LearningTimes Green Room

In this episode, Susan and Dan talk about international issues related to learning, including understanding the cultural background of your students and what difference that makes to how you interact with them.



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Show Notes:

In this episode, Dan and Susan recap what they shared in an impromptu session for the International Online Conference in March 2009. The topic is international issues related to learning. When they did the original presentation, they had participants from all over the world.

If listeners don’t know, Dan has lived all over the world!

One of the primary themes was understanding the cultural background of your students and what difference that makes to how you interact. Culture also comes into play when you consider teaching styles. For example, some cultures may be more didactic and others constructivist.

As Dan shares, if you have students from other cultures (than your own) it is probably worthwhile to consider culture as an environmental factor that influences learning. You may need to talk with students about what you’re expecting and how this relates to learning.

How do you make a generalization and understand your students without stereotyping? Dan advises to “hold the different behavior loosely without judging” and gives an example.

Susan sent Dan this link recently in which they explore the differences and similarities between corporate online work in the U.K. and the U.S. This led to a brief discussion of how our understanding of what computer based training differs.

Even course management system decisions are influenced by culture!

Be careful what vocabulary you use when describing what’s happening in an online learning situation. Susan says Dan has learned a new language (corporate) and jokes that he doesn’t sound so Canadian any more.

Susan has more students from all over the world enrolling in her courses. The diversity is great!

Dan shares a story about his family and cultural immersion. “Living with tension” stretches us, and helps us stretch our students.

Listeners, what lessons have you learned about culture and its place in learning?

You can offer your thoughts and ideas on this topic by using the “Comments” link below or talk to us in LearningTimes. Or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). Join us!

In this fun show, Susan and Dan share reading lists, playlists, film selections, and online activities that will occupy them (and LT producer Jonathan Finkelstein) this summer. Listeners, what’s on your playlist, reading list and fun list?

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Show Notes:

We have a fun show of vacation playlists. Susan and Dan share their lists along with info they collected from Jonathan Finkelstein, LT producer.

What do you like to listen to?

• Dan listens to trombone music. Italian songs written for trombone players. Joseph Alessi. Latin groove on Putumayo world music.
• Susan doesn’t listen to music even though she’s a musician. She really enjoys silence. She likes her music live.
• Jonathan listens to podcasts like us, Grammar Girl, the TED Talk and NPR Car Talk.

What do you do on the computer for fun?

• Dan does nothing.
• Susan plays sudoku, watches silly videos and Googles everything (even on her phone).
• Jonathan makes dinner reservations and shops for groceries.

Both Susan and Dan created something fun on Animoto, a new program they were testing. You can see Susan’s project and Dan’s project.

What do you want to read this summer?

• Dan: Hold On You Lost Me by by Jeanine O’Neill Blackwell and Bernice McCarthy and The Six Disciplines Of Breakthrough Learning by Calhoun W. Wick, Roy V. H. Pollock, Andrew McK. Jefferson and Richard D. Flanagan
• Susan reads for pleasure; crime and relationship dramas. She wants to read Why Don’t Students Like School: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom: Daniel T. Willingham
• Among the books Jonathan is going to read is Banana: The Fate Of The Fruit That Changed The World by Dan Koeppel

What movies do you want to see?

• Dan watches videos he gets for free from the public library. Recently he watched The Diving Bell And The Butterfly and he wants to see Dear Frankie.
• Susan sees a lot of PG13 movies with her kids. She reviewed Up! as a great love story (not how Dan’s kids described it) and would like to see Land of the Lost. Movies are an escape for her.
• Jonathan still hasn’t seen Slum Dog Millionaire, and that’s at the top of his queue.

Listeners, what’s on your playlist, reading list and fun list!?

You can share your playlists, reactions and ideas on this topic by using the “Comments” link below or talk to us in LearningTimes. Or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). Join us!