Kennedy 2002

[see: Learning cultures and learning styles: myth understandings about adult (Hong Kong) Chinese learners]

A very interesting review has 3 themes:
1. how chinese culture itself affects learning styles?
2. literature findings on effective adult learning
3. the extent to which Hong Kong adults adopt learning styles consonant with 2

Chinese culture is characterised by being low on individualism and high on collectivism with a strong preference for working together in groups to solve problems. The learning styles adopted by chinese learners are often attributed to Confucian values. Teachers' wisdom and knowledge is taken for granted and not to be questioned. Compromise and maintenance of harmonious relations are encouraged.

Students unwilling to commit themselves for fear of being wrong and thus losing face. Most Chinese teaching is didactic. Chinese learners adopt a concrete-sequential cognitive style. Chinese students are more reflective than impulsive and prefer slow, accurate, systemic approach. They co-operate readily in groups outside classroom.

Memorisation is seen as a prelude to deeper understanding - which enables the learner to savour and reflect on them later, and to integrate them with his/her prior learning and experience. They memorise for deep learning of content and with each successive read will come a new understanding (a notion of deeper understanding through repetition).

Chinese students are not passive, but reflective - they value thoughtful questions which they ask after sound reflection. If learners believe knwoledge (when it is presented as cut and dried universals) then they rote learn. This may be a Confucian artefact. It is only when an element of doubt is introduced that they are invited to engage in a more questioning fashion.