Crossing Cultures and Borders in International Online Distance Higher Education

Abstract

The growing demand for higher education worldwide, along with global expansion of telecommunication technologies, give online distance education a potential world-wide reach for institutions in many countries. Given the persistent international digital divide and the potential for the host institutions and languages to be those of wealthy, industrialized countries, international online distance higher education (IODHE) has great potential for educational and cultural imperialism. Therefore institutions contemplating expansion into international distance education must accommodate a number of changes that would enable building the safe learning/teaching environment needed for the development of a successful course. Drawing on literature of domestic and international online teaching and learning, multicultural studies, as well as personal international teaching and learning experience, the authors examine four domains where these changes are of critical importance: 1) host institution, 2) technology, 3) learning models of students, and 4) teaching models of faculty. The paper discusses issues and practices in each of these domains and offers general recommendations for institutions participating or planning to participate in cross-border/cross-culture online education.

Interculturality in Online Learning: Instructor and Student Accommodations

“…Cathy reported needing more time to get "adjusted to a completely new learning style, requirement, evaluation, etc." which has been reported elsewhere for students new to online learning (Sadykova & Dautermann, 2009;Smart & Cappel, 2006).…”

The Expatriate and Transnational Distance Student Phenomenon: A Series of Investigations

“…The need for differentiation in curriculum, software, visual and information design, digital tools, teaching and learning strategies, pedagogical approaches, and the design of online course themselves is vitally needed in increasingly multicultural and transnational classes (Bell et al, 2015;Harrison et al, 2018;Sadykova & Dautermann, 2009;Sadykova & Meskill, 2019;Uzuner, 2009). If institutions and educators wish to expand their influence and provide additional, non-local opportunities for learning , these efforts need careful consideration as outlined in the literature (Dobos, 2011;Gunawardena, 2003Gunawardena, , 2014Gunawardena & LaPointe, 2008;Selwyn, 2011a).…”

“…Distance education is a more common experience in society today, and it is one that is increasingly global (Allen et al, 2016;Dunlap & Lowenthal, 2018;Harasim, 2000;Lee, 2017;Means et al, 2014;Ortagus, 2016;Watts, 2016). Moreover, with the prevalence of many western educational programs crossing borders electronically around the world, cultural biases and imperial/colonial overtones can stand out (Gunawardena, 2003(Gunawardena, , 2014Gunawardena & LaPointe, 2008;Heffernan, Morrison, Basu, & Sweeney, 2010;Montgomery, 2014;Kanu, 2005;Larreamendy-Joerns et al, 2016;Pyvis, 2011;Sadykova & Dautermann, 2009;Ziguras, 2001). Such overtones can be reinforced through the use of single/national frames of reference when importing and applying western educational paradigms, values, and traditions into nonwestern contexts and peoples (Gunawardena, 2014;Gunawardena & LaPointe, 2008).…”

“…Furthermore, an increase in crossborder movement of people around the world means that many individuals are operating within at least two nation-based frames of cultural reference. (Hewling, 2005, p. 339) Many of the studies on culture in the distance education literature exhibit limitations by presenting generalized views, or by not recognizing their Western-centric constructs (Fougère & Moulettes, 2007;Gunawardena, 2014;Hewling, 2005;Miike, 2004;Sadykova & Dautermann, 2009). Further, culture is often equated with "membership in a particular nation state" (Hewling, 2005, p. 338), though when cross-border movement is taken into account, the accuracy or utility is arguably lessened.…”

“…The models or frameworks for culture that have been developed over the last 60 years in western research provide a useful set of markers that we can use to a) analyse and organize behavior, b) approximate why actions may occur, and c) generate guidelines to avoid causing problems or offense (Lewis, 2010). However, it must be remembered that speaking broadly of cultural norms is not tantamount to speaking about individual behavior (Gunawardena, 2003(Gunawardena, , 2014Hall, 1959Hall, , 1976Parrish & Linder-VanBerschot, 2010;Sadykova & Dautermann, 2009). Moreover, individuals can identify with multiple cultural identities, and constantly switch between them given the local environment or situational circumstance (Gunawardena, 2014;Hewling, 2005;Pollock & Van Reken, 2009;Smith & Ayers, 2006).…”