Research interests - based on the Lord and my mission
Discussing my educational and technical abilities leaves out a very important part of my life, and the impetus for my instructional design and educational technology work: the Lord.
Theology is a strong interest of mine, and has been since I was a pre-teenager – about the same time I discovered computers. In fact, I hold a Master of Arts in Theology, summa cum laude.
As I have grown in my professional life, my strong religious beliefs and desire to help others learn more about the Christian Faith undergird all that I do. I teach an ethics course on the proper usage of technology, volunteer my time within the workings of the Association of Theological Schools, and have written several theological articles.
Online learning is an invaluable tool in my work, my sense of ministry being the foundation for the pedagogy and technology I use. I believe that providing support to the community of theological educators is my vocation, my way of living out the Great Commandment of evangelization.
My research interests are based on this sense of support for those on the front line of missionary and catechetical vocations.
Theology is a strong interest of mine, and has been since I was a pre-teenager – about the same time I discovered computers. In fact, I hold a Master of Arts in Theology, summa cum laude.
As I have grown in my professional life, my strong religious beliefs and desire to help others learn more about the Christian Faith undergird all that I do. I teach an ethics course on the proper usage of technology, volunteer my time within the workings of the Association of Theological Schools, and have written several theological articles.
Online learning is an invaluable tool in my work, my sense of ministry being the foundation for the pedagogy and technology I use. I believe that providing support to the community of theological educators is my vocation, my way of living out the Great Commandment of evangelization.
My research interests are based on this sense of support for those on the front line of missionary and catechetical vocations.
Socio-Cultural Elements as They Impact Distance Learning
Parresia Project
Serving those foreign-born priests and seminarians who come to North America is the primary concern of the Parresia Project.
My interests lie mainly within this point, as found on the project's website:
Serving those foreign-born priests and seminarians who come to North America is the primary concern of the Parresia Project.
My interests lie mainly within this point, as found on the project's website:
- The Project has a special interest in distance learning technologies and pedagogies, and their potential for use in intercultural education and exchange. In this area, the Project works to develop resources for use by institutes, dioceses, and religious communities. It also provides assistance to the faculties of intercultural institutes in the use of distance learning technology and in the pedagogy of online instruction.
Otto Peters (1967): Das Fernstudium an Universitäten und Hochschulen. Weinheim: Beltz. According to Desmond Keegan ((1996). Foundations of distance education, 3rd Ed. New York: Routledge.79-80.), Peters examined six elements of traditional and distance learning offerings, the last of which directly relates to cultural aspects:
Articles related to culture and education:
Al-Harthi, A. (2005). Distance higher education experiences of Arab Gulf students in the United States: A cultural perspective. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 6, 3.
Abstract:
This article reports on a phenomenological research study that was undertaken to provide cultural understanding about the nature of distance education experiences of Arab graduate students pursuing degree programs in the United States. As a theoretical framework, Hofstede’s international difference dimensions and Hall’s concept of low and high context cultures were used. Six participants were interviewed from the Arab Gulf States. Analysis of these interviews revealed cultural aspects related to student background. Description of participant experiences are explained in the following themes: mandatory nature of the experience, persistence of social shame feelings online, language difficulties, less participation, and avoidance of confrontation and aggravation of feelings. This study concludes with a few recommendations for future research.
Keywords: Arab students; culture; distance education; anxiety; online; gender
This article can be found here: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/263/406
Liu, X., Liu, S., Lee, S.-h., & Magjuka, R. J. (2010). Cultural Differences in Online Learning: International Student Perceptions.
Educational Technology & Society, 13 (3), 177–188.
Abstract:
This article reports the findings of a case study that investigated the perceptions of international students regarding the impact of cultural differences on their learning experiences in an online MBA program. The study also revealed that online instructors need to design courses in such a way as to remove potential cultural barriers, including language, communication tool use, plagiarism, time zone differences and a lack of multicultural content, which may affect international students’ learning performances. The study indicates that a culturally inclusive learning environment needs to consider diversity in course design in order to ensure full participation by international students.
Keywords
Cultural differences, Online learning, Instruction design, Case-based learning, Diversity
This article can be found here: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.174.1119&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Zhang, Z. and Kenny, R. (2010). Learning in an online distance education course: Experiences of three international students. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 11, 1.
Abstract:
This case study explores the learning experiences of three international students who were enrolled in an online master’s program offered by a large university in Canada. The aim of the study was to understand the international students’ experiences with, and perspectives on, the online learning environment. Findings indicate that previous education and especially language proficiency strongly impacted the learning of these students in this environment. Non-native English speakers required considerably more time to process readings and postings and to make postings themselves. Their lack of familiarity with the details of North American culture and colloquial language made it difficult to follow much of the course discussions. They also tended to avoid socializing in the course, which left them at the periphery of course activities. Based on these findings, the authors make the following recommendations for designers and instructors of online courses: 1) Raise the English language proficiency requirement for graduate admissions into online programs because the text-based communication in a CMC space requires interpreting messages without non-verbal cues; 2) Ensure that online distance education course designers are aware of the needs and expectations of international students; and 3) Combine the design principles from both traditional and constructivism theories.
Keywords: Distance education; online learning; CMC; international students
This article can be found here: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/775/1481
Shattuck, K. (2005). Glimpses of the global coral gardens: Insights of international adult learners on the interactions of cultures in online distance education. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
Abstract:
Expanding global communications over the past decade in the form of the World Wide Web and the Internet increased the possibility of cultures meeting cultures within distance education courses taught from American colleges and universities. Cultural differences can be understood as those ways of interpreting and of responding to teaching and learning that have been influenced by a worldview.
