Accommodating culture and cultural diversity in online teaching

The term \u27culture\u27 has been in common use for a long time. However there is no universally accepted definition and hence it is important to define clearly what culture means in a particular research context. The research reported here is part of a project undertaken at a large Australian university in late 2005. The overall aim of the project was to identify the characteristics of culture and cultural diversity, and to consider how these manifested themselves when teaching and learning in an online environment. The article reports on particular outcomes from the second stage of the project. This involved conducting focus groups with experienced academics and educational developers of online units. The aim was to gain an understanding of culture and cultural difference in the online environment and to consider what strategies were effective in teaching a culturally diverse cohort of online students. The findings from the focus group sessions were benchmarked with other external faculty. The cultural factors of ethnicity and language, attitudes to educational learning, education and prior learning, learning styles and socio-economic background were well supported by the external faculty. However the factors of religion and gender were not supported. Practices for accommodating such cultural differences amongst students within the online class are presented.<br /

The design and evaluation of an e-Learning program for church leaders in a multicultural context

This study explores the design and evaluation of an e-learning program to equip church leaders with the theological knowledge and leadership skill for practical Christian ministry. To this end, a model online learning environment, the Multicultural Authentic E-Learning Program (MAELP), was designed, using authentic learning design principles, and implemented on Moodle software to cater to new church leaders working in a global multicultural context. Nine of the instructional design factors of the MAELP were evaluated using student feedback and Kirkpatrick’s level four evaluation model

E-quipped to serve: delivering holistic Christian mission training through e-learning

Developments in Information and Communication Technologies are rapidly breaking down the barriers of time and place that may have previously limited learning to those able to access campus-based programmes. Distance learning, or e-learning, offers exciting opportunities to cross cultural borders and open up the world of education in ways inconceivable even a few years ago. This study considered how e-learning can be used to effectively deliver training to those involved in Christian mission work. Holistic mission training aims to equip the whole person head, heart and hands for Christian service, especially in cross-cultural contexts. Particularly in the Western world, this training has traditionally taken place within face-to-face learning communities, with e-learning s place as a delivery mode being a matter for debate. The research set out to identify and define the key criteria required for the effective delivery of holistic mission training through e-learning and conceptualise those criteria within a framework. A multimethod research design was adopted combining qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. A systematic literature review was carried out to identify and define the key criteria for effective mission training and effective e-learning and the main challenges in delivering mission training through e-learning, along with potential solutions. Further criteria were found through action research to develop and evaluate a programme of holistic mission training delivered through e-learning. The study contributes to knowledge by identifying for the first time the elements, factors and conditions that can enable holistic mission training to be delivered effectively through e-learning and setting them within a framework to facilitate the development and evaluation of e-learning programmes. The findings highlight principles applicable to different learning situations, cultures and technologies and are largely transferable to other disciplines