Learning Canadian Culture with GlobeSmart

Instructor Susan Virtue teaches the Masters Preparatory Certificate in Education (MPCE) program at Brock University in Ontario, Canada. All of the students in the September 2018 cohort had completed undergraduate degrees in their home countries, but few had ever been to Canada before. The majority of students came from China, but two students came from India and one from Vietnam. These students were facing several challenges, not the least of which was adapting to a new culture and style of education.

Over the course of the program, students would be doing in-depth, reflective thought about the academic and social expectations within a Canadian university, and the process of cultural transition experienced by international students. They would read the book Canada by Mike Myers; engage in field trips, and participate in local volunteer activities.

When instructor Virtue was choosing the resources for her course Canadian Cultural Practices, she liked the dimensions described in Hofstede’s “Culture’s Consequences,” but found the language used within it complex and highly academic. She wanted “a tool for identifying cultures complementary to Hofstede’s Culture’s Consequences but more approachable,” something “user-friendly and not a text; something useful and fun.”

She wanted her students to explore the concept of style switching; a process people go through to adapt themselves to new people and situations. This is most often experienced when a person is adapting to a new culture or engaging with people from a culture different from their own. Overall, instructor Virtue wanted “a useful and engaging tool that would help deepen cultural concept understanding.” The user-friendly language, intuitive navigation, and concepts in the GlobeSmart learning platform combined well with the course textbook Canada.

Experiencing GlobeSmart

After experiencing a month of life in Canada, being introduced to Mike Myers, and learning about cultural theories, the students were introduced to GlobeSmart. First, students took the GlobeSmart Profile to find out their work style. Trecia McLennon, Brock’s Intercultural Communications Coordinator and a GlobeSmart Profile Certified Facilitator, provided a guest lecture that helped the students interpret their results. They reflected on the results and compared them to their home country’s profile. Next, they compared results amongst each other, and then to various countries. Students used this insight as a way to launch a discussion on what they had found surprising or challenging when they first arrived in Canada. Everything from language barriers, to food and cooking, was mentioned.

Experiencing GlobeSmart

After experiencing a month of life in Canada, being introduced to Mike Myers, and learning about cultural theories, the students were introduced to GlobeSmart. First, students took the GlobeSmart Profile to find out their work style. Trecia McLennon, Brock’s Intercultural Communications Coordinator and a GlobeSmart Profile Certified Facilitator, provided a guest lecture that helped the students interpret their results. They reflected on the results and compared them to their home country’s profile. Next, they compared results amongst each other, and then to various countries. Students used this insight as a way to launch a discussion on what they had found surprising or challenging when they first arrived in Canada. Everything from language barriers, to food and cooking, was mentioned.

*For all tables, students wrote independent answers to survey questions which were then analyzed and grouped into like categories. Some students gave more than one answer.

Understanding Canadians

When the students examined the Canadian page, the most common trait students remarked upon was the high level of independence in Canadians. They reflected on how this trait affects students and their ability to make decisions for themselves. Several students also linked this characteristic to how it empowers citizens to have a say in policies. Students were also intrigued by the egalitarianism, risk-taking, and direct communication style of Canadian culture. The theme of diversity came up several times, too.

One Chinese student noted how surprised she was with both the accuracy of her profile results and the big difference between herself and the typical Canadian. Upon discovering the gaps between herself and China, and between herself and Canada she was led to “understand that we are so different as individuals that communication and understanding become important and necessary in our lives.” She further expressed how she admired and was able to interpret diversity through Canada’s tolerance and understanding.

The Vietnamese student explained that thanks to GlobeSmart she was able to better understand “why Canadian values of autonomy and independence are so important here.” Another student claimed that “with GlobeSmart, I can compare my country and Canada so I can adapt to Canadian style better.”  

Style-Switching

Students were expected to reflect upon the transition process of adapting to a new culture; also referred to as style-switching. Each student understood this concept differently depending on their experience, but generally, they felt “style switching is the ability to change your behavior in different cultural environments. As international students, we adopt different traits from our host country and retain many characteristics from our home country.”

Students described a number of unique examples of style switching, but one student, in particular, described a powerful personal discovery of how her indirectness caused her to struggle academically: “Once I found myself struggling in paper writing because of my silence in class… I realized finally how important it is to express appropriate ideas directly in Canadian classrooms.” It wasn’t until she reflected later that she realized her change in behavior had a name: style switching.

Her discovery was echoed by most of her peers throughout the year. Practices such as speaking up, asking questions, sharing ideas, and even using a teacher’s first name were linked to the egalitarian nature of Canadian society. Other students connected to the level of independence they witnessed to the qualities of directness and equality. By the end of the school year, one student explained: “Style switching is a necessary process for people who study, work, and live in a cross-cultural society.”  

The Impact of GlobeSmart

In the end, students were unanimous in their opinion that the application of GlobeSmart was useful in the course. Most of the students cited the ability to compare countries or to compare their profiles to other countries as the most useful feature. A few others cited other features such as the graphical or visual representations, and the ability to discover characteristics of people from other countries as valuable to them.

The valuable learning these students gained through this course and GlobeSmart is clearly reflected in the parting thoughts of two students. The first quote: “After learning Canadian culture, I realized that equity is a necessary factor of a harmonious and acceptable society.”

The second quote sums up the thinking of many other students as they understood more about the behaviors they had observed: “Through observation and study in Canada during this period, I will improve my sense of equality and learn more about what egalitarianism is… I will think more before doing things and reduce prejudice and discrimination. At the same time, I want to be brave enough to speak up for the inequality I meet, instead of doing nothing, even if the other side’s status is higher than me.”

Final Thoughts

Susan Virtue found that GlobeSmart was instrumental in meeting the course goals because “it was good for the language level, and it gave the students the option to go deeper. Style switching turned out to be a favorite extension.” Clearly, the course goals were met, and the combination of a practical tool with a textbook and hands-on experiences had a powerful effect.

For additional information regarding the use of GlobeSmart in this course, feel free to reach out to  Susan Virtue at Brock University.