The difference in class
When it comes to the reason for studying abroad, education systems should never be ignored. In virtue of different cultural backgrounds, people hold various perspectives and attitudes towards education. Classes are undoubtedly the symbol of education form. In China, the rules in class require students to sit straightly, listen to the teacher quietly, and take notes quickly. Furthermore, asking professor questions during the class is usually regarded as an impolite behavior. Thus, instead of taking the initiative to express oneself in public, having discussions in groups, and having interaction with teachers, most students choose silence.
In contrast, the classes in the United States are more attractive and engaging. First, students are free to ask questions whenever they want. They are encouraged to have more individual and critical thinking. Second, people are inspired to share their ideas, both publicly and privately. Presentations and discussions in class are common in America. Every student is asked to grasp the opportunities and take an active part in them. In consequent, Chinese students are relatively passive in the classroom, while American students are much more vibrant.
In addition, there are apparent differences in the educational concept. The America educational system emphasizes basis and innovation. With basic knowledge and technical capacity, students are likely to do most programs (Ouyang, 2015). Besides, instead of providing a unique method, most professors prefer to put up questions and encourage everyone to think about creative solutions. Although some ideas seem to be ridiculous, students are less likely to be blamed. The primary purpose is mere to inspire student’s innovation ability. However, as far as most Chinese concerned, right and perfect answer seems to be one forever. Thus, people are often stuck in a limited pattern of thinking.
The difference towards learning attitude
In China, people’s classes are fixed. Namely, students do not have much freedom to choose the class they want. Moreover, people are concerned much about direct benefits, such as better working opportunities, higher wages when they choose the major or subject. With long-term consideration, the class seems to be more conducive to most Chinese when searching for occupations. On the contrary, Americans simply choose the class they are interested in. There are some “weird” classes, such as chocolate science and Yoga.
From my perspective, different values play a crucial role. In China, grade seems to be the main way to judge a student. People with higher grades are considered to be more talented and successful. Thus, Chinese students care much more about their grades and other similar accomplishments. Contrarily, the United States pays more attention to students’ overall development in moral, intellectual, and physical aspects. In order to encourage students getting into a good habit of working out every day, the entertainment center is self-contained. There are treadmills, elliptical machines, swimming pools, stationary bikes, and so on to meet different needs. By the same token, the university provides more programs.
For instance, for the students major in education, they have the opportunity to take part in programs like the First Education Experience Program. It is an Open Option Service-Learning GE course that allows undergraduate students to explore education as a possible career path through actual world experiences and seminars in reality.