Hofstede's model of cultural dimensions provides a framework for examining culturally-sensitive library implications.

1. Culturally-Sensitive
Learning Practices
Dr. Lesley Farmer
California State University Long Beach
lfarmer@csulb.edu
Diversity Challenge Resilience: School Libraries in Action - The 12th Biennial School Library
Association of Queensland, the 39th International Association of School Librarianship Annual
Conference, incorporating the 14th International Forum on Research in School Librarianship,
Brisbane, QLD Australia, 27 September – 1 October 2010.

2. Agenda
Cultural factors
Language issues
Teaching factors
Future
Conclusions

3. Cultural Factors
Definition: group beliefs, social forms
and traits
Cultural assumptions subconscious,
norms and values are behaviors
Teaching tends to be surface so
problems can arise

4. written
oral
narrative
videos
simulations
electronic lecture isolated drill
tools based and practice
assessment contextualized
opportunities technology skills practice
enhanced based
communication
knowledge of modeling
environments how people learn
individual inquiry
self-study vs. group based case
studies
cooperative
learning by problems
learning
jigsaw design projects
learning
From: How People Learn (expanded edition), p. 22

5. Elearning Characteristics
Physical access to resources
Experiencing information formats
Intellectual access to resource: note
tech skills
Social learning
Digital natives vs. immigrants

6. Learner Cultural Characteristics
Language (primary/secondary,
usage, vocabulary)
Educational philosophy and
experience
Gender issues
Age-linked cultural norms
(generation, family, social realities
Knowledge of career

7. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Model
Power distance
Individualism vs. collectivism
Masculinity
Uncertainty avoidance
Note learning styles (field-
dependent, non-linear learning)

8. Biggs’ 3P Model
of Teaching and Learning
Presage: experiences before
learning
Process during learning
Products: outcomes of learning
Differentiation between surface
learning, deep approaches,
achievement orientation

9. Kalyanpur and Harry Cultural
Benchmarks
Cultural knowledge
Cultural awareness
Cultural sensitivity
Cultural competence: congruent
behaviors
Cultural proficiency: interaction

10. Language Issues
Language idioms/formality
Online benefits: translation, pacing,
anonymity
Communicating: plain language,
define terms, slow/clear,
rephrase/summarize, graphic
organizers
Check for understanding
Provide local language resources
visual cues (may mislead)
Note sports terms

11. Teaching Factors
Student-teacher relations
Topics of discussion (taboos,
feelings)
Choice of resources
Learner participation
Learning activities
Assessment

12. Technology Teaching Issues
Equipment and connectivity
Tech experience and self-efficacy
Generational issues
Time differences
Evaluation of resources
Web: software, accessibility
Tech support

13. ID Cultural Adaptation Process
Model (Edmundson)
1. Evaluate complexity of content
2. Identify instructional methods and activities
3. Identify cross-cultural dimensions relative to
learning: motivation, collaboration, learner
control, teacher role, value of errors
4. Identify culturally-contextualized learner
preferences

14. Degrees of
Accommodation/Localization
Translate (simple words, neutral
content)
Find local resources and examples
Modularize with culture-specific learning
objects
Do locally

15. Future Trends
More cultural mash-ups (fluid
lines, identities, die-hards)
Information overload
Web 2.0 (peers, self-disclosure,
hierarchy, privacy)

16. 10 Tips
1. Clear info and expectations
2. Know students better (peers too)
3. Safe, comfortable class climate
4. Structure learning for meaning (culture)
5. Provide access to resources
6. Support/staffold learning
7. Give process/evaluation time
8. Study groups; help students express
knowledge
9. Timely, specific feedback
10. Help students self-monitor/demo competence