Cultural Dimensions of Multimedia Design for Instruction

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

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 ma�ana 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