Cross-Cultural Online Instruction

Although technology is brining people of the world in contact with each other at an unprecedented rate (Friedman, 2005), hidden assumptions in cultural dif­ferences still serve to challenge our ability to communicate effectively with each other ? including with online instruction. Culture and language mediate, often unconsciously, different conceptual frameworks and value systems that in­fluence how we learn, communicate, and design instruction. This book explores the experiences of 12 designers who have developed online instruction in cross-cultural contexts of over 80 countries. This analysis helps answer the ques­tions: ? What cultural differences matter? What assumptions about learning, teaching, and instructional design should be questioned when working cross-culturally? What are some challenges to being culturally sensitive? How can some of these challenges be overcome? This book is of value to anyone work­ing via the Internet with those from other cultures, and particularly for those who are designing teaching and learning experiences. It has been said that understanding cultural issues is not only an important issue; it is arguably the important issue of our time (Fay, 2000).