Group work and cultural characteristics in a Chinese school

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper reports a longitudinal case study of developing, implementing, and evaluating group work in a Chinese school in Macau, and instances the salience of Chinese cultural dimensions of schools, teachers, and students in understanding and developing group work in the Chinese school in question. It analyses group work in a case study school and finds that challenges in developing group work in the school are similar to those reported in non-Chinese schools, whilst, at the same time, embracing key aspects of Chinese culture. Group work here challenges one-sided interpretations of “the Chinese learner” and embraces both individualism and collectivism, collaboration and competition, and academic priorities and social priorities. Several elements of Chinese culture, pedagogical culture, and everyday contexts combine compatibly in understanding group work in this Chinese school.