All Annotations of [Preview]

saved byChristy Tucker on 2008-06-30

• Bruner (1960) believes that
  culture mediates a learner’s cognitive development as represented by three modes
  through which knowledge is acquired: enactive, iconic, and symbolic. In the
  enactive representation, an individual learns by doing and by recalling past
  events. Iconic representations are internally constructed through visualized and
  other sensory organizations. Symbolic representations are manifested through
  languages, both verbal and numerical. The learner’s social and cultural context,
  according to Bruner (1986, 1990), influences how, when, and what learning
  becomes knowledge. Cultural influences, however, are not necessarily conscious
  to the individual. Since an instructional designer’s knowledge of enactive,
  iconic, and symbolic representations may differ from that of the intended
  learner, Bruner recommends that all instruction begin with the learner’s
  experiences and contexts.

• In many learning environments, the
  designer of instruction enters into curriculum development with assumptions and
  beliefs that may be, consciously or unconsciously, at odds with the diversity of
  targeted learners. Such incompatibilities may sabotage attempts to adapt
  learning activities in that cultural predispositions may be overlooked.
• cultural orientations for heterogeneous populations may be evidenced by
  conflicts in values, interpersonal interactions, communication patterns, time
  orientation and scheduling, rules of activity and engagement, cognitive
  processes, and processes of problem solving (Boggs, Watson-Gegeo, &
  McMillen, 1985; Kochman, 1981; Shade, 1981, 1989).
• this paper focuses on the needs of the second fastest growing ethnic/racial
  group in the US, the Hispanic/Latino population
• This group is more likely than any other group to have limited access to
  technology outside of work or university resources.

• Morgan (1994) recommends that a
  distance-learning course should provide connections among the learner’s prior
  experiences that relate to course content. This not only includes conceptual
  knowledge but also a consideration of the entering cultural beliefs and entry
  level skills which may shape and influences meaning and ability to connect prior
  learning and new learning.

• culturally preferred active knowledge construction.
• Power Distance
  (PD). “The extent to
  which less powerful members expect and accept unequal power distribution within
  a culture” (Marcus & Gould, 2001, p. 5).
• 
  

  value society at large over individual needs or preferences

  
  
  

  value personal achievement and goals over that of the group

• 
  

  group achievement is more important than that of the individual

  
  
  

  motivation is self-situated; materialism indicates success

• 
  

  privacy of personal information that may be at odds with that of society at
  large

  
  
  

  personal information is made public.

• Traditional masculine cultures
  value wealth, challenge, promotion, and recognition of achievements. Feminine
  cultures value good relations with co-workers, pleasant and congenial home and
  workplace, and job security. Marcus and Gould suggest the following interface
  implications for high feminine cultures: interchangeable roles, cooperation and
  collaboration, and aesthetic expression of values.
• “Cultures vary in their avoidance of uncertainty, creating different rituals
  and having different values regarding formality, punctuality, legal-religious
  requirements, and tolerance for ambiguity” (Marcus & Gould, 2000, p. 20)
• Cultures with low UA
• accept that teachers may not know all the answers and learning is more
  open-ended; and see out of the normal phenomenon as a curiosity.
• long-term Time Orientation believe that stability requires hierarchical
  relations, view the family as the model for all organizations with elders and
  males having most authority, believe that virtuosity does not result in
  equitable treatment, and see that virtuosity means working hard to improve
  oneself, at least in the workplace
• Short-term Time Orientation cultures: emphasize the individual and equitable
  relationships, personal fulfillment through self-actualization.
• within a culture, individuals have different styles so using one approach,
  however culturally relevant it may be, is not necessarily appropriate or
  effective for an entire group.
• She found that Hispanic learners preferred evaluative feedback, active
  participation, collaboration, and concrete and practical material. Learners
  tended: to retain facts well, use elaborative processing, have a positive
  attitude about learning, exhibit self-discipline and diligence, attend closely
  to tasks at hand, use “imagery, verbal elaboration, comprehension monitoring and
  reasoning” (p.58), identify the main idea, apply effective test-taking
  strategies and reflect on accuracy of information. The Hispanic learners
  preferred active experimentation and tended to use judgment (thinking of
  feeling) when interacting with others.
• 
  
  • Provide a variety of instructional strategies that can be supported through
    a variety of media, allowing students to chose among activities that have one
    objective.
    
  • Provide consistent, clear, and frequent feedback in a variety of formats.
    
  • Provide opportunities for collaboration.
    
  • Encourage and provide opportunities for reflection.
    
  • Design curriculum that engages learners in making connections among theory
    and practice using higher order thinking.
• learners from individualist cultures were supported in a distance learning
  environment more so than learners from a collectivist culture
• not conducive to the collectivist learning were the very characteristics of
  distance learning that are touted as the greatest benefits: learner’s
  self-reliance and independence

• The Net generation [6] has grown
  up with a variety of electronic media that are unique and which research
  suggests has influenced their perspectives and preferences (Tapscott, 1999).
  This generation::

  
  

  
  
  • Has grown up with digital entertainment
    
  • Has access to digital resources outside of schools
    
  • Accepts diversity
    
  • Is curious
    
  • Is assertive and self-reliant
    
  • Is strongly independent
    
  • Tends to be emotionally & intellectually open
    
  • Is inclusive
    
  • Is freely expressive
    
  • Tends to be innovative
    
  • Is investigative
• gender differences in the use and application of technology, the preponderance
  of digital play as opposed to the work ethic of older generations, the influence
  of global information and relationships, and the decreased reliance on a teacher
  for guided learning.
• factors must be considered
• Analysis of target population(s)
  preferences in Web design, interaction as well as entry technical and
  communication level skills
• Review of content by subject matter and culture experts for design integrity
  and cultural relevancy