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Cultural competence and instructional design: Exploration research into the delivery of online instruction cross-culturally

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Abstract

The amount of resources being poured by Western universities, companies, and governments into creating educational content to be exported (via the Internet) to other cultures is astounding. Those assigned to accomplish this task are left with the great challenge of meeting the needs of learners who come from cultures that are foreign to them, and who often have very different abilities and expectations than originally assumed. This study explores the cultural competence in the lived experience of 12 professionals who have been involved with such efforts. Often they have had to question their assumptions, recognizing flaws in their own thinking and in the organizations that support them, and tried to alter their practice accordingly. Their awareness of cultural differences and the importance and impact of these differences in their practice will be discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank each of the participants, for their willingness to share.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rollins Center for eBusiness, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA

    P. Clint Rogers

  2. Department of Instructional Psychology and Technology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA

    Charles R. Graham

  3. Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA

    Clifford T. Mayes

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  1. P. Clint Rogers
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  2. Charles R. Graham
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  3. Clifford T. Mayes
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Correspondence to P. Clint Rogers.

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Rogers, P.C., Graham, C.R. & Mayes, C.T. Cultural competence and instructional design: Exploration research into the delivery of online instruction cross-culturally. Education Tech Research Dev 55, 197–217 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-007-9033-x

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