Questioning Authority

a collection of quotes and notes from the NmInTheSouthPacific project looking at how students ask (and don't ask) questions of their teachers and peers in the South Pacific. These were collected from the site by Shalen Gounden

Startup Questions, CulturalNmBrainstorm

1. What cultural considerations need to be taken into account when designing educational multimedia in the South Pacific?
2. What impact do these cultural considerations have on the design of educational multimedia?

Torote Kauongo, NmKiribati

• "that’s the one problem we are trying to get them to overcome, the problem of talking back and asking questions"
• "what I sometimes do i demonstrate it, convey their question, so they know how to do it, aren’t scared of the mic, it won’t bite them"
• "i think it is the fear of the technology, no problem with face to face, and amongst themselves, maybe their grammar is not coresdct and they are ashamed of that"
• "quite a number use their email and are able to ask questions directly to their tutors"
• "alot are using their computer to access their assignments"
• being able to repeat, do things on their own so they will not be afraid of asking questions

Site Visit to Kiribati, NmKiribati

• Email seems to be used by most, primarily for administrative questions, while content-questions are covered in Audio Tutorials, though most students prefer to ask their local tutors (note to self: talk to Suva Coordinators to see if this is an institutionalized division or something the students do on their own)

Talk with a Staff / Student: Site Visit to Kiribati, NmKiribati

• prefers to ask fellow students questions, but also asks local tutor
• Suva coordinator: student only asks admin questions, via email

A Solomon Student in Kiribati: Site Visit to Kiribati, NmKiribati

• emails the course coordinator in Suva with her questions
• FT203 - has sent 2 or 3 emails, but otherwise doesn’t have questions

Binto, CS: Site Visit to Kiribati, NmKiribati

• "typically Kiribati students are shy; they thought that if they ask the question their peers would laugh, but some stay after the class and ask afterward"
• students are more comfortable asking questions alone or in small groups (a big group in this context would be 20 students)

Talk with a Foundation Student: Site Visit to Kiribati, NmKiribati

• will first ask the local tutor, and hasn’t had to ask the Suva coordinator because the local tutor is ‘""always able to answer""

Dako, S.I. Staff: Site Visit to Kiribati, NmKiribati

• most want to answer his questions in Kiribati
• reluctant to ask him questions
• "they have to have a good number (of fellow students) to boost their confidence"
• resorts to giving "mock tests" to see if they understand, because he has troubles telling from their response in class

Talk with a Working Student: Site Visit to Kiribati, NmKiribati

• often asks questions during audio tutorials
• also uses email

Lima Ronna .L: Chapter in Educational Ideas from Oceania, NmSolomons

• "Children are not allowed to talk during the teaching process. Doing so is deemed disrespectful" (p. 120)
• Bonie is intelligent, wise, knowledgeable and humble

Mark Dennis: Phone Interview, NmSolomons

• "Students here are very shy, this is one of the biggest problems, because there is a crowd and they are too shy to ask questions. Quite often they come and see me after the class to ask questions"
• "only 1 hour per week of contact with tutor, so I have to ask questions for them"
• audio tutorials are available, "students can listen in on what is being asked"
• "some students from provinces ask questions with email" - wireless email system in most rural centers with people first PS net Kevin Mitala chief engineer

Mark Dennis: Site Visit to Solomons, NmSolomons

• too shy to ask for help until they knew me, so he approaches the,
• Does this work better in a group or singly? : "I think in a group, b/c they feel more confident when they have their friends behind them"

Students: Site Visit to Solomons, NmSolomons

• email b/c sat is short
• but email is not sufficient b/c
• computer illiterate- can’t ask questions
• not enough computers

E. Guadalcanal Student: Site Visit to Solomons, NmSolomons

• saves up his questions during tutorials
• "but its quite different in Melanesian lifestyle so we’re embarrassed to ask questions"
• Do you ask questions? "Yes of course, that’s what i am here for"

