Learning culture at universities – An ethnographic view on teaching and learning in Germany and Sweden

Author(s):

Judith Ricken

Conference:

ECER 2008

Network:

21. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)

Format:

Paper

Session Information

PRE_C2, Preconference; Paper Session C2

Paper Session

Time:

2008-09-08

13:15-14:45

Room:

C E33

Chair:

Paul Standish

Discussant:

a series of analysis categories were constructed by means of an inductive process Based on the responses received

Contribution

Due to the Bologna process, European countries are in a process of changing their study systems. They aim to strengthen the graduates’ generic skills and competencies in their studies, as part of a better preparation for their future jobs. Although the general framework is applied to all countries in the EU, the study systems differ profoundly and thus, the changes initiated by the process as well. This observation leads to the hypothesis that there are different learning cultures at universities in different countries. In order to gain insight into this hypothesis, a comparative study was chosen. Sweden seemed to be a good counterpart to Germany, because both countries share the same historical roots in higher education but have developed in different directions during the last decades. In line with the main hypothesis, the following research questions were set in focus: 1. Are there different learning cultures at universities in Germany and Sweden? What makes the difference? How does learning culture interact with characteristics of national, disciplinary and academic culture? 2. Which opportunities to develop generic skills and competencies are provided by the analyzed learning cultures? The conceptual frame for the project is a learning culture concept derived from the German educational debate about learning culture (i.e. in adult education), adapted to higher education by using research results about teaching and learning in higher education and about disciplinary differences at university. The concept used here focuses on knowledge and competencies, the learning approach, the specific roles of the actors as well as the learning and working methods used in the classroom. The project takes a look at these parts of the concept both on a discourse and a practice level to get a comprehensive impression of the learning culture studied in four cases. In an ethnographical design, empirical data was collected in classroom observations, interviews with students and teachers, questionnaires for students, accompanied by a literary analysis of information material at one German and one Swedish university in undergraduate courses in Educational science and business administration. The four cases are analyzed across countries and disciplines. In September 2008, the full analysis of the empirical data will be done. Results are expected to draw conclusions about the learning culture at universities in different countries, the impact of the academic discipline, and the opportunities to develop generic skills. As it is one claim of the Bologna declaration to put a focus on competency development, hypotheses about good conditions for teaching and learning at universities shall be drawn.

Method

ethnographical design: classroom observations, interviews with students and teachers, questionnaires for students, literary analysis of information material

Expected Outcomes

In September 2008, the full analysis of the empirical data will be done. Results are expected to draw conclusions about the learning culture at universities in different countries, the impact of the academic discipline, and the opportunities to develop generic skills. As it is one claim of the Bologna declaration to put a focus on competency development, hypotheses about good conditions for teaching and learning at universities shall be drawn.

References

Arnold, Rolf/Schüßler, Ingeborg (1998): Wandel der Lernkulturen. Ideen und Bausteine für ein lebendiges Lernen [Change of learning cultures. Ideas and bricks for a lively learning]. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft Bowden, John/Marton, Ference (1998): The University of Learning. Beyond quality and competence. London: Routledge Falmer. Bron, Agnieska/Wilhelmson, Lena [red.]: Lärprocesser i högre utbildning. [Learning processes in higher education]. Stockholm: Liber Forneck, Hermann J. (2006): Selbstlernarchitekturen. Lernen und Selbstsorge I [Self-learning architectures. Learning and self-care I]. Baltmannsweiler: Schneider Verlag Hohengehren. Frey, Andreas (2004): Die Kompetenzstruktur von Studierenden des Lehrerberufs [Student teachers’ competency structure]. In: Zeitschrift für Pädagogik 50 (2004) 6, 903 – 925. Högskoleverket (HSV) (2006): Ekonomer – utbildning och arbetsmarknad. [Econmists – education and labour market]. Högskoleverkets rapportserie 2006:11 R. Stockholm. Huber, Ludwig (1992): Neue Lehrkultur – alte Fachkultur [New teaching culture – old disciplinary culture]. In: Dress, Andreas/Firnhaber, Eberhard/von Hentig, Hartmut/Storbeck, Dietrich [Hrsg.]: Die humane Universität. Bielefeld 1965 – 1992 [The human university. Bielefeld 1965 – 1922]. Bielefeld: Westfalen. 95 – 106. Kim, Lillemor/Olstedt, Ewa (2003): Forskning om högre utbildning. En översikt [Researcht about higher education. An overview]. Stockholm. Messerschmidt, Rolf; Grebe, Regina (2003): Historische Lernkulturen. Von der erzieherischen Lehrkultur zur selbst organisierten Lernkultur? [Historical learning cultures. From an educational teaching culture to a self-organized learning culture?] In: Arbeitsgemeinschaft für betriebliche Weiterbildungsforschung (ABWF) [Hrsg.]: Was kann ich wissen? Theorie und Geschichte von Lernkultur und Kompetenzentwicklung [What can I know? Theories and history of learning culture and competency development]. QUEM-report Schriftenreihe zur beruflichen Weiterbildung Band 82. Berlin. 45 – 178. Münst, Agnes Senganata (2002): Wissensvermittlung und Geschlechterkonstruktionen in der Hochschule. Ein ethnographischer Blick auf natur- und ingenieurwissenschaftliche Studienfächer [Knowledge transfer and the construction of gender in academia. An ethnografic perspective on natural scientific and engeneering fields of study]. Blickpunkt Hochschuldidaktik. Weinheim: Deutscher Studien Verlag. Neumann, Ruth/Parry, Sharon/Becher, Tony (2002): Teaching and Learning in Their Disciplinary Contexts. A conceptual analysis. In: Studies in Higher Education 27 (2002) 4, 405 – 417. Ramm, Michael/Multrus, Frank (2006): Das Studium der Betriebswirtschaftslehre. Eine Fachmonographie aus studentischer Sicht [The study of economics. A disciplinary monography from a students’ perspective]. Berlin. Schaeper, Hildegard (1997): Lehrkulturen, Lehrhabitus und die Struktur der Universität. Eine empirische Untersuchung fach- und geschlechtsspezifischer Lehrkulturen [Teaching cultures, teaching habitus and the structures of university. An empirical study of disciplinary and genderspecific teaching cultures]. Weinheim: Deutscher Studien Verlag. Wildt, Johannes (2004): Vom Lehren zum Lernen. Zum Wandel der Lernkultur in modularisierten Studienstrukturen [From teaching to learning. The change of learning culture in modularized study structures]. In: Berendt, Brigitte/Voss, Hans-Peter/Wildt, Johannes [Hrsg.]: Neues Handbuch Hochschullehre [New Handbook of university teaching]. Berlin: Raabe. Griffmarke A 3.1.

Author Information

Judith Ricken

University of Dortmund

Centre for Research on Higher Education and Professional Development

Dorsten

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