British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol. 39. No. 1, 2008

Thank you for attending AECT D&D Division webinar

How did I get here?

Needs  Global marketplaces address international and local audience  Understand culture  Understand how culture impacts design  Use frameworks, models or approaches to better serve the needs of the many and the few

Problem  How to diversify design Path Steps Approaches Guidelines

Problem  What does it mean to integrate culture in the design of information and communication technologies (ICTs)?

Argument  The current state of research representing culture in the design of ICTs serves a limited scope of what culture can be in the design process. Designers and researchers ○ Needed more guidance ○ Models or Frameworks

Question  What is culture in the design of ICTs?

Culture is…  Collective programming of the mind (Hofstede, 1991)  the manifestation of a groups adaptation to its environment, which includes other cultural groups…and as such is continually changing (Scheel & Branch, 1993).

Two Fields Considering the Integration of Culture in Design  Human Computer Interaction Internationalization Localization  Instructional Design Cultural variation Cultural research Cultural demographics Culturally pluralistic

Human Computer Interaction  Internationalization Eliminates culture ○ Cultural symbols, religious references, etc. Universal design One product for all Cross-cultural

Human Computer Interaction  Internationalization This type of design requires: ○ Understanding of the needs and inclinations of the target audience Product interest Ways of life Religious affiliations Gender Signs Symbols (e.g., icons) Graphic Features

Aykin & Milewski  Design of User Interface 50 strategies, guidelines and suggestions ○ Cross-cultural ○ Helps understand ways of life ○ Proposed as a list of cultural differences Eliminate culture-specific metaphors Avoid acronyms and abbreviations Avoid jokes, humor and idioms Avoid colloquial language Avoid gender-specific references

Idea…  A focus on cultural differences fails to see culture as an asset A balanced design ○ Positive and Negative forces ○ Designs should reflect both differences and similarities (Powell, 1997) Dr. At Work

Human Computer Interaction  Localization Tailors products to the needs of audience Seeks to specialize products/services Inclusion of culture-specific design ○ Authentic ○ True Representations

Human Computer Interaction  Localization ○ Ethnographic Research Authenticates design Seeks to describe peoples ways of life or culture (Fetterman, 1998) Uses research methods that get at societies, cultures and target audiences -Participant observation -Interviewing -Data collection (field notes, videotapes, audio tapes, photography)

Human Computer Interaction  Localization ○ Ethnographic Research ○ Case Study Target Audience: Chinese Consumers Goal: Understand Target Audience Team: Must to knowledgeable about target audience, need central to design Ethnographic Work: -Visiting & Interacting in country -Gathering non-fiction materials (history, culture) -Created video documentaries -Obtained other documentaries from locals -Books, political objects, photographs (Foucault, Russell & Bell, 2004) (Foucault, Russell & Bell, 2004)

Human Computer Interaction  Localization ○ Ethnographic Research ○ Case Study Ethnographic data collection -Provided realistic understanding of target audience -Aided in authenticating products design

Thought…  Ethnographic Research Methods Provide insights into the target audience not known through basic inquiry Offers one way of moving closer to a specialized design Dr. At Work

Thought…  If the goal of the project is to… Internationalize Then design specifications are… ○ generic and culture- neutral Localize Then design specifications are… ○ Specialized and culture-specific Dr. At Work

Instructional Design  Handle the integration of culture in design Apply theory or methodical perspectives ○ Empirical and Conceptual ○ No models or guidelines specific to culture Cultural variation Cultural research Cultural demographics Culturally pluralistic

Instructional Design  Cultural variation  Cultural research  Cultural demographics  Culturally pluralistic

Instructional Design  Cultural Variation Accommodate for variations in learners Characteristics of learners Tasks for learning ○ Adapting to learners instructional needs, learning styles, learning tasks and personal characteristics Considerations in design content; graphic symbols versus written text; communications; social interactions; and cultural contexts

Cultural Variation varies from the generic to specialized GO LEFTNative American Symbol for Water

Instructional Design  Cultural Research Review research ○ Learning strategies ○ Contexts for learning  Example: Fleer (1989) Australian Aborigines – Software Development ○ Strong abilities in processing spatial and visual information ○ preferred informal learning strategies such as learning through real-world performances, observations, and trial and error More Specialized

Instructional Design  Cultural Demographics Learners backgrounds influence how they learn, how they respond to what they have learned and how they progress in learning. Learners characteristics, such as ability level, skill level and schema. Learners lend a diversity perspectives  Learners serve as assets to design More specialized if the focus is on the learner

Instructional Design  Culturally Pluralistic Cultural Informants Communication Learner preferences ○ (values; cognitive approaches; identity; language; traditions; and social, economic and political) Cultural sensitivity ○ Validate target audience ○ Accurately represent target audience’s culture Move toward specialized design

Idea… Dr. At Work

The Culture-based Circumference  displays the space in which design happens  proposes that this space is occupied by design specifications that meet generic and specialized target audiences Generic features can be generalized across cultures but they are still culture based. Specialized features focus on meeting the needs of the target audience, and they are also culture based  there is a much broader palette in which to design ICTs

Conclusions  Integrating culture serves a broader scope  Design has not caught up to technology  Designing for ethnically diverse audiences must be deliberate  Change mindsets first and design practices second

CBM ID-TABLET  8 AREAS Inquiry Development Team Assessments Brainstorming Learners Elements Training

What is the Culture Based Model?  an intercultural framework  empirically based  aids in project management and design problem solving planning evaluation decision making creativity  meets the needs of a target audience

Thanks  AECT  AECT colleagues and constituents  Design & Development Division Amy B. Adcock  My Web Page: