCE
GERMANY
USA, BRITAIN
SPAIN
ISLAMIC COUNTRIES
AFRICAN COUNTRIES
SHORT TERM ORIENTATION
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Long/Short Term Orientation, teaching + learning
Long term
Students attributesuccess to effort andfailure to lack of effort
Studying hard is norm High performance at
mathematics
Talent for applied,concrete sciences
Children learn to save
Short term
Students attribute bothsuccess and failure toluck and occult forces
Enjoyment is norm Low performance at
mathematics
Talent for theoretical,abstract sciences
Children learn to spend
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Academic book 1980
entirely re-written version 2001 For researchers, not
for teaching
Published in USA bySage Publications
2001 version reviewsall uses of the 1980edition (> 800 newreferences)
Extensive validation ofdimensions: > 400
significant correlationswith external data
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Student book 2005 (first edition 1991)McGraw-Hill USA Handelshjskolens Forlag
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Book for trainers 2002
First author Gert JanHofstede
Focuses on themulticulturalclassroom
Exercises andsimulations
Published in USA byIntercultural Press
Info on all books at
www.geerthofstede.nl
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