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Cultural Dimensions of Multimedia Design for Instruction

Drawing from International Business Cultural Miscues. When Coca-Cola first went to China ... View word-level-only messages as unsophisticated, childish, and rude ...

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Cultural Dimensions of Multimedia Design for Instruction

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    Slide 1:Cultural Dimensions of Multimedia Design for Instruction

    NECC Conference June 30, 2003 Seattle, WA Davina Pruitt-Mentle Educational Technology Outreach http://www.edtechoutreach.umd.edu/

    Slide 2:What does culture have to do with education?

    Slide 3:Definitions of Culture

    Many definitions of culture and few agree as to the exact definition RE: multicultural interface/multimedia design Culture stands for the way of life of a people, the sum of their learned behavioral patterns, attitudes and material things (Edward Hall, 1959, The Silent Language) Culture is the collective programming of the mind, which distinguishes the members of one human group from another (Hofstede, 1980).

    Slide 4:What Does Culture Have To Do With Education Related to Technology Design and Utilization?

    What are the consequences for students from different cultures working with US educational software?

    Slide 5:Cultural Expectations

    The different backgrounds of people may cause them to have different expectations and attitudes towards different interfaces. The different expectations affect the way they learn to use and understand the technology.

    Slide 6:Research

    Research indicated that culture does influence interface acceptance (Evers and Day, 1997) Acceptance of interfaces was related to the user’s cultural background and users from different cultures were found to not only have different preferences in interface design but also use different processes of acceptance (Evers and Day, 1997; Choong and Salvendy, 1998; Griffith, 1998) Design preferences that were especially related to culture were colors, menus, input devices, sounds and multimedia. Research indicated differences in acceptance, anxiety and attitudes toward computer use (Collis and Williams, 1987; Marcoulides and Wang, 1991; Igbaria, 1996; Weil and Rosen, 1994; Allwood and Wang, 1990; Omar, 1992; Sensales and Greenfield, 1995; Makrakis, 1992; Hall, 1959)

    Slide 7:Drawing from International Business Cultural Miscues

    When Coca-Cola first went to China and wrote their name phonetically using Kanji, the characters spelt out “bite the wax tadpole”. Coco, a perfume by Channel, is the word “crap” in Portuguese. Dogs are thought of the lowest form of life in some cultures. In the Middle East, calling somebody a dog can be a powerful insult. This is also true in countries such as Spain and Portugal. Having the image of a dog on the computer screen is part of the interface (Apple moof, PowerPoint dog, Word help icon) would not be advised for those markets (Fernandes, 1996)

    Slide 8:Business Cultural Models

    Globalization Internalization Localization Technical Localization National Localization Cultural Localization Jacob Nielson (1994)

    Slide 9:Drawing from International Business Cultural Miscues

    Globalization Product is “neutral” “One size fits all” Removing all culturally specific features from the software Changes at the interface level--not functionality Internationalization Same as globalization But “culture” limited to national boundaries e.g., Globalization = Hispanic; Internationalization= Mexico, El Salvador Culture is not bounded by nations One culture in many nations One nation with many cultures Fernandes.Global Interface Design. 1995

    Slide 10:National Localization

    The new product is able to fully support all written & spoken language, punctuation, and formats and to solve the particular needs associated with a given group. Translating text, date, time, number formats other aspects such as images, symbols, icons, and pictures are localized

    Slide 11:Cultural Localization

    Targets other issues such as appeal, correctness, quality and taste Modifies flow of information and functionality Produces designs that are appropriate for a culture's values , tastes and history Attractive No undesired messages Intuitive

    Slide 12:Localization in US Educational Arena

    Even though many of our students come from different countries (increasing immigrant population) few educational resources redesign their products to relate to this particular population

    Slide 13:US Bias

    Educational software used in the US has been designed using real world examples around North American culture and therefore many consider to cultural bias

    Slide 14:Cultural Dimensions to Multimedia

    Making learning resources more accessible and flexible to a wide range of learners is a major concern of educators today. In order to do this- “...educators must recognize that ‘their ways’ are ways that are usually based on values and principles that may differ then others. And others’ ways are just as important”. Brislin & Yoshida (1994) call this process ethnorelative

    The way to deal with diversity is not to deny it or ignore it, but to learn about differences so they don’t impair communication

    Slide 16:The first step in effective intercultural communication is acceptance of diversity

    Examine your own values Examine values of others Look at the implications of these values for education Determine where the differences lie Determine how to best overcome the differences

    Slide 17:Cross-Cultural “Cross Wiring”

    Language spoken written symbols Non-verbal communication body facial expression gestures Symbols company logos religious images flags

    Slide 18:Spoken & Written Language

    All languages have a number of forms/styles and different registers for different types of situations Diglossia/multiglossia-custom of using different languages for different purposes (Fishman, 1971a) Spanish ? English formal ? informal colloquial ? regular Different dialect/ different sub-cultures American vs. English (British) Northern vs. Southern vs. Cajun vs. “street”

    Slide 19:Spoken & Written Language: Language Reflects Environment

    Amazon area - no word for snow Americans - snow, powder snow, sleet, slush, blizzard, ice In Northern Germany, “ein Glas Weisswein bitte” (a glass of white wine, please) or specify Moselwein or Rheinwein In Southwest Germany- expected to specify type of wine, vineyard and year

    Slide 20:Spoken and Written Language: We Translate Concepts That Fit Our Priorities

    Navajo do not have a word for late (time is relative) Mandarin Chinese, one word (qing) represents various hues of blue and green Americans tomorrow means midnight to midnight Spanish-speaking mańana means in the future Chinese do not have a word for communication letter exchange transportation traffic Administration (educational setting) American ? superintendent/ dean French ? upper-level clerical staff

