DOCUMENT RESUME ED 372 979 SO 023 899 TITLE U.S. Department of Education Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program, Malaysia June 26 July 24, 1993. Participants' Reports. INSTITUTION Malaysian-American Commission on Educational Exchange, Kuala Lumpur. SPONS AGENCY Department of Education, Washington, DC. PUB DATE Jan 94 NOTE 319p.; Some portions may not reproduce clearly. PUB TYPE Collected Works Conference Proceedings (021) Guides Non-Classroom Use (055) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC13 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Cross Cultural Training; *Cultural Pluralism; Elementary Secondary Education; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; *International Educational Exchange; Language Attitudes; Local History; Moral Values; Social Studies; Teacher Developed Materials IDENTIFIERS Fulbright Hays Seminars Abroad Program; *Malaysia ABSTRACT This document contains reports by 14 participants of a Fulbright-Hays seminar in Malaysia. Participants were introduced to Malaysia and the Malaysian way of life through talks, discussion and field trips to schools, and educational institutions and cultural centers throughout the country. At every location the group was given presentations or local history and culture, local and regional development issues, and education. During the field visits the group focused its attention on the uniqueness of each of the areas and the kinds of people who lived there. The participants were introduced not only to the many facets of Malaysian life, but also to the rural and urban cultures; the experience thus dealt with the total fabric of Malaysian society. The experiential dimension was supplemented by viSits with individuals and organizations engaged in teaching, training, and research. The included reports are: (1) "A Malaysian Experience: Comparing Multi-Cultural Malaysian Culture to One's Own" (Daniel Andersen);(2) "Language Policy in Malaysia" (Elva Card); (3) "Moral Education: The Teaching of Common Values or Indoctrination? Malaysia and American Responses" (Thais de Rosa); (4)a series of geographical topics (Rose M. Giordano); (5) "Moral Education in the Malaysian and the Unitee States' Public School Systems. A Descriptive Study" (James Brian Higgins);(6) "Curriculum Unit on Agricultural Export Production in Malaysia" (Milton P. Hostetter);(7) "Malaysian Marathon. A Race for the Straits" (Charlene Jassim) ;(8) "Report of the Fulbright-Hays Seminar Abroad Program to Malaysia, June 26-July 24, 1993";(9) "Pantuns Malay Poetry" (LoAnne J. Larson); (10) "History and Art of the Pacific Rim" (Paula Rance); (11) "Where in the World is Malaysia?" (Linda T. Rogers) ;(12) "Factors Affecting the Development of the Arts in Malaysia" (Teresa M. Sarno); (13) "Malaysia: A Guide for Preparing a Readers' Theater Production" (Gail E. Scott); and (14) "Project on Malaysia" (Diane E. Erickson Smith). (DK) U.S..- Department of Education ' - r -<-qtror . < Fulbright-Hays Séñiiñars Abroad - U S. ORPARTNRNT OF CDUCATION Olfte of Eckman.* Remanat orm woromment EDUCATIONAL. RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIQ qyT14 \ILThedocument ists peen reproduced as m red from the person or orpatusakon Reports OoesnatIns d. Tartiapan 0 Mow (Aanom Aambeen made to morose aleroduction Oualtly POWs ot vow or OCkntone elated in Mos cloc Lt. men* do not necessarily represent &haat OEMDOSSOn or pokey "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY k(\ YY\ TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)" Department of Education United States of America -42447isd, ItLe.fL-M. -, fr:;,1 'tfli .,31.A'-i,' -.'. -;,11:!...;." v- 4:it;',:r.4-,.=,.. ,. ":4iffell ''.:;,-,.**.;,_:- MACEE "- --z-6.,.. s,'-'.... _ .,-,', Malaysian-American Commission .L ....--,. On Educational Exchange -... BEST COPY AVAILABLE U.S.E.D FULBRIGHTSEMINARS ABROAD PROGRAM MALAYSIA, JUNE 26 - JULY 241993 OBJECTIVES The general objective of the programis to help U.S. educators enhance theirinternational understanding and increase theirknowledge of the people and culture of anothercountry. Upon their return to the United State,participants are expected to share their acquiredbroader knowledge and experiences withstudents, colleagues, members of civic andprofessional organizations, and the public in theirhome communities. The specific objectives 6' the programin Malaysia is to offer participants anoverview of Malaysian life: 1. To be acquainted with the history,economics, geography, culture and scientific endeavors (especially those to do withagriculture) of Malaysia; 2. To be acquainted with Malaysiancultural diversity and to appreciate the multicultural nature of the society; of the people of Malaysia in the areas of art, 3. To gain insights into the contributions music, dance, science and technology; 4. To gain insights