E-Learning Systems

Technology has provided individuals around the world the convenience of constructing a virtual global learning community. A specific growing technology that complements the expanding global need is e-learning. Appropriate awareness of cultural differences and their effects on the individual user is vital to the success of e-learning systems. Most research of cultural differences has been conducted primarily in the fields of anthropology, sociology, business, communication, or cross-cultural education. While those fields focus primarily on cultural differences and address academic and/or practical questions, this book focuses on the relationship between national culture and the usability of an e-learning system. The theoretical frameworks that were used were Hofstede s cultural dimensions, and Nielson s usability attributes. The knowledge in this book should help e-learning system designers to design effective and appropriate e-learning systems that will meet the needs of users from various cultural backgrounds. The findings should also provide educators with information that could assist them in understanding the cultural implications of using e-learning systems.