Conflict resolution across cultures

Objective: To investigate the dimensions of culture that may underlie difficulties in cross cultural conflict resolution.

Method: 43 Australian and 40 Chinese creative artists completed an 82-item scale measuring the four dimensions of cultural values identified by Hofstede. They then responded to two conflict scenarios by answering a series of questions based on the Littlefield, Love, Peck, and Wertheim model of conflict resolution.

Results: The groups did differ on each of the four cultural value dimensions. They interpreted and responded to the scenarios differently.

Conclusions: The value dimensions of culture are associated with conflict response, and further studies investigating the role of gender and individual conflict pathways are required in order to develop guidelines for intercultural conflict resolution more fully.

Children's mathematical thinking in different classroom cultures

The relationship between normative patterns of social interaction and children's mathematical thinking was investigated in 5 classes (4 reform and 1 conventional) of 7- to 8-year-olds. In earlier studies, lessons from these classes had been analyzed for the nature of interaction broadly defined; the results indicated the existence of 4 types of classroom cultures (conventional textbook, conventional problem solving, strategy reporting, and inquiry/argument). In the current study, 42 lessons from this data resource were analyzed for children's mathematical thinking as verbalized in class discussions and for interaction patterns. These analyses were then combined to explore the relationship between interaction types and  expressed mathematical thinking. The results suggest that increased complexity in children's expressed mathematical thinking was closely related to the types of interaction patterns that differentiated class discussions among the 4 classroom cultures.

'Learning to cooperate': a study of how primary teachers and children construct classroom cultures

This paper reports on the findings of a study, the 'Constructing Classroom Cultures' project, funded by a small Australian Research Council grant at the University of Melbourne. Located in three primary school classrooms in Melbourne, Victoria, this study investigated how teachers and grade 3-4 students develop shared values and understandings concerning formal and informal codes of behaviour. Drawing on classroom observations, individual interviews with teachers and focus group interviews with children, this paper discusses the ways that teachers and children together build classroom cultures. Practices that work to produce supportive classroom environments as well as problem areas are identified. Examining classroom cultures at the micro-political level offers scope for considering how power relations can contribute positively to educational processes. Additionally, the ways in which informal interactions between teacher and students and among students call into play collaboration, compliance and resistance are opened up for examination. These case studies aim to contribute to understanding how productive classroom cultures are constructed in day-to-day interactions, a significant area of concern for teachers and teacher education students.

Travelling north : the differing research cultures of Australia and Germany

Summary: This invited paper discusses the discipline of Information Systems in Australia and German. Initially it describes the wide differences between the two academic cultures, endeavouring to identify the causes of these differences, as well as their implications. It then discusses the ways in which these two cultures handle the teaching of Information Systems and finally discusses the similarities and differences of the I.S. research cultures in Australia and Germany.