This document discusses using technology and critical thinking skills to improve education for international students. It notes that while technology has increased access to information, it has not necessarily improved critical thinking. For international students, developing critical thinking skills can be challenging due to different cultural norms. The document proposes using blogs and reflective activities to help students practice critical thinking and provide evidence of skills like collaboration for assessments. It also suggests refocusing the curriculum to embrace diverse cultures rather than judging them against other norms.

1. Culture, critical thinking and
computing
Richard Hill
2009

2. Some facts
● Use of Web 2.0 is high amongst 11­
15 year olds – 75% have at least one
social networking site, 90% use
email and instant messaging1
● Technology makes information
retrieval quick, learners more casual
and impatient
● Technology literacy increasing much
faster than information literacy
● I18N market is part of the University
business model
1. Crook, C. Web 2.0 technologies for learning: the current landscape – opportunities, challenges and tensions.
p.7. [online]. Becta, 2008. Available at: http://partners.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=rh&&catcode=_re_rp_02&rid=15878
[Accessed 23 June 2009]

3. International learners
● PG business model requires I18N learners
● Recruited to 12 month Masters (market­
driven) from Indian sub­Continent
● Cohorts are large (150 on one module)
● Diverse set of needs
● Range of cultures we're not aware of

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Is it not intolerant to judge one culture by the norms of another?

5. New technology, new (and old) skills

6. The tool matters

7. We want them to write

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9. An international strategy
● Not just a sales strategy – an approach to the whole
I18N experience
● Blogging works – we understand trends in their
behaviour better, they become more critical
● Critical thinking is evident – social/cultural norms
suppress it (collective authority)
– They need support so that they are “sure about
being unsure”
● Professional issues fundamental. Ethical dilemmas are
useful
● Overseas partnerships to build bridges

10. But...
● Monitoring weekly blogs is time­consuming
– Get students to do it. This takes time.
● Reflection needs practice
– Forget the temptation to fill the course with
technical content. Give them thinking time,
reflect­in­action in the lab/classroom/lecture
– Reinforce good habits. Deliver materials through
a discussion board and record the interaction
● Marking can be horrendous
– Don't award marks. Give lots of feedback orally
and get them to reflect on it in the session.

11. Being radical
● What does the dissertation prove?
● What do employers really want?
Turn to someone and discuss briefly for 1 minute.

12. Evidence
● Of team­working, collaboration, what the
learner did when the project went wrong
● Of creativity and expression (especially in
computing!)
● Articulation, ability to dissect an argument
● Deep reflection
● Ability to chart their own course of learning
● Tools facilitate. Blogs, Voicethread, Orkut,
Google products, iPhone apps
● Video evidence. Phones, Flip. Raw capture
of clips, don't edit, post to discussion forum
and get feedback

13. What we've done
● 'Robbed' 15 CATS from the dissertation (now 30
CATS)
● Introduced a new module dedicated to
professional practice ('Industrial Expertise')
● Dissertation can now be (e)portfolio of evidence
– Inspired by FSEDA award
– Individuals reflect upon professional values and
provide evidence

14. Unintended (though welcome) benefits
● Home learners are performing better
● Scenarios that require autonomous enquiry are
easier to facilitate (they now see value when it
goes wrong as well)
● Learners take charge of the technology, we
facilitate the learning
● Reminder to practice what we preach. We can
learn too by being scholarly.

15. Some reflections
● Web 2.0 tools are enablers of interaction and
collaboration
– They can transform learning
● Ubiquitous and cheap (usually free)
● Presenting new possibilities for generating
evidence
● Technical hurdles are becoming non­existent
● We might want to re­think our approach to
'culture'. The curriculum should embrace
diversity