The presentation belongs to a keynote speech on cultural issues of urban education at the Forum on Construction of Urban Lifelong Education and Learning Community, Shanghai, Oct. 2012

1. Institut für Informatik und
Wirtschaftsinformatik (ICB)
Educational Resources for E-Learning in Urban Life-Long Learning:
Does One Size Fit All?
Forum on Construction of Urban Lifelong Education and Learning Community, Shanghai, Oct. 2012
Thomas Richter
Picture:
Winding-tower, Essen
Pictures:
University of Duisburg Essen

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Educational in Rural/Local Scenarios
n Education in rural/local scenarios is simple …
n Instructors and learners come from the same context
n Instructors know their learners’
o attitudes
o demands
o Knowledge
à Instructors simply know how to best educate their
learners by knowing the learners and their families

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Education in Urban Scenarios
n In urban educational scenarios, situation is difficult because
n learners from various contexts come together
n Instructors need to cope with …
o cultural
o linguistic
o social
o ethnic
o economical
o …
n … in order to achieve the best possible educational success
Differences

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E-Learning: Learning supported through digital media
Advantage: Less conflict situations in urban settings due missing
(internet based) or less (blended learning) direct contact
between learner/learner and instructor/learner
Disadvantage: Instructors can not recognize when learners are
frustrated and lose motivation
But: Motivation is crucial for successful e-Learning!
A lack of motivation is Nr.1 reason for Drop-Outs!
How to design appropriate education for learners, you do not
know?
Know their context, know their needs & attitudes!

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The Context of e-Learning
Learning
Scenario
Country/Region
Company/
Institution/Society
Author/
Educator
Tutor/
Advisor Learner
Economic Communities
& Military Alliances

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The Context of E-Learning (holistic perspective)
• RICHTER, T. (2010). Open Educational Resources im kulturellen Kontext von e-Learning. Zeitschrift für E-Learning (ZeL), Freie
elektronische Bildungsressourcen, 3/2010, pp. 30-42.
Compani
es
Culture
Lerner
Satisfaction
& Demands
Geograph. &
Educational-
Infrastructure
Internet
Security
Religion
Technichal
Infrastructur
e
Demographi
c
Development
„Media
Richness“
Actors
Rules,
Standards,
Agreements
Financial
Aspects
Politics
History
State of
Development
Legal
Issues
E-Learning
Scenario
Country / Region
Company/
Society
Author/
Educator Tutor Learner

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The Context of E-Learning (urban life-long learning)
Compani
es
Culture
Lerner
Satisfaction
& Demands
Geograph. &
Educational-
Infrastructure
Internet
Security
Religion
Technichal
Infrastructur
e
Demographi
c
Development
„Media
Richness“
Actors
Rules,
Standards,
Agreements
Financial
Aspects
Politics
History
State of
Development
Legal
Issues
E-Learning
Scenario
Country / Region
Company/
Society
Author/
Educator Tutor Learner

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Learning Culture Survey (LC)
n Not meeting student’s expectations causes
frustration: Preserve learners’ initial motivation!
n Survey with 102 Items
n Culturally biased attitudes & demands of learners
o Role of the Instructor
o Tasks of the Instructor
o Motivation
o Feedback/Evaluation
o Group Work: Attitudes in Group Situations
o Group Work: Preferences
o Time Management

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Example Tasks of the Lecturer
What do you consider being the lecturer’s/professor’s tasks and
responsibilities in the learning process? A lecturer’s/professor’s tasks
and responsibilities base on …
n giving support according to technical matters, which are relevant for the
learning process (e.g. in case of computer problems or installation of soft-
ware).
n providing well-selected contents and contextual information.
n giving support according to organizing the learning process.
n assisting within the individual student’s process of finding information.
n giving feedback on my knowledge base, working results and general
professional development.
1.

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Tasks of the Lecturer – Results from 5 Countries
!

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Limitations of LC & Open Questions
n Higher Education Context different to Adult Education
Context
n Most countries not culturally homogenous
o Indicators:
- different languages
- different tribes/societies
n Effects through interrelations yet unknown
n Yet unclear which level of differences are acceptable for
learners (and how this differs between cultures)
1.

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Conclusion
One size does NOT fit all learners’ needs
Awareness of differences allows instructors culturally
responsive teaching
Higher level of learner satisfaction
Higher level of learner motivation
Lower drop-out rates!
We need your support in order to reach a better
understanding!
1.

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Are there any questions?
(Feel free to contact me via e-Mail)
contact: thomas.richter@icb.uni-due.de