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ICP Project Activities
Data gathering has been
undertaken by a variety of means, as detailed below. Many of the data gathering
activities either were also intrinsically, or were developed into, learning
activities which are fully described in the ICP Outcomes
section.
Keep checking ICP
Latest News for new developments.
- Quizzes
- Diaries
- Questionnaire
- Interviews
- Focus Groups
- Intercultural Incidents
- Data Collection Statistics
Quizzes
Pre-residence abroad students on an intensive preparatory course are set, in class, a rapid answer, multiple choice, thirty question DIY written 'Culture Quiz', individual to the country of destination. On completion, appropriate answers are signalled by the tutor and issues discussed. Quiz results are analysed for cultural misunderstandings. Own answers are later returned to students.For more information see Quizzes in the ICP Outcomes section.
Aim = data-gathering, teaching exercise, consciousness-raising and fun.
Diaries
Below is one example of the use of diaries, journals and logbooks in connection with the year abroad which are being developed, reviewed and evaluated by the project.The sub-project "Diaries as Learner Support during the year abroad" concentrates entirely on this topic.
For more information about the diaries, journals and logbooks which have been developed for use during the period of Residence Abroad, see Diaries in the section on ICP Outomes.
Students are briefed and given, pre-residence, a notebook in which to write a diary in English during the first 2 months of their stay abroad, recording feelings, impressions, events experienced by them, whether positive or negative, and describing any particular linguistic or cultural obstacles, misunderstandings, awkwardnesses they have encountered. Diaries are returned, anonymized and analysed.
Aim = data-gathering, consciousness-raising, self-reflexivity, personal record
Questionnaire
This was designed in order to serve as a precise instrument for gathering data from individuals about their PRA and raising their own level of reflexivity about it. It is administered in the first weeks after students return to the university after the PRA. During the course of the project the format has gradually been refined. Although the project used it for data gathering, it can also be used as an initial debriefing tool, to gain an overview of student experiences while away, or as a stimulus for further discussion and reflection, in tandem with other activities suggested on this site. The questionnaire can be downloaded as a Word file, approx. 51K.Aim = data-gathering, consciousness-raising.
Example:
Italy: Q.40.
Could you give an example of a misunderstanding that occurred ....
Answer: 'Italian does not have as many polite forms as English; in shops someone would say "Dimmi" or "Dammi", which means "Tell me" or "Give me". It seems very abrupt to English people at first - but its normal'.
Spain: Q.40.
Could you give an example of a misunderstanding that occurred ....
Answer: 'When my mother came to stay I found I cut her short, saying "No, listen to me" and she looked completely shocked. In Spain people simply talk over one another, speak louder and are more direct about personal comments. They will tell you outright if you don't like what you're wearing etc.'
Germany: Q.34.
Were there times during your stay when you felt low? If yes, what do you think caused this?
Answer: Very cold weather, boredom, lack of work at school occasionally, isolation in first few months, adapting and making friends.
France: Q. 45.
Have your views about your own country/people changed? Yes. No. If yes, how?
Answer: "I can see now what a reserved and naive people we can be".
Interviews
Interviews could take place at any point before, during or after residence abroad. In this example, students are interviewed individually, as early as possible on their return, for 30-50 mins., by a single interviewer following, as far as is possible, an agreed template interview structure. The interviews are audio-taped for transcription.For more information about interviews, see Questionnaire, Focus Groups & Interviews in the section on ICP Outomes.
Aim = data-gathering, debriefing.
Focus groups
Informal discussions with groups of between 3 and 8 people with one or two facilitators. The aim is to compare and analyse experiences. The facilitator may guide the discussion when necessary by referring to material previously received from the participants, e.g. diaries, questionnaires, interviews. The focus groups are audio- and sometimes video-taped for transcription.For more information about focus groups, see Questionnaire, Focus Groups & Interviews in the section on ICP Outomes.
Aim = data-gathering, debriefing.
Intercultural Incidents
Following Brislin's(1986) concept of 'critical incident', students were asked to provide accounts of experiences involving various forms of cultural 'misunderstandings'. Project team members used this material to reconstruct scenarios which lend themselves to a number of learning activities designed to raise students' levels of intercultural knowledge and awareness, ranging from role plays to structured discussion and creative writing.For more information, see Intercultural Incidents in the section on ICP Outomes.
Aim = data-gathering, debriefing.
| Questionnaires | Cohort 1
PRA=96/97 |
Transcribed | Tagged |
| Univ. of Central Lancashire | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Lancaster University | 57
(Pilot:9) |
48 | 48 |
| Sheffield University | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| TOTAL | 162 | 153 | 153 |
| Questionnaires | Cohort 2
PRA=97/98 |
Transcribed | Tagged |
| Univ. of Central Lancashire | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| Homerton College
Maitrise-PGCE Project |
24 | 0 | 0 |
| Lancaster University | 80 | 80 | 0 |
| Sheffield University | 64 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 195 | 80 | 0 |
| Diaries | Cohort 2
PRA=97/98 |
Transcribed | Tagged |
| Univ. of Central Lancashire | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Homerton College
Maitrise-PGCE Project |
21 | 8 | 0 |
| Lancaster University | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Sheffield University | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| TOTAL | 72 | 62 | 54 |
| Diaries | Cohort 3
PRA=98/99 |
Transcribed | Tagged |
| Lancaster University | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Sheffield University | 27 | 26 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 39 | 38 | 12 |
| Diaries | Cohort 4
PRA=99/00 |
Transcribed | Tagged |
| Lancaster University | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Interviews | Cohort 1
PRA=96/97 |
Transcribed | Tagged |
| Univ. of Central Lancashire
France=8 Germany=10 Spain=1 |
19 | 19 | 19 |
| Lancaster University
France=5 Germany=6 Spain=2 Italy=1 |
14 | 14 | 14 |
| Sheffield University
France=7 Germany=5 Spain=5 unknown=8 |
25 | 25 | 25 |
| TOTAL | 58 | 58 | 58 |
| Interviews | Cohort 2
PRA=97/98 |
Transcribed | Tagged |
| Univ. of Central Lancashire
France=3 Germany=3 Spain=2 France/Spain=1 |
9 | 9 | 9 |
| Homerton College
approx 10 min=23 approx 30 min=54 |
77 | 77 | 0 |
| Lancaster University
France=8 Germany=4 Spain=1 Italy=3 |
16 | 15 | 14 |
| Sheffield University
France=1 Germany=2 Spain=1 unknown=7 |
11 | 6 | 6 |
| TOTAL | 113 | 101 | 29 |
| Focus Groups | Cohort 1
PRA=96/97 |
Transcribed | Tagged |
| Univ. of Central Lancashire
Students=1 Staff=1 |
2 | 2 | 2 |
| Lancaster University
Students=3 Staff=1 |
4 | 3 | 1 |
| Sheffield University
Students=2 Staff=1 |
3 | 3 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 11 | 10 | 4 |
| Focus Groups | Cohort 2
PRA=97/98 |
Transcribed | Tagged |
| Univ. of Central Lancashire
Students=2 |
2 | 2 | 2 |
| Homerton College
Students=2 |
2 | 2 | 0 |
| Lancaster University
Students=5 |
5 | 5 | 5 |
| Sheffield University
Students=1 |
1 | 1 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 10 | 10 | 8 |