The purpose of this study was threefold: First, to provide thick, rich descriptions of insights of international adult learners of the interaction of cultures in online distance courses designed and provided by an American university; second, to provide learners’ insights into the emerging discussion of the impact of teaching and learning cultures; and third, to foreground the philosophical discussion of culture, in particular how the dynamically interacting cultural layers might relate to access and equity in postmodern distance education, especially if concerned with meeting the needs of the individual learner This study was guided by the question: What can international adult online distance learners tell us about the impact of culture on their experiences in online distance education courses designed and delivered by an American university?
In-depth, semi-structured online interviews with twelve participants (ten who identified with specific Asian cultures and two who identified with specific Middle East cultures) were guided by questions developed from the literature. Participants, unencumbered by Western cultural expectations of education, used their vantage point to expose hidden cultural intrusions of broader cultural conflicts. The dynamics of interacting cultures raised by the participants mirrored those described in Holliday’s (1994) host culture complex model – classroom cultures, student cultures, host institution cultures, professional-academic cultures, international education-related cultures, and national cultures. All of these cultural conflicts increased their marginalization within the online educational environment.
Further research on cultural distance and multiculturalism within distance education is suggested. The study reveals the urgency of recognition of the cultural issues and training for designers, teachers, and administrators of U.S. online distance education courses and programs.
This dissertation can be accessed here: http://etda.libraries.psu.edu/theses/approved/WorldWideIndex/ETD-948/index.html
Chen, A-y., Mashhadi, A., Ang, D., and Harkrider, N. (1999). Cultural issues in the design of technology-enhanced learning systems. British Journal of Educational Technology, 30, 3. 217-230.
Abstract:
The pervasive influence of culture should be regarded as a significant concern in the design of technology-enhanced learning systems. In fact, it has been included as one of the five essential foundations of effective student-centred learning environments (Chen and Mashhadi, 1998). The other foundations are psychological, pedagogical, technological, and pragmatic. This article will focus mainly on the cultural and pedagogical considerations in the design of student-centred learning systems with particular reference to three cases in Singapore. The experiences will illustrate some of the challenges and problems in designing and implementing learning systems in three different contexts: local-institutional, trans-institutional, and global. Some of the instructional design issues include those articulated by Collins (1997) in his consideration for building a constructivist learning environment. They are related to learning goals such as thoughtfulness vs memorization, whole tasks vs component skills tasks, breadth vs depth of knowledge, diverse vs uniform expertise, understanding vs access, cognitive vs physical fidelity. Two other issues also merit consideration, namely authentic vs abstract problem solving, and multidirectional and multimedia communication vs direct one-way communication. In the design of three Singapore-based learning systems, the cultural assumptions of prevailing beliefs about education, the values of Singaporean multicultural society, and the role of individuals in society were considered. Two of the systems were designed for student teachers and the third was meant for students collaborating on projects across schools and nations. Lessons learned from the three experiences will be discussed with a view to making recommendations to other educators, instructional designers and policy makers in their decisions regarding their use of technology-enhanced learning systems to nurture a more independent, thoughtful, resourceful, creative and responsible generation of citizens.
Van den Branden, J. and Lambert, J. (1999). Cultural issues related to transnational Open and Distance Learning in universities: a European problem? British Journal of Educational Technology, 30, 3. 251-260.
Abstract:
Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is much more than a didactic or technological issue. On the basis of contemporary approaches to culture, it is both an agent and a barometer of culture: culture influences the appearances, models and contents of ODL, but is influenced itself as well by the ODL phenomenon. Illustration of the point is made through an analysis of the historic roots of ODL in comparison with Europe’s contemporary transnational and technology based ODL. The analysis results in an agenda for important cultural issues, such as the institutional character of ODL, its contribution
to Europe’s competitiveness, the shaping of a European citizenship, and the nature of European ODL in terms of its cultural barriers and cultural assets. The ambiguity of culture typically emerges when looking at language. European transnational, and especially technology based ODL, may be hindered by the multilingual societies of Europe, and remain so as long as language policies are imposed. It is advocated that language policies be replaced with language management, applied in a creative way (eg, by implementing appropriate technical solutions). The final question examined here, is whether these problems and solutions are particular to Europe, or whether there are good reasons for acknowledging the cultural origins, barriers and assets of a wider ODL model.
McLoughlin, C. (1999). Culturally responsive technology use: developing an on-line community of learners. British Journal of Educational Technology, 30, 3. 231-243.
Abstract:
In tertiary contexts, Web-based instruction often appears to be tailored to the needs of a particular cultural group, recognising the specific learning needs, preferences and styles of a single, perhaps homogeneous, group of learners. However, in designing instruction, there is typically a tension between the need to ensure flexibility and access to learners of “multiple cultures”, while at the same time taking into account the need for localisation and a requirement to accommodate a particular set of learners’ cognitive styles and preferences (Collis and Remmers, 1997; Damarin, 1998). Considering both the micro- and macro-cultural levels of design is therefore essential if culturally appropriate design is to be achieved in Web-based instruction. One of the limitations that has been recognised in striving towards culturally appropriate design is that current instructional design models do not fully contextualise the learning experience, and are themselves the product of a particular culture (Henderson, 1996). A proposed solution is the adoption of a multiple cultures model of design, which is not culturally exclusive. This paper traces the development of an on-line unit for Indigenous Australian learners, and accounts for the cultural issues that impacted on the design of learning tasks and the associated avenues for communication provided to learners. In this context, culturally responsive design was ensured by the adoption of an epistemology and pedagogy based on Lave’s (1991) community of practice model. Adapting the model to on-line delivery required incorporation of culture specific
values, styles of learning and cognitive preferences, and tasks that were designed to go beyond surface level comprehension to achieve deep learning.
