Sunday, February 15, 2009

"Going global": The complexities of fostering intercultural understanding in a rural school using videoconferencing technology

Lee, M. M. (2004). "Going global": The complexities of fostering intercultural understanding in a rural school using videoconferencing technology. Unpublished dissertation, Indiana University, Bloomington.

Chapter 1. Introduction
  • Emphasis on internationalization of curricula
    • social change
    • general goals (Tye, 2002): a. broadening students' horizons; b. building critical thinking skills; better preparing young people for productive lives in a nation that belongs to an increasingly interdependent world community
  • Problems
    • Access & opportunities (Kim, 2001)
    • Individualization v. universalization (Kim, 2001)
    • cultural consciousness (Banks, 1997)
  • Midwestern State, Henderson School & International Studies for Henderson State Schools (ISHS)
  • Framing the study (p. 5)
    • Intercultural Education (Cushner, 1998)
    • International studies (Merryfield, 2001)
    • Videoconferencing technology (Cuban, 1986; Reznich, 1997; Roberts et al., 1990; Yoakam, 1995; Tiedemann, 2002 - 4 benefits of videoconferencing: a. It is direct communication with experts to enhance understanding of a subject matter; b. it heightens interest which improves motivation and retention; c. it overcomes time and distance constraints; d. it improves the spontaneity of guests)
    • ISHS
    • Interaction as instructional strategy (Lee & Paulus, 2001; Moore, 1993; Vygotsky, 1978 - ZPD; Bonk, Oyer & Medury, 1995 - social constructivist; Garrison, 1993, p. 16 - interaction; Gilert & Moore, 1998 - interaction)
  • Significance of the study
    • No research to substantiate the impact of ISHS
    • Rurual school's isolation
    • The findings provide insight into the understanding of complexities associated with cross-cultural encounters; suggest possible implications of this type of program for educators who want to develop learning environments where the students can be empowered with a sense of intercultural competence as members of a multicultural society
  • Research questions
    • How does a middle school social studies teacher in a racially homogenous middle school integrate an international sutdies program into his World Geography curriculum?
    • How do the middle school students understand and interpret their encounters with people from other countries through interactive videoconferencing technology?
Chapter 2. The Design of the Study (p. 18) ( qualitative research - Lincoln & Cuba, 1985; Merriam, 1998; Wolcott, 1992)
  • Definition of Ethnography (Creswell, 1998; Tedlock, 2000; Chambers, 2000)
  • My stance as a critical theorist (Critical theory - Poskewitz, 1999a, p.2) - look at the program as either
    • an intervention, the effectiveness of which is assessed by measuring the change in students' perception about other cultures (attitudinal change), or
    • an opportunity to introduce the students to other cultures in order to see their reaction to such an opportunity (naturalistic ethnographic approach)
  • Methodological implications
    • ethnographic method is helpful in providing detailed info about participants & their surroundings
    • Individualized interaction techniques (building rapport)
  • The research design
    • Outline of the study
      • Phase 1: Search for possible locations using Henderson State demographic statistics and select 5 possible sites
      • Phase 2: Meet w/ Mr. G and obtain his agreement for the implementation of ISHS into his curriculum
      • Phase 3: Make observations and acclimate to the setting (continued until Phase 7)
      • Phase 4: Begin ISHS. Conduct sutdent/teacher interviews. Begin observation and engage in preliminary analysis
      • Phase 5: ISHS presenters' interviews (for causal feedback). Ongoing observation.
      • Phase 6: Transcription of data and search for emerging themes. Ongoing observation.
      • Phase 7: Data analysis. Ongoing observation. (themes from interviews were compared to the observation - basis for coding. Triangulation)
      • Phase 8: Further interviews w/ the students (questions drawn upon based on the preliminary analysis). Ongoing observation.
      • Phase 9: Analysis and write-up.
    • Research site
      • Selection criteria (purposive sampling): a. social studies class in rural high school; b. teacher agreement on using ISHS for entire school year; c. culturally isolated & racially homogeneous
      • Instructional characteristics of the Eliot School (school vision)
      • Technology use in the Eliot School
      • Participants (students, teachers)
  • Data collection
    • Observation (regualr classes without ISHS; class during the ISHS sessions; hallways & cafeteria; school functions such as athletic events; school area & nearby towns) ; to minimize the researcher's obtrusiveness (as an Asian) by regrulating her visits to the public areas of the school so that the students would become accustomed to her presence; examples of the observation data
    • Document analysis (textbook; class assignments)
    • Interviews (student, teacher)
  • Data anaylsis (p. 45)
    • Reconstructive analysis & diglogical data generation (emerging themes; check understandings with teachers & locals)
