Combining Skype with Blogging:

1. Combining Skype with Blogging: A chance to stop reinforcement of stereotypes in intercultural exchanges? L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

2. Overview • Course Structure • Cultural Metaphor • Results • Time permitting - Skype: reinforce or refute stereotypes • Time permitting - Blog as a Reflective Tool L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

3. Courses • Blog-Versity • – Leuphana Universität • German 3011 • – University of Minnesota • Blog-Versity Level B2.2 • Learning goals: improve written • expression and cultural under- • standing • Collected data for study • Results of class discussion • after first and last skype • 2 Blog entries about skype • experience and course • content • SurveyMonkey of class • views • German 3011 Level B1 • Learning goals: improve oral and written competencies • No data collected for study L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

4. Skype Assignments • ‘Globalization and Culture’ - How has globalization changed culture? • ‘The perfect society – visions of • the future’ • ‘How do students see the world?’ • First Skype week 3 • Second Skype week 5 • Third Skype week 7 • Try to find what you have in common and what you see differently. • Since the future belongs to the youth, interview your partner about how they see the futureand how you see the future. • You should also find out if you and your partner find this good, bad, ok, normal, etc. The blog entries following the skypeshad to include both German and US American opinions in their blog entries. L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

5. Reflection: A Definition John Dewey’s (1933) defines reflection as “active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends” (p. 16). Active and persistent = Skype assignments Careful consideration and grounds that support it = Class discussions, content and blogging L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

6. Cultural Metaphor Gannon 2010 4th ed. (1994) Something a culture considers important and can identify with emotionally and/or cognitively Cultural Metaphor Singh 2010 Learnersdictionary.com Constructivist view, which asks the listener or reader of the metaphor to go beyond the literal One thing that shows or suggests that two things are similar Lakoff and Johnson 1980 Humans perceive the world through metaphors L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

7. Standard for Foreign Language Learning: Culture Standard Outcome • Culture 2.1: demonstrate an under-standing of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied. www.actfl.org/node/192 • Example 2.1: identify, examine and discuss connections between cultural perspectives and socially approved behavioral patterns. (Shrumand Glisan 2010) • Culture 2.2: demonstrate an under-standing of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied. www.actfl.org/node/192 • Example 2.2: identify, discuss and analyze intangible products of the target culture as social, economic, political institutions, and explore relationships in these institutions and perspectives of culture. (Shrumand Glisan 2010) L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

8. Practices (2.1) self-responsibility - building friendships - commuting - bear the consequences of our behavior – small talk Results of First Skype: How do you see the world? vegetarianism – smartphone behavior – demonstrations/protests - hobbies - enter university Products (2.2) globalization as mixing of cultures - free trade - globalization self-development - express political view through art – history of WWII school systems – social inequality – economic powers and refugees - political and social perspective: war, poverty, hunger, and justice L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

9. Perfect Course? • “U.S. do not reflect as much as students from other countries because they see their own country as a well -structured place, they do not have a varied comparsion to other countries like europe and get only one sided information through a powerful news station.” Charly • “Some of the Americans feel culturally in a certain way on the same level with the Canadians. Certainly because they speak the same language.” Butterfly • “Students today are very, very hard-headed”. knaufi Out of 19 blogs 6 showed difficulties • One was off topic • Five of them were either slightly off topic or not clear as to if a general opinion was stated or if a skype partner was involved. Quotes from bloggers L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

10. Results of Last Skype: Globalization Practices (2.1): Mixing of families and traditions – relationships – change in behavior/cultural behavior or rituals – different beliefs – eating habits – exchange between cultures Holidays – language – food Products (2.2) Internet (most mentioned) – fast food (next highest) – travel – trading – migration – music – price wars – art – work – fashion Holidays – language – food L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

11. Perfect Course Again? Out of 18 blogs 5 showed difficulties • Kiah told me, she thinks Americans don’t really have their own culture. Probably she doesn’t “see” this, because it’s just normal to her and part of her everyday life. Ferry • I thought that despite my appreciation of the Americans, I do not like their politics either. Budoka • One person did not write an entry • Five not clear as to if a general opinion was stated or if a skype partner was involved. Quotes from bloggers L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