The micro cultural level of the virtual community is considered in relation to participatory structures, task design, goal orientation and development of
communicative processes that were intended to support the learning needs of a much wider group of Indigenous Australian students.
Lauzon, A. (1999). Situating cognition and crossing borders: resisting the hegemony of mediated education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 30, 3. 261-276.
Advances in technology coupled with a changing social, political and economic climate is seeing a proliferation in the growth of mediated education. Recognizing that mediated education and the application of various technologies in mediated education is constructed from a particular cultural perspective, this paper proposes to challenge this perspective, arguing that we need to develop heuristic frameworks that help us think of meeting the needs of a culturally diversified population. Using the concept of communities of practice as an analytical lens it begins by making explicit the origins of mediated education and the implications this has had for culturally marginalized peoples. Arguing that mediated education, as it is constructed, is a form of neo-colonialism, it proposes to examine mediated education within the context Giroux’s concept of border crossings. Implications for application are then explored.
Kurubacak, G. (Sept 30, 2007). Transformative Power of Digital Citizenship: Critical Perspectives on Culture, New Media and Pedagogy. ERIC: Reports, p.NA.
This paper discusses culture, as a source of conflict than of synergy, how affects the use of new media to build digital citizenships. It also argues that the cultural dimensions of Geert Hofstede, who demonstrates that there are national and regional cultural groupings that affect the behavior of organizations, are very persistent across time. Global online cultures can be described according to the analysis of Geert Hofstede. These ideas can be first based on a large scale into local and national culture differences across subordinates of a multinational digital society. Furthermore, the author hopes that the underlying assumptions and theoretical constructs through the use of Hofstede's cultural dimensions will help digital citizens understand management in an online community, and have both knowledge and empathy with not only the whole local sight but also the global scene. In spite of calls for enhanced collaboration between online societies and different cultures, there is still altercation between digital citizens, groups and nations. On the other hand, they are uncovered to universal dilemmas, troubles and problems which demand mutual understanding for the clarification of these difficulties. Based on the cultural dimensions of Geert Hofstede, building global culture through new media helps digital citizens appreciate the diversities in the way strategists and their supporters think, offering realistic resolutions for digital citizens to help solve conflict between different groups. (Contains 1 table.) [This is the abstract, not my own summary.]
This article can be accessed here: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED497489.pdf
Van Hook, S R (June 15, 2008). Distance Education as a Facilitator of Learning. ERIC: Reports, p.NA.
This article considers various learning theories, applied to three key transforming areas in adult education in general, and distance learning in particular: the andragogical issues, the technical issues, and the cultural issues. Cultural Dimension Indexes from Hofstede (1997) are appended. (Contains 1 chart.)
This article can be accessed here: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED501699.pdf
- aim (he found differences in the "cognitive, emotional, and practical domains" (Keegan, 1996, p. 79)
- contents (he examined the possibilities of teach some content at a distance)
- methods (he examined the huge reduction in interpersonal communication that exists in DL courses, which is substituted "by written information carriers and motivators" (ibid.)
- choice of medium (while it is know that communication suffers a loss when it is transferred from oral to written, but can other media compensate for this loss?)
- human prerequisites (he examined the differences in ages, employment status, etc. of distance learners versus traditional students)
- socio-cultural prerequisites ("Ideological, political, academic status, and the tradition aspects of distance education in different cultures (USA, USSR, South Africa, England, Sweden) are considered" (ibid., p. 80).)
Articles related to culture and education:
Al-Harthi, A. (2005). Distance higher education experiences of Arab Gulf students in the United States: A cultural perspective. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 6, 3.
Abstract:
This article reports on a phenomenological research study that was undertaken to provide cultural understanding about the nature of distance education experiences of Arab graduate students pursuing degree programs in the United States. As a theoretical framework, Hofstede’s international difference dimensions and Hall’s concept of low and high context cultures were used. Six participants were interviewed from the Arab Gulf States. Analysis of these interviews revealed cultural aspects related to student background. Description of participant experiences are explained in the following themes: mandatory nature of the experience, persistence of social shame feelings online, language difficulties, less participation, and avoidance of confrontation and aggravation of feelings. This study concludes with a few recommendations for future research.
Keywords: Arab students; culture; distance education; anxiety; online; gender
This article can be found here: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/263/406
Liu, X., Liu, S., Lee, S.-h., & Magjuka, R. J. (2010). Cultural Differences in Online Learning: International Student Perceptions.
Educational Technology & Society, 13 (3), 177–188.
Abstract:
This article reports the findings of a case study that investigated the perceptions of international students regarding the impact of cultural differences on their learning experiences in an online MBA program. The study also revealed that online instructors need to design courses in such a way as to remove potential cultural barriers, including language, communication tool use, plagiarism, time zone differences and a lack of multicultural content, which may affect international students’ learning performances. The study indicates that a culturally inclusive learning environment needs to consider diversity in course design in order to ensure full participation by international students.
