Problems of cross-cultural communication in the context of modern linguistic technologies

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Problems of cross-cultural communication in the context of modern linguistic technologies of higher education

Astratova Galina Vladimirovna

Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Yekaterinburg, Russia Uralsky Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russian Federation, Yekaterinburg, Russia

Beleeva Irina Damirovna

Abstract. The research is devoted to the problems of cross-cultural communication in the context of modern linguistic technologies of higher education. The problem of finding effective linguistic technologies for teaching students in the conditions of joint training of residents and non-residents of the country, speakers of different language constructs and cultural matrices is becoming more relevant than ever. This problem was especially aggravated in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the whole world massively switched to distance learning using digital technologies. The purpose of the study was to identify the problems and interrelations of linguistic, pedagogical and educational technologies in the process of cross-cultural communication between a teacher and a student at a university. The hypothesis is that in the process of using distance learning technologies, there are differences between the choice of mass online courses (MOOCs), the experience and expectations of students of Russian universities, both residents and non-residents. The research is based on the methods of interdisciplinary analysis using the author's survey questionnaire based on value methods. The study was conducted in 2019-2021 with using Google-docs, e-mail mailing lists, oral interviews, telephone surveys and social networks (Vkontakte, Facebook, WhatsApp). The article presents data from a survey of experts (74 people), Russian students (1316 people) and 411 university students in the Sverdlovsk region (including 200 foreign students). In the course of an interdisciplinary study, it was revealed that there are differences between the choice of MOOCs, the experience and expectations of students of Russian universities, both residents and non-residents. It is shown that an approximate equal number of students in both groups would like to study either traditionally or according to a combined scheme of traditional and distance learning. When choosing online courses for foreign students, feedback from the teacher is especially important (95 %) and the language of presentation of the course material (100 % indicated that they are more comfortable with English than Russian). At the same time, about a third of respondents noted that they would like to be able to watch courses and listen to a foreign language with titles in their native language. The share of participation of each author in this study is as follows: G.V. Astratova -- 70 %; I.D. Beleeva -- 30 %. The study can be useful for teachers who conduct classes remotely and use a foreign language.

Keywords: cross-cultural communication; student values; pedagogical technologies; educational technologies; digital technologies; linguistic technologies; mass open online courses (MOOCs); higher school; university

linguistic technologies teaching students non residents country pandemic

Introduction

Taking into account the ideas mentioned above, we have defined the problem of our research as the study of cross-cultural communication in the context of modern linguistic technologies of higher education.

The object of the research is modern educational technologies, including pedagogical, digital and linguistic, in the context of cross-cultural communication.

The purpose of the study was to identify the problems and interrelations of linguistic, pedagogical and educational technologies in the process of cross-cultural communication between a teacher and a student at a university.

The hypothesis is that in the process of using distance learning technologies, there are differences between the choice of mass online courses (MOOCs), the experience and expectations of students of Russian universities, both residents and non-residents.

Research methods. The research is based on general scientific methods, including system analysis, methods of logical and comparative analysis, approximation method of classification and data analysis, method of scientific abstraction, graphic images, and selective assessment of phenomena in specific conditions based on generalization of the experience of foreign and domestic research.

The concept of cross-cultural communication, as it is known, was introduced by the cultural anthropologist Edward Hall in the 50s of the last century in the context of the adaptation program of American diplomats and businessmen in order to work abroad. So, E. Hall defined cross-cultural communication as an ideal goal of effective human adaptation to the environment [19].

By nowadays, it is considered that cross-cultural communication is an interdisciplinary category studied in philosophy, cultural studies, sociology, linguistics, anthropology, ethnology, marketing, management, and other branches of knowledge. In the most general form, we can say that cross-cultural communication is the transfer of information in the process of communication between representatives of different cultures of the planet, involving both direct verbal contact (language and speech) between people, and indirect non-verbal forms of communication (writing, books, films, electronic communication, etc.).

In the context of this article, we will consider that cross-cultural communication is a process of interaction between two or more communication subjects (individuals, groups, organizations) belonging to different cultures, for the transfer or exchange of information and values through cultural sign systems, as well as norms, rules and methods and language constructs. In other words, intercultural communication is the interpersonal interaction of carriers of different cultures, when they jointly solve common communicative tasks under certain conditions and in the context of a certain language construct.

It should be emphasized that the growth of population mobility in the era of globalization strengthens the role of cross-cultural communication in the education system. However, foreign students, as various authors emphasize, face various manifestations of discrimination (by language and accent, race, religion, culture, behavior, etc.). There are also problems with the lack/absence of interaction between peers and inter-group dialogue. Many researchers show that there is a significant gap between foreign and local students, as well as the theory and practice of teaching in Russia and in the country of residence of students [14-16; 26; 31].

Finally, we can see in the practice of a number of Russian universities that foreign students are offered methodological manuals for completing home, course and even final qualifying works, written in Russian, not English or other FL. Accordingly, students experience difficulties even in the process of online translation from Russian to FL, since, as a rule, they use Google translator, and not Yandex translator, which is more adapted for such translation.