Foundation Students: Site Visit to Solomons, NmSolomons

• asks questions to tutor, not really shy

Nathaniel Tuiseke: Site Visit to Solomons, NmSolomons

• "students aren’t into asking questions; they want to be told everything... it’s always been a one-sided situation"
• Outside Tutors: only part-time, hard to track down for questions
• "if notes could be on computer, it would be easier to students"
• give students resources outsides of classroom time
• students don’t get exams they’ve done until too late, so email assignments
• but this leaves out province-students
• ""some students are afraid if they are too aggressive (asking questions of coordinator), they will be singled out when it comes to exam time, so they are more comfortable with me"''
• DFl student have no choice, the book is their tutor, it helps to have face to face

Program Assistant, John Peter: Site Visit to Solomons, NmSolomons

• 1 hour/ week tutorial for questions
• audio satellite and email are other ways
• both shy and not shy students exist
• "shy students ask one on one after class"
• "others have problems but don’t make effort to ask questions"

2 Students: Site Visit to Solomons, NmSolomons

• I read the book again and again until I understand. If I don’t understand after that, then I talk to tutor

Accounting Student: Site Visit to Solomons, NmSolomons

• asks the local tutor during lunchtime

Admin Officer, Counseling Ed. Dept: Site Visit to Solomons, NmSolomons

• shy at first, with both radio and audio, but once they get used to it, they come out of their shells
• Audio: "quite alot of students don’t always come to audio, when others are sitting there they are too shy to talk, but the senior ones make alot of use, request extra time to talk to course coordinator. They would be less shy when they are there by themselves"
• he encourages them to come even if they don’t take, so they can hear others questions
• just as shy to ask each other questions, until they know each other
• break them into smaller groups and they won’t be as shy

Jerry, Computer Teacher: Site Visit to Solomons, NmSolomons

• people are afraid to make mistakes in front of others
• in groups, either
  • 1 or 2 are dominant, & the rest are spectators
  • 1 or 2 hold everyone back "you’re too slow"
• "working in groups, in a way, can stifle some people’s progress; in another way the dominant ones can do the work and the others can learn"

A Fijian in an American University, NmStudents

• had difficulties learning to question teachers in US
  • "whatever you say is right, but you offend them if you don’t talk"
• his confidence was built when he asked questions, and he says he learned the "fallibility of authority"
  • "in the states, I’d probably be lagging behind, because I am traditional" but feels that he now has an edge in Fiji because he is willing to ask questions and learn more

Indigenous Education in Kiribati, NmKiribati

• Aversion to question Authority: consensual decision also result in "holding back arguments", so less likely to ask questions, selective imparting of knowledge means that sometimes teachers will not provide all information because it is not appropriate
• elaboration’s okay
• Consensus is built by agreeing and then honing or adding to a previous statement
• E-anonymity or shyness?
• Where do computers fit in here? Tools? Underlings? Seniors imparting knowledge?
• Layers of simplicity: Not just simple to hard, but wrote to perceptual. Practice then concept. Teach building blocks, then build with blocks
• cultural knowledge only governed by cultural restrictions

Torote Kauongo, NmKiribati

• "that’s the one problem we are trying to get them to overcome, the problem of talking back and asking questions"
• "what I sometimes do i demonstrate it, convey their question, so they know how to do it, aren’t scared of the mic, it won’t bite them"
• "i think it is the fear of the technology, no problem with face to face, and amongst themselves, maybe their grammar is not coresdct and they are ashamed of that"
• "quite a number use their email and are able to ask questions directly to their tutors"
• "alot are using their computer to access their assignments"
• being able to repeat, do things on their own so they will not be afraid of asking questions

Economics Student: Site Visit to Kiribati, NmKiribati

• First asks students, then tutors. If that fails, then they turn to email

Unaisi Nabobo, NmFiji

• "Respect, humility, sharing (reciprocity), and consensus all contribute...""'' (p. 89)
• In Fiji, Solomons, Kiribati (PolyMelaMicro): "If kids ask questions, parents will say Shss iu no ask (Shss don’t ask) or if they ask na vea? (Why?) The parents will say pude vegua (just because, or that’s the way it is) or iu, no kasem taem for ask question olsem (the time hasn’t come for you to ask questions like that)." (p. 90, from Ninnes, P, 1991:18# Culture and Learning in Western Province, Solomon Islands MA Thesis, Flinders University, South Australia)
• Verbalizing: "On the other hand, children who are quiet, listen passively, and follow instructions and advice with very little or no question are favored."

