‘Silence is Golden’: Cultural Collision in the Classroom

Abstract

It is widely reported that international student cohorts present pedagogical challenges. This chapter tells the story of a research project undertaken at a leading British university to investigate how ‘cultural diversity’ was understood and experienced by staff and students on a creative industries programme. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with students and staff, and the data revealed a range of tensions around cultural difference, social integration and cultural adaptation, particularly in relation to the Chinese students, which comprised almost half of the cohort. A variety of social and cultural factors collided in the classroom, creating misunderstandings, causing resentment and highlighting a general lack of intercultural awareness and competence. Cultural diversity was recognised and positively encouraged, yet its inherent complexities were not fully understood. This chapter calls for the development of a collective intercultural competence, better recognition of the teaching and learning challenges that result from internationalisation, and institutional support.