Cultural Learning Experiences Research Articles

Visitors’ Experiences of Deyrulzafaran Monastery Through Netnography Approach

This article analyzes the experiences and perceptions of visitors to Deyrulzafaran Monastery using the netnography method. Netnography is a research method that aims to understand participants' experiences and perspectives in depth by examining content shared in online communities and social media platforms. The study reveals how the touristic experiences of Deyrulzafaran Monastery are perceived by examining visitor comments on TripAdvisor. As a result of the content analysis, the experiences of visitors to Deyrulzafaran Monastery were determined as six components. These components; unforgettable experience, satisfaction, intention to recommend and revisit, historical experience, cultural learning experience, gastronomic experience and guide features. This netnographic analysis aims to contribute to a better understanding of visitor experiences of cultural and historical sites and the development of tourism management strategies. Especially in the digital age, analyzing visitor feedback provides important information on how tourism destinations can adapt to meet visitor expectations.

You make me feel like dancing: the effects of dance exposure on children’s cultural interests and social-emotional development

Stratification by race and socioeconomic status generates disparities in cultural exposure and consumption. Though public education can serve as a mechanism for addressing social inequalities, schools with high concentrations of low-income and minority students often lack the resources to provide enriching cultural experiences. Efforts to make cultural exposure and consumption more equitable remain stymied by school and neighborhood stratification, as well as by lingering questions about the value of cultural consumption for students. Employing a randomized research design, we analyze the effects of elementary students in under-resourced school participating in a collaborative dance program provided by a major ballet company. We find that participation increases students’ enthusiasm for dance and sense of self-efficacy. Students with prior lower levels of arts and culture exposure demonstrate the largest gains in self-efficacy and experience an increase in their sense of school connectedness. Male students, who were less enthusiastic about dance prior to the program, show the largest increase in dance enthusiasm. These findings demonstrate that targeted efforts by schools and arts organizations can play a meaningful role in students’ cultural capital acquisition, which in turn leads to higher student self-efficacy and sense of belonging, particularly for students with lower levels of arts and cultural learning experience.

National culture learning platform based on big data mining

With the rapid development of big data and artificial intelligence technology, national culture learning platforms have become a new field of cultural communication and education. This article focuses on the development and application of the “National Culture Learning Platform Based on Big Data Mining” to explore how this platform can effectively spread national culture and promote the popularization of education. By integrating various data sources, such as documents, pictures, audio, and video, the platform can provide users with a comprehensive and in-depth national cultural learning experience. This article analyzes in detail the role of big data mining in content recommendation, personalized learning path design, and community interaction, proving that this new platform has important value in maintaining and disseminating national culture. Finally, the article also discusses the challenges and future development directions that the platform may face.

Kuliner Gudeg sebagai Bahan Ajar Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing dalam Mendukung Internasionalisasi Bahasa Indonesia

This research explores the culinary potential of "Gudeg" as a teaching material for Indonesian for Speakers of Other Languages (BIPA) with a focus on supporting the internationalization of Indonesian. Gudeg, a traditional dish from Yogyakarta, is not only a delicacy, but also a means to deepen language and cultural learning experiences. Through qualitative analysis, this study reveals that the integration of Gudeg in the BIPA curriculum can increase participant engagement, deepen understanding of the cultural context, and stimulate interest in the Indonesian language. The results show that culinary elements are not only a source of deliciousness, but also an effective bridge between language and culture. This research contributes to the development of the BIPA curriculum by providing creative and engaging learning approaches. The findings can serve as a guideline for BIPA teachers, educational institutions, and related parties to develop learning strategies that are in line with the trend of internationalization of Indonesian. Gudeg, apart from being a typical dish, emerges as a profound and relevant learning tool, strengthening the role of BIPA programs in supporting the internationalization of Indonesian.

The Impact of Culture Shock on Sojourners

Indeed, culture shock could inevitably impact sojourners with its negative aspects during sojourners’ adjustment to the host culture. However, with many available approaches to manage such cross-cultural issue, it is more sensible to regard culture shock as a cultural learning experience rather than a simply negative barrier. Particularly, in terms of international students, it is feasible for them to increase communication and deal with culture shock by merging into the mainstream groups to learn host cultural practices and clues as to better equip themselves with social skills in managing culture shock issue.

