4.3.3 Gather information about mismatches between a student's or group's preferred learning approaches and those of the classroom

Adult members of a culture may be able to identify some important aspects of "mismatches" in learning approaches. However, because learning approaches, like interaction patterns, are often out of conscious awareness, you probably also need to gather other information.

Audio tapes and video tapes of activities in (and out of) schools can be very helpful in identifying and understanding learning approaches. Hubbard and Power (1993) and Hitchcock and Hughes (1995) offered suggestions to teacher researchers about collecting and analyzing these kinds of data.

It is important to try to understand how participants in learning activities define those activities and what it is they are trying to accomplish. Sometimes participants are able to explicitly talk about their goals and purposes; in those cases, interview data will be helpful. In other instances, it may be difficult for people to discuss such issues explicitly. In those cases, audio or video records of people doing the activities may give you some insights. Jacob (1999, pp. 49-53), for example, found by closely examining fourth grade students' conversations during Teams-Games-Tournaments cooperative learning activities (Slavin, 1994) that they approached these activities as competitions to get the most points rather than as cooperative endeavors.

In collecting information about learning approaches it is important to focus on learning in cultural practices or activities. This means moving beyond the traditional focus on individuals and looking at learning as part of a larger cultural practice (Gutiérrez and Rogoff, 2003). Rogoff (2003, pp. 52-62) presented a very useful series of images and text to help one "see" how learning is part of cultural practices. Although Jacob (1997, pp. 7-12; 1999) talked about "context" rather than activities, her discussions may also help you "see" the ways learning is embedded and part of larger systems of activity. Similarly, Portes' (1996, pp. 348-350) discussion of features of activity settings may be useful in seeing learning as part of broader activities.

Previously conducted research about learning approaches in a particular culture may also be helpful. However, it is important in using such data to be wary of possible stereotyping.

If you haven't read the CIP pages for Step 4 or Step 4.3, please do so because they provide information about gathering information for your CIP project.

Success Stories & CIP Studies Related to Mismatches Between Cultures

Reconsider question: 3.3.3 
Develop intervention: 5.3.3 
Guide for Reading Step 4 and Step 5 Pages