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Approaches to learning across cultures: the role of assessment

In the context of a broader research study on the intercultural understanding of teachers in Australia, Japan and T... Show more
In the context of a broader research study on the intercultural understanding of teachers in Australia, Japan and Thailand, this paper focuses on approaches to learning and the role of assessment in shaping such approaches. Popular contrasts portray Asian learners as compliant and favouring rote memorisation and Western learners as independent and favouring deep, conceptual learning. Yet Asian students frequently outperform their Western counterparts in competitive tests purported to measure higher cognitive skills. Data from the present cross-cultural study suggest it is more than a Western misperception, being shared by teachers in Japan and Thailand. With this background, this paper then explores the role of assessment through an analysis of examination papers in the three countries at the high stakes, year 12 level. This analysis of the ways in which knowledge and comprehension are assessed identifies different practices across cultures but not ones corresponding to the rhetoric on contrasting approaches to learning. Rather it concludes that assessment tasks classified superficially as comprehension can be approached through memorisation and conversely, those often classified as memorisation can require careful reading, thought and interpretation, while drawing from an extensive knowledge base.
Excerpt from published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

Authors: Baumgart, Neil; Halse, Christine

Date: 1999

Geographic subjects: Asia; Oceania; Australia ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Article

Journal title: Assessment in education: principles, policy and practice

Subjects: Assessment; Research; Culture and society ... [+] Show more
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Evaluation report on the Cooperative Education for Enterprise Development Program (CEED)

The Cooperative Education for Enterprise Development (CEED) Program is one of a number of initiatives intended to i... Show more
The Cooperative Education for Enterprise Development (CEED) Program is one of a number of initiatives intended to increase the relevance of university education, forge links between theory and practice, provide valuable workplace experience for students, encourage the recruitment of able graduates into cutting-edge industries, offer scope for university staff consultancies and promote access by industry to university facilities and expertise. It involves senior undergradute students in research projects identified by client organisations from business, industry or the public sector. This study evaluates the outcomes of the program, assesses its potential, identifies difficulties and recommends future options. Show less

Authors: Baumgart, Neil; Kouzmin, Alex; Power, Aileen; Martin, Andrew

Corporate authors: Australia. Department of Employment, Education and Training. Higher Education Division

Date: 1994

Geographic subjects: Oceania; Australia

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Occasional papers series (Australia. Department of Employment, Education and Training. Higher Education Division)

Subjects: Employment; Research; Students ... [+] Show more

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Approaches to learning across cultures: the role of assessment

Evaluation report on the Cooperative Education for Enterprise Development Program (CEED)