Keywords
Cultural differences, Online learning, Instruction design, Case-based learning, Diversity
This article can be found here: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.174.1119&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Zhang, Z. and Kenny, R. (2010). Learning in an online distance education course: Experiences of three international students. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 11, 1.
Abstract:
This case study explores the learning experiences of three international students who were enrolled in an online master’s program offered by a large university in Canada. The aim of the study was to understand the international students’ experiences with, and perspectives on, the online learning environment. Findings indicate that previous education and especially language proficiency strongly impacted the learning of these students in this environment. Non-native English speakers required considerably more time to process readings and postings and to make postings themselves. Their lack of familiarity with the details of North American culture and colloquial language made it difficult to follow much of the course discussions. They also tended to avoid socializing in the course, which left them at the periphery of course activities. Based on these findings, the authors make the following recommendations for designers and instructors of online courses: 1) Raise the English language proficiency requirement for graduate admissions into online programs because the text-based communication in a CMC space requires interpreting messages without non-verbal cues; 2) Ensure that online distance education course designers are aware of the needs and expectations of international students; and 3) Combine the design principles from both traditional and constructivism theories.
Keywords: Distance education; online learning; CMC; international students
This article can be found here: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/775/1481
Shattuck, K. (2005). Glimpses of the global coral gardens: Insights of international adult learners on the interactions of cultures in online distance education. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
Abstract:
Expanding global communications over the past decade in the form of the World Wide Web and the Internet increased the possibility of cultures meeting cultures within distance education courses taught from American colleges and universities. Cultural differences can be understood as those ways of interpreting and of responding to teaching and learning that have been influenced by a worldview.
The purpose of this study was threefold: First, to provide thick, rich descriptions of insights of international adult learners of the interaction of cultures in online distance courses designed and provided by an American university; second, to provide learners’ insights into the emerging discussion of the impact of teaching and learning cultures; and third, to foreground the philosophical discussion of culture, in particular how the dynamically interacting cultural layers might relate to access and equity in postmodern distance education, especially if concerned with meeting the needs of the individual learner This study was guided by the question: What can international adult online distance learners tell us about the impact of culture on their experiences in online distance education courses designed and delivered by an American university?
In-depth, semi-structured online interviews with twelve participants (ten who identified with specific Asian cultures and two who identified with specific Middle East cultures) were guided by questions developed from the literature. Participants, unencumbered by Western cultural expectations of education, used their vantage point to expose hidden cultural intrusions of broader cultural conflicts. The dynamics of interacting cultures raised by the participants mirrored those described in Holliday’s (1994) host culture complex model – classroom cultures, student cultures, host institution cultures, professional-academic cultures, international education-related cultures, and national cultures. All of these cultural conflicts increased their marginalization within the online educational environment.
Further research on cultural distance and multiculturalism within distance education is suggested. The study reveals the urgency of recognition of the cultural issues and training for designers, teachers, and administrators of U.S. online distance education courses and programs.
This dissertation can be accessed here: http://etda.libraries.psu.edu/theses/approved/WorldWideIndex/ETD-948/index.html
Chen, A-y., Mashhadi, A., Ang, D., and Harkrider, N. (1999). Cultural issues in the design of technology-enhanced learning systems. British Journal of Educational Technology, 30, 3. 217-230.
Abstract:
The pervasive influence of culture should be regarded as a significant concern in the design of technology-enhanced learning systems. In fact, it has been included as one of the five essential foundations of effective student-centred learning environments (Chen and Mashhadi, 1998). The other foundations are psychological, pedagogical, technological, and pragmatic. This article will focus mainly on the cultural and pedagogical considerations in the design of student-centred learning systems with particular reference to three cases in Singapore. The experiences will illustrate some of the challenges and problems in designing and implementing learning systems in three different contexts: local-institutional, trans-institutional, and global. Some of the instructional design issues include those articulated by Collins (1997) in his consideration for building a constructivist learning environment. They are related to learning goals such as thoughtfulness vs memorization, whole tasks vs component skills tasks, breadth vs depth of knowledge, diverse vs uniform expertise, understanding vs access, cognitive vs physical fidelity. Two other issues also merit consideration, namely authentic vs abstract problem solving, and multidirectional and multimedia communication vs direct one-way communication. In the design of three Singapore-based learning systems, the cultural assumptions of prevailing beliefs about education, the values of Singaporean multicultural society, and the role of individuals in society were considered. Two of the systems were designed for student teachers and the third was meant for students collaborating on projects across schools and nations. Lessons learned from the three experiences will be discussed with a view to making recommendations to other educators, instructional designers and policy makers in their decisions regarding their use of technology-enhanced learning systems to nurture a more independent, thoughtful, resourceful, creative and responsible generation of citizens.
Van den Branden, J. and Lambert, J. (1999). Cultural issues related to transnational Open and Distance Learning in universities: a European problem? British Journal of Educational Technology, 30, 3. 251-260.
