Culture shock is already a familiar concept for immigrants. They have always had to deal with it. However, the majority of Chinese students coming to Australia to study struggle with a further aspect of this problem: learning shock.

"I feel it is really difficult to get used to the learning style here," said Qun Gao, who is studying at the University of Sydney, looking depressed.

"Even though I was mentally prepared before I came here, I was still shocked with the totally different pedagogical system," she said. "You can ask questions at any time during the seminar and the lecturer normally wouldn't get angry with your interruption. On the contrary, they always explain your enquiry with patience." 

"However, in China, students normally don't ask questions until class is over. If you interrupt the lecturer, it looks very impolite. It not only influences the lecturer's train of thought, but other students' as well." She looks puzzled.

It is true that learning shock has already become one of the intractable issues for some international students. It makes them depressed about their study, and some of them even avoid going to classes.

As Australia is one of the most popular country choices for international students, the staff of the Australian colleges and universities have to pay attention to this phenomenon if they intend to keep exploiting overseas students as a major revenue source.

According to the statistics from the Australian Education International (AEI), the international education industry has become the third largest export earner for Australia. The number of full-fee paying international students in Australia increased by 19% in 2007 compared with a previous year. Chinese students accounted for 22%, which places them first in the list of Major Source Countries of overseas students.

Overseas students in all sectors in 2006(a), by major source countries

Source: AEI international student numbers

China has a very different pedagogical system to those of Western countries. Hence, trying to understand the Chinese students and help them to get used to a new learning environment is an important issue for some Australian lecturers.

Although China has experienced unprecedented development in recent decades, traditional Confucianism still plays a significant role in the Chinese educational system.

The teachings and philosophy of Confucius, the most famous philosopher in China, have deeply influenced Chinese pedagogy. For example, respecting teachers and valuing education is one of the strongest ideas in Chinese culture.

In China, teachers have higher authority. From the students' point of view, they receive knowledge from their teachers without query.

However, in the Western-style educational system, teachers are also facilitators. They encourage students to express their own ideas and they will give constructive feedback to instruct students' research.

It is interesting that Australian teachers feel Chinese students are normally very quiet during the discussion. "From what I've observed, Chinese students do seem to be a little bit more formal," said Louise Katz, who works in language support for international students at the University of Sydney.                                                                               

Actually, this reserve is influenced deeply by traditional Chinese culture. As the adage says: "Silence is golden." Confucius advocated modesty. He once said: "When I walk along with two others, they may serve me as my teachers." Moreover, he believed that the superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions. Hence, the "silence" reflects the modesty in a Chinese way.  

Louise said: "In the University environment, students are encouraged to talk, to exchange ideas, and to argue to improve their academic skills." She laughed.

This difference is also are reflected in the Chinese writing style. For example, Huizhong Shen, Director of the University of Sydney Confucius Institute, said that Chinese students do not tend to express ideas explicitly and they avoid free expression of personal views. They rely heavily on famous words from well-known writers in their essays to demonstrate their strong knowledge base, rather than focusing on developing their own arguments.

Mr. Shen mentioned that Confucius always said: "I transmit but do not create." He explained that the process of the transmission itself, in the Confucian sense, is a kind of process of creativity. The Chinese students should convey to the Western world that the process of using famous words to demonstrate their knowledge base is not just a mechanical transmission and, in a sense, it is a modest way of expression.

It is undeniable that there are many differences between Chinese pedagogy and that of the West. With more and more Chinese students studying overseas, learning shock has come to the attention of educational experts.

However, the positive aspect is that the increase in the number of the Chinese students might reduce the cultural gap between China and the West, in that it accelerates the integration of the cultures. Because as the cultural intermediary, Chinese international students are not only bring the western culture back to China but also unconsciously deliver the Chinese culture into the Western countries.  

This is a positive sign that economic and cultural globalisation has dramatically increased the exchange between eastern and western countries. The international students now play an important role in the world arena.

Furthermore, as a non-profit institute, the Confucius Institute, which aims to promote Chinese language and culture, has established 262 branches in 75 countries until July 2008. Also the first Confucius Institute in New South Wales was established at the University of Sydney in June 2008. It indicates that with Chinese language and culture are being gradually understood worldwide.

As the syncretism of ideology between eastern and western countries includes different pedagogies and lifestyles, cultural differences become blurred. Culture shock, especially learning shock may eventually disappear.

Xiaoli Pei is an international student of the University of Sydney studying for a master's degree in Publishing. Her studies include Online Journalism.