Overview

Exploring cultural differences and social trends relating to financial literacy between students in different countries.

Learning Outcomes

• Communicate effectively across cultures, considering issues from a variety of perspectives.
• Improve knowledge and understanding of cultural differences in different countries, particularly the role of students’ own cultural influences and assumptions.
• Demonstrate teamwork skills by collaborating on a multi-country research project.

OIL Activities

Week 1 Introductory Activity:

• background research (within respective institutions) and initial interaction between institutions
• Project aim introduced to students within respective institutions and students arranged into groups.
• Using research skills developed during the module, students conduct secondary research using industry articles and databases such as Mintel to help explore general themes around student finance in Malaysia and UK.
• Students review and identify key variables relating to Student Finance based on the above research, and their own experiences and assumptions e.g. bursaries, grants, other sources of finance, part-time paid work, family pressures, spending money etc.
• First interaction between CU and TARUC students which includes introductions of themselves via Open Moodle.

Week 2 Creation of discussion guide:

• Students in respective institutions discuss initial research findings from weeks 1-2 to create a discussion guide for use in week 3
• Topics within the discussion guide are justified based on secondary background research. Themes for discussion guides are directed by students with lecturers available to assist students where required.

Week 3 Interaction 2: Online focus groups via Skype

• Up to five focus groups: one set of students (from CU) asking questions to another group (from TARUC) before swapping roles.
• Every member of each group participates by asking at least one question from the discussion guides created in week 3.
• Focus groups will take place via Skype (with Open Moodle as a reserve option). Groups to record each other’s responses.
• Tutors facilitate the interactions where required.

Week 4 Reflective Activity (within respective institutions)

• Students share their experiences on what they learned about student finance in both Malaysia and the UK, how they found the experience of working with peers from different cultural and educational backgrounds, what they did and did not expect to happen.
• CU students to be assessed via a summative group presentation

Type of Interaction

Debate, collaborative document building, peer-review, interview, role-play, critical reflection

Intercultural Development

Students will be presented with an exciting opportunity to broaden both their cultural awareness and research expertise within an encouraging, supportive environment, culminating in a summative group presentation. This will be followed by an independent reflection on what was learned by students and how they felt about the experience.

CU Context

Course: BA Business & Marketing
Participants: 20

Picture
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