Prem Sinha: Labasa Centre, NmFiji

• most of lectures are not live
• students write questions on request form and send snail-mail
• most students don’t have email
• no internet cafes, no computers at work, 2-3% have computer access at home
• ask workers at centers, who can email on their behalf

Fiaosi Aleamotua: Assistant USPNet Operator, NmFiji

• most of the students are shy to ask questions in big classes
• up to fifty in a class, some have 1 or two students

Bisun Deo: Hindu is Drifft, NmHindu

• Respect/deference to elders is important, but "Questions that indicate a desire to know or to understand the principle(s) behind a particular act are seen as a sign of intelligence, and are welcome." (p. 102)

Bisun Deo: Fellowup, NmHindu

• |--West-------Indofijian----------Fijians--|
• |--Many question------fewer questions--|
• Indians more likely to ask questions, but only after listening
• "In Hinduism we expect people to be good listeners. And only if you are a good listener can you ask relevant questions, questions that are important"
• "lots of times, people are afraid of asking questions because it exposes their ignorance"
• Fijians usually refrain from questioning authority figures regardless. However, this is cultural rather than biological
• "There are Fijians who have grown up in Indian communities, so they act like Indians" (in this respect)

Student: Samoa Centre Site Visit, NmSamoa

• asks the local tutor first, then turns to WebCT
• doesn’t go to the satellite tutorials (MA101), but does go to CS112/ Veronica’s VBC on Saturdays

Ioane Malaki: Samoa Centre Site Visit, NmSamoa

• "Taught to listen and not question. When brought into the classroom, you have students who feel it is disrespectful to ask questions" -Aca (Fijian)

Vic Puri, PVC: Samoa Centre Site Visit, NmSamoa

• questions are always one on one; two scared to ask in a group

Theories to discuss, Questions for Centers

• How does this effect tech/distance learning
• E-anonymity

Bisun Deo, NmPolyMelaMicro

• Samoa, Cook, Solomons, Vanuatu are "very vocal, very vocal, very vocal. They share ideas, come talk to lecturers alot."
• In-service students are also vocal across cultures (also see Authorities within peer groups in NmHindu)
• older students, in-service students can often intimidate other students because they are seen as being more experienced, and serve as a proxy authority figure in front of which they do not want to be shamed
• Kind of school affects this alot
• Language is also a major barrier (shame, fear, "people will laugh at me")

Teaching Methodology, NmAptech

• it seems a combination of e-anyonmity and peer learning is used to overcome aversion to question authority
• "...job of lecturer is to make students interactive... they have to give presentations... once they become interactive, if they have doubts, they go to the lecturers"
• students are encouraged to ask questions, and do
• all students forced to give presentations
• most projects are group projects
• student communities: online scheduled chats with foreign faculty

Learning Issues: Nauru Site Visit, NmNauru

• "although we are passive, we are observing but not articulating because of peer pressure, social constraints" -M 30 Sep, 2003
• "Polynesians are always ready to come out, whereas we are more reserved, we’re not demonstrative" -M/AK 30 Sep 2003

Internal Recommendations: Nauru Site Visit, NmNauru

• delegate specific people to ask questions -AK, 30 Sep 2003
• self-esteem is a major contributor to this, so anything to improve self-esteem will encourage them to raise questions -AK 30 Sep 2003

Interview with Ronald Kun: Nauru Site Visit, NmNauru

• "students prefer one on one in terms of asking questions... most questions come up while I smoke after class, it’s more informal" -RK 1 Oct 2003
• "The thing that would be useful is to gather most asked questions. It shows them it is not a silly question." -RK 1 Oct 2003
• "1 student will ask the question, but everyone else is scribbling like mad" -RK 1 Oct 2003
• Sharing Questions: "when they ask a question, don’t answer directly, but send them to the peanut board so everyone can see" -RK 1 Oct 2003
• "most of my students are my seniors, so I don’t think its about being shy, i think its about not wanting to waste people’s time, because they do ask questions when they step outside" -RK 1 Oct 2003