For example, when performing course (final qualifying) works in economic disciplines, students are required to write them in both English and Russian when preparing title pages. Accordingly, they first translate, for example, the phrase «Ñîâåðøåíñòâîâàíèå ýôôåêòèâíîñòè ïðîìûøëåííîãî ïðîèçâîäñòâà» using Google, getting «Industrial Production Efficiency Improving». Then again, with the help of Google, they translate this phrase into Russian as: «Ïîâûøåíèå Ýôôåêòèâíîñòè Ïðîìûøëåííîãî Ïðîèçâîäñòâà» or «Óëó÷øåíèå Ýôôåêòèâíîñòè Ïðîìûøëåííîãî Ïðîèçâîäñòâà». As a result, the teacher checking the work hardly understands what was originally discussed. This is also due to the fact that foreign students usually do not know about the translation in Yandex, which is more adapted to the Russian language.

Returning to the discussion of the issue stated in this section, it should be noted that a special place in the modern world is occupied by computer communications (ÑÌÑ). This is due to a number of reasons.

First, as the authors of the comprehensive study of cross-cultural perspectives of advanced language learning using DT quite rightly emphasize [30], in conditions when a language can have many forms or dialects, change over time, and new words, phrases and expressions are constantly created until their original meaning changes, computer communications allow FL students to have access to authentic and useful language resources.

Secondly, in the conditions of high mobility of the world's population in general and students in particular, it is becoming increasingly difficult to attribute cultural values to a certain cultural group, to identify them with a certain social stratum/class. Accordingly, it is no longer enough just to have a cultural awareness of the host country; students need cross-cultural competencies and an understanding of the language constructs of certain social groups in order to live and study abroad normally in the era of globalization.

Thus, in modern conditions, intercultural communication occurs in the learning process, when students from different countries study at the same university. Accordingly, it is very important to know what value system and what language construct students are guided by in the course selection process in general, in the course of online learning, in particular, and mass open online courses (MOOCs), in particular.

MOOCs are courses with open access (without restrictions) to educational and control-measuring materials of the course for students in an amount sufficient to achieve the planned (declared) learning results and their assessment [5]. In other words, the educational material is available to the whole society, thereby facilitating education.

MOOCs have a number of key features that are very useful for many people around the world, including:

• Scale, global character and accessibility to everyone who is interested in online learning.

• Publicly available on an open educational platform.

• Presented exclusively online in electronic format.

• Using free of charge.

• Attracting the best teachers from all universities of the world.

• The dominant role of the teacher is «erased», since the teacher becomes only an intermediary or a colleague.

• These online courses have elements of traditional education: schedules, schedules, deadlines, exams, etc.

• MOOCs have numerous feedback channels between all elements of the educational system: listener-teacher, listener-listener, teacher-teacher.

• MOOCs can be described as a digital trace of students' actions during an online course and have a large amount of training analytical data generated during the implementation of MOOCs [5; 9; 11; 12, etc.].

Thus, we can conclude that MOOCs today is a successful pedagogical technology that is used by students all over the world, thereby facilitating and improving the process of intercultural communication. It is also important that many MOOCs are offered in English (for example, the universities of Massachusetts, Stanford, Oxford), and in recent years in Russian (Moscow State University, Higher School of Economics, etc.), which undoubtedly improves not only the general awareness of the content of training courses, but also gives an idea of the language from the standpoint of its native speakers.

It is also necessary to understand that since education in the world is increasingly becoming paid, turning from education into an educational service, it should also be said that one of the central concepts of marketing is the values of the buyer, client or consumer. This is due to the fact that any market offer will be successful only if it represents value to the buyer of the target audience and brings him satisfaction [21, p. 3].

In connection with the above, it was considered appropriate to conduct an analysis based on value approaches of the choice of mass open online courses (MOOCs) by students of Russian universities as the most important educational resource.

As our long-term research has shown [13], the value system that determines the behavior of a person as a consumer of goods and services in various markets of goods and services is very successfully used by us as a methodological tool in many markets, including the market of higher education services.

As a result of the conducted research, we obtained an expert assessment of the importance of determinants on a 5-point scale (5 -- max, 1 -- min estimates), which make up a system of six independent values and determine the consumer choice of educational services in the traditional and online mode (MOOCs) (fig. 3).

Figure 3. Expert assessment of the importance ranks of determinants on a 5-point scale (5 -- max, 1 -- min rating) that make up the value system and determine the consumer choice of educational services in the traditional and online mode (MOOCs) (N = 74; ïç = 72; Kk = 0,18; Kc = 0,87) (compiled by the authors) Here and further: Symbols: N -- the total number of experts interviewed (74 people), ïç -- the number of responses received from experts; Kk -- the Kramer correlation coefficient; Kc -- the coefficient of concordance (consistency of respondents' opinions).

It follows from figure 3 that MOOCs are leading in such areas as: functional and cognitive value, while very much inferior to traditional training in terms of the emotional component. In other words, MOOCs are more information-rich, but less emotionally colored.

