Online Instructor Interview

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Effectiveness of Online Orientation Programs for Online Students

PowerPoint Presentation "The Effects of Online Orientation Programs"

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Cultural Issues Affecting Online Education 

Tracy Edwards Bockler, MS

Northcentral University EdD, e-Learning program

   Digital innovation is transcending the constraints of physical distances and time, and creating opportunities to work and learn with multi-cultural individuals worldwide. Cross-cultural interactions can create challenges of misunderstandings with regard to language difficulty, belief and value systems, traditions, communications, and learning styles and expectations (Chia, Poe, and Singh, 2008). Cultural differences can have significant implications on the perceptions of participation, communication and learning expected in an online course (Yang, Olesova and Richardson, 2010).  Yang, Olesova and Richardson (2010) mention that education and training both can be affected by multi-cultural differences posed by the instructor and learners in language, communication and social interaction. Language barriers are common (Yang, Olesova and Richardson, 2010), and can be solved by multilingual instructors, textbooks offered in multiple languages, translators and multilingual text software (Sadykova and Dautermann, 2006). Perhaps the greatest difference and challenge multiple cultures can display in the online education environment is a different “belief, behavior, and value” system (Yang, Olesova and Richardson, 2010). A worldwide view is not shared of a common belief and value system. The multiple assumptions and expectations that make up the globalized world views is what makes this world interesting, ever-changing and full of life. Yang, Olesova and Richardson (2010) states the importance of designating the cultural differences and continually researching for future possibilities of improving philosophies, techniques and learning environments.

The corporate world is comprised of inter-cultural business transactions and interactions worldwide everyday. The Universities need to offer real world experience to learners of the cultural diversity that will soon encompass their collaborative, on-the-job learning, and interpersonal environments. Few colleges offer the ability to study abroad and fewer take advantage of that opportunity due to financial reasons (Chia, Poe, and Singh, 2008). Chia, Poe, and Singh (2008) suggests that universities should offer a Study Abroad e-learning course that would utilize the digital technology innovation to college students to obtain real world learning experience virtually from home. A virtual global classroom would be an ideal alternative to the expensive, sometimes security-risky, extremely valuable learning experience that travelling abroad provides (Chia, Poe, and Singh, 2008).

The expanding number of distance learning programs worldwide and the increasing number of multiple cultural students and instructors that inhabit the programs, the importance of understanding inter-cultural issues in online learning would alter the dynamics of the online and social learning environments (Zhang, Peng, and Hung, 2009). Zhu, Valcke and Schellen (2009) point out that a student’s cultural background directly affects the manner in which learning will be engaged. Differences in learning styles and environments are greatly affected by cultural expectations such as teacher-centered approach or blended learning approaches (Zhu, Valcke and Schellen, 2009). The digital and social nature of technology offers a challenge to integrating a social-constructivist learning environment while exhibiting sensitivity to the perceptions of cultural differences.  Chinese students have a tendency to utilize non-verbal cues to obtain information in addition to verbal cues, are characteristically individual learners, and not experienced in constructing knowledge (Zhang, Peng, and Hung, 2009). Sadykova and Dautermann (2006) point out that technological cross-cultural tendencies also exist in multimedia preferences and website perceptions. European and Western cultures tend to be socially interactive, and would exist within the discussion forums better than the withdrawn oriental counterpart. The role of the instructor would be significant to facilitate the participation so that not one particular culture would dominate at any time.  Cohesive, respectful collaboration of multi-cultural participants throughout the course would enhance social-constructive learning.

The digital, technological innovation has transcended borders, physical miles and time constraints to enable the corporate and learning worlds to communicate and learn amongst each other. Although studying abroad is still an opportunity of a lifetime, many factors limit the amount of learners that have the ability to study abroad.  A virtual study abroad program would allow learners the ability to diversify their multi-cultural experiences from the Internet. Multi-cultural diversification is, human decency, being respectful of another’s belief and value system regardless of what country they call home.