Recognition Plots and Intercultural Encounters in Aidan Chambers’ <i>Dance on My Grave</i> (1982)

<p class="first-line-indent">This article offers a new interpretation of Aidan Chambers’ novel <em>Dance on My Grave</em> (1982) by pointing to the interconnection between representations of cultural others in fiction and the recognition plotlines that are so important to YA storytelling. It also proposes the relevance of the method of literary genetics to YA studies, and vice versa. Literary genetic analysis in this article shows how Chambers developed <em>Dance on My Grave</em>’s adolescent characters Hal and Barry, flagging key decisions that the author made to create a dynamic of otherness between them. Archival material from Seven Stories, the British National Centre for Children’s Books, can be used to reconstruct Chambers’ decision to differentiate Barry from Hal by religious tradition. Investigating his engagement with Judaism during <em>Dance on My Grave</em>’s genesis leads to this article’s discussion of authorial positionality, intention, and the interrelation between intercultural encounters and otherness and plot development in the novel. <em>Dance on My Grave</em>’s reliance on tropes of anagnorisis, which Chambers calls “recognition” (<em>The Age Between</em> 91), constructs Hal’s encounter with Barry’s Judaism as a cultural learning experience that enables both Hal’s growing-up process and Chambers’ writing process. This is problematic because this intercultural encounter happens at Barry’s expense: he dies; Hal dances on his grave. Judaism emerges during <em>Dance on My Grave</em>’s genesis to deepen Hal’s understanding of death, life, love, and himself. A means, not an end, cultural learning contributes to a recognition plotline that enables spiritual enlightenment in Chambers’ construction of adolescence.

Learners and educators as agents of social transformation in dysfunctional South African schools

The problem addressed in this theoretical paper is that of learners and educators as agents of social transformation in dysfunctional schools of South Africa. While 80% of South African schools are said to be dysfunctional, learners and educators in these schools can be activated to challenge and actively struggle against any form of social oppression that dehumanises and renders them failures. Educators can work in collaboration with learners to conscientize the latter so that they are able to question different forms of inequalities and discrimination implicit in the curriculum offered at school, which excludes their cultural learning experiences. This paper argues that township and rural school educators and learners can become social agents for change if they are exposed to critical pedagogy which fosters emancipatory methods of teaching and learning. Consequently, structural factors surrounding the South African education system must be addressed if learner performance in dysfunctional schools is to improve. Keywords: agency; conscientization; critical pedagogy; curriculum development; dysfunctional schools; educators; learners; liberation; oppression; social transformation

Work integrated learning in Vanuatu: student perspectives

Background: Non-traditional work integrated learning (WIL) experiences have become increasingly popular within undergraduate paramedicine programmes, partly because WIL is considered a valid pedagogy that contributes to the integration of clinical and supporting science capabilities. Aim: This paper builds upon previous WIL evaluation activities to determine whether an international WIL experience in Vanuatu provided a useful clinical and cultural learning experience for undergraduate paramedicine students. Methods: A 60-question survey was administered to participants, with questions chiefly focusing on clinical and cultural experiences during this overseas trip. Survey response frequencies have been presented and free-text responses have been used to provide further descriptive detail. Findings: This international WIL experience appears to have provided a very useful clinical and cultural learning experience for undergraduate paramedicine students. Discussion: Consideration should be given to further evaluation activities, and the development of a validated survey instrument, to more effectively measure the quality of non-traditional WIL programmes.

Student international learning experiences in Cebu, Philippines

Background: Universities are increasingly exploring international placements and learning experiences for paramedicine students. This has given rise to questions about the quality of student experiences overseas within the paramedic curriculum and how useful they are. Aim: This study investigates whether a university-organised overseas trip provided a useful clinical and cultural learning experience for undergraduate paramedicine students. Methods: A 60-question survey was administered, with questions focusing chiefly on clinical and cultural experiences during the overseas trip. Statistical software was used to analyse continuous and categorical survey data. Findings: This international trip appears to have provided useful cultural but suboptimal clinical learning experiences, despite participants' involvement in childbirth, emergency room presentations and blood draws. Conclusions: The different practice settings and cultural elements of the trip provided valuable learning experiences. A validated survey that would allow universities to evaluate and better understand the dimensions of quality in overseas paramedic student placements should be developed.

Student paramedic views of an international clinical and cultural learning experience

Background: Universities are now frequently exploring international placements and learning experiences for paramedicine students. This has given rise to questions about the quality and meaningfulness of overseas student experiences within the paramedic curriculum. Aim: This study investigates whether a university-organised overseas trip provided a useful clinical and cultural learning experience for undergraduate paramedicine students. Methods: A 60-question survey was administered to participants, with questions chiefly focusing on clinical and cultural experiences during the overseas trip. Statistical software was used to analyse continuous and categorical survey data. Findings: This international trip appears to have provided a very useful cultural learning experience, but a sub-optimal clinical learning experience for students (even despite child births, emergency room presentations and blood-draws). Conclusions: A validated survey instrument which builds upon current knowledge and literature could be used more widely to evaluate and better understand the dimensions of quality in overseas paramedic student placements.

Trialing Virtual Intercultural Learning With Australian and Hong Kong Allied Health Students to Improve Cultural Competency

Cultural competency, in increasingly globalized and cosmopolitan societies, is key to allied health graduate employability. Internationalization at Home initiatives that use virtual technologies have potential to facilitate transformative intercultural learning experiences and build cultural competency. The purpose of this study was to trial a virtual intercultural learning activity with Australian and Hong Kong undergraduate occupational therapy and oral health students to explore cultural competency learning. We utilized a mixed methods study design with quantitative pre- and postsurveys and qualitative group interviews. Study findings illustrate how the activity enabled students to practice and learn intercultural communication skills, gain greater awareness and appreciation for diversity at home and abroad, and engage in global citizenship learning. Educators are encouraged to utilize virtual learning spaces for creating meaningful and transformative cultural learning experiences that enhance graduate intercultural capabilities.

The Impact of Transculturality on Student Experience of Higher Education

Background: Higher education outdoor studies programs retain a critical interest in student experiences as they seek to prepare citizens in a globalized, yet simultaneously neo-nationalist, world. Purpose: This research explored the impact of transculturality on the student experience of outdoor studies in the Transcultural European Outdoor Studies (TEOS) Masters, a course hosted by three universities in three countries. Methodology/Approach: A longitudinal study of the student experience, using a conceptual framework of self, place, transculturality, and outdoor learning theory underpins the research. Semistructured online interviews and one face-to-face retrospective interview were conducted with four participants throughout the course (Semesters 1, 2, 3), plus an additional five participants prior to the end of Semester 3. Findings/Conclusions: The findings elucidate students’ transcultural self-growth and transcultural capabilities, including resilience, intelligence, and fatigue. Implications: Although challenges exist for course design, considerations of transcultural pedagogy and curricula, reflective practices, support for students and teaching staff, cultural learning experiences (including language acquisition), and a willingness to move beyond traditional models of curricula at the university level are recommended.

Connaissances et contrôle exécutif : deux facteurs cognitifs de protection contre le vieillissement de la mémoire épisodique ?

In this study we refer to Craik and Bialystok's model distinguishing the “knowledge” (cultural learning experience that forms the basis for knowledge of the world) and the “executive control” (set of operations that control and regulate cognitive performance) as two main factors susceptible accounting for the age-related negative effects on the cognitive functioning, and for a possible age-related protective effect. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the possible protective effect of these two factors on the age-related decline in a cued-recall task. Four age groups of participants (20–39 years, 40–59 years, 60–74 years and 75–90 years) were administered with a word-stem cued-recall test to assess episodic memory, a “vocabulary” sub-test of the WAIS-R to assess knowledge and a reading span test to assess control. Results showed an age-related effect on the episodic memory, the control performance and the knowledge measure, indicating that performance decreases with age. A GLM analysis revealed a positive effect of the knowledge and the control factors on the cued-recall performance, and interaction between age and the knowledge factor resulting from a positive effect of the knowledge level only for the youngest group of participants (20–39 years). Furthermore, results revealed an interaction between age and the control factor, indicating a positive effect of the control level for the two oldest groups of participants (60–74 years and 75–90 years). These results suggest that, contrary to the knowledge, the control factor could be an effective protection against the age-related negative effects on the episodic memory.

Design Education without Borders: How Students Can Engage with a Socially Conscious Pedagogy as Global Citizens

AbstractThis study examines the student experience of a third sector graphic design project in an international context. Inspired by a humanist and socially conscious perspective that was originally set out by Ken Garland's ‘First Things First’ manifesto in 1964, the project developed into a collaborative learning experience for African and European students. The aim of this project was to develop student global citizenship and mobility through a cultural learning experience in a very different environment with challenging resources and social conditions. Using student interviews and evidence from their reflective journals, this article analyses how UK design students participated and negotiated the implementation of live projects in an African context, specifically Mozambique. It also examines the wider impact on the cohort of students and friends who did not travel to Africa but followed the experience online. Risk taking, experimentation and an appetite for enquiry are attributes that students are encouraged to develop, but they can equally apply to teachers and lecturers as they develop their curricula. Within the framework of university learning, teaching and assessment strategies space can be found for design educators to look beyond corporate and conventional consumer outlets to a more socially conscious and community focus without borders.

