CHRISTINA M. COMBS

With the globalization of distance learning, the demographics of learners in many institutions reflect multicultural societies. Researchers argue that educational providers should address and be responsive to cultural diversity in order to meet the needs of multicultural learners. In her article “Addressing Cultural Diversity Through Learner Support”, Barbara Spronk (2004) states that distance learning materials do not support learner's first languages and do not reflect their cultures. She also claims that learning should be contextualized, as not all learners share the same Western academic culture and values (Spronk, 2004). Additionally, Spronk asserts that approaches to learning must be addressed, as learning is different between cultures. Educational providers should consider the cultures of their students and the diversity between these cultures to develop inclusive content and high quality support services for all learners. This paper will argue in favor of Spronk’s article and provide evidence to support her claims.

Learning Materials and Cultural Diversity

Distance education providers in countries comprised of diverse populations continue to offer course content written in languages that do not reflect the first language of their learners (Spronk, 2004). With increasingly globalized societies, computer mediated communication enables the customization of education and training experiences for different cultures and nationalities (Rasmussen, 2003). However, there is little evidence of customized educational content that support multi-cultural groups of learners in print and virtual learning environments. Distance learning providers cannot ignore the fact that the makeup of student bodies will continue to diversify, reflecting the changes in demographics of any given population. For instance, the Latino population is growing rapidly in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2013), Latinos accounted for more than half of the nation's population growth between the years 2000 and 2010. Today, more Latino adults successfully complete postsecondary education, with the number of Hispanics attaining a bachelor degree or higher increasing by 80% over the past decade (Santiago & Soliz, 2012). Higher education institutions in the U.S. also see an increase of Asian learners, with 57% of international students enrolled in US-based distance learning institutions being from Asia in the 2003-2004 academic years (Wang, 2006).

While the Internet does expand access to learning opportunities, most virtual learning environments are developed and structured to support English content, as the Internet is dominated by the English language and Western values (Dillon, Wang & Tearle, 2007). As a result, International, Latino and other English as a second language (ESOL) students who participate in online courses may feel excluded and may be unable to relate what they learn to their personal lives or work environments. In order to create an engaging and interactive environment for learners, course content and learning materials should have meaning for students (McAnany, 2009).

Academic Culture and Contextualized Learning

Spronk (2004) states that Western academic culture may be foreign to learners from cultures whose first language are not English. Course designs based primarily on Western beliefs and cultural norms are not inclusive and do not demonstrate an institution's cultural awareness. Chinese participants in an online American university experienced frustrations because they had a hard time understanding cultural references in the content and online discussions (Thompson & Ku, 2005). When courses are designed according to Western culture, learners from different cultures may not find any value in these courses (Rogers, 2007).

It is critical for distance learning providers to be aware of the audience they serve, as the “creation of culturally responsive curriculum leads to higher student achievement” (Rivera-Quijano, 2003). When students are able to connect with course content, they become empowered and confident in taking responsibility for their own learning and will have a more positive and meaningful learning experience.

Approaches to Learning

Education providers should be flexible when designing courses and materials for diverse students, as approaches to learning may vary significantly between cultures (Spronk, 2004). Institutions that do not account for the cultural diversity in learning styles can contribute to the loss of cultural identity for some students. Hofstede (1997) conceived that learning styles differ between cultures and is relative to a person’s individual or collective interests (Smith & Ayers, 2006). Learners from individualistic cultures focus more on individual, personal goals while collectivist learners focus on the goals of a group (Dillon, Wang & Tearle, 2007). For example, the Hispanic culture in the U.S. identifies with the collectivist learning style, as family and group needs prioritize over individual needs (Pajewski & Enriquez, 1996). This different approach to learning can create a conflict in tasks such as group assignments. While westernized students in the group expects each group member to do their share of work, Hispanic students take a more relaxed approach and may not contribute equally (Pajewski & Enriquez, 1996).

Effective communication is vital to a student's success in learning. The use of the Internet and other computer mediated communication tools affords distance education providers opportunities to create useful interactive communities for a diverse culture of learners. Even so, institutions must understand that language contributes greatly to how individuals approach learning. Language is very important in terms of how an individual thinks and learns, and distance learning providers and content developers should consider the that learning associated with English values and teaching practices are not universally shared (Spronk, 2004). Participants in a study conducted by Dillon, Wang, & Tearle (2007) relayed that they struggled to communicate in U.S.-based online classes because of cultural and language barriers. When miscommunication and misinterpretations occur, learners risk being offended or being offensive to others and may feel isolated.

Learners from more conservative or reserved cultures may not be comfortable expressing themselves in a virtual learning environment, as some cultures associate free expression with anonymity (Dillon et al., 2007). Berger (2003) stated that virtual learning environments that allow students to keep their identities hidden provide an opportunity for students to ask questions and contribute to discussions without fear of judgment and stereotypes. Although anonymity is a preferred method for online communication, students should be able to learn in an environment where they are comfortable with sharing who they are and understanding one another's differences.

Conclusion

In order to meet the needs of learners from a variety of cultural backgrounds, distance education providers should address cultural diversity. Multicultural students will have different approaches in how they learn and instructional designers and teachers must be flexible when developing courses and assignments. Educational providers should also take into account that culturally diverse learners may experience isolation and frustration in learning environments that are based solely on Western culture. As populations change in demographics around the world, distance learning institutions will also need to consider language and cultural barriers presented by learning materials that are not in students' native languages.

References

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