    Slide 21:Written Communication

    Understand Patterns of Organization East Asian cultures organize material based on relationships rather than on linear progression Canadians like to have recommendations at the beginning of a report

    Slide 22:Written Communication: Dates

    American - May 6, 2010 or 05/06/2010 German - 6. Mai 2010 or 6.5. 2010 International (increasing usage) 2010 May, 6 or 2010, 05, 06

    Slide 23:Spoken and Written Language: High-Context vs. Low-Context

    Edward Hall, distinguished cultures on the basis of the role of context in communication High-Context - less words more “other clues” (ex. Japan) Low-Context - words, words, words (ex. German Swiss) US middle of the Low-context range

    Slide 24:High - Context

    View word-level-only messages as unsophisticated, childish, and rude Prefer-allusion to classical texts, parables and proverbs, understatements and antiphraxis (saying something in terms of what it is not) Asian thought pattern - negative space “I have some small experience in that”- world-famous mathematician’s life work

    Slide 25:Spoken Language: Why is this important for educators regarding multimedia?

    Verbal (audio) now part of multimedia Like Assistive technology - can choose gender/dialect Translator difficulties order of words varies in different languages translation can not interpret formal vs.. informal

    Slide 26:Non-Verbal Communication

    Body Facial Expression Gestures

    Slide 27:Non-Verbal Body Language

    Rules regarding standing and position distance Face-on for Arabs 45 degree angle for Anglo-Saxons Side-to-side for Chinese

    Slide 28:Non-Verbal Communication

    Smiling in Japan is strongly associated with nervousness, social discomfort, or sorrow

    Slide 29:Non-Verbal Body Language

    In Buddhist Thailand never cross legs The sole of the foot is the furthest part from heaven and the least sacred. To show the bottom of the foot to someone is to show disrespect

    Slide 30:Non-Verbal Communication

    In Asian and Middle-eastern cultures it is appropriate for the same sex to walk hand in hand but not the opposite sex

    Slide 31:Symbols/Icons

    Slide 32:Symbols/Icons

    Slide 33:Symbols

    El Dia de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a fiesta with deep meaning to Mexicans China, death is not mentioned even by homonyms (words that sound like other words)

    Slide 34:Symbols: Hand Gestures: emblems

    V-for victory in US is obscene in some European countries

    Slide 35:Symbols, Idioms and Metaphors

    Americans use militaristic origin terminology Many cultures choose a more cooperative approach

    Slide 36:Symbols, Idioms and Metaphors

    Sports have provided U.S. with numerous metaphors Many cultures do not understand baseball/football terms like: Bases are loaded Got to first base Out in left field Third down, nine to go

    Slide 37:Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture

    Dutch cultural anthropologist 1978-1983 Rated 53 countries Identified 5 cultural dimensions Rated on indices for each dimension Normalized to values (0 to 100)

    Slide 38:Hofstede’s Five Dimensions

    Power Distance Individualism vs. Collectivism Masculinity vs. Femininity Uncertainty Avoidance Long- vs. Short-Term Time Orientation

    Slide 39:Power Distance

    High Power Distance cultures believe that the more powerful people must be deferred to and not argued with, especially in public Based on gender, age, seniority, position Low Power Distance cultures believe ideas/people are assumed to be equal

    Slide 40:Power Distance

    High Power http://www.brainpop.com/ http://www.pbs.org/

    Slide 41:Power Distance

    Lower Power http://www.education-world.com/index.shtml http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/index.htm

    Slide 42:Individualism vs. Collectivism

    Individualist WebQuests http://www.gowcsd.com/master/ghs/math/furman/linsystem/call_me.htm http://www.tctc.org/schoolinfo/CLUEm/Chartsandgraphs.htm

    Slide 43:Individualism vs. Collectivism

    Collectivist WebQuests http://www.softcom.net/users/dteach/beautiful/ http://u2.lvcm.com/esullivan/webquest.html

    Slide 44:Masculinity vs. Femininity

    Masculine roles assertiveness competition toughness Feminine roles home and children people family

    Slide 45:Masculinity vs. Femininity

    High masculinity WebQuests/Games http://www.amaisd.org/nheights/zennadi_&_james_project.htm http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/play/index.html http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/history/VonBraun/SpaceAge.html

    Slide 46:Masculinity vs. Femininity

    Femininity WebQuests/Games http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/mission/iss/ http://64.70.189.55/games/d_fashion.shtml

    Slide 47:Uncertainty Avoidance

    The extent to which uncertainty and ambiguity are tolerated

    Slide 48:High Uncertainty Avoidance

    http://www.mjh.isd194.k12.mn.us/mwalker/ http://www.dmrtc.net/~embrys/aesindex.htm http://webquest.sdsu.edu /

    Slide 49:Low Uncertainty Avoidance

    http://www.powayschools.com/projects/dolly/ http://www.education-world.com/index.shtml http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/

    Slide 50:Conclusions

    Become familiar with your own values Explore and recognize the values of others Understand the implications of these values for education Determine where the differences lie Determine how to best overcome the differences Expose students to diverse resources Choose diverse examples Examine “cultures” within your school Consider/”double check” your design strategies

    Slide 51:Different students/cultures require different technology/web designs and strategies for optimal learning

    Slide 52:Contact Information

    Davina Pruitt-Mentle Director, Educational Technology Outreach College of Education University of Maryland 2127 Tawes College Park, MD 20742 (301) 405-8202 dp151@umail.umd.edu Presentation available at http://www.edtechoutreach.umd.edu/conferences.html

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