Cultural Flows and Pedagogical Dilemmas: Teaching with Collaborative Learning in the Chinese HE EFL ContextCultural Flows and Pedagogical Dilemmas: Teaching with Collaborative Learning in the Chinese HE EFL Context

文化因缘与教学困境:大学英语教学中的协作学习研究（英文）

This study makes a qualitative inquiry into the use of collaborative learning in Chinese higher education （HE） EFL classrooms with its focus on students＇ experience. It seeks to reveal the dilemmas encountered by considering the cultural aspect of teaching and learning within the Chinese context. Drawing on data sources from 60 students＇ written reflections, 2 groups of post-hoc interviews and the researcher＇s field notes, the study reveals that： 1） the use of collaborative learning conflicts with students＇ formed learning behaviors and grammar- oriented exams; 2） guanxi as an indigenous Chinese sociocultural construct prevails in the language classrooms as a communicative tie among students, which facilitates students＇ interaction and peer collaboration; 3） power differentials, by contrast, engender less interaction and create distance among peers. Notwithstanding these incompatibilities, the study claims that collaborative learning is consonant with the Chinese culture that emphasizes collective orientation and socially appropriate behaviors during interaction. It is concerned with the right way of learning among peers. Finally, the study suggests ways for teacher educators to cope with these dilemmas.

本研究探究了协作学习教学模式在高校英语课堂实施中所遇到的困境,试图从文化的视角解释出现这些困境的成因。文章以60名英语专业学生为研究对象,采用质性研究的方法,通过学习日志、事后访谈、观察笔记获取研究数据。研究主要有以下发现:1)学生的学习习惯和以语法为主要内容的考试压力与协作学习的本质相冲突;2)中国式"关系"作为一种交际纽带,在英语课堂上促进生生互动,提高了协作学习效果;3)"权利差异"的存在阻碍了学生互动,造成了同伴之间的交际"鸿沟"。尽管协作学习与我国英语教学存在上述不兼容性,本研究认为,协作学习的本质与中国传统的教学文化和谐统一,它们都强调互动在学习中的重要作用。在文章末尾之处,本研究为教师应对这些困境提出了建议。