Cultural and Linguistic Disconnection in Virtual Education

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Cultural and Linguistic Disconnection in Virtual
Education

• Ruolan Wang Professor Patrick Dillon

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The contents of the presentation

• Brief introduction of the research
• Current issues
• Proposed methodology
• The research methods
• The conceptual research framework

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The perspectives of the research

• A multidisciplinary research

• Sociocultural Theory

• Cultural and Linguistic Studies

• Instructional Multimedia Design

• Rreconceptualising virtual education in
• ways that are better aligned culturally and
• linguistically with the needs of global
  learners

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The Aims of the research

• Developing a theoretical framework that
• accounts for cultural and linguistic
  differences
• that can be applied to virtual education

• Testing this framework in a virtual education
• situation with a defined group of people
• working in an English language context

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The contents of the presentation

• Brief introduction of my research
• Current issues
• Proposed methodology
• The research methods
• The conceptual research framework

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Current issues

• Cultural disconnection

• Linguistic disconnection

• Inappropriate multimedia design

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What is Culture?

• Culture is the beliefs, value systems, norms,
  mores, myths, and structural elements of a given
  organisation, tribe, or society (Watson et al.,
  199445)

• High and Low context culture (Hall, 1976)

• Affirmative and Deferential culture (Brown
• Levinson, 1978)

• Individualistic and Collectivistic culture
• (Hofstede, 1994)

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Cultural disconnection
  High Low Context culture
Affirmative Deferential culture
Individualistic Collectivistic culture  
Culture bias
Most of the current instructional principles
concern on the separation of different cultural
needs but neglect to provide an environment to
help learners to share their experiences and make
cultural connections.
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Current issues

• Cultural disconnection

• Linguistic disconnection

• Inappropriate multimedia design

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What is Linguistics?

• What is language?
• How does language work?

Linguistics can be defined as the systematic
study of language a discipline which describes
language in all its aspects and formulates
theories as to how it works (Aitchison, 1995).
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The Scope of linguistics
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Linguistic disconnection
The absence of gestural bodily elements
Inner speech differences
Conceptual structure differences
English deficiency

• Low speed in reading and writing in English
• Slow responses by constructing ideas in English
• Misunderstanding during the discussion with
  native English speakers.

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Current issues

• Cultural disconnection

• Linguistic disconnection

• Inappropriate multimedia design

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Inapproriate multimedia design
Multimedia design a process of translating HCI
(Human Computer Interaction) principles and
combining media technologies in meaningful ways.

• Educational needs are quite often emphasised on
  the interest
• of technical progress rather than taking
  humanistic factors
• into account (Walker, 1994).

• The gap between learning theories and the
  promotion of
• high technology is not bridged.

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The contents of the presentation

• Brief introduction of my research
• Current issues
• Proposed methodology
• The research methods
• The conceptual research framework

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Methodology

• Theory building

• Adding human voice to quantitative research
  devoted to virtual learning

• Methodological triangulation (Denzin, 1970)

• Seeking to understand and explain the situation
  and try to describe it in meanings

• A theoretical framework accounts for cultural
  and language differences

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Situational analysis
Methodology
An examination of a learning group for the
purpose of identifying issues which might be
addressed through the process of virtual learning.

• Describing and assessing the broad social and
  economic context in which the VE should consider.

• The Analysis will look deeply at situation that
  may relevant to the cultural and linguistic
  disconnection in VE.

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The contents of the presentation

• Brief introduction of my research
• Current issues
• Proposed methodology
• The research methods
• The conceptual research framework

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The research methods

• Email survey

• Online participant observation

• Online Cultural and Linguistic Connection
  workshops

• Face-to-face interview

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The contents of the presentation

• Brief introduction of my research
• Current issues
• Proposed methodology
• The research methods
• The conceptual research framework

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Conceptual Research Framework
High Low Context culture
Conceptual structure differences
Inner speech differences
Affirmative Deferential culture
Culture bias
Learning Environment
The absence of gestural bodily elements
Learners (from diverse backgrounds)
Individualistic Collectivistic culture
English deficiency
Course Tutor (English teaching)
Cultural dissonance
Linguistic dissonance
Cultural and language differences
Online Course (Course materials support etc.)
Outcome A theoretical framework accounts
for cultural and language differences that can be
applied to virtual education.
Instructional/ Multimedia design
Theory Building
Sociocultural Theory
Situation Virtual Education (VE)
Situational Analysis
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ruolan.wang_at_exter.ac.uk
p.j.dillon_at_exeter.ac.uk
Thank you!