Chinese learners and computer mediated communication: Balancing culture, technology, and pedagogy

The modern Chinese diaspora has raised new issues for learning. A recurrent theme within the literature is that technology by itself is insufficient to promote cross-cultural learning, and a new balance must be found between culture, technology and pedagogy. This paper takes a student perspective and reports some research findings about the ways in which Chinese students learn in online discussions, including the influence of the computer mediated communication (CMC) medium and the curriculum. It also makes some comparisons with the local students. A major benefit for Chinese students was their increased participation, which they considered was due to the virtual and text based nature of the medium. Unlike local students, Chinese students did not find the debate with its controversy and argument motivational. Surprisingly, communication anxiety was more problematic for local students. Chinese and local students found that reading and writing messages helped them develop their thinking and understanding, and assessment was a significant influence for them. The importance of integrating the online discussions with the weekly face-to-face classes was identified by both groups.