基于文化差异的学习偏好识别——一项协助全球企业对中国学习者进行有效培训的研究

Identifying Cultural Learning Preferences: Develop Effective Training for Chinese Learners

In the context of globalization ， the differences in cultural perspectives and learning habits between the instructors and international learners require instruction designers to adopt an adaptive cultural approach in making their instructional schemes. Performed at the request of a multinational telecommunications company based in the Unites States ， the research team applies the survey on 66 Chinese engineer subjects to identify their learning preferences for process and procedure-based tasks， in an effort to assist US-based technology companies in building more reffective training programs. The survey design was informed by the literature review， and focused on obtaining learner perceptions about instructional methods， cultural influences， and translation quality/language preference. The 14-question survey was conducted online with the survey tool of Qualtrics and distributed through social media. The survey shows that the Chinese learners were inclined to be influenced by the cultural difference between the East and West in their information perception and processing. Their learning experience was likely to be impacted by their preference to certain instruction approaches and learning methods ， teaching materials and the quality of translation. Major findings of this study include the following: 1 ) Participative styles such as hands-on Practice and Simulation Training were considered the most effective learning methods by both age groups. However， learners in the 25 and under group preferred watching video recordings ， while learners over 25 preferred having a live instructor. This disparity may reflect the less reliance on the live instruction by human instructors by the younger generation which grow up in the digital era. 2) When encountered materials in job-related training that do not align with their knowledge， nearly half of the participants prefer to discuss the material with their instructor or lecturer. This attitude reflects a positive motivation in learners for their workforce training. 3 ) Questioning the instructor and the peers in and outside the classroom is regarded acceptable by learners， although the subjects found it more acceptable to do so in private. 4) A majority of learners thought it is acceptable to find the solution to the problem by themselves through troubleshooting， demonstrating both a reliance on authority and a sense of critical thinking and innovation. 5 ) Small groups of less than five members are preferred by most learners ， which is consistent with the Chinese importance on relationship-building. In the meantime， it is somehow counter to the traditional Chinese method of lecture in large group. 6) Although the majority of learners found it comfortable working with peers ， they were not as comfortable learning in a group with peers and supervisors ， which may suggest a sense of power distance or a concern of loss of face based on cultural influences. The researchers also propose some guidelines in developing a cultural adaptive instructional design. When designing an instruction plan for international learners ， it is essential for the designers to be aware of the cultural differences. It is helpful to identify the potential cultural factors and learning preferences of the learners so as to recognize the complexity of the target learner groups. Instructional methods should be adjusted based on effectiveness for the task and the learning populations preferences. Culturally sensitive options for resolving learner questions should be provided and when possible high quality translated materials need to be provided.