12. Cultural Metaphors: week 6 and 9 • German Metaphors • Cars (3) Teacher • Filofax (2) Orchestra • Clock (2) Swabian festival • Soccer • Library system • Faust • Bread Roll Forest (off topic) • Office Setting table (off) • US Metaphors • River (2) Cocktail • Paint box Burger • Smart phone Coffee to go • Mall of America War • US Football • King Size False friend • Seashells Internet • Sun Paraglider Surprised at results 7 (15) Not surprised at results 8 (15) • Expected more negative for both (personal outlook 2x) • Not patriotic but more positive for Germany (media influenced his view) • Focus on topic: work, economy (produced more negative than thought) • Conclusion opposite of thought. (matter of interpretation) • Retrospectively too positive (didn’t differentiate enough) • Not even one negative about US (no reason offered) • Expected positive for both (personal outlook 3 x) • Personal experience in both countries allowed for realistic answers • Held back on negatives (normally negative outlook) • “Every stereotype could be seen either positive or negative and sometimes it is not possible to say.” Balou • I like people so answer is clear (2x) • “I tried to write my cultural metaphors neutral without judging both nations.” Pluto • Aware of own stereotypes L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

13. 12 out of 17 discussed politics – 10 had different opinion from partner End Skype Discussion: Week 11 Americans liked German system ‘Stereotype’ not mentioned Americans criticized their country (11 from 17) – very objective High level of German – knew a lot about Germany Increased awareness in sustainability Open minded about religion- Rep. against guns Not able to say what was ‘refuted’ L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

14. Results from SurveyMonkey: Week 13 L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

15. Skype: Reinforce or Refute Stereotypes • Good way to avoid simplified and tourist like treatment of culture • Godwin-Jones 2007 • Depending on question only 5% reinforce stereotype • Guth et al 2012 INTENT Project Team • ‘Confirmed what I knew‘ question equally distributed • Guth et al 2012 INTENT Project Team • Synchronous exchanges are ‘unreflected’ • García and Craprotta 2007 • Negative experience can lead to reinforcing stereotypes • Byram and Feng 2005 L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

16. Blog as a Reflective Tool • Realistic and authentic communication that can be reflected • Sideka and Yunusa 2012 • Personal blogs → self-reflective • Collective blogs → collaborative learning • Lee 2011 • New or poorly functioning technology means of frustration • Sharma and Xie 2008 • Hosack 2004 • Without guidance and feedback → little reflection • Lee 2011 L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

17. Thank you for listening Lynette Kirschner Leuphana University ZentraleinrichtungModerneSprachen (Modern Language Center) L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University

18. Sources ByramM. & Feng A. (2005) Teaching and Researching Intercultural Competence. In H. Hinkel (Ed.). Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning (pp. 911-930). Mahwah, NJ: Laurence Erlbaum. Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Gannon, Martin J. & Rajnandini Pillai (2010). Understanding global cultures: metaphorical journeys through 29 nations, clusters of nations, continents, and diversity. 4 ed. Los Angeles: Sage Publishing. García, J. S. & J. Crapotta (2007). Models of Telecollaboration (2): Cultura. In Robert O’Dowd (Ed.). Online Intercultural Exchange: An Introduction for Freign Language Tearchers (pp. 62-84). Clevedon: Multilingaul Matters. Ltd. Godwin, Robert (2013). Integrating Intercultural Competence into Language Learning Through Technology. Language Learning & Technology, 17(2), 1-11. Retrieved from http://llt.msu.edu/issues/june2013/emerging.pdf Guth, Sarah, Francesca Helm & Robert O’Dowd (Eds.). (2012). University Language Classes Collaborating Online: A Report on the Integration of Telecollaborative Networks in European Universities. Retrieved from http://www.intent-project.eu/sites/default/files/Telecollaboration_report_Final_Oct2012.pdf Hosack, I. (2004). The effects of anonymous feedback on Japanese university students’ attitudes towards peer review. In RitsumeikanHogaku (Ed.). Language and its universe (pp. 297-322). Kyoto: RitsumeikanHogaku. Lakoff, George, & Mark Johnson (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Lee, Lina (2011). Blogging: Promoting Learner Autonomy and Intercultural Competence Through Study Abroad. Language Learning & Technology, 15(3), 87-109. Retrieved fromhttp://llt.msu.edu/issues/october2011/lee.pdf Shrum, J. L., & Glisan, E. W. (2010). Teacher’s handbook: Contextualized language instruction (4th ed.). Boston: Heinle Cengage Learning. Sideka, Emelia A.Rahman& MelorMd.Yunusa (2012). Students’ Experiences on Using Blog as Learning Journals. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 67, 135 – 143. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042812053001 Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Culture (http://www.actfl.org/publications/all/national-standards-foreign-language-education) http://www.actfl.org/node/192 Xie, Ying & Priya Sharma (2011). Exploring evidence of reflective thinking in student artifacts of blogging-mapping tool: a design-based research approach. Instructional Science, 39, 695–719. doi 10.1007/s11251-010-9149-y L. Kirschner Modern Language Center Leuphana University