Teaching Practise Utilising Embedded Indigenous Cultural Standards

The Wollotuka Institute, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, is the first university or organisation to enter into the accreditation process with the World Indigenous Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC). Part of that process includes identifying the local cultural standards and protocols that drive and shape our work as a cultural entity. As a result of successfully completing these processes, the course ‘Working with Aboriginal Communities’, consciously underwent a process of affirmation recognising and embedding where missing, these cultural protocols within our pedagogy and curriculum. Each intake sees students from all disciplines enrol and all benefit greatly from their cultural learning experiences. In this paper, we discuss how these cultural protocols shaped the course material that both online and face-to-face tertiary students experienced, as well, noting the outcomes of this process. Both authors are long-term educators in higher education and have had our teaching invigorated by this experience of critique and reflection. This paper serves to both be a reflective and documentary process for ourselves as well as an opportunity to share our experiences with our colleagues involved in higher education.

In search of a decolonised military: Māori cultural learning experiences in the New Zealand Defence Force

Māori people contribute significantly to the New Zealand Defence Force. Māori indigenous knowledge, however, did not feature in military curricula until recently. It was a common expectation that Māori personnel would conform to the dominant Western worldview, which often meant sacrificing indigenous identity. The introduction of the Service bicultural policies has paved the way for significant change in military education practices in the twenty-first century. This paper showcases the Māori cultural learning experiences of 34 members from the New Zealand Defence Force as they reflect on their experiences within the contemporary context of a military education and training environment, and the broader context of a decolonising society. This study argues that the inclusion of indigenous knowledge systems in military curricula improves the learning experiences of all members. Themes relating to individual development and improved organisational morale emerged that were found to be directly or indirectly attributed to the inclusion of Māori cultural training. The study is grounded in a multicultural military organisation, operating within a nation seeking to establish a bicultural co-equal partnership between Māori, the tangata whenua, original inhabitants, and non-Māori, the kaiwhakanoho whenua, or settler population, of New Zealand.

Enriching the Student Experience Through a Collaborative Cultural Learning Model.

This article provides a knowledge and understanding of an international, collaborative, cultural learning model for students from the United States and Scotland. Internationalizing the student experience has been instrumental for student learning for the past eight years. Both countries have developed programs that have enriched and enhanced the overall student learning experience, mainly through the sharing of evidence-based care in both hospital and community settings. Student learning is at the heart of this international model, and through practice learning, leadership, and reflective practice, student immersion in global health care and practice is immense. Moving forward, we are seeking new opportunities to explore learning partnerships to provide this collaborative cultural learning experience.

Developing Cultural Competency in Life and Simulation: A Year in Qatar as an Exemplar

Globalization is creating rich opportunities for nurse educators to interact in teaching and learning environments with people from all over the world. When the author accepted a job in the Middle East for the University of Calgary, Qatar, as clinical assessment and simulation manager, she fully expected an amazing experience. What ensued was profound lesson in valuing the importance of culture and cultural competence in education and, in simulation learning and in life. Adaptations in the delivery of simulation learning experiences in the nursing curriculum at the University of Calgary, Qatar, are highlighted in this non–research-based, personal account by an experienced simulation educator. The most salient cultural learning experiences are described.

Costa Rican Research Experiences: Mid‐1950s and Early 1960s

Qualitative research projects with rural Costa Rican women in two different villages are reported. One dealt with possessed, desired, and (by default) rejected kitchen facilities. A pictorial method was used to prompt the homemakers' decisions. The other research explored time activity patterns of homemakers based on observed activities compared to their predictions and recollections of their activities for the day observed. Time use goals were inferred from the data. Detailed methodological procedures are provided for each study. Research data as well as field journal quotations are included to illustrate the cultural learning experiences and the work is written in first person.

Facilitating Preschool Learning and Movement through Dance

A preschool movement through dance program is a way to open the door to numerous cultural benefits and opportunities, and preschool skill facilitation. Creating new contexts for learning enrich young children and offer them different opportunities to understand and negotiate the world. Inclusive curricular integration and parent and community participation are important components of a cultural arts experience that deepen the children’s repertoire of behavior and responses to the world. Early childhood education practitioners are encouraged to creatively explore their community and develop rich cultural learning experiences for children.