into the systemof education in Malaysia; 5. To gain insights into the national curriculumof schools in Malaysia, with special emphasis on the social studiesand language curricula. PROGRAM Participants were introduced to Malaysia andthe Malaysian way of life through talks, discussion and field trips to schools, educationalinstitutions and cultural centers, not only around Kuala Lumpur but also in other parts of the country.They travelled to Melaka, Pahang, Kelantan, Penang and Sarawak. At every location, the group was givenpresentations with regards to local history and culture; local and regional development issuesand education. During the course of the field visits the group focused its attention on theuniqueness of each of the areas and the kinds of people who live in them. The participants wereintroduced not only to the many facets of Malaysian life, but also the rural and urban cultures;the experience thus deal with the total fabric of Malaysian society. The experientialdimension was supplemented by visits with individuals and organizations engaged inteaching, training and research. ORGANIZERS Sponsor Department of Education, United States of America Coordinating Agency Malaysian-American Commission on Educational Exchange (MACEE) - Dr. M. ZainKarim, Executive Director - Ms. Ka laKovan, Program Officer Program Coordinator - Dr. HyacinthGaudart, Faculty of Education, Universiti Malaya. 3 U.S. Department of Education Fuibright-Hays Seminars AbroadProgram List of Participants 1. Andersen, Daniel L. 2. Card, Elva L. Schroebel. 3. De Rosa, Thais J. 4. Giordano, Rose M. 5. Higgins, James B. 6. Hostetter, Milton P. 7. Jassim, Charlene E. Johnson 8. Karp, Judith L. Cotton 9. Larson, LoAnne J. 10. Rance, Paula 11. Rogers, Linda L. Teague 12. Sarno, Terese M. 13. Scott, Gail E. 14. Smith, Diane E. Erickson 4 A Malaysian Experience: Comparing multi-cultural Malaysian culture to one's own. Daniel Andersen The following pages are a collection of five lesson plans intended to be used in an elementary curriculum. ( grades1 through 6) The primary goal of these lessons are to give the student a basic understanding; a taste of,if you will, Malaysian culture while comparing/contrasting itto one's own.The curriculum should be altered depending on the age level of the learners and their ethnic/cultural background. The major goal of the unit is for the students to obtain the humanistic understanding that no matter how different two societies may appear and no matter how remote from one another they may be, they have similarities in their functions, nedds and joys. PREPARTION: Before beginning the unit on Malaysia, a matrix should be built on the classroom wall in order to give the students a visual means of comparing their own culture with Malaysian and to aid in their intellectual understanding that the cultures being investigated are certainly different yet similar in terms of their needs and pastimes. As a suggestion, the matrix may be approximately eight feet by six feet.Through student suggestions, allow the students to build the components on the vertical side of the matrix. INTRODUCTION: -Explain to students that they will be learning about-and experiencing- various aspects of a different culture. -Discuss the meaning of culture. -Explain to students that while they are learning about Malaysian culture, they can expect to find similarities and differences to their own. -Locate Malaysia on the map and inquire wether students know anything about this country already.Write their pre-consisting knowledge of Malaysia on chart paper to be resurrected after the unit. -Directly instruct students on geographic and demographic information concerning Malaysia; the land formations, the climate, the population.Orally compare this information to the United States. BUILDING A PROGRESSIVE MATRIX: -In cooperative groups, have children generate a list of what humans must have in order to live happily amongst each other.Give them approximately 10 minutes to discuss this in their groups. -Have one speaker from each group present their list and clarify any items that may need clarification. -Displaying alllists. The teacher should then circle the items common to all lists.Take these items and add them to the vertical axis of the matrix; explaining that these are the items the class will be exploring. On the horizontal axis of the matrix will be the words the United States and Malaysia. (see diagram below) -Undoubtedly, students will generate such items as food, clothing, entertainment, and school.The teacher may want to add worship, art and dance in order to present a colorful perspective of Malaysian culture. -The dwation of this unit will depend on time and the interest of the students, teacher and administration. Each lesson may take several sessions. CLOZURE: 6 Tell students that as they learn