Teaching across Cultures: Canada and Qatar

Abstract

Findings from a comparative case study conducted in Canada and Qatar are presented in this article. The study examined the cultural context of a transnational post-secondary program offered by the Faculty of Business at a Canadian college, with campuses located in both St. John’s and Doha. The instructors’ perceptions of their students’ cultures are examined, and the resulting teaching strategies that appear to represent successful pedagogical adaptations to cultural context are discussed. The data are examined through the lens of a cultural dimensions framework developed for this case study. Drawing primarily on Hofstede (1980, 2001), the framework was modified with additions from Hall (2003) and Dimmock and Walker (2005). The analysis is built on six cultural dimensions: monochronic/polychronic time orientation; power distance; individualism/collectivism; uncertainty avoidance; generative/replicative; and aggression/consideration. Possible factors contributing to the reported cultural traits within each dimension are discussed; in addition, the overall effectiveness of the framework is reviewed and recommendations for future practice and research are offered.