DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CULTURES can have a profound effect on learning. Geert Hofstede, Emeritus Professor at Maastricht University, developed five dimensions to differentiate cultures. They are: Power Distance (PDI), Individualism (IDV), Masculinity (MAS), Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI), and Long Term Orientation (LTO) (Hofstede, 1991). Others have expanded on his work and added numerous other ways to differentiate cultures. Many more have researched how various cultural differences affect learning. It is becoming increasingly important, as corporations and institutions of higher education seek to expand their learning around the globe, to understand the cultural implications for online learning. The following paragraphs present a brief discussion of a few cultural differences.

Power Distance refers to how people respond to other individuals who have superior, or inferior, positions to themselves. People in high power distance cultures are taught to honor others because of the positions they hold. In an educational setting, students are taught to have a great deal of respect for their teachers. They rarely speak up to ask questions for fear of appearing they are challenging the teacher. People in low power distance cultures consider all people much more equally. They are more likely to question their teachers and even challenge them if they do not understand something. This same situation can carry through to a situation where an instructor is delivering an online class. People from low power distance cultures might be very participative while people from high power distance cultures might be much more reserved.

The graphic to the right depicts how people from different cultures might view themselves in relation to their teacher. The first picture represents people from a low power distance culture; the second picture represents people from a high power distance culture.

Hofstede’s Individualism dimension centers on whether societies emphasize individual or group achievement and how they handle interpersonal relationships. Individualism vs. Collectivism speaks to how individuals relate to others within the society. Individualist societies teach people to go it alone; collectivist societies teach people to participate in groups. Consequently, 
people in an individualistic society are more likely to feel at ease working alone. However, people in a collectivist society are more likely to feel at ease when working in a group. Also, people from collectivist societies are taught to look out for other people in the group. People from individualist societies have no such compunction. These differences can impact how individuals respond to online learning, particularly when it may or may not be carried out in isolation from others.

Uncertainty avoidance deals with how people tolerate ambiguous situations. People in some cultures generally seek to avoid uncertainty much more than those in other cultures. 

One method people use to avoid uncertainty is to create numerous rules for every situation. They will try to avoid anything that does not adhere to their rules. People from cultures that do this are much less likely to tolerate uncertainty in the design and delivery of online learning. The video to the right depicts how someone with high uncertainty avoidance might respond to an online training program that is not necessarily easy to navigate through.

Conversely, the video to the left depicts how someone with low uncertainty avoidance might respond to the same online training program. In this instance, even though some of the program navigation might not be explicit, the learner does not loose her confidence. She treats the uncertainty as just another issue she can work through.

This article discusses a few of the many cultural differences that could impact online learning. Keeping the various cultural differences in mind while developing an online course will help ensure the course is accepted by and effective with people from various cultures.

The following sites contain much more information about cultural differences.

• Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions
• An Overview of Intercultural Research
• International Business Culture 

To read more about the cultural implications for online learning visit these links.

• Cultural issues and the online environment
• Cultural and ethical issues in international distance education
• A Perspective on cultural and linguistic problems associated with distance education in developing countries

John W. Shaffer, Graduate Student ，SDSU Educational Technology
Shaffer, J. (2004). Cultural implications for online learning. In B. Hoffman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Educational Technology.