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Snapshots of a Culture: How Do American and Turkish Elementary Students Represent Their Cultural Identities Using Technology as a Means of Expression and Communication?

Year 2010, Volume: 1 Issue: 4, 288 - 305, 01.12.2010

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how elementary students can learn about the culture of another country and how technology can play a role in this process. The sample of the study included 135 fifth grade students from the United States and Turkey. Initial knowledge and information sources of students were assessed at the beginning of the study. Then, they exchanged multimedia presentations which they prepared to make their peers more knowledgeable about their own country. After studying the presentation about the other country, the students responded to a post-survey assessing their knowledge gains. Results showed that the Turkish students had much more initial knowledge about the American culture compared to knowledge of the American students about Turkey. Both groups had certain prejudices or misperceptions about each other. Media, school, and family were main sources of information, while books and friends played a small role. Studying multimedia-based presentations and discussing its content as a group was highly effective to learn about the culture of another country. By exchanging intercultural information through technology, students became less prejudiced and more understanding of each others’ respective cultures.

References

  • Belet, S. D. & Eristi, S. D. (2009). Multicultural primary school students’ ways of revealing their perception of culture in written representations and pictures. Australian Art Education, 32(2), 27-55.
  • Bennett, M. J. (1993). Towards ethnorelativism: A developmental model of intercultural sensitivity. In M. R. Paige (Ed.), Education for the intercultural experience. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
  • Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Clevedon, United Kingdom: Multilingual Matters.
  • Chen, G-M. & Starosta, W. J. (2008). Intercultural communication competence: A synthesis. In M. Asante, Y. Miike, & J. Yin (Eds), The global intercultural communication reader (pp.215-237). New York: Roudledge.
  • Chen, S. J., Hsu, C. L., & Caropreso, E. J. (2006). Cross-cultural collaborative online learning: When the west meets the east. International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 2(1), 17-35.
  • Council of Europe and European Commission. (2000). Intercultural learning T-kit. Strasbourg: The author. Retrieved April 20, 2010 from www.training-youth.net
  • Fennes, H. & Hapgood, K. (1997). Intercultural learning in the classroom: Crossing borders. London: Cassell.
  • Fowler, S. & Mumford, M. (Eds.). (1995). Intercultural sourcebook: Cross-cultural training methods. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
  • Kayes, D. C. (2002). Experiential learning and its critics: Preserving the role of experience in management learning and education. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 1(2), 137-149.
  • Landis, D., Bennett, J., & Bennett, M. J. (2003). Handbook of intercultural training. London: Sage.
  • Mintzberg, H. & Gosling, J. (2002). Educating managers beyond borders. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 1(1), 64-76.
  • O’Brien, A. J. & Eriksson, A. (2010). Cross-cultural connections: Intercultural learning for global citizenship. Retrieved September 24, 2010 form http://ccr.stanford.edu/archieve/a rticles/Cross_cultural_connections.pdf.
  • Ogan, A., Kim, J., Aleven, V., & Jones, C. (2009, July). Explicit social goals and learning: Enhancing a negotiation game with virtual characters. Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education. Brighton, United Kingdom. Retrieved February 15, 2009 from http://amyogan.com/files/ogan-AIED- IEG.pdf
  • Prentice, D. A. & Miller, D. T. (1999). The psychology of cultural contact. In D. A. Prentice & D. T. Miller (Eds.), Cultural divides: Understanding and overcoming group conflict (pp.1-19). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
  • Rimmington, G. L. & Alagic, M. (2008). Third place learning: Reflective inquiry into intercultural and global cage painting. Charlotte, SC: Information Age.
  • Sato, M. & Sumiya, K. (2006). Computer-aided collaboration environment for long-term cross- cultural studies between Korean and Japanese high schools. Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Creating, Connecting and Collaborating through Computing (pp.50-57).
  • Selye, H. N. (1996). Experiential activities for intercultural learning. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
  • The Center for School Development in the School of Education at the City College of New York. (2008). CultureQuest. Retrieved February 15, 2008 from http://www.culturequest.us/ indexold.html
  • The European Schools Project Association (ESPA). (2007). The image of the other. Retrieved December 10, 2007 from http://www.europeanschoolsproject.org/image/index.html
  • Zhu, Y. (2004). Intercultural training for organizations: The synergetic approach. Development and Learning in Organizations, 18(1), 9-11.
  • Correspondence: Ali Simsek, Professor and Director, Institute of Communication Sciences,
  • Anadolu University, Yunus Emre Campus, Eskisehir, Turkey.
Year 2010, Volume: 1 Issue: 4, 288 - 305, 01.12.2010

