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Student Resources Boost Learning
- 1. Student Resources A Boost to the Learning Environment Presented at the 19th Annual AFACCT Conference Session 8.6: January 9, 2009 Dr. Lillian O. Holloman Prince George’s Community College
- 2. Birth of an Idea • Discussion with colleague • PGCC: A Microcosm of global community • More than 100 countries represented on campus
- 3. Appeal to Students • Call for volunteers • Description of classroom activity • Motivation for volunteering
- 4. Informal Classroom Presentations • Selective Topics ―Education ―Rituals and Holidays ―Mate Selection ―Native Foods ―Expectations of body coverage/exposure ―Expectations of public display of affection
- 5. Objectives • To interpret the definition of culture • To apply the concept of cultural universals • To compare and contrast aspects of other cultures with those of the United States • To decrease ethnocentrism • To explore and explain terms such as norms, stereotypes, symbolism, sanctions, culture shock and other relevant terms.
- 6. Components of Assignment • Interview • Research • Organization Participation • Learning Experience • Paper
- 7. Interview • Two international students • Questions ―Discussed in class ―Developed based on your interest • Record Answers
- 8. The Research • Focused • Topic based on component of interview • Derived from interest of student – Example: If pre-wedding rituals were mentioned during the interview and the student found this particularly interesting, then the research was focused on pre-wedding rituals.
- 9. Organization Participation • Students were required to do one of the following: – Join a campus organization that promotes multiculturalism -OR- – Participate in an event sponsored by a campus organization that promotes multiculturalism.
- 10. Your Learning Experience • What did you learn from this assignment? • How has this assignment impacted the way you interpret culture? • Discuss your level of ethnocentrism before and after this assignment. • Discuss the following concepts and any other relevant terms based on your experience: ―Norms ―Stereotypes ―Symbolism ―Sanctions ―Culture Shock
- 11. Assessment • To interpret the definition of culture – Student approach and questions during interview – Application and synthesis of information during research • To apply the concept of cultural universals – Response and reaction to practices of other cultures • To compare and contrast aspects of other cultures with those of the United States • To decrease ethnocentrism • To explore and explain terms such as norms, stereotypes, symbolism, sanctions, culture shock and other relevant terms. – Accuracy of interpretations and application of terms
- 12. Revisions Needed • Incorporate U.S. dominant culture and subcultures. • Develop more effective strategy for measuring change in ethnocentrism.
- 13. Application to Other Disciplines • Diverse student culture and experiences – Inspire English Composition and Creative Writing – Explore Philosophy, Women’s Studies, and Psychology
- 14. Questions??? Comments… Contact Lillian Holloman: hollomlo@pgcc.edu
Editor's Notes
- Good Morning, I am Lillian Holloman, a Sociology professor at Prince George’s Community College. Perhaps a better title for my presentation would be “Students as Resources” because it is they who served as impetus for this assignment.
- My colleague, Dennis Sullivan, and I often discuss sociology and exchange ideas about classroom materials and methods. He informed me that an attention-getting strategy that he uses to introduce the chapter on culture is to have students voluntarily share various aspects of their culture with the class. I decided to try this activity in my classes. Because of Prince George’s Community College’ proximity to Washington, D.C. and because of the great variety of cultures represented on campus, PGCC is a microcosm of the world as it is truly a global community. Students need to comprehend the meaning of co-existing and interaction in such a campus community and its implication for the future-professionally and socially. Because more than 100 countries are represented on campus, this is a good place for students to start the process of learning about other cultures and developing their interpersonal skills that include interacting with those outside of their own culture.
- I initially asked international students if they were interested in sharing some aspect of their culture with their classmates. I described the activity thusly: After the general introduction of the chapter on culture and its definition, the students who volunteered would sit in front of the class and share informally a variety of topics related to their culture. In order to motivate students to volunteer, I informed them that the volunteers would get two extra points on the 1st exam. Once I offered extra credit, I realized that I would have to extend this opportunity to the entire class, not just to the international students, prompting some students whose parents were born in other countries to volunteer as well.
