10.10.08 www.slideshare.com/stevevosloo Improving cross-cultural awareness and communication through mobile technologies Adele Botha, Madelein van den Berg (Meraka) Steve Vosloo, John Kuner (Stanford University)

Adele Botha, Madelein van den Berg (Meraka)

Steve Vosloo, John Kuner (Stanford University)

Agenda Digital lives of youth Cross cultural awareness Research question and methodology User generated content Findings

Digital lives of youth

Cross cultural awareness

Research question and methodology

User generated content

Findings

Digital lives (USA) Pew Internet study (Lenhart et al., 2007) 93% of US teens ages 12-17 use the internet (largely for social interaction) 39% of online teens also share their own artistic creations online, such as artwork, photos, stories or videos 28% have created their own blog 55% have created a profile on a social networking site such as MySpace or Facebook 67% of grade 9-12ers have a mobile phone (Project Tomorrow,2008)

Pew Internet study (Lenhart et al., 2007)

93% of US teens ages 12-17 use the internet (largely for social interaction)

39% of online teens also share their own artistic creations online, such as artwork, photos, stories or videos

28% have created their own blog

55% have created a profile on a social networking site such as MySpace or Facebook

67% of grade 9-12ers have a mobile phone (Project Tomorrow,2008)

Digital lives (SA) Only 17% (15-24 year olds) ever used the Internet 72% own a cell phone Nearly half SMS almost daily (Kaiser Family Foundation & SABC, 2007) MXit (MIM): about 6.5m subscribers sending 200m messages per day (Computing SA, 2008) 13-16 year olds dependent on mobile phones for comms and social status A “social revolution” (Oelofse, De Jager & Ford, 2006)

Only 17% (15-24 year olds) ever used the Internet

72% own a cell phone

Nearly half SMS almost daily (Kaiser Family Foundation & SABC, 2007)

MXit (MIM): about 6.5m subscribers sending 200m messages per day (Computing SA, 2008)

13-16 year olds dependent on mobile phones for comms and social status

A “social revolution” (Oelofse, De Jager & Ford, 2006)

Participatory culture Technology is increasingly mediating the way that youth around the world communicate, and consume, create and share content Technology-enabled youth play a dual producer/consumer role Participatory culture (Jenkins, 2006) BUT: Increased collaboration and communication through technological advances does not mean improved negotiation skills

Technology is increasingly mediating the way that youth around the world communicate, and consume, create and share content

Technology-enabled youth play a dual producer/consumer role

Participatory culture (Jenkins, 2006)

BUT: Increased collaboration and communication through technological advances does not mean improved negotiation skills

Intercultural competence and sensitivity Negotiation: “ability to travel across diverse communities, discerning and respecting multiple perspectives, and grasping and following alternative norms” (Jenkins et al., 2006) Important because: “culture flows easily from one community to another” and people online “constantly encounter conflicting values and assumptions.” Intercultural competence and sensitivity (Lovitt and Goswami, 1999): to “understand the way in which others located in different global contexts perceive, analyse, and produce situated knowledge” (O’Brien, Alfanol and Magnusson, 2007) -> intercultural communication

Negotiation: “ability to travel across diverse communities, discerning and respecting multiple perspectives, and grasping and following alternative norms” (Jenkins et al., 2006)

Important because: “culture flows easily from one community to another” and people online “constantly encounter conflicting values and assumptions.”

Intercultural competence and sensitivity (Lovitt and Goswami, 1999): to “understand the way in which others located in different global contexts perceive, analyse, and produce situated knowledge” (O’Brien, Alfanol and Magnusson, 2007)

-> intercultural communication

“ Successful intercultural communication is a matter of highest importance if humankind and society are to survive.” (Samovar, Porter & McDaniel, 2005)

“ Successful intercultural communication is a matter of highest importance if humankind and society are to survive.”

(Samovar, Porter & McDaniel, 2005)

Research question Can mobile phones and the web act as mediating technologies in the development of intercultural competencies and communication skills? Increased sensitivity to and consideration for others (Lovitt & Goswami, 1999) Not formal research. Qualitative data gathered through ongoing discussions, exit focus groups, digital artifacts

Can mobile phones and the web act as mediating technologies in the development of intercultural competencies and communication skills?

Increased sensitivity to and consideration for others (Lovitt & Goswami, 1999)

Not formal research. Qualitative data gathered through ongoing discussions, exit focus groups, digital artifacts

Project 5 teens in South Africa (Cornwall High School) 5 teens in USA (BAVC Summer internship) Different social, economic and ethnic bkgrounds Prompts to consider and document culture: “About me” “My family and community” “An issue in my community”

5 teens in South Africa (Cornwall High School)

5 teens in USA (BAVC Summer internship)

Different social, economic and ethnic bkgrounds

Prompts to consider and document culture:

“About me”

“My family and community”

“An issue in my community”

Project Camera phones and blogs First: discuss, plan and research Phones: capture, upload PC: edit Web: upload, view, comment, reflect

Camera phones and blogs

First: discuss, plan and research

Phones: capture, upload

PC: edit

Web: upload, view, comment, reflect

Focus groups Both groups “learned a great deal about each others' lives and also about their own.” They realized how much they were influenced by the diversity surrounding them – be it from traditional family values, the community, peers and simply the times Proud of their heritage Phones? “Cool, different.” Issues? lighting & sound

Both groups “learned a great deal about each others' lives and also about their own.”

They realized how much they were influenced by the diversity surrounding them – be it from traditional family values, the community, peers and simply the times

Proud of their heritage

Phones? “Cool, different.” Issues? lighting & sound

“ They were more 'civilized' than I expected. Their interests are European and Westernised.” (US teen)

“ They were more 'civilized' than I expected. Their interests are European and Westernised.”

(US teen)

“ I think it’s important to show the many sides of San Francisco to the kids in South Africa because it is a place so full of culture and life.” (US teen)

“ I think it’s important to show the many sides of San Francisco to the kids in South Africa because it is a place so full of culture and life.”

(US teen)

“ I learned how our cultures [US and South African] contrast, and also how they're similar. I think that was my favourite part.” (SA teen)

“ I learned how our cultures [US and South African] contrast, and also how they're similar. I think that was my favourite part.”

(SA teen)

“ The world is actually very small; I suppose we could all have been friends in another time or place. You know they are just like us.” (SA teen)

“ The world is actually very small; I suppose we could all have been friends in another time or place. You know they are just like us.”

(SA teen)

Inclusive approach South Africans explained jargon and Afrikaans terms

South Africans explained jargon and Afrikaans terms

Conclusion Self-reflection Communication of views and life situations across differing cultural contexts Because of comments and responses being traded, a level of cross-cultural negotiation Inclusive discourse: South Africans explained jargon and Afrikaans terms -> ”sensitivity to and consideration for others” Digital media technologies: cameras, phones, web can mediate the development of intercultural competencies

Self-reflection

Communication of views and life situations across differing cultural contexts

Because of comments and responses being traded, a level of cross-cultural negotiation

Inclusive discourse: South Africans explained jargon and Afrikaans terms -> ”sensitivity to and consideration for others”

Digital media technologies: cameras, phones, web can mediate the development of intercultural competencies

Thank you Steve Vosloo, Cape Town Email [email_address] Blog innovatingeducation.wordpress.com Slides www.slideshare.net/stevevosloo

Steve Vosloo, Cape Town

Email

[email_address]

Blog

innovatingeducation.wordpress.com

Slides

www.slideshare.net/stevevosloo