Changing Horizons in Geography Education - HERODOT Network ...

) Team-Working IssuesIntercultural learning uses a collaborative methodology which depends on workingin teams. In practice, there was little international team work in the sense of workingtowards a common goal, even if there was interaction between individuals; andthere were local team issues. Although before the Project the majority of studentsclaimed that they did not mind teamwork, after the project fewer said they enjoyed it,whether local or international. Concern over team composition and team dynamics,uncertainty about roles and difficulties in scheduling work sessions were frequentlyexpressed. On the other hand, for those who enjoyed team work, the interestingteam mix excited them and discussion by email outside the public forum developedfor a few students. This raises a number of points, the main one being why somestudents kept their contribution to a minimum. Some claim loss of interest due topoor team communication, either local or international or both. McLaughlin and Luca(2001) point to the way in which group unity depends on acknowledging questions,continuity in discussion and resolving conflicts internally; making decisions withingroups can be problematic if there is infrequent contact between members. Groupdynamics plays a central part in the online collaborative activity so students wantedagreed discussion guidelines to keep the team together; the Project showed that teammembers who went off task had more satisfying intercultural encounters. Perhapsa better balance between structured activities and opportunities for free exchangemight be considered. This may also alleviate other difficulties; they wanted to beaffiliated to the group and work towards a common goal yet still independent enoughto feel free to state their own viewpoint and comfortable enough to risk sharingcontroversial ideas. The make- up of the group, then, needs to be considered verycarefully. Participation must also be effectively motivated if a virtual communityis to serve as basis for meaningful collaborative work. Student motivation revolvesaround assessment and, in spite of their awareness that marks would be awarded forDiscussion Board communications, other priorities took precedence. A team assignmentneeds to be designed for which meaningful Discussion Board participation isat the very heart. In addition, a weekly journal reflecting on feelings and opinionswould develop intercultural competence and reward individuals.ConclusionOnline discussion leads to the conclusion that geography students were confidentthat they knew more about and had a better understanding of their own and othercultures. Indeed, the conversations helped some to recognise that the behaviours,attitudes and values of the “other” are rooted in cultural difference. Developingan awareness of difference, the foundation on which intercultural communicationis built, may be the realistic online goal. Reflecting on the experience, technologywas not the main problem that students had to wrestle with. Rather, the main issuesconcerned people, cultures and interaction. The importance of online interaction forcollaborative learning is emphasised by Harisim (1995) and the study showed that theissues inhibiting interaction ranged from group dynamics to culturally appropriatemodes of expression. Intercultural competence must become an indispensable goal239