When West Meets East: The Classroom Interaction between a Western Professor and Taiwanese Undergraduate Students

Author: Te-Sheng Chang(Department of Curriculum Design and Human Potentials Development, National Dong Hwa University),Tsai-Wei Wang(Department of Curriculum Design and Human Potentials Development, National Dong Hwa University),Hsiu-Wen Huang(The Center for General Education, China University of Technology),Huei-Hsuan Lin(Department of Curriculum Design and Human Potentials Development, National Dong Hwa University)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 57, No. 3
Date：September 2012
Pages：27-57
DOI：10.3966/2073753X2012095703002

Abstract：

This study examined the teaching experiences of Alex, a professor of Greece, who taught in a psychology-related field in a Taiwanese university. This study found that linguistic barriers and cultural differences regarding teaching and learning posed major challenges for Alex. For example, because of his belief in the importance of critical thinking, Alex insisted that the students question his comments. However, the Taiwanese students, used to playing a passive role in the classroom, were initially reticent to Alex’s dialogical style. Through his sense of humor and friendliness inside and outside of the classroom, Alex gradually developed a mutual understanding with the students.

Keywords：university teaching, western professor, classroom interaction, Taiwanese undergraduates

《Full Text》