INTER AND INTRA-CULTURE-BASED GROUP DISCUSSION

TO PROMOTE LEARNING AUTONOMY IN A BICULTURAL

CLASS

Erna Iftanti
IAIN Tulungagung, Indonesia
ernataufic72@gmail.com

Abstract: Learning as a systematic change in

knowledge, insights, behavior, and motivation occurs
either in-classroom or out-of-classroom context.
However, for bicultural class consisting of Indonesian
and Thai EFL students in Indonesian context, to achieve
such goals of learning is challenging, since the EFL
students staying in such a class comprising those from
two different cultural backgrounds faced some
underlying learning problems. Therefore, to establish
learning autonomy is significant. This article is then
aimed at exploring inter and intra-culture-based group
discussion which proved to be able to promote their
learning autonomy. This research conducted
qualitatively through observation, interview, and
questionnaire revealed that the learning problems
found in a bicultural class i.e. learning readiness,
learning style, learning habits, and motivation can be
solved by building and implementing both inter and
intra-culture-based group discussion conducted in and out-
side classroom settings. This finding can be considered
as important insight to create EFL students’ learning
autonomy which contributes to prevent them from
encountering learning problems in a bicultural class so
that the EFL learning goals can be better achieved.

Keywords: inter culture based group discussion, intra

culture based group discussion, bicultural class, learning
autonomy

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Iftanti, E. (2019). Inter and Intra-Culture-Based Group Discussion to Promote
Learning Autonomy in a Bicultural Class.

INTRODUCTION
Taking a look at the global phenomenon that the world
population has significantly increased, the interaction among the
members of this global society has rapidly changed as well. The
technology advancement has supported this rapid growth of social
interaction as well. People coming from a certain country with a
specific cultural background can easily interact for economic, social,
political, or educational interests. Culture is the characteristic and
knowledge of a particular group of people, defined by everything
from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts
(Zimmerman, 2015). It is a people’s way of life--the behaviors, beliefs,
values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking
about them, and that are passed along by communication and
imitation from one generation to the next. Some countries may share
many attributes that help mold their cultures (the modifiers may be
language, religion, geographical location, etc.).
Culture can be simply defined as “what people think, make,
and do (Bodley, 1994). Countries as according to Hofstede1 (1997)
may be grouped by similarities in values and attitudes. Fewer
differences may be expected when moving within a cluster than when
moving from one cluster to another. As the world becomes more
interconnected, students- specifically EFL students- need to have an
awareness to understand that it is more important than ever for them
to be able to activate their “cultural antennas” to understand not only
other cultures, but their own as well. In doing so, they will be better
prepared to participate more fully in the global community—of which
their local community is a part.
Moreover, in response to the dream of State Islamic Institute of
Tulungagung, Indonesia to be “a world class university, it has invited
overseas students, so far from Pattani, Thailand- for the scholarship to
continue their studies either at Under Graduate or Post Graduate
Programs available in this institution. One of the Study Programs
attended by Pattani students is English Education Program. They are
placed together with EFL learners from Indonesia in which they differ

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