A Cross-Cultural Study of Teacher Perspectives on Teacher Roles and Adoption of Online Collaborative Learning in Higher Education

Source: European Journal of Teacher Education, Volume 33, Issue 2 May 2010 , pages 147 - 165.
 
The purpose of this study is to understand teachers' perspectives on their roles in higher education, and their views about the adoption of a social-constructivist approach to teaching and learning. Furthermore, the study aims to understand the integration of online collaborative learning in blended learning environments in higher education from a cross cultural perspective.

The authors interviewed 60 Chinese teachers from Beijing Normal University and Capital Normal University in Beijing, China and 30 Flemish teachers from Ghent University in Flanders, Belgium.

The results revealed differences as well as specific similarities in perspectives between the Chinese and Flemish university teachers. The cultural and educational context is taken into consideration when discussing the results.