D. Training Design and Dissemination
The aim was not only to provide insights of the work done to a broad public, but also to develop mechanisms able to apply the outcome into teaching as well as learning practices. Significant results were used as the basis to create of insightful materials.
D1. Training Design
An effective means of disseminating the results of the survey included in this project is through appropriate training. The design of appropriate training instruments (fully developed or partial, for integration in existing training instruments) was another objective of this proposal. Such a concept, the workshop "Intercultural Competence Focussing South-East-Asia" was developed by Dr. Katrin Hansen, Gelsenkirchen University of Applied Sciences (besides, see: Table C.3.2: Toolbox, Part 6). Approaches were developed to reduce the psychological and practical problems of exchange students enduring culture shocks in Germany/ Austria/ Switzerland (see: Annexes, Annex D2: Workshop "Intercultural Competence Focussing South-East-Asia").
D2. Dissemination (Project Partners)
Besides training activities build on interaction with qualified instructors, dissemination efforts related directly to the project partners (i.e. the participating institutions of higher education) as well as initiatives directed towards a wider circle of educators, administrators and students of other institutions. The dissemination was seen as an ongoing process that started at the very beginning, indicated by strong involvement of all partners and enduring evaluation; including:
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A documentation of results: Detailed reports on the project and its outcome were made available in print and electronic form. |
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The development of tools for further research as additional major outcome of this project. |
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Informative material (easy-to-understand) in order to how to perceive and handle cross-cultural differences in learning as well as in teaching environment was produced. |
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From the early stages on, key information was made available in print and/or electronic forms directed to educators, administrators, as well as foreign and local students. |
D3. Dissemination (General)
In addition to the efforts mentioned above (see: Table D.2.1), to disseminate the project results to a wider circle of educators, administrators, students of other institutions, interested in cross-cultural differences of learning styles, as well as to academic networks (such as the European Learning Styles Network, the Academy of Management, the Asia Academy of Management and the Academy of International Business), a more general process, exposed in Table D.3.1, was implemented:
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The publication of journal articles: To reach educators in higher education through publishing the results in relevant academic journals, specialized in educational issues (see: VIII Annexes, Annex A2: Press kit) |
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Website: The core results of the project were made available to the public via our website on cross-cultural learning styles. This website contains key outcomes of the proposed project and various related issues (see: www.communicon.info) |
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The creation of a toolbox on cross cultural learning styles (see: VIII Annexes, Annex D1: Tool Box) |
To make use of the information gained during a research process and to provide it to a broad public and several target groups is in many ways a challenge for applied research. Do reach this goal many ways of communication have to be used and many different approaches of how to reach various target groups have to be evaluated.
The information provided in the toolbox is necessary for all professors, tutors and teachers in order to be able to understand the way their new students are learning and handling things in class. On the other side it is also important for the foreign students to know how things are learnt in another country at another university in order to be successful. The education literature proposes that students who are engaged in the learning process will be more likely to achieve success (Dewar, 1996; Hartmann 1995; Leadership Project 1995). The way how to get students actively involved in learning, lies in understanding their learning style preferences, which can positively or negatively influence a student's performance (Birkey & Rodman, 1995, Dewar, 1996, Hartmann 1995).
During the work on the project it has been decided to create a tool that is of use for the several target groups of the research process. Therefore the decision was needed how to reach students, teachers and administrators in the respective countries. Additionally several situations how and when those targets groups are willing to work with the provided information have to be taken into account. Furthermore besides the creation of the questionnaire and the conduction of the survey and its interpretation much information has been gained where also the need to integrate it in the results of the survey was seen. This toolbox contains various products of dissemination: A folder for immediate use, available at many institutions easy to get an overview of the project, a brochure that gives deeper insight into research results and its recommendations and finally an electronic database with regularly updated information on cross cultural learning styles was created. Since cross cultural learning styles turned to be out being a very international topic of interest mainly for intercultural acting persons English as a common language of communication was chosen.
The project consortium consisting of partners coming from Austria, Singapore, Thailand and Germany were chosen to be analysed and to be included within this research. The research was hosted and conducted by FH Joanneum (Austria), Singapore Management University (SMU), Kasetsart University (Thailand) and FH Gelsenkirchen (Germany).
The several products of the toolbox can by summarized as follows:
1. Folder
2. Brochure
3. Conference Proceedings on CD Rom
4. Book
5. Database