The focus of this paper is to inquire into the current approaches to multicultural education as they relate to the practices of tutors. Then to consider the resourcefulness of drawing upon an ancient Chinese style of thinking, shi (勢), as an analytical tool to the field of Education and examining how this approach might inflect professional practice of teaching and learning. It argues that practitioners who adopt shi-inflected thinking into their teaching affords them insight into how an apparent static situation might be moved towards a more dynamic one.

Theories and interpretation of data related to intercultural communication stem from Western beliefs and ideals. Gudykunst (2002: 200-201) pointed out that there is a need for theories to be developed by scholars outside of the USA. Shi (勢) comes from Chinese philosophy and its use as a tool in relation to Western styles of thinking is especially associated with Francois Jullien (1995). Using shi to analyse the qualitative data, a new direction emerged, one which involved bringing the practitioner into the mix and highlighting the importance of his/her role in multicultural group work

The findings indicate how a shi-inflected approach to practice necessitates a practitioner engaging with reflexivity and reflectivity and treating each teaching context as unique. This engagement can enhance a practitioner’s practice by helping to reduce the anxiety experienced by all students as they engage in multicultural group work and increase the potential for successful intercultural interaction from the start of a programme of study.

Authors:
Anne Lawrie, University of Stirling, United Kingdom

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Posted by Clive Staples Lewis

Last updated: 2023-02-23 23:45:00

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