Cultural Dimensions to Multimedia Design MEMO Conference Davina Pruitt-Mentle Educational Technology Outreach

Cultural Dimensions to Cultural Dimensions to Multimedia DesignMultimedia Design

MEMO Conference

Davina Pruitt-Mentle

Educational Technology Outreach

http://www.edtechoutreach.umd.edu/

October 18, 2001 MEMO: Davina Pruitt-Mentle2

What does culture have to do What does culture have to do with education?with education?


Cultural Dimensions to MultimediaCultural 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’ our 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


The way to deal with diversity The way to deal with diversity is not to deny it or ignore it, is not to deny it or ignore it,

but to learn about differences but to learn about differences so they don’t impair so they don’t impair

communicationcommunication


The first step in effective intercultural The first step in effective intercultural communication is acceptance of diversity communication is acceptance of diversity

To do this one must:To do this one must:

• 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


OutlineOutline

• Miscommunication overview– Examples of miscommunication– High vs. Low Context

• Design Suggestions

• Hofstede’s 5 cultural Dimensions as related to websites


Cross-Cultural Cross-Cultural “Cross Wiring”“Cross Wiring”

• Language

– spoken

– written

– symbols

• Non-verbal communication

– body

– facial expression

– gestures

• Symbols

– company logos

– religious images

– flags


Spoken & Written LanguageSpoken & 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. Cajon vs. “street”


Spoken & Written Language: Spoken & Written Language: Language Reflects EnvironmentLanguage 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


Spoken and Written Language: We Spoken and Written Language: We Translate Concepts That Fit Our PrioritiesTranslate 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 mañana 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


Written CommunicationWritten 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


Written Communication: DatesWritten 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


Spoken and Written Language: Spoken and Written Language: High-Context vs. Low-ContextHigh-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


High - ContextHigh - 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


Spoken Language: Why is this Spoken Language: Why is this important for educators regarding important for educators regarding

multimedia?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


Nonverbal CommunicationNonverbal Communication

Body Facial Expression Gestures


Nonverbal Body LanguageNonverbal Body Language

Rules regarding standing and position distance

Face-on for Arabs 45 degree angle for Anglo-

Saxons Side-to-side for Chinese


Nonverbal CommunicationNonverbal Communication

• Smiling in Japan is strongly associated with nervousness, social discomfort, or sorrow


Nonverbal Body LanguageNonverbal 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


Nonverbal CommunicationNonverbal Communication• In Asian and Middle-

eastern cultures it is appropriate for the same sex to walk hand in hand but not the opposite sex


SymbolsSymbols

• 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 homonym (words that sound like other words)


Symbols: Hand Gestures: Symbols: Hand Gestures: emblemsemblems

V-for victory in US is obscene in some European countries


Symbols, Idioms and Symbols, Idioms and MetaphorsMetaphors

• Americans use militaristic origin terminology

• Many cultures choose a more cooperative approach


Symbols, Idioms and Symbols, Idioms and MetaphorsMetaphors

• 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


Hofstede’s Dimensions of Hofstede’s Dimensions of CultureCulture

• Dutch cultural anthropologist

• 1978-1983

• rated 53 countries

• identified 5 cultural dimensions

• rated on indices for each dimension

• normalized to values (0 to 100)


Hofstede’s Five DimensionsHofstede’s Five Dimensions

• Power Distance

• Individualism vs. Collectivism

• Masculinity vs. Femininity

• Uncertainty Avoidance

• Long- vs. Short-Term Time Orientation


Power DistancePower 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



• High Power



• Low Power


Individualism vs. CollectivismIndividualism vs. Collectivism

High Individualist



• Low Individualist



• Political Message


Masculinity vs. FemininityMasculinity vs. Femininity

• Masculine roles– assertiveness– competition– toughness

• Feminine roles– home and children– people– family



• High masculinity



• Medium Masculinity


Uncertainty AvoidanceUncertainty Avoidance

• The extent to which uncertainty and ambiguity are tolerated


High Uncertainty Avoidance: High Uncertainty Avoidance: CollectivismCollectivism


Low Uncertainty Avoidance: Low Uncertainty Avoidance: IndividualismIndividualism


Short/Long Term Time OrientationShort/Long Term Time Orientation

• Short Term


Short/Long Term Time OrientationShort/Long Term Time Orientation

• Long Term


ConclusionsConclusions

• 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

Documents

Cultural Dimensions to Multimedia Design MEMO Conference Davina Pruitt-Mentle Educational Technology Outreach