Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Dr. Hans-Peter Baumeister Beyond Control Learning Technology for the social network generation Thematic strand: Learning and internationalism Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society A personal summary

Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Dr. Hans-Peter Baumeister Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Type of presentations E-learning as a substitute for f2f-teaching and including other regions. -That is in the interest of institutions, namely to widen the range of their offers with the support of new technologies. But it is also in the interest of our societies, because this policy will lead to the result that foreign students will get acquainted to our society and products. -Some of these projects have an overarching intercultural research question by investigating, for example, the different embedding of terms or policies. -However, even in these cases the teaching/learning model stems from our traditions.

Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Dr. Hans-Peter Baumeister Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Some examples (small scale) of how e-learning could be used for spreading and sharing new ideas or knowledge, like micro-credits. But even in these cases we need a certain infrastructure and an inclusive approach regarding education in the target regions (e.g. the role of women). Apart from the second strand, the other projects are characterized by a common interest in a certain subject and aim at a global and technologically literate elite.

Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Dr. Hans-Peter Baumeister Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Where is the frontier between a multicultural and a global society? There is a global elite for whom all the issues discussed during the conference are not relevant in an intercultural sense However, we are using some terms as if there were a global understanding of teaching and learning, personalization, corruption, programming, social policy, etc. We talk about a “multicultural society”. What is meant by this term?

Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Dr. Hans-Peter Baumeister Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society For example, the concept of personalization: It is a Western concept; what does it mean for e-learning when applied in societies with a collectivistic tradition? What does this concept mean for the role of tutors and students? What does this concept mean for control and assessment?

Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Dr. Hans-Peter Baumeister Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society No other medium (in mass usage) fits an intercultural approach better than the Internet does for e-learning. It not only enriches our usual approaches, but it also allows us to extend the known frontiers. However: Education is not a purpose in itself nor a purely philanthropic activity Education serves to qualify the young generation for their later professional life; therefore all educational processes have to consider this general purpose. And one first issue here is: what do we know about the respective professional or economic structures in other countries? And do we fine tune our teaching/learning tools accordingly?

Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Dr. Hans-Peter Baumeister Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society The potential of the new technologies goes beyond the traditional perceptions of teaching and learning. For example, you may now make use of social software to create a better intercultural atmosphere. These environments, if designed accordingly, allow for more substantial intercultural dialogue. The new environments could allow Westerners to get a better insight into various cultural concepts which are crucial for teaching and learning, but also for the economy; like personalization vs. collectivism, assessment vs. control, intellectual property vs. plagiarism, inclusiveness vs. social differences, men vs. women, corruption vs. oiling a network. All these terms are culturally loaded and will strongly influence any curriculum. Possible future paths:

Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Dr. Hans-Peter Baumeister Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society We should go ahead with joint projects, but clarify the various cultural backgrounds in advance; and we should avoid any cultural relativism. But we should also be aware that the new technologies are Western ones; they transport, like the language we use, the essence of a society, in this case our approach to linear thinking based on mathematical modelling. Other societies will possibly use the technologies differently. Think of your institutional policy. Most institutions do not have a philanthropic background when organising cross-border programmes: international e-learning is a business. Possible future paths:

Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society Dr. Hans-Peter Baumeister Learning and internationalism: Learning across cultures, learning technology for a multicultural society We should think of the final purpose of each educational process, namely to become a qualified member of the workforce, wherever your student may live. Bring in some professional expertise from various cultures into your curriculum; this may help students to get a more practice- orientated insight into the reality of their profession in other countries. Co-operation at a European level makes sense, because it helps to raise the competitiveness of our universities. New technologies provide an excellent means to do this, because we have fewer intercultural barriers and a lot of common (research) interests. Possible future paths: