ETEC 565G: SPECIAL COURSE IN SUBJECT MATTER FIELD: CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION IN VIRTUAL LEARNNG ENVIRONMENTS
This course focused on the relationship between culture and technology. I was introduced to theoretical frameworks and considered the impact of culture in virtual learning environments. What I valued the most in this course was the research area of intercultural communication and the opportunity to investigate the concept of culture in my own professional context.
As a learner I realized the challenges a student can face when communicating with colleagues. Reeder et al. (2004) discuss the challenges students face when pursuing online education. ETEC 565G was my third MET course and I still remember my first post where I needed to introduce myself. As Gudykunst (1995) mentions, “the wider the cultural gap that exists…the greater the degree of uncertainty” (Reeder et al., 2004, p. 93). I felt a great amount of hesitation when I needed to complete this task because I was intimidated by what was expected of me and from others. While participating in online classes, it can be observed that the internet has a culture (Reeder et al., 2004). This culture can pose challenges for students where they compare themselves to their peers to “establish credibility, exchange information, motivate others, give and receive feedback, or critique or evaluate information” (Reeder et al., 2004, p. 88). The authors of this article believe cultural production happens when members of a community make meaning of material (Reeder et al, 2004). The values they identify in virtual learning environments include aggressive/competitive behaviours, speed, quick responses, questions/debate and informalities (Reeder et al, 2004). In the absence of oral or visual cues, communication is difficult in distance education. During the online seminars we were able to Skype with our colleagues and informally discuss an article related to the course. I found value in this exercise and learned a lot about my peers and I was confident with the level of understanding which was achieved. If there is a balance between visual and written text within virtual learning environments, I can see how the cultural gap may lessen.
ETEC 565G complemented the core courses I completed because it included the challenges of teaching multicultural classrooms while implementing technology. This piece of the puzzle represents a thorough examination of the student-teacher communications within an educational context. I considered the ways in which different cultures shape assumptions about teaching and learning.
As Salili & Hoosain (2007) state,
Educational and psychological researchers are now aware that the findings of their studies may not apply to other cultures, and that in this age of globalization and multiculturalism it is very important to examine the applicability of psycho-educational constructs to other cultures. Understanding learning and motivational characteristics of students of diverse background will enable educators to develop appropriate curriculum and teaching strategies to motivate these students. (p. 3)
Parrish & Linder-VanBerschot (2010) outline why multicultural education and training is a growing concern. When I was being interviewed for my first teaching position, one of the focus questions I was asked was “How do you address cultural diversity in your classroom?”. Before completing my teacher education program which was centred on diversity in urban classrooms, my answer would have targeted cultural practices versus values and personalities. This year I have experienced a shift in my teaching approach and have understood the need to be culturally competent and sensitive in the classroom. The school I teach at includes a high Aboriginal and immigrant population with several disadvantaged families. I find educators at my workplace are much more lenient and tolerable of student expectations. As we try to reach out to parents to involve them in their child’s learning, the response is usually very low. This speaks to the cultural practices and behaviours which are inherited by the children. The same types of attitudes and actions are recognized by teachers in the classroom. Needless to say, in this case educators do not pass any judgment; rather, we attend professional development workshops to learn how we can change our approach to instil the value of education. This course helped me understand how I can avoid teaching with personal bias and be inclusive to all learners. Particularly, the cultural dimension of clock and event time resonates with my experiences while teaching culturally diverse students. From my perspective, relationships are more important than deadlines. Most of my students are given as much time as they need to complete an assignment and the focus is placed on improvement versus deadlines (Parrish & Linder-Vanberschot, 2010). This is just one dimension which educators can refer to when creating learning activities. This tool helps avoid educators to make false assumptions about students.
As a learner I realized the challenges a student can face when communicating with colleagues. Reeder et al. (2004) discuss the challenges students face when pursuing online education. ETEC 565G was my third MET course and I still remember my first post where I needed to introduce myself. As Gudykunst (1995) mentions, “the wider the cultural gap that exists…the greater the degree of uncertainty” (Reeder et al., 2004, p. 93). I felt a great amount of hesitation when I needed to complete this task because I was intimidated by what was expected of me and from others. While participating in online classes, it can be observed that the internet has a culture (Reeder et al., 2004). This culture can pose challenges for students where they compare themselves to their peers to “establish credibility, exchange information, motivate others, give and receive feedback, or critique or evaluate information” (Reeder et al., 2004, p. 88). The authors of this article believe cultural production happens when members of a community make meaning of material (Reeder et al, 2004). The values they identify in virtual learning environments include aggressive/competitive behaviours, speed, quick responses, questions/debate and informalities (Reeder et al, 2004). In the absence of oral or visual cues, communication is difficult in distance education. During the online seminars we were able to Skype with our colleagues and informally discuss an article related to the course. I found value in this exercise and learned a lot about my peers and I was confident with the level of understanding which was achieved. If there is a balance between visual and written text within virtual learning environments, I can see how the cultural gap may lessen.
ETEC 565G complemented the core courses I completed because it included the challenges of teaching multicultural classrooms while implementing technology. This piece of the puzzle represents a thorough examination of the student-teacher communications within an educational context. I considered the ways in which different cultures shape assumptions about teaching and learning.
As Salili & Hoosain (2007) state,
Educational and psychological researchers are now aware that the findings of their studies may not apply to other cultures, and that in this age of globalization and multiculturalism it is very important to examine the applicability of psycho-educational constructs to other cultures. Understanding learning and motivational characteristics of students of diverse background will enable educators to develop appropriate curriculum and teaching strategies to motivate these students. (p. 3)
Parrish & Linder-VanBerschot (2010) outline why multicultural education and training is a growing concern. When I was being interviewed for my first teaching position, one of the focus questions I was asked was “How do you address cultural diversity in your classroom?”. Before completing my teacher education program which was centred on diversity in urban classrooms, my answer would have targeted cultural practices versus values and personalities. This year I have experienced a shift in my teaching approach and have understood the need to be culturally competent and sensitive in the classroom. The school I teach at includes a high Aboriginal and immigrant population with several disadvantaged families. I find educators at my workplace are much more lenient and tolerable of student expectations. As we try to reach out to parents to involve them in their child’s learning, the response is usually very low. This speaks to the cultural practices and behaviours which are inherited by the children. The same types of attitudes and actions are recognized by teachers in the classroom. Needless to say, in this case educators do not pass any judgment; rather, we attend professional development workshops to learn how we can change our approach to instil the value of education. This course helped me understand how I can avoid teaching with personal bias and be inclusive to all learners. Particularly, the cultural dimension of clock and event time resonates with my experiences while teaching culturally diverse students. From my perspective, relationships are more important than deadlines. Most of my students are given as much time as they need to complete an assignment and the focus is placed on improvement versus deadlines (Parrish & Linder-Vanberschot, 2010). This is just one dimension which educators can refer to when creating learning activities. This tool helps avoid educators to make false assumptions about students.
HANDS ON ASSIGNMENTS
The following hands on assignments demonstrate my learning of culture and communication in virtual learning environments.
The following hands on assignments demonstrate my learning of culture and communication in virtual learning environments.
Culture Mapping
Virtual Ethnography: Twitter
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How Does Diversity in Home Languages Impact Student Learning?
Book Review
Promoting Inclusive Deep Learning in Online Contexts |
Applying the Learning to My Professional Context