Arts-Integration in Cross-Cultural Enviroments
Wootton, K. (2008). A Constant Search: Arts-Integration in Cross-Cultural Environments. Teaching Artist Journal, 6(3), 185-196. Retrieved from ERIC database, June 20th, 2010-06-23.
Kurt Wootton, the director of Arts Literacy Project at Brown University, conducted a study in Brazil using 180 students and twenty-five teachers and artists from Brazil and United States. Teachers taught both Portuguese and English languages using arts as a fundamental tool for literacy for three-week summer lab. They worked with students on reading and writing on both first and second languages. Students learned how to bridge the gap between their native language and culture and their new language and culture to become fully bicultural.
After the summer lab experience, the researcher interviewed teachers and students. The result of the interview showed that both teachers and students have some common points. For instance: the school for them was a community or a family because everybody was learning with others and leaning from others. Students have the freedom to express themselves; the classroom was connected to students’ lives, Students created texts and poems expressing their personalities, and one important conclusion is learning can happen where happiness is present.
On the following years, teachers from many countries around the world joined the three-week summer lab. They share their experiences and their teaching practices with each other. Teachers used creative approaches such as dance, photography, puppetry, and visual art instead of the traditional curriculum.
I totally agree with the findings of this study. It is impossible to separate language from its culture. For me as a language instructor, I have to explain some culture aspects first before teaching some topics. Culture and language are inseparable, some vocabulary words don’t have equivalent in another language because of the culture behind it.This is the reason why I want to focus my final project on integrating culture in teaching language especially for intermediate and advanced students.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Blog #4
Instructional Quality Improvement in Science through the Implementation of Culture-Based Teaching Strategy
Pannen, Jamaludin, Yumiati. (2003). Issues on the Implementation of Culture-based Teaching Strategy. Paper presented at the SEAMEO-UNESCO Education Congress and Expo, 27-29 May, 2004. Bangkok, Thailand. Retrieved on June 15th, 2010 from
http://www.unescobkk.org/fileadmin/user_upload/apeid/Conference/papers/pannen_4B_01.doc
In this study, researchers from Department of Mathematics and Science Education examined the implementation of Culture-Based Teaching Strategy (CBTS) in the course of Materials and Instructional Science in Primary School. Low Scores in Science prompted the idea of this study. The over loaded curriculum forced teachers to be concerned only about covering the subject matter which lead to low achievement.
Participants of this study were undergraduate teachers. They first learned skills on how to design learning strategies to include the use of art and local culture as a learning media. The intent is to create a meaningful learning to motivate students. CBTS included songs, handcrafts, paintings, statues, and poems served as tools of learning. Data were gathered from pretest and posttest tests and from an interview with the tutors about their impression of implementing CBTS.
The result shows that 70% of participants agreed on using art and culture to create good learning environment, while 30% believed that science is only scientific matter. Moreover, 82% agreed on implementing CBTS needed more time and good planning. According to the tutors’ interview, CBTS forced them to know more about culture and it was difficult to find suitable media for each subject. Pretest and posttest test results show improvement in students’ achievement. The improvement could be due to increase of students’ motivation or because students relate Science to their real life and culture.
One of the interesting points to me in this study is the fact that implementing CBTS needed more time to teach the subject matter. From my experience, time always a challenge to implement any new strategy because teachers are required to teach certain curriculum in a predetermined time limit. Most teachers want to be creative but their hands are tied by teaching the subject matter, test preparation, homework, and grading. Teachers training and flexibility possibly will solve the problem.
Pannen, Jamaludin, Yumiati. (2003). Issues on the Implementation of Culture-based Teaching Strategy. Paper presented at the SEAMEO-UNESCO Education Congress and Expo, 27-29 May, 2004. Bangkok, Thailand. Retrieved on June 15th, 2010 from
http://www.unescobkk.org/fileadmin/user_upload/apeid/Conference/papers/pannen_4B_01.doc
In this study, researchers from Department of Mathematics and Science Education examined the implementation of Culture-Based Teaching Strategy (CBTS) in the course of Materials and Instructional Science in Primary School. Low Scores in Science prompted the idea of this study. The over loaded curriculum forced teachers to be concerned only about covering the subject matter which lead to low achievement.
Participants of this study were undergraduate teachers. They first learned skills on how to design learning strategies to include the use of art and local culture as a learning media. The intent is to create a meaningful learning to motivate students. CBTS included songs, handcrafts, paintings, statues, and poems served as tools of learning. Data were gathered from pretest and posttest tests and from an interview with the tutors about their impression of implementing CBTS.