    • Coding (repeated reading of the data - preliminary analysis; topics compared across the data and grouped into emerging themes. Peer debriefing; discussion with the faculty)
    • Discovering system relations (findings compared w/ larger social context - Carspecken, 1996): Hermeneutic-reconstructive anlysis emphasizes action orientations such as interpretive schemes within a culture; systems analysis emphasizes action consequences and the distribution of action conditions broadly throughout society
      • The findings from the school site were compared w/ info about the neighborhood & the town (community)
      • The findings were compared to the dominant discourse of the period that sutdents were exposed to from media sources and conversation w/ others outside of the school
  • Possible limitations of the study
    • Focus group interviews w/ the students (group form may have inhibitory effects)
    • My role as researcher/participant (3-fold role - involvement in the implementation; worked as presenter; conducting the research process)
    • The novelty factor of the videoconferencing technology
    • Myself as an international student (Hawthorne effect)
Chapter 3. "Bringing the world into the classroom": The ISHS program in session (p. 50)
  • Sections
  • Discussion
    • Emphasis on interaction
    • "Personalized narratives
    • Uses of other technologies
    • Presenter's characteristics
  • Other instructional interventions for intercultural awareness
    • Career talk with the ISHS outreach coordinator
    • Ms. Hilary's diversity program
Chapter 4. "Making it relevant": The teacher's use of the ISHS program (p. 82)
  • The teacher's personal values and views on education
    • Being a coach vs. being a teacher
    • Being tolerant vs. having strong moral convictions
  • 'No Child Left Behind' & issues of parental responsibilities
  • On instructional strategies
    • Increasing student motivation
    • Student-center pedagogy
    • Bringing in current affairs
  • "Making relevant": Integrating ISHS into the curriculum
  • The future use of ISHS (p. 101)
  • Discussion
    • ISHS as a "live" resource
    • Understanding Mr. Gordon's identity
Chapter 5. "Meeting the real person": The students' interpretation of the ISHS program (p. 105)
  • Students' interpretation of the "other": Constructing difference in school (Identity - Mead, 1934; Habermas, 1981; Kanpol & McLauren, 1995, Hall, 1996; Taylor, 1994; Schutz, 1970; Sleeter & Grant, 1991; Hall & du Gay, 1996)
    • Groups & labels (social class variations - Brantlinger, 1993) - being popular
    • Homosexuality (Allport, 1979, p. 87 - well-deserved reputation theory)
    • "Being popular": Power & legitimacy (Allport, 1979; Kanpol & McLaren, 1995)
    • Racism
  • Difference & the ISHS videoconferencing programs (Self-Other relations - Fine, 1994)
    • Interest in the exotic (Ashcroft et al., 2000, p. 94)
    • Americanized cultural forms & U.S.-centrism
    • "Coming from a real person": Authenticity & group essentialism
    • Differentiating vs. "othering"
  • Discussion
    • Popularity & racism: The discourse of exclusion (Sarup, 1996, p. 59)
    • Making sense of the difference (Cushner, 2003 - difference as diviation generates the sense of fear)
    • Oversimplification of other cultures
  • Possible reasons for the interpretation (p. 139)
    • Culture-specific approach to understanding other cultures (Cushner, 2003, p. 42)
    • Emphasis on ethnicism or "national character" (internally homogenous - Brah, 1997, p. 129)
    • View of culture as static (Kanpol & McLaren, 1995)
Chapter 6. Conclusions & implications for future research (p. 142)
  • Tentative conclusion
    • Positive response to ISHS
    • resulted in interpretations of culture emphasizing the exotic in some cases and in the search for Americanization in others
    • didn't result in an awareness of, or challenge to, an already established framework for understanding differences
  • Future implications
    • Providing a support system for the teacher
      • understanding how differnce is constructed
      • community of practice for social studies teachers (Wenger, 1998)
    • Implications for instructional design issues (Merryfield, 2001)
      • continuous implementation of ISHS
      • collaborative problem solving approach
      • teaching tolerance: providing instructional resources
      • collaboration between rural schools and universities
      • providing a panel of speakers
    • Administrative support for the ISHS program from the university
      • creating more tangible incentive for the presenters
      • creating additional partnership
    • For further research
      • further conceptualization of differences for particular contexts and learners
      • issues on curriculum design in social studies
      • teacher education for social studies
      • politics of international education
References

Appendix
  • Sample interview protocol for students
  • Sample interview protocol for teacher
  • Pre-survey questions for students
  • Reflection of the session (students)
  • Summary of events
  • Sample of preliminary analysis

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