Across Africa:
Reflections on crosscultural
communications during
an Internet-Supported
blended learning
university course
Prof Johannes Cronjé
Prof Seugnet Blignaut
http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html
Context
Pretoria
Khartoum
Rationale
Local
Global
Divide
Rationale
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Intercultural communication is a
process of reducing uncertainty about
messages and relationships (Dodd,
1995).
constructivism could be a useful
worldview for approaching cultural
problems in distance education
(Bonham, Cifuentes & Murphy, 1995)
Theoretical Background
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Hofstede: Culture is …“the collective
programming of the mind that
distinguishes the members of one group
or category of people from another”
(2000 p. 9)
1968 – 1972
Staff of the IBM corporation
72 countries surveyed
Hofstede’s cultural dimensions
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Power distance
Uncertainty avoidance
Individualism/Collectivism
Masculiting/Femininty
Long-term/Short-term orientation
Research question
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How is shared meaning constructed in a
technology-rich environment in terms of
each of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions?
Limitations
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Hofstede provides no figures for long-term v
short term orientation for SA or Arabspeaking countries.
Sudan is not on Hofstede’s list, but
corresponds closely with his definition of
Arab-speaking countries (Egypt, Lebanon,
Libya, Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and United
Arab Emirates).
Hofstede’s research limited to IBM
employees. My participants are education
students.
Defining Sudan as an Arab state
Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lybia, Saudi Arabia, UAE
Data sources
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Research journal
Informal discussions with
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Students
Colleagues
Administrators
Emails
Student essays
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Artefacts
Powerpoint
Authorware
Access
Websites
Websites
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http://www.geocities.com/atika_elmubark/
http://www.geocities.yahoo.com/maieidris_186
http://www.Geocities.com/huda2000cie
http://www.geocities.com/raniaeltahir
http://www.geocities.com/ranoyty
http://geocities.yahoo.com/sustelarnmember
http://www.geocities.com/ezeldensust/ezelden.html
http://www.geocities.com/izeldeen2002/
http://www.geocities.yahoo.com/mohannad19772003/
http://www.geocities.com/mohannad19772003/
http://www.geocities.yahoo.com/amiar772002/
http://www.geocities.com/mohammedtahir_ismael
http://www.geocities.com/sustelarnabdurrhman2000
http://www.geocities.com/mohammed_cie
http://geocities.com/sustelarnabdurrhman2000/
http://www.geocities.com/mohammed_cie
Power Distance
Power distance
Low
10
20
30
40
US
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(SU80; SA49; US40)
SA
50
High
60
70
80
90
100
110
SU
“…the extent to which the less powerful
members of organisations and
institutions accept and expect that
power is distributed unequally.”
Power distance indicators
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Controlled access to information
Rigid hierarchies
Emphasis on social & moral order
Focus on expertise and authority
Social prominence: leaders vs citizens,
customers or employees
This massage by the tongue of all group that the
date you determined for us to Submit the
assignment or/and research about evaluation of CD
is holiday
according
the university calendar, that
No
official
year to
timetable
means we are not able to attend university on this
day so we need extra day or to delay it to other date
that you determine later after Eel we will be
very pleased if you delay it another thing that all
group is not ready to handle it on the exact day you
identified
Controlled access to info
We are in fire position waiting your reply
Your Sudan university group sustelarn
With our best wishes
Rigid hierarchies
Social and moral order
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I talk that but please don’t tell other;
XXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX. (Stuff
deleted for obvious reasons)
Focus on expertise & authority
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What you need from us to know? By other
words: what we will be going know…all
things…General idea..Something
exactly..?What is purpose of this term?
Social prominence
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About reply to me thanks very much my
teacher. Thanks..Thanks ..Thanks
Dear my teacher, Salam, sorry for ask
you more questions
Uncertainty avoidance
Uncertainty avoidance
Low
10
SU68; SA49; US46
20
30
40
SA
50
60
High
70
80
90
100
110
SU
US
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“…the extent to which a culture
programs its members to feel either
uncomfortable or comfortable in
unstructured situations.”
UA indicators
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Limited choice
Error prevention
Limited choice
Name
Ma
Mo
Am
Hu
Ab
Md
Kh
Ez
At
No
Mo
Ra
Own
76
83
70
75
74
68
53
70
91
70
70
89
My
76
86
68
75
69
82
51
73
86
82
67
85
Diff
0
-3
2
0
5
-14
2
-3
5
-12
3
4
Error prevention
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I worry about everything happen here; I
worry to E-language – I can’t good to read
all those material send to us , I don’t know
what I want to doing .
Please, teacher: I need time – table about
the work after the evaluation essay other
than that leave to us – it not clear.
Individualism SU38; SA65; US91
Individualism
10
20
Collectivism
30
SU
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
SA
US
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“…the degree to which individuals are
supposed to look after themselves or
remain integrated into groups, usually
around the family.” (91 = Collectivist)
Indicators of individualism
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Personal achievement emphasised
Success demonstrated through materialism
Controversial rhetoric & encouragement of
extreme claims
Focus on youth & activity
Social emphasis on the individual
Emphasis on extrinsic personal goals
Morality: Emphasis on truth rather than
relationships
Change: Emphasis on new rather than
traditional
Individualism in the project
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Very little discussion on the group list
Much cooperation in spreadsheet tasks
Atika
Request for group feedback
All in the minibus
Masculinity
SU53; SA63; US62
Femininity
10
20
Masculinity
30
40
50
SU
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60
70
80
90
100
110
USSA
“…the distribution of emotional roles
between the genders … from ‘tough’
masculine to ‘tender’ feminine.”
Indicators: Masc. V Fem
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Traditional
age/family
distinctions
Games &
competition to win
Utilitarian
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Blurring of gender
roles
Mutual cooperation
rather than winning
Poetic & aesthetic
Masc/Fem?
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Group composition: 7F, 5M
Mother’s name?
Aesthetics?
Masc/Fem
Beyond dimensions
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That’s a nice shirt!
Do you like it?
Friday and Sunday
Easter wishes
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How are you? concogratiolation to this chiritian
day. I wish you have a good day. We ask ALLAH
to keep you from harm and warm. and you have
good health and happyness.
Ramad’an
Conclusions
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No conclusive evidence that Hofstede’s
dimensions apply
Other things happen that are not
covered by Hofstede
Construction of own meaning works
A blend of rigidity and flexibility is
required
Recommendations
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The curriculum should be designed in such
a way that it provides relevant experiences
from which students can construct their
own learning.
Interpretation is personal and the student’s
point of view must be valued, but not at the
expense of primary concepts.
Active learning tasks should incorporate
assessment strategies that determine the
extent to which experience has been
converted into skills.
More recommendations
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Multiple collaborative perspectives should
be focused on primary concepts.
The curriculum should be adapted “on the
fly” if the real-life situation demands it.
Testing should be unobtrusive and focused
on determining areas where the student
should improve. Administrative flexibility
should be designed into the system from
the outset.
Final words
it is aprivilige for me to be your student.
and i promis you that i do my best to
realize what you expect from me
(IN SHAA ALLAH)