Interview with Winnie: Nauru Site Visit, NmNauru

• "if you don’t want to ask questions in the classroom because you’re shy, you can read the book"

Interview with Phaedora: Nauru Site Visit, NmNauru

• "Students are very shy; they don’t want attention. If I talk to them one on one, I whisper, and it works" -P, 1 Oct, 2003
• "and if they know the answer, they’re afraid their friends will make of them, ‘ah you’re smart’" -P, 1 Oct, 2003
• "most of them know, but they are shy, so I have to ask them individually" -P, 1 Oct, 2003

Interview with Formosa, Management Student: Nauru Site Visit, NmNauru

• he (Robert Wojek) seeds questions by going through examples
• "we were a bit shy at the start, but we’re more desperate than shy" -F, 3 Oct 2003

Ronna: Nauru Site Visit, NmNauru

• "bright students are afraid they will be teased if they say something extraordinary"
• "instead of shocking them into doing something, I have steps to bring them out of their shell" like smaller groups, project-based that give "a team-work feeling," so they work together instead of against each other

Charles lone: USP Net Operator, NmNiue

• leery of asking questions
• often ask Charles to ask questions
• "quite a few who are quite open"
• many use their personal emails
• more likely to approach local tutors than ones in Suva
• questions they ask tutors in Suva are generally related to test, assignments
• questions they ask tutors here are more content based

Tutai Parima, NmCooks

• a few are too shy to talk on the mic, "but I’ve had assume really good students just blowing the lecturers, but we have students who prefer to just listen in"
• "Ah that’s alright we’ll just listen" when the mic was busted
• they’ll ask other students, shy in big classes

Rito Akilang, NmMarshalls

• "students are shy to ask questions, only a few students can talk"
• "they want to ask questions individually, when the lecture is over they go straight to the teacher, most of the students are too shy to ask in front of the students"
• most will save their questions for email after the lecture
• every Tues. to Thurs there are vbc

Fijian Student at Marshalls: Jennifer, NmMarshalls

• able to ask questions via audio for TF310
• unable to ask questions during Video of GE303 with Dr. Weber
• "Worst is getting the textbooks, they come in late, and trying to get in touch with tutors, it would take like 2 or 3 days trying to reach tutors. maybe we email today and we get a reply like 3 days or 1 day later"
• "If I have a question, I feel it would be okay"
• for shy students, "they write them down for their tutors"

Filimoni Saumaki, NmFiji

• How do students get their questions answered?
  • By asking lecturers / tutors / administrators or through research and internet searches AT,JP,NB,DB
  • Weekly tutorials / group discussions / help from experts / satellite tutorials. AS, NS, AK, NC.
  • Formal letter / e-mail or by phone JV,GS,RK
  • When asked UL,SA,PL
  • Not frequent TN,TM,TT,KB
• Are some students less likely to ask questions?
  • Yes (EVERYBODY)
• Why?
  • Because of fear of victimization and lack of knowledge about the subject matter AS,NS,AK,NC
  • They are timid or the lecturers/tutors belittle them in front of others so they are reluctant to speak up. AT,JP,NB,DB
  • Cultural issues JV,GS,RK
  • If not interested in the subject UL,SA,PL
  • Because of proximity and distance TN,TM,TT,KB
  • Lack of confidence AA,MF,V,A
  • Cultural upbringing – Kiribati people will only answer if asked it is bad manners to talk when not required BT,RV,TT
  • How can we get students to ask questions and get the answers they need?
  • have well qualified local tutors who have adequate level of teaching experience and knowledge about the subject matter AS,AK,NC,NS
  • Lecturers/tutors must always allow freedom of speech by all. Should encourage/ ask someone who is extremely quiet what he or she thinks of something to elicit a response? Open discussions without fear reprisal is the best way for students to learn and get answers to questions AT,JP,NB,DB
  • Involve students to other outdoor activities JV,GS,RK
  • Subject groups UL,SA,PL
  • Encourage more interactions over the net or set a local tutor to deliver TN,TM,TT,KB
  • Face to face AA,MF,V,A
  • Encouragement and direct addressing – generalizing will never work with Kiribati people BT,RV,TT