CC BY
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УДК 37.014.25+378.18 ББК Ч448.4ж(0)+Ч448.043
ГСНТИ 14.35.07
Код ВАК 13.00.08
Абдулова Елена Владимировна,
кандидат педагогических наук, доцент, кафедра теории и методики обучения физике, технологии и мультимедийной дидактики, Институт физики, технологии и экономики, Уральский государственный педагогический университет; 620017, г. Екатеринбург, пр-т Космонавтов, д. 26; e-mail: [email protected]
Усольцев Александр Петрович,
доктор педагогических наук, профессор, кафедра теории и методики обучения физике, технологии и мультимедийной дидактики, Институт физики, технологии и экономики, Уральский государственный педагогический университет; 620017, г. Екатеринбург, пр-т Космонавтов, д. 26; e-mail: [email protected]
ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЕ ВЗАИМОПОНИМАНИЯ МЕЖДУ СТУДЕНТАМИ-ИНОСТРАНЦАМИ В УСЛОВИЯХ УГЛУБЛЕНИЯ МЕЖДУНАРОДНОГО КРИЗИСА
КЛЮЧЕВЫЕ СЛОВА: глобальное взаимопонимание; симпатия; эмпатия; толерантность; глобализация; преодоление стереотипов.
АННОТАЦИЯ. В статье описывается опыт организации международного культурно-образовательного проекта «Глобальное взаимопонимание», инициированного Университетом Восточной Каролины, США. Авторы рассматривают термин «глобальное взаимопонимание» с учетом происходящих сегодня в обществе процессов глобализации и подробно останавливаются на различиях между понятиями «взаимопонимание», «толерантность» и «терпимость». Исходя из рассмотренных дефиниций авторы предлагают новые цели реализации проекта: совместное решение практических задач, возникающих как результат главной проблемы, формулировка вопросов совместной деятельности, которые могут создать трудности во взаимопонимании, легко преодолимые, но требующие от партнеров осознанных усилий для принятия позиций друг друга. В статье предлагаются методы реализации проекта «Глобальное взаимопонимание», которые позволят студентам-иностранцам лучше понимать друг друга в процессе диалога и избавиться от навязываемых стереотипов.
Abdulova Elena Vladimirovna,
Candidate of Pedagogy, Associate Professor of Department of Theory and Methods of Teaching Physics, Technology and Multimedia Didactics, Institute of Physics, Technology and Economics, Ural State Pedagogical University, Ekaterinburg, Russia.
Usoltsev Aleksandr Petrovich,
Doctor of Pedagogy, Professor of Department of Theory and Methods of Teaching Physics, Technology and Multimedia Didactics, Institute of Physics, Technology and Economics, Ural State Pedagogical University, Ekaterinburg, Russia.
ORGANIZATION OF UNDERSTANDING AMONG STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN THE AGGRAVATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRISIS
KEYWORDS: global understanding; sympathy; empathy; tolerance; globalization; overcoming stereotypes.
ABSTRACT. The article describes the experience of organization of the International cultural and educational project "Global Understanding", initiated by the University of East Carolina (USA). The authors consider the term "global understanding" taking into account the globalization processes happening in society today. They dwell on the differences between the concepts "understanding", "tolerance", and "forbearance". Proceeding from the considered definitions, new purposes of implementation of the project are offered: the joint solution of some practical tasks arising as a result of the main problem; the formulation of themes of joint activity which would create difficulties in understanding, rather easily surmountable, but nevertheless demanding from partners some conscious efforts for acceptance of positions of each other. The paper offers some methods of realization of the "Global understanding" project which would allow students from different countries to understand each other in the process of dialogue and get rid of imposed stereotypes.
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1 ast Carolina University (USA) initiated ithe international cultural-educational project "Global understanding", which involves more than 30 countries. The main goal of this project is the implementation of international academic initiatives, ensuring students' academic mobility. Ural State Pedagogical University (USPU) joined the project in 2011.
In the term "global understanding" several senses can be identified.
Communication throughout the project is established in English. Therefore, the first and most obvious sense of the term "global under-
standing" is that "multilingual" project participants from many countries are provided with an opportunity to practice the English language and understand the information coming from their partners.
For the Ural region situated in the depths of the Russian Federation such practice is of high importance as it allows students to improve their foreign language necessary for future specialists, help to overcome the psychological barrier that always arises in front of those who have never had any practice of communicating in a foreign language. In this
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regard, the project reaches its goals one hundred percent.
But there are other, deeper interpretations of the term "global understanding". One of them may mean the motion vector to the universal globalization, the same worldview, beliefs and cultural codes, etc. But there is no need to speed up the movement in this direction as the pace of globalization is already very fast. As the interaction practice shows, there is much in common among young people from different countries: all of them wear the same clothes, have the same gadgets, eat fast food, watch the same Hollywood movies, and, of course, have similar problems in life. A Russian student is much less different from, for example, American or Japanese students today, than thirty years ago. And these differences are rapidly disappearing.