The result shows that 70% of participants agreed on using art and culture to create good learning environment, while 30% believed that science is only scientific matter. Moreover, 82% agreed on implementing CBTS needed more time and good planning. According to the tutors’ interview, CBTS forced them to know more about culture and it was difficult to find suitable media for each subject. Pretest and posttest test results show improvement in students’ achievement. The improvement could be due to increase of students’ motivation or because students relate Science to their real life and culture.
One of the interesting points to me in this study is the fact that implementing CBTS needed more time to teach the subject matter. From my experience, time always a challenge to implement any new strategy because teachers are required to teach certain curriculum in a predetermined time limit. Most teachers want to be creative but their hands are tied by teaching the subject matter, test preparation, homework, and grading. Teachers training and flexibility possibly will solve the problem.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Blog #3
Salsbury, D. (2008). A Strategy for Pre-service Teachers to Integrate Cultural Elements within Planning and Instruction: Cultural L.I.V.E.S. Journal of Social Studies Research, 32(2), 31-9. Retrieved June 12, 2010 from Education Full Text database.
http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.libproxy.chapman.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.33
In this study, researchers examined teachers understanding of their own culture. It is important for teachers to identify cultural elements and to understand the culture of their students but first they need to identify cultural elements of their own culture. Once they understand those elements, they can integrate it into the classroom instructions. Researchers used pre-service teachers and helped them to identify five cultural elements using acronym L.I.V.E.S. Strategy. Each letter represents one cultural element, L for language, I for institution; V for value systems, E for equipment, and S for survival. In addition, researchers provided definition and examples for each element. This easy to remember acronym helped participants to isolate various cultural characteristics from standards-based social studies concepts.
Those teacher candidates were all white. They attended classes over 3 semesters; the course consists of practicum experiences in an elementary social studies classroom and peer observation. The intention of the study is to examine whether L.I.V.E.S. would help pre-service teachers to identify elements to integrate into instructions or not.
However researchers found that there is a clear difference in participants’ definition of culture after the use of L.I.V.E.S. strategy, more practice was needed for teachers to ensure that they learned how to integrate culture in lessons.
In my opinion, this training will be helpful for all teachers to understand their students’ culture especially in USA because most of our schools consist of multi-cultural classrooms. In my experience, integrating cultural aspects into second language learning classes enrich the learning environment particularly when we compare and contrast students’ cultural characteristics and those of the target language.
http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.libproxy.chapman.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.33
In this study, researchers examined teachers understanding of their own culture. It is important for teachers to identify cultural elements and to understand the culture of their students but first they need to identify cultural elements of their own culture. Once they understand those elements, they can integrate it into the classroom instructions. Researchers used pre-service teachers and helped them to identify five cultural elements using acronym L.I.V.E.S. Strategy. Each letter represents one cultural element, L for language, I for institution; V for value systems, E for equipment, and S for survival. In addition, researchers provided definition and examples for each element. This easy to remember acronym helped participants to isolate various cultural characteristics from standards-based social studies concepts.
Those teacher candidates were all white. They attended classes over 3 semesters; the course consists of practicum experiences in an elementary social studies classroom and peer observation. The intention of the study is to examine whether L.I.V.E.S. would help pre-service teachers to identify elements to integrate into instructions or not.
However researchers found that there is a clear difference in participants’ definition of culture after the use of L.I.V.E.S. strategy, more practice was needed for teachers to ensure that they learned how to integrate culture in lessons.
In my opinion, this training will be helpful for all teachers to understand their students’ culture especially in USA because most of our schools consist of multi-cultural classrooms. In my experience, integrating cultural aspects into second language learning classes enrich the learning environment particularly when we compare and contrast students’ cultural characteristics and those of the target language.
Blog #2
Shiang-Kwei Wang and Hui-Yin Hsua Reflections on Using Blogs to Expand In-class Discussion. TechTrends v. 52 no. 3 (June 2008) p. 81-5. Retrieved June 11, 2010 from
http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.libproxy.chapman.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/advancedsearch/advanced_search.jhtml.4
In this research, researchers at New York Institute of Technology examined the use of blogs as an interactive tool to expand classroom discussions. The author discussed several advantages for blogs over other discussion tools such as blackboard. One of the features that distinguish blogs is its accessibility to students after the end of the class.
