Due to COVID-19, many international students have to take online learning or e-learning. How about our children’s situations? Don’t they have problems?
With the expansion of educational technologies, e-learning reaches more diverse global audiences. Most of e-learning courses have been designed in Western cultures such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. Today the largest and fastest-growing e-learners live in Eastern cultures such as China, Korea, Japan, and India. Many curriculum designers, businesses, corporations, educational planners are challenged by cultural dimensions, cultural disparities, and cross-cultural considerations. An e-learning program may be very successful in the United States environment, but it might not be successful to another country’s learner. For example, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), the official language is French, but there are 4 regional languages and 250 dialects. Simply, translation an e-learning course from one language to another does not remove cultural barriers. For example, a Pakistani student takes an e-learning course that was developed in the United States in his/her own country. When the class needs to discuss about “Wal-Mart”, a Pakistani learner may have never heard about Wal-Mart. A learner may think Wal-Mart is good person or a nice tour place. Some content works well in some countries, but some content may not work in other countries. Do e-learning course developers need to tailor to the culture of the audience? To some degree, e-learning developer needs to consider cultural dimensions. For cultural adaptation of global e-learning, Dunn & Marinetti (2002) suggested four adaptation strategies – translation, localization, modularization, and origination. E- learning course designers need to consider not only language, metaphors, mental models, user interface, image, symbols, icons, and pictures but also cultural perceptions, preferences, interaction, value orientation, philosophy, and core values for target audiences.
Hofstede (1984, 1997, 2001), Trompenaars (1998), and Hall (1981) researched cross – cultural characteristics to compare and contrast the cultural similarities and differences. Dutch cultural anthropologist Geert Hofstede conducted detailed interviews with 116,000 employees of IBM in 53 countries during 1978-1983. Through standard statistical analysis, he determined the patterns of cultural similarities and differences among the replies. Based on this research, Hofstede published “Culture’s Consequences” (1984). In 1997, Hofstede published “Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind.” This book focus on essential patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting that are well-established by late childhood. Hofstede identified five cultural dimensions – 1) Power Distance; 2) Collectivism versus Individualism; 3) Femininity versus Masculinity; 4) Uncertainty Avoidance; 5) Long versus Short term orientation.
Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner (1998) researched cross-cultural dimensions based on the business world at the national level. They used 50,000 corporate managers from more than 100 countries. Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner identified eight cross-cultural dimensions; 1) Universalism versus Particularism; 2) Individualism versus Communitarianism; 3) Affective versus Neutral cultures; 4) Specific versus Diffuse cultures; 5) Achieve statues (doing) versus Ascribed status (being) cultures; 6) Orientation to past, present, and future; 7) Sequential versus Synchronic; 8) Inner-directed versus outer-directed.
Edward T. Hall (1981) distinguished two types of dimensions; 1) Monochronic time (M-time) and Polychronic time (P-time); 2) High Context and Low Context.
Dunn and Marinetti (2002), McLoughlin (1999), Marcus & Gould (2001), and Edmundson (2004) studied cultural adaptations for global e-learning, different cultural interpretation in web design, and cultural dimensions and global web user interface. Although there have been several studies regarding cultural considerations for user interface and e-learning to date, relatively few studies have focused on globalized e-learning courses.
The purpose of this study is to consider how to improve globalized e-learning user interfaces for diverse audience. Based on this purpose, this study will explore cultural differences and similarities between Western and Eastern cultures and determine proper user interfaces for competent and appropriate design of e-learning courses.
Problem Statement
Many online courses and training programs are culturally insensitive, even though they are not aware of cultural differences. Many foreign students and employees suffer from cultural alienation and discomfort in online learning and training programs. To design globalized e-learning courses, e-learning designer needs to seriously consider cultural disparities such as language, communication channels, social and cultural values, learning styles, perceptions, preferences, cognitive styles, philosophy, and even cultural core values. Many e-learning courses have been developed based on Western cultures. If students have received basic education in an Eastern culture, do participants have any problems taking e-learning courses from Western contexts and experience equitable learning outcomes?
Most of online courses and Internet Web sits are written in English. If English is a second language, how does the audience understand and interpret informal English or idiomatic expressions? How do international audiences perceive different color, symbols, icons, and pictures? For example, red color represents danger, passion, or excitement in the United States, but in China, red color represents prosperity and happiness. In the Asia countries such as China, Japan, and Korea, white represents death, a funeral or mourning. What cultural variables do we need to consider? For example, Korea is high power relationship country. Korean students learn obedience to elders, parents, and teachers. In class, students do not raise their voices, and speak up without any sanction. Class is quite teacher oriented. What elements need to consider for e-learning courses?