The main objective of global understanding, in our opinion, is that people must learn to understand the characteristics and differences of people from different countries, of different cultures and religions. Moreover, the term "understanding" is fundamentally different from the term "tolerance". Tolerance is often a synonym to the term "forbearance" which means deliberate suppression of rejection, i.e. intemal rejection of something "different" which is not manifested through external activities. Tolerance is the ability to control oneself in situations when one wants to react negatively. Tolerance usually implies noninterference, perfectly tolerant person is an indifferent one.
On the contrary, understanding implies internal acceptance of another person's position, characterized by empathy to him/her: "I can put myself in another's place, understand his thoughts, feelings and actions".
Considering the project "Global Understanding" in this context, its goals can be much broader than ensuring students' academic mobility. During the current aggravation of various political crises, often leading to armed clashes, information wars forming the stereotypical enemy image in the society never stop. Under the conditions of the information wars "free" press is hardly different from "not free".
One could say that in the contemporary history the following stereotypes have been formed in mutual perception between Russian and USA citizens:
Totalitarian Russia craves revenge after losing in the Cold War, seeks to revive the Empire within the former USSR borders.
The USA is a global gendarme, imposing his rules all over the world under the slogan of struggle for democracy.
Such stereotypes are beginning to play the role of invisible barriers between people from different countries.
But it is perfectly clear that state imperatives don't work at the level of individuals and social groups.
It is inappropriate to project the relations between the two countries (which always have their national interests) on the relationships between people: a particular Russian doesn't intend to "enslave" a Lithuanian, as well as a particular American is not going to pit a Ukrainian against a Russian. Communication among people aimed at destroying these stereotypes is becoming more important and necessary.
From our point of view, destruction of such stereotypes is a worthy goal for such a successful and large-scale project as "Global understanding". To achieve this goal, one must gradually and extremely carefully pass from such neutral subjects as "Student life", "Family and cultural traditions" on topics that evoke significant controversy (the subject of the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation can be regarded as the polar one).
The key requirement demanding the strictest compliance throughout such discussions is the absolute prohibition of criticizing one's opponent or persistent persuading him/her of one's tightness. One has to try to convey his/her feelings, position, understanding of the situation and problems.
Such a balanced approach often demonstrates that the subject of discussion does not certainly require antagonistic split of opinions. For example, it often reveals that most participants do not consider the problem under discussion the main or personally important at the moment.
Not just simple discussion, but the practice of co-solution of some practical tasks arising as consequences of the principal problem is really productive. For example it's efficient to discuss not the factors that caused the presence of a large number of migrants in Europe, but the issues of temporary camps arrangement, the refugees' socialization, their education, healthcare, etc.
It seems quite natural that in the frame of such discussions there is a risk to destroy the partners' mutual sympathy. The moderator's ability to guide the dialogue, to maintain positive emotional background of the conversation, to stop destructive attempts of causing a conflict is of high importance. If successful, empathy and compassion for the partner arise that ultimately may be defined as understanding.
Of course, we in no way suggest politicizing the project, making it an arena for ideological struggle. From our point of view, such an outcome would mean the complete collapse of the project and its degeneration into its opposite. That is why we do not offer to tackle the
subjects most difficult and painful for the interacting parties.
We offer to formulate such subjects of co-activity, which would create difficulties in understanding fairly easy to overcome, but still requiring some conscious efforts from the partners to adopt each other's positions and put themselves in the other's place.
Taking part in this project will not help students solely to master the English language.
They will learn to perceive people of opposing views positively, maintaining their own national identity and understanding the national interests. This ability will surely help them to adapt to the social environment not only in every corner of the globe, but across social groups in their native country that may be even more important.
REFERENCES
1. Makurova (Abdulova) E. V., Usoltcev A. P. Comparison of realization of competence-based approach in mass practice of the western and domestic teachers of higher education institutions / / The Conceptual Framework of Pedagogics and Education : collection of scientific articles. - Yekaterinburg : SV-96, 2012. Issue 7. P. 126-131.
2. Makurova (Abdulova) E. V., Rudenko N. S. The virtual educational environment as a condition of development of cross-cultural competence / / Pedagogical Education in Russia. 2012. No. 6. P. 120-123.
3. Abdulova E. V., Krylova S. G., Minyurov S. A., Rudenko N. S. The virtual educational environment -means of cross-cultural interaction // Visual communications in new media: effects, opportunities, risks : collection of materials. Tomsk : Publishing House Tomsk state un-t, 2015. P. 46-50.
Статью рекомендует д-р пед. наук, проф. С. А. Минюрова.