Using blogs allow students to write to other readers from another class or another school. Unlike classroom discussion, blogs allow participants to think thoroughly before they respond. “Knowing that their writing is available to the public, students might have stronger motivation to write well so that the quality of their writing might shine” (Gary, 2003; Repman, Zinskie, & Carlson, 2005, as cited in Wang, 2008, P.2).Another interesting point about blogs is the fact that every participant has equal opportunity to freely express him/herself without being dominated by few participants as what usually happens during normal classroom discussions.
Because there is a down side for everything, the researcher pointed out some of negative aspects for using blogs such as unfamiliarity to some students or the amount of time needed to read, think, and respond which considered extra load of homework from students point of view. In addition to the fear of expressing strong opinions because blogs are accessible to the public.
I believe that good preparation for teachers and students and clear instructions could make blogs very successful in motivating students to participate effectively regardless of any differences among them.
http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.libproxy.chapman.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/advancedsearch/advanced_search.jhtml.4
In this research, researchers at New York Institute of Technology examined the use of blogs as an interactive tool to expand classroom discussions. The author discussed several advantages for blogs over other discussion tools such as blackboard. One of the features that distinguish blogs is its accessibility to students after the end of the class.
Using blogs allow students to write to other readers from another class or another school. Unlike classroom discussion, blogs allow participants to think thoroughly before they respond. “Knowing that their writing is available to the public, students might have stronger motivation to write well so that the quality of their writing might shine” (Gary, 2003; Repman, Zinskie, & Carlson, 2005, as cited in Wang, 2008, P.2).Another interesting point about blogs is the fact that every participant has equal opportunity to freely express him/herself without being dominated by few participants as what usually happens during normal classroom discussions.
Because there is a down side for everything, the researcher pointed out some of negative aspects for using blogs such as unfamiliarity to some students or the amount of time needed to read, think, and respond which considered extra load of homework from students point of view. In addition to the fear of expressing strong opinions because blogs are accessible to the public.
I believe that good preparation for teachers and students and clear instructions could make blogs very successful in motivating students to participate effectively regardless of any differences among them.
Blog #1
Huang, Y. M., et. al., An Educational Mobile Blogging System for Supporting Collaborative Learning. Journal of Educational Technology & Society v. 12 no. 2 (April 2009) p. 163-75. Retrieved June 10, 2010 from http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.libproxy.chapman.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/advancedsearch/advanced_search.jhtml.4
In this article, the researchers are investigating the effectiveness of using wireless handheld devices (W/H) such as laptops and cell phones in the learning process and also they are evaluating students’ emotions and outcome regarding using mobile blogging system in collaborative learning. The researchers suggested that W/H devices allow students to respond to discussions or to be involved in group projects anywhere and at anytime.
After implementing the use of mobile blogging for two month using 40 college students who major in engineering science of National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, students evaluate the process and expressed their feelings about using mobile blogging in an online questionnaire. Students expressed their appreciation to mobile blogging because it brings enthusiasm and positive impact on collaborative learning. According to students mobile blogging provide more authentic context learning examples. For instance, when investigating certain phenomenon, or reporting an event, students can take pictures or videos and send it to other group members.
After reading this article, I really do not see the advantage of using mobile blogging system over regular blogging except in very limited occasions. At least, I cannot think of any activity for my students using mobile blogging instead of regular blogging. I think it is not practical in k-12 education at all.
In this article, the researchers are investigating the effectiveness of using wireless handheld devices (W/H) such as laptops and cell phones in the learning process and also they are evaluating students’ emotions and outcome regarding using mobile blogging system in collaborative learning. The researchers suggested that W/H devices allow students to respond to discussions or to be involved in group projects anywhere and at anytime.
After implementing the use of mobile blogging for two month using 40 college students who major in engineering science of National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, students evaluate the process and expressed their feelings about using mobile blogging in an online questionnaire. Students expressed their appreciation to mobile blogging because it brings enthusiasm and positive impact on collaborative learning. According to students mobile blogging provide more authentic context learning examples. For instance, when investigating certain phenomenon, or reporting an event, students can take pictures or videos and send it to other group members.
After reading this article, I really do not see the advantage of using mobile blogging system over regular blogging except in very limited occasions. At least, I cannot think of any activity for my students using mobile blogging instead of regular blogging. I think it is not practical in k-12 education at all.
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