Transcript Cultural Relevance in LTER

MathTLC Seminar, 4/29/2010
Communication: Which Styles Do I Need?
Discussion, Engagement,
Accommodation, Dynamic
Shandy Hauk, WestEd, Mark Davis and Nissa Yestness, UNC
Plan
Define some terms
Give a few examples
State main result/ideas
Identify some applications of main result
Talk about future directions
A Definition of Culture
A “dynamic social system,”
containing the values, beliefs,
behaviors, and norms of a “specific
group, organization, society or
other collectivity” learned, shared,
internalized, and changeable by all
members of the society.
Message Approach
DIRECT
INDIRECT
Direct
Message direct through precise, explicit language
Focus on facts and details/evidence (not on
maintaining/repairing relationships)
Face-to-face/one-on-one interaction preferred
Differences of opinion offered/accepted
Convincing others to agree (or agree to disagree) a
priority
Logico-deductive reasoning used to persuade
Indirect
Indirect
Message implied through metaphorical language
Focus on maintaining/repairing relationships (not on
facts or details)
Mediators preferred
Harmony important
Face (self-definition) preservation a priority
Agreement/acquiescence may be verbalized directly
but may not represent view of speaker
Message Approach
DIRECT
“Say what you mean and mean
what you say.” – English proverb
“Nothing done with intelligence is
done without speech.” – Greek
proverb
“Hear one and understand ten.”
– Japanese proverb
“It is good to know the truth, but it
is better to speak of palm trees.”
– Arabic proverb
INDIRECT
Emotional Approach
RESTRAINED
EXPRESSIVE
Emotionally Restrained
Concern that displaying emotion will hurt others
Emotions are controlled by keeping them in (verbal
and non-verbal behaviors)
Even tone and calm, quiet speech used to convey
intellectual investment in topic(s)
Commitment, trust, credibility, sincerity, degree of
personal involvement shown by avoiding the display
of strong emotion
Negative response to requests to express feeling(s)
Emotionally Expressive
Concern that hiding emotion will hurt others
Emotions are controlled by getting them out (verbal
and non-verbal behaviors), often through humor
Variation in pitch, loudness, and speed of speech
used to convey intellectual investment in topic(s)
Commitment, trust, credibility, sincerity, degree of
personal involvement shown through amount of
emotion displayed
Negative response to requests to restrain display(s)
Emotional Approach
“Silence produces peace, and
peace produces safety.”
– Swahili proverb
RESTRAINED
“The first to raise their voice
loses the argument.” – Chinese
proverb
“After a storm, fair weather; after
sorrow, joy.” – Russian proverb
EXPRESSIVE
“What is nearest the heart is
nearest the mouth.” – Gaelic
proverb
DIRECT
DISCUSSION
ENGAGEMENT
U.S. (Anglo American), Canada,
England, Sweden, Norway,
Germany, Australia, …
U.S. (African American), France,
Greece, Italy, Spain, Cuba,
Russia, Israel, …
RESTRAINED
EXPRESSIVE
ACCOMMODATION
U.S. (Native American), Mexico,
Costa Rica, Peru, China, Japan,
Indonesia, Malaysia, …
DYNAMIC
U.S. (Arab American), Saudi
Arabia, Palestine, Lebanon,
Pakistan, Iraq, Egypt…
INDIRECT
DIRECT
DISCUSSION
ENGAGEMENT
“Research is formalized curiosity
– it is poking and prying with
quiet purpose.” – Researcher
proverb
“When am I ever going to use
this?!?.” – Student proverb
RESTRAINED
EXPRESSIVE
ACCOMMODATION
“In teaching you cannot see the
fruit of a day's work; it is invisible
and remains so, maybe for
twenty years.” – Teacher
proverb
INDIRECT
DYNAMIC
“We are excited about the seeds
being planted today and look
forward to harvesting the fruit of
education!” – Administrator
proverb
Discussion Style
Direct, Emotionally Restrained
Self-perceived strengths:
Confronts problems
Elaborates arguments
Maintains calm
Weaknesses as perceived by other styles:
Blind to nuance
Logical but unfeeling
Condescending
Engagement Style
Direct, Emotionally Expressive
Self-perceived strengths:
Provides detailed explanations and instructions
Expresses opinions clearly
Shows feelings
Weaknesses as perceived by other styles:
Blind to nuance
Dominating and rude
Over-confident
Accommodation Style
Indirect, Emotionally Restrained
Self-perceived strengths:
Considers multiple meanings and alternate messages
Self-possessed, diplomatic
Sensitive to feelings of others
Weaknesses as perceived by other styles:
Ambiguous
Uncommitted and dishonest
Hesitant and timid
Dynamic Style
Indirect, Emotionally Expressive
Self-perceived strengths:
Considers multiple meanings and alternate messages
Uses third parties to gather information, mediate
Skilled at noting change in non-verbal behavior
Weaknesses as perceived by other styles:
Ambiguous
Unreasonable and devious
Brash
DIRECT
DISCUSSION
Confronts problems; Elaborates
arguments with logical
reasoning; Maintains calm
Weaknesses perceived by other
styles: Blind to nuance; Logical
but unfeeling; Condescending
RESTRAINED
ENGAGEMENT
Provides detailed explanations;
Expresses opinion clearly; Shows
feelings
Weaknesses perceived by other
styles: Blind to nuance; Dominating
/ rude; Over-confident
EXPRESSIVE
ACCOMMODATION
Considers multiple/alternate
meanings; diplomatic; Selfpossessed; Sensitive to feelings
of others
Weaknesses perceived by other
styles: Ambiguous; Uncommitted
/dishonest; Hesitant / timid
INDIRECT
DYNAMIC
Considers multiple/alternate
meanings; Use of 3rd parties to
gather info/mediate; Skilled at
noting non-verbal behavior
Weaknesses perceived by other
styles: Ambiguous; Unreasonable
/ devious; Brash
Mathematical Discourse
What might “good” mathematical discourse look like
in each quadrant?
What might “good” mathematical discourse look like
for each of several different collectives involved in
this project: teachers, students, mathematicians,
mathematics education researchers…?
Assessment
Contexts – How can we use knowledge of
communications styles to revise/edit items to elicit
student understandings in math?
Situations – Might we create problem situations that
include third-party mediation or group consensus
building as a viable solution strategy?
Discussion
Educator/Researcher partnerships: How might we
use the ideas of discourse styles in thinking about
and shaping collaboration?
Courses/Assessments: How might we use the ideas of
discourse styles in thinking about and shaping
materials and assignments?