Abstract:
Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is much more than a didactic or technological issue. On the basis of contemporary approaches to culture, it is both an agent and a barometer of culture: culture influences the appearances, models and contents of ODL, but is influenced itself as well by the ODL phenomenon. Illustration of the point is made through an analysis of the historic roots of ODL in comparison with Europe’s contemporary transnational and technology based ODL. The analysis results in an agenda for important cultural issues, such as the institutional character of ODL, its contribution
to Europe’s competitiveness, the shaping of a European citizenship, and the nature of European ODL in terms of its cultural barriers and cultural assets. The ambiguity of culture typically emerges when looking at language. European transnational, and especially technology based ODL, may be hindered by the multilingual societies of Europe, and remain so as long as language policies are imposed. It is advocated that language policies be replaced with language management, applied in a creative way (eg, by implementing appropriate technical solutions). The final question examined here, is whether these problems and solutions are particular to Europe, or whether there are good reasons for acknowledging the cultural origins, barriers and assets of a wider ODL model.
McLoughlin, C. (1999). Culturally responsive technology use: developing an on-line community of learners. British Journal of Educational Technology, 30, 3. 231-243.
Abstract:
In tertiary contexts, Web-based instruction often appears to be tailored to the needs of a particular cultural group, recognising the specific learning needs, preferences and styles of a single, perhaps homogeneous, group of learners. However, in designing instruction, there is typically a tension between the need to ensure flexibility and access to learners of “multiple cultures”, while at the same time taking into account the need for localisation and a requirement to accommodate a particular set of learners’ cognitive styles and preferences (Collis and Remmers, 1997; Damarin, 1998). Considering both the micro- and macro-cultural levels of design is therefore essential if culturally appropriate design is to be achieved in Web-based instruction. One of the limitations that has been recognised in striving towards culturally appropriate design is that current instructional design models do not fully contextualise the learning experience, and are themselves the product of a particular culture (Henderson, 1996). A proposed solution is the adoption of a multiple cultures model of design, which is not culturally exclusive. This paper traces the development of an on-line unit for Indigenous Australian learners, and accounts for the cultural issues that impacted on the design of learning tasks and the associated avenues for communication provided to learners. In this context, culturally responsive design was ensured by the adoption of an epistemology and pedagogy based on Lave’s (1991) community of practice model. Adapting the model to on-line delivery required incorporation of culture specific
values, styles of learning and cognitive preferences, and tasks that were designed to go beyond surface level comprehension to achieve deep learning.
The micro cultural level of the virtual community is considered in relation to participatory structures, task design, goal orientation and development of
communicative processes that were intended to support the learning needs of a much wider group of Indigenous Australian students.
Lauzon, A. (1999). Situating cognition and crossing borders: resisting the hegemony of mediated education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 30, 3. 261-276.
Advances in technology coupled with a changing social, political and economic climate is seeing a proliferation in the growth of mediated education. Recognizing that mediated education and the application of various technologies in mediated education is constructed from a particular cultural perspective, this paper proposes to challenge this perspective, arguing that we need to develop heuristic frameworks that help us think of meeting the needs of a culturally diversified population. Using the concept of communities of practice as an analytical lens it begins by making explicit the origins of mediated education and the implications this has had for culturally marginalized peoples. Arguing that mediated education, as it is constructed, is a form of neo-colonialism, it proposes to examine mediated education within the context Giroux’s concept of border crossings. Implications for application are then explored.
Kurubacak, G. (Sept 30, 2007). Transformative Power of Digital Citizenship: Critical Perspectives on Culture, New Media and Pedagogy. ERIC: Reports, p.NA.
This paper discusses culture, as a source of conflict than of synergy, how affects the use of new media to build digital citizenships. It also argues that the cultural dimensions of Geert Hofstede, who demonstrates that there are national and regional cultural groupings that affect the behavior of organizations, are very persistent across time. Global online cultures can be described according to the analysis of Geert Hofstede. These ideas can be first based on a large scale into local and national culture differences across subordinates of a multinational digital society. Furthermore, the author hopes that the underlying assumptions and theoretical constructs through the use of Hofstede's cultural dimensions will help digital citizens understand management in an online community, and have both knowledge and empathy with not only the whole local sight but also the global scene. In spite of calls for enhanced collaboration between online societies and different cultures, there is still altercation between digital citizens, groups and nations. On the other hand, they are uncovered to universal dilemmas, troubles and problems which demand mutual understanding for the clarification of these difficulties. Based on the cultural dimensions of Geert Hofstede, building global culture through new media helps digital citizens appreciate the diversities in the way strategists and their supporters think, offering realistic resolutions for digital citizens to help solve conflict between different groups. (Contains 1 table.) [This is the abstract, not my own summary.]
This article can be accessed here: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED497489.pdf
Van Hook, S R (June 15, 2008). Distance Education as a Facilitator of Learning. ERIC: Reports, p.NA.
This article considers various learning theories, applied to three key transforming areas in adult education in general, and distance learning in particular: the andragogical issues, the technical issues, and the cultural issues. Cultural Dimension Indexes from Hofstede (1997) are appended. (Contains 1 chart.)
This article can be accessed here: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED501699.pdf
Hofstede and Hofstedian Studies - Cultural Influences
This section will list those works by Hofstede and others who directly discuss his ideas or apply his paradigm. One finds quite a few business and management related articles here.
Geert Hofstede examined culture and international business in his book Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations. He used a five-point model to examine cultural dimensions (see itim international's site dedicated to this model, along with an interactive comparison calculator, where the information below has been derived, at http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php):
Here are links to Hofstede's work:
http://www.geert-hofstede.com/
http://www.geerthofstede.nl
Hofstede, G. (1983). National cultures in four dimensions: A research-based theory of cultural differences among nations. International Studies of Management and Organizations, 13(1-2), 46-74.
