THE IMPLICATIONS OF CULTURE IN E-LEARNING

Abstract

Considering that e-learning has experienced dramatic growth in education around the globe, it is no longer supplementary and it had become an integral part of education. E-learning exploits interactive technologies in order to improve the learning experience. The integration of technologies has created an explosion in e-learning use both locally and globally; nevertheless the e-learning is fundamentally about learning and not about technology. E-learning cannot replace teachers and lecturers, but alongside existing methods it can enhance the quality and reach of their teaching, having the power to transform the way we teach and learn. The continuous improvement of e-learning and highlighting globalization have stimulated increasingly more educational institutions to reach students worldwide. This study explains how culture has been presented as an essential influence on peoples behaviours in various contexts, particularly in e-learning. Starting from these ideas and having in the foreground issues relating to different cultures, the strategic development of e-learning should be based on the learners needs coming from different parts of the world. As a consequence of the increasing number of learners from different cultural backgrounds, this article analyzes the necessity in terms of understanding how culture affects e-learning. The main purpose of this study was to investigate possible correlations between culture and e-learning, and shapes implications for design and future research in this area. Also, it is attempted to highlight the pedagogical choices that are one of the most important concerns for research; these choices not only reflect various world views, but they can consist in values that are related to cultural influences.