Cultural and educational infrastructure in designing and implementing electronic learning environment

Document Type : Scientific - Research

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

2 Lecturer at Payame Noor University, Bonab Branch

Abstract

When utilizing technologies in educational settings, it is important to note that this is not a culturally neutral phenomenon; rather, they are cultural-specific ventures that are grounded and provided in a specific cultural context. Despite increasing acknowledgment of the cultural and cultural pedagogical issues fundamental importance in educational settings, these issues have hardly been addressed and thus may not be taken in to account in the design and implementation of e-learning services and products such as LMS and CMS. This article, therefore, aims to shed some light on cultural-pedagogical issues in designing and implementing e-learning. Exploring and understanding the embedded cultural-pedagogical norms in educational institution is critical not only for successful design and implementation of e-learning services and products but also for drawing the intended educational outcomes. Because only with a clear sense of these theoretical foundations that underpin assumptions about learning and teaching, can e-learning courses be appropriately designed, used and qualified.

Keywords

References

Aykin, N. (2005). Introduction and cultural considerations: Practical issues and guidelines for international information display. In N. Aykin & A. E. Milewski (Eds.), Usability and internationalization of information technology (pp. 21-50). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Blanchard, E., Razaki, R., & Frasson , C. (2005). Cross-cultural adaptation of e-learning contents: A methodology Paper presented at the World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher  Education, Chesapeake, Virginia.
Brown, J. S., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational Researcher, 18(1), 32-42.
Bruner, J. S. (1996). The culture of education. Cambridge, Mass. ; London: Harvard University Press.
Carnoy, M. (1999). Globalization and educational reform: What planners need to know. Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Castells, M. (1996). The rise of the network society. Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
Collis, B., & Moonen, J. (2001). Flexible learning in a digital world: Experiences and expectations. London: Kogan Page & Stylus Publishing Inc.
Collis, B., Vingerhoets, J., & Moonen, J. (1997). Flexibility as a key construct in European training. British Journal of Educational Technology, 28(3), 199-218.
Dewey, J. (1925). Experience and nature. La Salle, IL: Open Court.
Edmundson, A. (2006). The cultural adaptation process (CAP) model: Designing e-learning for another culture. In A. Edmundson (Ed.), Globalized e-learning cultural challenges (pp. 267–290). Hershey, PA: Information Science Publishing.
Edmundson, A. (2007). Using level 1 e-learning to support socio-economic development. Educational Media International, 44(2), 99-111.
Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond culture. New York: Doubleday.
Henderson, L. (1996). Instructional design of interactive multimedia: A cultural critique. Educational Technology Research and Development, 44(4), 85-104.
Hofstede, G. (1986). Cultural differences in learning and teaching. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 10(3), 301-320.
Hofstede, G. (1997). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Kashima, Y. (2004). Person, symbol, sociality: Towards a social psychology of cultural dynamics. Journal of Research in Personality, 38(1), 52-58.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Lipponen, L. (2002). Exploring foundations for computer-supported collaborative learning. In G. Stahl (Ed.), Computer support for collaborative learning: Foundations for a CSCL community (pp. 72-81). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Masoumi, D. (2010). E-learning in Iran: A breakthrough to ICT-based initiatives in an educational system. In U. Demiray (Ed.), E-learning practices: Cases on challenges facing e-learning and national development (Vol. 1, pp. 229-251). Eskisehir-Turkey: Anadolu University.
Masoumi, D., & Lindström, B. (2009). Foundations of cultural design in e-learning. Int. J. Internet and Enterprise Management, 6(2), 124-142.
Masoumi, D., & Lindström, B. (2012). E-learning as a cultural artifact: An empirical study of Iranian Virtual Institutions. Paper presented at the Cultural Attitudes Towards Technology and Communication Conference (CATAC 2012), Århus, Danmark.
Masoumi, D., & Lindström, B. (In press). Going against flow: Cultural-pedagogical norms in Iranian virtual higher education. In J. Keengwe & K. Kungu (Eds.), Cross-Cultural Online Learning in Higher Education and Corporate Training.
Nisbett, R. E. (2003). The geography of thought: How Asians and Westerners think differently... and why. New York: Free Press.
Olaniran, B. A., Rodriguez, N. B., & Williams, I. M. (2010). Cross-cultural challenges in web-based nstruction. Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal 2(4), 448-465.
Reeves, T. C. (1992). Effective dimensions of interactive learning systems. Paper presented at the 2nd Information Technology for Training and Education (ITTE '92) Conference, St Lucia, Brisbane.
Reeves, T. C. (1994). Evaluating what really matters in computer-based education. In M. Wild & D. Kirkpatrick (Eds.), Computer education: New perspectives (pp. 219-246). Perth, Australia: MASTEC.
Reeves, T. C., & Reeves, P. M. (1997). Effective dimensions of interactive learning on the World Wide Web. In B. H. Kahn (Ed.), Web-based instruction (pp. 59-65). Englewood Cliffs: Educational Technology Publications.
Reigeluth, C. M. (1996). A new paradigm of ISD? Educational Technology, 36(3), 13-20.
Seufert, S. (2002). E-Learning business models: Framework and best practice examples. In M. S. Raisinghani (Ed.), Cases on worldwide e-commerce: Theory in action (pp. 143 p.). Hershey, PA: Idea Group Inc.
Sfard, A. (1998). On two metaphors for learning and on the dangers of choosing just one. Educational Researcher, 27(2), 4-13.
Usun, S. (2004). Factors affecting the application of information and communication technologies (ICT) in distance education. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 5(1). Retrieved from http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr/tojde13/articles/usun.html
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, UK: Harvard University
Wang, C.-M., & Reeves, T. C. (2006). The meaning of culture in online education: Implications for teaching, learning, and design. In A. Edmundson (Ed.), Globalized e-learning cultural challenges (pp. 1-17). Hershey, PA: Information Science Publishing.
Wertsch, J. V. (1998). Mind as action. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Wild, M., & Henderson, L. (1997). Contextualizing learning in the World Wide Web: Accounting for the impact of culture. Education and Information Technologies, 2(3), 179-192.
Zhang, J. (2007). A cultural look at information and communication technologies in Eastern education. Educational Technology Research and Development, 55(3), 301-314.

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics