Education paper by Fábián, Gyöngyi
Students at Pannon University, Veszprém, Hungary (Accepted)
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
The purpose of this paper is to direct attention to the potential relationship between the cultural anthropology of the Hungarian education scene and some features of the interaction between Hungarian and international college students at Pannonia University, Veszprém. Between 2011 and 2013, a study of Hungarian students’ classroom behavior was carried out (Fábián 2012, 2014) based on earlier cultural anthropological findings (Hofstede 1986, 2008). In the current presentation, the results of the aforementioned cultural anthropological study are reiterated in the form of a description of the contemporary Hungarian education scene; they will be used as new aspects of the interpretation of the interaction patterns between Hungarian and international college students on the Veszprém campus. For this purpose, the reflective reports of international students will be investigated. As an outcome of their course offered on the subject of intercultural communication, a group of international students were asked to reflect on their intercultural experiences at the end of the first year of their study program at the university. The students provided their reflective thoughts in the form of a brief written discourse. The analysis of their reflections suggests that the interaction between the international students and their Hungarian peers was extremely limited. Some suggestions to improve the interaction as recommended by the international students themselves will also be presented. Finally, some cultural anthropology-based implications of the results will be discussed.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Gyöngyi Fábián is an education specialist and applied linguistics teaching Hungarian and international students. She has worked as a materials writer and curriculum and materials developer with several national and international projects. She holds a PhD degree and habilitation in Education Studies, and is currently working as Associate Professor at the Institute of Hungarian and Applied Linguistics at the University of Pannonia, Veszprém, Hungary. She has authored several English language teaching materials. As a researcher, her special interests include understanding general and language teachers’ roles through metaphors, education in Hungary, and more specifically, critical thinking in education.