This report summarizes a large research project, involving 116,000 questionnaires, about the work-related value patterns of matched samples of industrial employees in 50 countries and 3 regions at 2 points in time. Half of the variance in the countries' mean scores can be explained by four basic dimensions, here labeled power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism versus collectivism, and masculinity versus femininity. These dimensions are offered as a framework for developing hypotheses in cross-cultural organization studies. Index scores of the countries on the 4 dimensions correlate significantly with the outcomes of about 40 existing comparative studies. The four dimensions considered here relate to very fundamental problems which face any human society, but to which different societies have found different answers. They are used to explain (1) different ways of structuring organizations, (2) different motivations of people within organizations, and (3) different issues people and organizations face within society. On the basis of combined scores, the countries studied can be grouped by cultural clusters. The data also allow some conclusions about trends in value shifts over time.
Hofstede, G. (1993). Cultural constraints in management theories. Academy of Management, V 7, 1, pp. 81-94.
Management as the word is presently used is an American invention. In other parts of the world not only the practices but the entire concept of management may differ, and the theories needed to understand it, may deviate considerably from what is considered normal and desirable in the USA. The reader is invited on a trip around the world, and both local management practices and theories are explained from the different contexts and histories of the places visited: Germany, Japan, France, Holland, the countries of the overseas Chinese, South-East Asia, Africa, Russia, and finally mainland China. A model in which worldwide differences in national cultures are categorized according to five independent dimensions helps in explaining the differences in management found; although the situation in each country or region has unique characteristics that no model can account for. One practical application of the model is in demonstrating the relative position of the U.S. versus other parts of the world. In a global perspective, U.S. management theories contain a number of idiosyncracies not necessarily shared by management elsewhere. Three such indiosyncracies are mentioned: a stress on market processes, a stress on the individual, and a focus on managers rather than on workers. A plea is made for an internationalization not only of business, but also of management theories, as a way of enriching theories at the national level.
Vadi, Maaja, and Riin Meri. (2005). Estonian culture in the framework of Hofstede's model (case of hotel industry). Trames 9.3, 268-284.
Our study presents the measuring of Estonian culture in the framework of Hofstede's model. The questionnaire that consists of nine cases from a hotel's everyday activity was developed and the representatives of the hotel industry were interviewed. The position of Estonians was established in comparison with Italians and Egyptians. Two-dimensional models were composed for Estonians on the basis of the current study and the Hofstede's findings about Italians and Egyptians. Estonians were found to be close to Germans and the Swiss rather than the Scandinavian people according to our results.
DeLorenzo, Gary J., et al. (2009). A data driven conceptual analysis of globalization--cultural affects and Hofstedian organizational frames: the Slovak Republic example. Issues in Informing Science & Information Technology 6, 461-470.
It has been argued that culture effects how individuals implement, understand, live, and do business within a defined political, organizational, and ethnic environment. This essay presents a context for analyzing possible cultural shifts based on Hofstede and Hofstede's conception that a society's culture constituted in and presented in individuals' views and routines determines an identifiable cultural profile. In particular, Hofstede's indices on Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Masculinity and Individuality are applied to two populations--one a United States university population and the other from a Slovak Republic university. The overall purpose is to determine if Hofstede's orginal research findings are the same today in an era of the internet, globalization, and economic change.
This article can be found here: http://iisit.org/Vol6/IISITv6p461-470DeLorenzo670.pdf
Kurubacak, G. (Sept 30, 2007). Transformative Power of Digital Citizenship: Critical Perspectives on Culture, New Media and Pedagogy. ERIC: Reports.
This paper discusses culture, as a source of conflict than of synergy, how affects the use of new media to build digital citizenships. It also argues that the cultural dimensions of Geert Hofstede, who demonstrates that there are national and regional cultural groupings that affect the behavior of organizations, are very persistent across time. Global online cultures can be described according to the analysis of Geert Hofstede. These ideas can be first based on a large scale into local and national culture differences across subordinates of a multinational digital society. Furthermore, the authors hope that the underlying assumptions and theoretical constructs through the use of Hofstede's cultural dimensions will help digital citizens understand management in an online community, and have both knowledge and empathy with not only the whole local sight but also the global scene. In spite of calls for enhanced collaboration between online societies and different cultures, there is still altercation between digital citizens, groups and nations. On the other hand, they are uncovered to universal dilemmas, troubles and problems which demand mutual understanding for the clarification of these difficulties. Based on the cultural dimensions of Geert Hofstede, building global culture through new media helps digital citizens appreciate the diversities in the way strategists and their supporters think, offering realistic resolutions for digital citizens to help solve conflict etween
different groups.
This article can be accessed here: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED497489.pdf
Van Hook, S R (June 15, 2008). Distance Education as a Facilitator of Learning. ERIC: Reports.
Hofstedian.
Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED501699.pdf
Gooderham, P., & Nordhaug, O. (Winter 2001). Are cultural differences in Europe on the decline? A study of business school students, using a sampling methodology akin to that of Geert Hofstede's seminal research, has found new evidence of convergence. The implications for pan-European management systems may be considerable. European Business Forum, 8. p.48(6).
