| Scope and method of study. This qualitative study used Mary Douglas's (1982) grid and group typology to explain the cultural context and preferences of foreign language instruction in a public university located in southern Thailand. Several data collection strategies were employed, including survey questionnaires, in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Triangulation, prolonged engagement, and peer debriefing are examples of several techniques used to ensure trustworthiness.Findings and conclusions. The findings of this study revealed that the overall context of TSU's working atmosphere and classroom settings was best described as bureaucratic (high-grid and low-group). The typical features of the teacher-centered approach were mainly adopted as a mode of teaching. However, the English faculty members preferred a collectivist (low-grid and high-group) work atmosphere where active collaboration and equal partnership between teachers and students are highly valued. The study suggests that a change from a bureaucratic to collectivist environment requires great effort, since these cultural prototypes are in diagonal quadrants of the grid and group typology. In order to implement a more learner-centered educational environment, emphasis should be placed on changing the teaching-learning environment and bridging relationships between faculty members and students as well as among the faculty members themselves. |