- In an effort to focus and stimulate the discussion, I provided these topics to the volunteers the class period before the discussion was scheduled, giving them time to organize their thoughts for a more meaningful discussion. Some students took the opportunity to incorporate other topics such as norms governing interaction between parents and children.
- Inspired by the initial application of student resources and their discussion on culture, I decided to develop a broader assignment on culture with very specific objectives: While students were able to recite the textbook definition of culture, I was interested in how they internalized the concept and applied it. It was important for them to identify and discuss cultural universals as they apply to the culture in their upcoming report. In their research, students would be required to compare some aspect of another culture with that of mainstream U.S. culture, identifying and hypothesizing about differences and similarities. Class discussion on ethnocentrism centered around how the U.S. appeared ethnocentric in some areas and resulting problems it caused. It was concluded that cultural relativism, viewing people’s behavior from the perspective of their own culture, was a preferred approach to addressing different cultures. It was important for students to apply terminology in relation to the culture identified in their report.
- The assignment was designed to enhance students’ understanding by encouraging them to explore other cultures using different methods: interviewing, researching, and participating in organizations on campus that focused on intercultural understanding. Students then were required to discuss their learning experience derived from each of those methods. Finally, students were required to write a paper incorporating all of the components of the assignment.
- Students were required to interview two international students, preferably those with whom they were not previously acquainted. For the sake of similarity during the interviews, students were required to develop questions identified by the instructor for the students who had participated as volunteers in the classroom discussion. Students then developed questions in areas of their own interests, if different from the class topics. In order to have an accurate reference when writing their papers, students were asked to record their answers using a tape recorder, a journal or more advanced technology of their choice.
- The research portion of the assignment was a “take-off” from the interview. It was focused on one component of the interview that especially piqued the interest of the student. Such a restriction was imposed to prevent students from getting too broad and thus render their research unfocused and meaningless. The example given demonstrated the degree of focus.
- Students were given a choice of either joining a campus organization that promotes multiculturalism or participating in an event sponsored by a campus organization with that same focus. While it was my wish that students would elect to join a student organization, a number of them cited their employment responsibilities as obstacles to ongoing involvement, thus electing to participate in an event sponsored by the organization which imposed no long-term commitment. They were required to describe their level of involvement.
- Finally, students were required to respond to each of the items/questions, addressing their learning experience in each component mentioned earlier: interviews, research and organization participation.
- The assessment of the results consisted of evaluating the outcomes in view of each objective. Thus, the final paper reflected the degree that students could interpret the culture, apply the concepts of cultural universals, compare and contrast specifics of other cultures with those of mainstream United States, and explain the sociological terms indicated. While students self-reported their degree of change, if any, in ethnocentrism, such method compromised the assessment, in my opinion, because of its subjectivity. Thus, I am seeking a more accurate and effective method to assess change in ethnocentrism. Overall, the assignment was successful. Their papers reflected an accomplishment of most of the objectives and reflected a greater understanding of and sensitivity toward other cultures. Hopefully, the students will expand their horizons and continue to seek greater cultural knowledge and appreciation.
- This assignment needs to be broadened to include U.S. subcultures and to more clearly define “mainstream” U.S. culture as many questions stemmed from the inclusion of the term. As stated previously, there needs to be a more effective method to assess change in ethnocentrism.
- Having students of different cultural backgrounds discuss their culture can contribute to creative assignments and discussions in other disciplines such as English composition, creative writing, Philosophy, Women’s Studies and Psychology, to name a few. Actually, the application of cultural assignments prompted by the students in the class can be quite varied, limited only by the professor’s vision and creativity. In reality, cultural understanding grows more important as the world “shrinks” and each of us has a stake in bringing such understanding to fruition.
- Are there any questions or comments?