Purely in terms of Europe, Hofstede's findings indicated marked differences between its component countries. In this article we ask whether these findings for Europe retain their validity, or whether with increased political unification and exposure to global commercial forces substantial convergence has taken place since Hofstede collected his data. Not only do we ask whether national culture retains its potency in today's Europe, but we also ask whether it is a more potent factor than gender. If that were not the case it would not only have important implications for pan-European firms, but also for our understanding of contemporary Europe.
Hofstede, G. (Winter 2001). In my opinion ... European Business Forum, 8. p.52(1).
[My note:] This is a rebuttal to the Gooderham and Nordaug (2001) article in European Business Forum.
McSweeney, B. (Spring 2002). Fundamental flaws in Hofstede's research. European Business Forum, 9. p.39(5).
Geert Hofstede's depiction of enduring and powerful national cultures or national cultural differences is legendary. If his findings are correct they have immense implications for management within and across countries, and for the future of nation states--including the prospects for greater European integration. However, closer examination of his research reveals that it relies, in my view, on fundamentally flawed assumptions. This article examines four crucial assumptions upon which his measurements are based. These assumptions are 'crucial' in the sense that each is necessary for the plausibility of his identification claims. It is argued that they are all flawed and that therefore his national cultural descriptions are invalid and misleading.
Sondergaard, M. (Spring 2002). In my opinion ... European Business Forum, 9. p.40(2).
[My note:] Further commentary on the debate in European Business Forum.
Fernandez, D. R., Carlson, D S, Stepina, L P, & Nicholson, J D (Feb 1997). Hofstede's country classification 25 years later. The Journal of Social Psychology, 137, n1. p.43(12).
Nearly 3 decades have passed since Hofstede (1980) collected the data used to classify countries by their underlying work-related value structures. The present study, in which recent data from 9 countries in 4 continents was collected, is a reexamination of his country classifications. The results suggest that many shifts have occurred since Hofstede's study in 1980. These shifts are related to some of the major environmental changes that have occurred.
- PDI - Power Distance Index (power distribution within the society, companies, and families - a lower number indicates more egalitarian attitudes (USA) while a higher number indicates that a few hold most of the power (China).
- IDV - Individualism (measures the society's attitudes towards the individual versus the collective - a higher score indicates looser bonds with others within the society and more emphasis on individualistic goals and reliance, protection of oneself and close family)
- MAS - Masculinity (gender differentiation in the roles that people take, and how assertive (masculine) or caring (feminine) a society is - a high score can indicate that females leave their feminine roles to be more masculine/assertive in order to be more integrated into the power structures that exist)
- UAI - Uncertainty Avoidance Index (showing a society's risk-avoidance attitude - lower numbers indicate greater acceptance of new ideas, thoughts, risks, and potential outcomes)
- LTO - Long-Term Orientation (an indication of a nation's adherence to obligations, traditions, and history -- the USA is low, indicating a lower emphasis on cultural tradition)
Here are links to Hofstede's work:
http://www.geert-hofstede.com/
http://www.geerthofstede.nl
Hofstede, G. (1983). National cultures in four dimensions: A research-based theory of cultural differences among nations. International Studies of Management and Organizations, 13(1-2), 46-74.
This report summarizes a large research project, involving 116,000 questionnaires, about the work-related value patterns of matched samples of industrial employees in 50 countries and 3 regions at 2 points in time. Half of the variance in the countries' mean scores can be explained by four basic dimensions, here labeled power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism versus collectivism, and masculinity versus femininity. These dimensions are offered as a framework for developing hypotheses in cross-cultural organization studies. Index scores of the countries on the 4 dimensions correlate significantly with the outcomes of about 40 existing comparative studies. The four dimensions considered here relate to very fundamental problems which face any human society, but to which different societies have found different answers. They are used to explain (1) different ways of structuring organizations, (2) different motivations of people within organizations, and (3) different issues people and organizations face within society. On the basis of combined scores, the countries studied can be grouped by cultural clusters. The data also allow some conclusions about trends in value shifts over time.
Hofstede, G. (1993). Cultural constraints in management theories. Academy of Management, V 7, 1, pp. 81-94.
Management as the word is presently used is an American invention. In other parts of the world not only the practices but the entire concept of management may differ, and the theories needed to understand it, may deviate considerably from what is considered normal and desirable in the USA. The reader is invited on a trip around the world, and both local management practices and theories are explained from the different contexts and histories of the places visited: Germany, Japan, France, Holland, the countries of the overseas Chinese, South-East Asia, Africa, Russia, and finally mainland China. A model in which worldwide differences in national cultures are categorized according to five independent dimensions helps in explaining the differences in management found; although the situation in each country or region has unique characteristics that no model can account for. One practical application of the model is in demonstrating the relative position of the U.S. versus other parts of the world. In a global perspective, U.S. management theories contain a number of idiosyncracies not necessarily shared by management elsewhere. Three such indiosyncracies are mentioned: a stress on market processes, a stress on the individual, and a focus on managers rather than on workers. A plea is made for an internationalization not only of business, but also of management theories, as a way of enriching theories at the national level.
Vadi, Maaja, and Riin Meri. (2005). Estonian culture in the framework of Hofstede's model (case of hotel industry). Trames 9.3, 268-284.
Our study presents the measuring of Estonian culture in the framework of Hofstede's model. The questionnaire that consists of nine cases from a hotel's everyday activity was developed and the representatives of the hotel industry were interviewed. The position of Estonians was established in comparison with Italians and Egyptians. Two-dimensional models were composed for Estonians on the basis of the current study and the Hofstede's findings about Italians and Egyptians. Estonians were found to be close to Germans and the Swiss rather than the Scandinavian people according to our results.
