Benefit of Understanding of Different Cultures to Learners in Australian Universities - Essay Example

Student Name: Tutor: Title: Benefit of understanding of different cultures to learners in Australian universities Course: Benefit of understanding of different cultures to learners in Australian universities Introduction Understanding beliefs, practices, and values of different cultures is important to learners in Australian universities since it provides them with an opportunity to be flexible and dynamic in the society. The percentage of international students in Australian universities ranges between ten to twenty percent. The last decade has witnessed tremendous increase in the population of students in majority of Australian Universities. These developments have offered numerous advantages to Australian Universities like economic mileage as well as cultural diversity to home students with regard to what international students bring to the learning environment. Understanding of beliefs, values, and practices of different cultures benefit learners in Australian Universities to a great extent. Learners benefit from the diversity derived from interacting with other students from different cultural backgrounds and nationalities. Flexibility is increased when learners learn in environment that is reach in diversity. Flexible learning environments produce competent citizens who are able to blend into diverse working environments with varying challenges (Asmar, 1999). Access to variety of sources of information increases the competence of learners in Australian universities. Despite challenges of having to teach students from different backgrounds, interactions that result in understanding practices, beliefs, and values of different cultures make learners in Australian universities to be better placed in understanding the global world as technological advancement and increased international business take shape. Interactions of different cultures are important in making learners in Australian universities to understand people from different cultural backgrounds. Resilience and adaptability of students is enhanced when learners interact through education programs that are offered in these universities. Relevance of teaching materials drawn from different background brings closer the theoretical aspects that are taught in class (Barker, 1997). Understanding the values, beliefs, and practices of other people helps learners to cope with the changing world that enhances globalization, cooperation and international trade. The changing demographics in the Australian universities have resulted into multicultural practices that have enhanced innovation and creativity. Students appreciate the importance of cultural aspect in learning and respect and learn from cultures that are different from them. Unless there is cultural competence miscommunication, misunderstanding, and distrust are the order of the day. Cultural blending increases appreciation of other people’s upbringing which enhances learning (Sheehan & Walker, 2001). The pedagogies and theories of learning are complemented in environments with multicultural setting. Lecturers are offered with perfect settings to increase their options when it comes to learning and practical examples. Students learn to be creative in a manner such that they improvise and adapt their movement to respond to different movement stimuli, situations, and challenges. Students examine the processes and factors that change and shape the characteristics of built and natural within places. They account and identify differences and similarities between places and start to understand the nature variations and spatial associations over the surface of the earth. Socio-cultural and personal aspects develop understanding of the role that ethical decision-making, personal safety and empathy play in the maintenance of positive relationships; and adapt the skills needed to be proactive in dealing with a range of relationships (Biggs, 1999). International studies in the Australian universities are easy to understand due to interaction of students of a range of cultural backgrounds. Students are able to examine aspects of group and individual identity, including norms, values, beliefs, practices, and customs. They learn that traditions and beliefs affect the nature of cultures and that groups found in the society possess social organizations that reflect specific beliefs. They further come to understand that these social structures and beliefs change over time in regard to rapidly-changing political, environmental, social, and economic setting. This adaptation is importance for maintenance of both diversity and cohesion to varying extents. At the same time, students have to recognize that culture exert important influence on the identities of people and their roles, responsibilities, and rights (Chalmers & Violet, 1997). They learn aspects of gender, socioeconomic status, and race as well as core values, influence cultural, personal, and group identity. Practical learning experiences assist students to settle when in the society and appreciate other people after their school life. The interaction has assisted even native students to appreciate the indigenous people and their role to national heritage (Dillon & Westbury, 2007). Cultural diversity brings a lot to the table for the students in Australian universities to learn from. International students have a lot to learn about Australia where as learners in Australian universities get to interact with international students and learn from them. Typical examples that are given in class in theoretical learning can be discussed in real situations as affected