Figure 4. Distribution of answers to the question: «What should a good online course include, in your opinion», %, where multiple choice was allowed (N = 1390; ni = 1312; n2 = 211; ïç = 72; Kk = 0, 19; Êñ = 0,89) (compiled by the authors)

It follows from figure 4 that we did not find any noticeable differences in the representation of experts and students regarding a good online course; a similar picture was observed when comparing Russian and foreign students of universities in the Sverdlovsk region. It can only be noted that the experts paid more attention to control points, tests and practical exercises.

Accordingly, it was interesting to compare the expectations and real experience of using online courses by Russian and foreign students. In this regard, we asked the question of what is important when choosing an online course (fig. 5) and the question of whether students' expectations were met in the process of distance learning (fig. 6).

Picture shows that when choosing online courses for foreign students, feedback from the teacher (95 %) and the language of presentation of the course material are especially important (100 % indicated that English is more convenient for them than Russian). At the same time, about a third of respondents noted that they would like to be able to watch courses and listen to a foreign language with titles in their native language.

Figure 5. Distribution of answers to the question: «What is important for you when choosing an online course?», %, where multiple choice was allowed (N = 408; ni = 198; n2= 210; Kk = 0,15; Êñ = 0,86) (compiled by the authors)

Figure 6. Distribution of answers to the question: «To what extent were the expectations met when working remotely with an online course?», % (N = 410; n1 = 200; n2= 210; Kk = 0,17; Êñ = 0,88) (compiled by the authors)

It follows from Picture 6 that the expectations of Russian and foreign students for remote work with an online course were met in different ways. That is why, in our opinion, we got unity in the answers of both groups of students to the question: «If you had the opportunity to choose exactly how to study: remotely, traditionally, or by combining two schemes, what would you do?» (fig. 7).

Figure 7. Distribution of answers to the question: «Ifyou had the opportunity to choose exactly how to study: remotely, traditionally, or by combining two schemes, what would you do?», %, where an alternative choice was allowed (N = 411; ï³ = 200; Ï2 = 211; Kk = 0,19; Êñ = 0,89) (compiled by the authors)

It is also important that an approximately equal number of students in both groups would like to study either traditionally or according to a combined scheme of traditional and distance learning.

The results of our field study are consistent with those of other researchers [14-16; 24; 26; 30; etc.].

Conclusion

Summarizing the above, we consider it necessary to draw the following:

1. Since the middle of the last century, the concepts previously used in production management have become applicable to education: «process», «process approach», «business process», «quality management system», etc., which eventually allowed us to talk about the technological concept and process model of education. Being controversial and ambiguous categories, the concepts of «teaching technology», «pedagogical technology», «learning technology», «educational technology», «technological approach in education» are often used by various authors both as synonyms and as non-identical categories, since the scientific school in this branch of pedagogy is in the stage of active formation. However, we adhere to the definitions provided in the UNESCO documents.

2. The analysis of the literature allows us to identify three main trends in the evolution of «pedagogical/educational technology»: (1) a reference point for the active use of increasingly expanding capabilities of technical means in the educational process (it can be called «technology in education» or «educational technology»); (2) the technology of building the educational process itself, which is called «learning technology» or «pedagogical technology»; (3) teaching technology based on the use of methods of teaching foreign languages and/or using knowledge of a foreign language.

3. As for linguistic technologies or technologies of teaching foreign languages, the literature available to us is not rich in research on this topic. We can only say that a combination of several approaches is used for teaching foreign languages (for example, the project method, collaborative learning and the language portfolio are popular at the present time). Moreover, linguistic technologies are increasingly intertwined with digital technologies in teaching.

4. At the turn of the XX-XXI centuries, digital technologies occupy a special place in the higher education system. Increasingly, classes at universities are held in a remote format, the latest achievements of digital technologies are used and new educational technologies are emerging. A special place in distance learning is occupied by mass open online courses (MOOCs). MOOCs today are a successful pedagogical technology that is used by students all over the world, thereby facilitating and improving the process of intercultural communication. Many MOOCs are offered in English, and in recent years in Russian, which undoubtedly improves not only the general awareness of the content of training courses, but also gives an idea of the language from the standpoint of its native speakers.

5. At the same time, the introduction of new digital and learning technologies also exposes problems in cross-cultural communication in the process of education in universities. In our opinion, cross-cultural communication is a process of interaction between two or more subjects of communication (individuals, groups, organizations) belonging to different cultures, for the transfer or exchange of information and values through cultural sign systems, as well as norms, rules and methods and language constructs. In other words, intercultural communication is an interpersonal interaction of speakers of different cultures, when they jointly solve common communicative tasks under certain conditions and in the context of a certain language construct.

6. The authors conducted an interdisciplinary field study of MOOCs preferences among students of Russian universities, both residents and non-residents. It is shown that there are differences between the choice of MOOCs, the experience and expectations of students of Russian universities, both residents and non-residents. It is also important that an approximately equal number of students in both groups would like to study either traditionally or according to a combined scheme of traditional and distance learning. It is shown that when choosing online courses for foreign students, feedback from the teacher is especially important (95 %) and the language of presentation of the course material (100 % indicated that English is more convenient for them than Russian). At the same time, about a third of respondents noted that they would like to be able to watch courses and listen to a foreign language with titles in their native language.

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