Abstract

References

  • Belet, S. D. & Eristi, S. D. (2009). Multicultural primary school students’ ways of revealing their perception of culture in written representations and pictures. Australian Art Education, 32(2), 27-55.
  • Bennett, M. J. (1993). Towards ethnorelativism: A developmental model of intercultural sensitivity. In M. R. Paige (Ed.), Education for the intercultural experience. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
  • Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Clevedon, United Kingdom: Multilingual Matters.
  • Chen, G-M. & Starosta, W. J. (2008). Intercultural communication competence: A synthesis. In M. Asante, Y. Miike, & J. Yin (Eds), The global intercultural communication reader (pp.215-237). New York: Roudledge.
  • Chen, S. J., Hsu, C. L., & Caropreso, E. J. (2006). Cross-cultural collaborative online learning: When the west meets the east. International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 2(1), 17-35.
  • Council of Europe and European Commission. (2000). Intercultural learning T-kit. Strasbourg: The author. Retrieved April 20, 2010 from www.training-youth.net
  • Fennes, H. & Hapgood, K. (1997). Intercultural learning in the classroom: Crossing borders. London: Cassell.
  • Fowler, S. & Mumford, M. (Eds.). (1995). Intercultural sourcebook: Cross-cultural training methods. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
  • Kayes, D. C. (2002). Experiential learning and its critics: Preserving the role of experience in management learning and education. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 1(2), 137-149.
  • Landis, D., Bennett, J., & Bennett, M. J. (2003). Handbook of intercultural training. London: Sage.
  • Mintzberg, H. & Gosling, J. (2002). Educating managers beyond borders. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 1(1), 64-76.
  • O’Brien, A. J. & Eriksson, A. (2010). Cross-cultural connections: Intercultural learning for global citizenship. Retrieved September 24, 2010 form http://ccr.stanford.edu/archieve/a rticles/Cross_cultural_connections.pdf.
  • Ogan, A., Kim, J., Aleven, V., & Jones, C. (2009, July). Explicit social goals and learning: Enhancing a negotiation game with virtual characters. Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education. Brighton, United Kingdom. Retrieved February 15, 2009 from http://amyogan.com/files/ogan-AIED- IEG.pdf
  • Prentice, D. A. & Miller, D. T. (1999). The psychology of cultural contact. In D. A. Prentice & D. T. Miller (Eds.), Cultural divides: Understanding and overcoming group conflict (pp.1-19). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
  • Rimmington, G. L. & Alagic, M. (2008). Third place learning: Reflective inquiry into intercultural and global cage painting. Charlotte, SC: Information Age.
  • Sato, M. & Sumiya, K. (2006). Computer-aided collaboration environment for long-term cross- cultural studies between Korean and Japanese high schools. Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Creating, Connecting and Collaborating through Computing (pp.50-57).
  • Selye, H. N. (1996). Experiential activities for intercultural learning. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
  • The Center for School Development in the School of Education at the City College of New York. (2008). CultureQuest. Retrieved February 15, 2008 from http://www.culturequest.us/ indexold.html
  • The European Schools Project Association (ESPA). (2007). The image of the other. Retrieved December 10, 2007 from http://www.europeanschoolsproject.org/image/index.html
  • Zhu, Y. (2004). Intercultural training for organizations: The synergetic approach. Development and Learning in Organizations, 18(1), 9-11.
  • Correspondence: Ali Simsek, Professor and Director, Institute of Communication Sciences,
  • Anadolu University, Yunus Emre Campus, Eskisehir, Turkey.
There are 22 citations in total.

Details

Other ID JA24SA76ZH
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Ali Simsek This is me

Shirley Nuss This is me

Publication Date December 1, 2010
Published in Issue Year 2010 Volume: 1 Issue: 4

Cite

APA Simsek, A., & Nuss, S. (2010). Snapshots of a Culture: How Do American and Turkish Elementary Students Represent Their Cultural Identities Using Technology as a Means of Expression and Communication?. Contemporary Educational Technology, 1(4), 288-305.
AMA Simsek A, Nuss S. Snapshots of a Culture: How Do American and Turkish Elementary Students Represent Their Cultural Identities Using Technology as a Means of Expression and Communication?. Contemporary Educational Technology. December 2010;1(4):288-305.
Chicago Simsek, Ali, and Shirley Nuss. “Snapshots of a Culture: How Do American and Turkish Elementary Students Represent Their Cultural Identities Using Technology As a Means of Expression and Communication?”. Contemporary Educational Technology 1, no. 4 (December 2010): 288-305.
EndNote Simsek A, Nuss S (December 1, 2010) Snapshots of a Culture: How Do American and Turkish Elementary Students Represent Their Cultural Identities Using Technology as a Means of Expression and Communication?. Contemporary Educational Technology 1 4 288–305.
IEEE A. Simsek and S. Nuss, “Snapshots of a Culture: How Do American and Turkish Elementary Students Represent Their Cultural Identities Using Technology as a Means of Expression and Communication?”, Contemporary Educational Technology, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 288–305, 2010.
ISNAD Simsek, Ali - Nuss, Shirley. “Snapshots of a Culture: How Do American and Turkish Elementary Students Represent Their Cultural Identities Using Technology As a Means of Expression and Communication?”. Contemporary Educational Technology 1/4 (December 2010), 288-305.
JAMA Simsek A, Nuss S. Snapshots of a Culture: How Do American and Turkish Elementary Students Represent Their Cultural Identities Using Technology as a Means of Expression and Communication?. Contemporary Educational Technology. 2010;1:288–305.
MLA Simsek, Ali and Shirley Nuss. “Snapshots of a Culture: How Do American and Turkish Elementary Students Represent Their Cultural Identities Using Technology As a Means of Expression and Communication?”. Contemporary Educational Technology, vol. 1, no. 4, 2010, pp. 288-05.
Vancouver Simsek A, Nuss S. Snapshots of a Culture: How Do American and Turkish Elementary Students Represent Their Cultural Identities Using Technology as a Means of Expression and Communication?. Contemporary Educational Technology. 2010;1(4):288-305.