DeLorenzo, Gary J., et al. (2009). A data driven conceptual analysis of globalization--cultural affects and Hofstedian organizational frames: the Slovak Republic example. Issues in Informing Science & Information Technology 6, 461-470.
It has been argued that culture effects how individuals implement, understand, live, and do business within a defined political, organizational, and ethnic environment. This essay presents a context for analyzing possible cultural shifts based on Hofstede and Hofstede's conception that a society's culture constituted in and presented in individuals' views and routines determines an identifiable cultural profile. In particular, Hofstede's indices on Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Masculinity and Individuality are applied to two populations--one a United States university population and the other from a Slovak Republic university. The overall purpose is to determine if Hofstede's orginal research findings are the same today in an era of the internet, globalization, and economic change.
This article can be found here: http://iisit.org/Vol6/IISITv6p461-470DeLorenzo670.pdf
Kurubacak, G. (Sept 30, 2007). Transformative Power of Digital Citizenship: Critical Perspectives on Culture, New Media and Pedagogy. ERIC: Reports.
This paper discusses culture, as a source of conflict than of synergy, how affects the use of new media to build digital citizenships. It also argues that the cultural dimensions of Geert Hofstede, who demonstrates that there are national and regional cultural groupings that affect the behavior of organizations, are very persistent across time. Global online cultures can be described according to the analysis of Geert Hofstede. These ideas can be first based on a large scale into local and national culture differences across subordinates of a multinational digital society. Furthermore, the authors hope that the underlying assumptions and theoretical constructs through the use of Hofstede's cultural dimensions will help digital citizens understand management in an online community, and have both knowledge and empathy with not only the whole local sight but also the global scene. In spite of calls for enhanced collaboration between online societies and different cultures, there is still altercation between digital citizens, groups and nations. On the other hand, they are uncovered to universal dilemmas, troubles and problems which demand mutual understanding for the clarification of these difficulties. Based on the cultural dimensions of Geert Hofstede, building global culture through new media helps digital citizens appreciate the diversities in the way strategists and their supporters think, offering realistic resolutions for digital citizens to help solve conflict etween
different groups.
This article can be accessed here: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED497489.pdf
Van Hook, S R (June 15, 2008). Distance Education as a Facilitator of Learning. ERIC: Reports.
Hofstedian.
Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED501699.pdf
Gooderham, P., & Nordhaug, O. (Winter 2001). Are cultural differences in Europe on the decline? A study of business school students, using a sampling methodology akin to that of Geert Hofstede's seminal research, has found new evidence of convergence. The implications for pan-European management systems may be considerable. European Business Forum, 8. p.48(6).
Purely in terms of Europe, Hofstede's findings indicated marked differences between its component countries. In this article we ask whether these findings for Europe retain their validity, or whether with increased political unification and exposure to global commercial forces substantial convergence has taken place since Hofstede collected his data. Not only do we ask whether national culture retains its potency in today's Europe, but we also ask whether it is a more potent factor than gender. If that were not the case it would not only have important implications for pan-European firms, but also for our understanding of contemporary Europe.
Hofstede, G. (Winter 2001). In my opinion ... European Business Forum, 8. p.52(1).
[My note:] This is a rebuttal to the Gooderham and Nordaug (2001) article in European Business Forum.
McSweeney, B. (Spring 2002). Fundamental flaws in Hofstede's research. European Business Forum, 9. p.39(5).
Geert Hofstede's depiction of enduring and powerful national cultures or national cultural differences is legendary. If his findings are correct they have immense implications for management within and across countries, and for the future of nation states--including the prospects for greater European integration. However, closer examination of his research reveals that it relies, in my view, on fundamentally flawed assumptions. This article examines four crucial assumptions upon which his measurements are based. These assumptions are 'crucial' in the sense that each is necessary for the plausibility of his identification claims. It is argued that they are all flawed and that therefore his national cultural descriptions are invalid and misleading.
Sondergaard, M. (Spring 2002). In my opinion ... European Business Forum, 9. p.40(2).
[My note:] Further commentary on the debate in European Business Forum.
Fernandez, D. R., Carlson, D S, Stepina, L P, & Nicholson, J D (Feb 1997). Hofstede's country classification 25 years later. The Journal of Social Psychology, 137, n1. p.43(12).
Nearly 3 decades have passed since Hofstede (1980) collected the data used to classify countries by their underlying work-related value structures. The present study, in which recent data from 9 countries in 4 continents was collected, is a reexamination of his country classifications. The results suggest that many shifts have occurred since Hofstede's study in 1980. These shifts are related to some of the major environmental changes that have occurred.
Transmissive & Transactive Pedagogies
Interesting article on constructivism by Karagiorgi and Symeou. Instructional Design uses various teaching and learning theories as it creates a top-down structure for a course. But Constructivism is not a teaching theory, and is not totally compatible, for in its pure form, only the learner can create proper methods and evaluation of his learning. But, moderate-constructivism can be compatible: Translating Constructivism into Instructional Design: Potential and Limitations
Alternative Online Assessments
As a way to better assess abilities and get around students' ability to guess on Computerized Adaptive Testing, these Taiwanese professors added a novel component to the answer choices in their research that measure how confident the students were about their chosen answers: Development and Evaluation of Confidence-Weighting Computerized Adaptive Testing.