international students share their experiences (Ballard & Clanchy, 1997). Learners in Australian universities get to hear firsthand accounts of places and experiences they hitherto learnt in books of history. Understanding values, beliefs, and cultural practices of different cultures open up the learners to be more receptive and acknowledge the differences that exist in most cultural settings. The learners in universities have a lot of things to learn from each other as they appreciate the cultural differences that exist among them. Competence, resilience, and flexibility are some of the important benefits that learners in Australian universities gain from interaction with international activities. The lecturers are forced to be flexible and come up with learning curriculum and practicum that will favor both the native and international students. Learners in Australian universities are motivated to seek opportunities across the globe due to the experiences that they have gained by interacting with international students. Being able to adapt to different situations and learning how to cope with other cultures make the learners in Australian universities better placed to excel as managers in multinational corporations (Wells, 2005). Knowledge of cultural differences is important in making students to appreciate their own cultural heritage. Students who are dynamic and well-grounded are released into the market with expertise and competence to offer to employees. Cultural knowledge is important in shaping the understanding of students and appreciating the challenges that come with the global world. Understanding different perceptions and creating extra avenues of learning is important in university learning in Australia. People from diverse environment have the opportunity to learn from each other and look for ways that will enhance cohesion and adaptability. Culture shapes the manner in which people perceive the world (Iwana, 2003). It is capable of bringing about the change of attitudes required to ensure sustainability development and peace which leads to development in the world. Culture brings together different aspects of humanity that could have resulted into a crisis. Conclusion Understanding Values, beliefs, and practices of different cultures is essential for learners in Australian universities. Culture shapes the lives of human beings and understanding people from different cultural backgrounds sets the pace of achieving flexibility, dynamism, and adaptability. Technological advancement and increased international trade has turned the world into a global village. Students from Australia can secure employment anywhere so long as their skills and competence are appreciated. Cultural diversity makes learners to be exposed to a dynamic environment that helps them to be flexible and appreciate the differences in different cultures. Students in multicultural environment have the opportunity to experience for themselves some of the things that they have just read in books of literature or watched over television. The lecturers have a wide range of examples to deliver to the learners during teaching and the learners can better understand globalization and cross-culture communication. Efforts to understand each other lead to appreciation of one’s culture and hence preservation of the national heritage. Students from multicultural environments have a better understanding of international politics and are flexible to fit in different environments in the world. Well grounded students are as result of cultural diverse environments. Understanding values, practices, and beliefs of different cultures make students to understand how well to work with each other and enhance collaboration. Flexibility and adaptability is important in trying to make the students settle well in the society. International students have brought variety of cultural dimensions to Australian universities. International students have opened up Australian borders and enhanced understanding and cohesion among students. Students have enhanced their communications and interpersonal skills due to interaction with different people. References Asmar, C., 1999, Scholarship, experience, or both? A developer's approach to cross-cultural teaching, International Journal of Academic Development, 4(1), 18-27. Ballard, B., & Clanchy, J., 1997, Teaching international students: A brief guide for lecturers and supervisors, Australian Capital Territory: IDP Education Australia. Barker, J., 1997, The purpose of study, attitudes to study and staff-student relationships. In D. McNamara & R. Harris (Eds.), Overseas students in higher education (pp. 107-127), London: Routledge. Biggs, J., 1999, Teaching for quality learning at university, Buckingham: The Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press. Chalmers, D. & Violet, S., 1997, Common misconceptions about students from South-East Asia studying in Australia, Higher Education Research and Development, 16(1), 87-98. Dillon, M.C. & Westbury, N.D., 2007, Beyond Humbug; transforming government engagement with Indigenous Australia, South Australia, Sea View Press. Iwana, M., 2003, Toward culturally relevant epistemologies in occupational therapy, American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 57(5), 582-588. Sheehan, N. & Walker, P., 2001, The Purga Project: Indigenous Knowledge Research, The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 25 (1), 23–29. Wells, S. A., 2005, An ethic of diversity. In R. B. Purtilo, G. M. Jensen, & C. B. Royeen (Eds.), Educating for moral action: A sourcebook in health and rehabilitation ethics, [pp. 31-41]. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis. Read More