Adaptive learning technologies respond to the diversity of learners by tailoring learning experiences to individuals’ goals, knowledge, learning approach, etc. Learning systems that adapt to a learner’s culture are rather rare, although cultural background constitutes an important variable associated with differences in learning behaviour and strategies. Cultural information of a learner could therefore be used to realise adaptation to a range of learning variables. We have conducted an investigation with medical students to find out about cultural variations with respect to learners’ general learning approach and their behaviour in and experience of a concrete TEL environment. The results obtained from 95 students provide initial data informing the development of culturally aware adaptation approaches for learning technologies Contains images from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

1. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
Does Culture Matter in TEL?
A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning
Christina M. Steiner1, Gudrun Wesiak1, Adam Moore2,
Declan Dagger3, Owen Conlan2 & Dietrich Albert1
1 Knowledge Technologies Institute, Graz University of Tecnology, Austria
2 School of Computer Science and Statistics, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
3 EmpowerTheUser, Dublin, Ireland
8th European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (EC-TEL)
17-21 September 2013, Paphos, Cyprus
CulTEL – Worlkshop on Culturally aware Technology Enhanced Learning

2. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
Overview
1) Intro
• ImREAL
• CulTEL/CATS
2) Cultural Variations in Learning
3) Empirical Investigation
4) Discussion and Outlook

3. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
1) Intro
- ImREAL project
- Immersive Reflective Experience-based Adaptive Learning

4. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
1) Intro
- ImREAL project
- Immersive Reflective Experience-based Adaptive Learning

5. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
1) Intro
- ImREAL services
- Real-world activity modelling
- Enriched User Modelling
- Affective Metacognitive Scaffolding
- Developed and trialled in the domain of interpersonal communication

6. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
1) Intro
- Culturally Aware Tutoring/Technology-Enhanced Learning
- Approaches of incorporating cultural dimension:
1. Convey intercultural competence
2. Build cultural profile of learners and adapt to it
 Adaptation to cultural competence
 Adaptation to characteristics with
cultural variations

7. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
2) Cultural Variations
in Learning
- Cultural regularities in learning strategies and behaviour as a
potential basis for adaptation
- Relevance of skills on self-regulated learning (SRL) and metacognition
- Reducing cold-start problem
- Measuring culture
Explicit measurement:
- Country of birth, country of residence
- Scales on cultural dimensions
Implicit measurement:
- Exploiting digital traces
- Monitoring by learning technology

8. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
2) Cultural Variations
in Learning
- Relationship between culture and learning
- Influence of culture on
- Use of metacognitive strategies
- Perception of effective strategies
- Cultural variations in learning interlinked with socio-cultural factors
- Educational resources are imbued by cultural nuances

9. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
2) Cultural Variations
in Learning
- Research questions
Is learners’ cultural background relevant for variations
in metacognitive competence and learning strategies?
Are there differences in the use of social media and in trust and
privacy concerns depending on learners’ cultural background?

10. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
3) Empirical Investigation
- Part of a larger study on a training simulator for medical
interviews
- ETU RolePlay Simulation Platform

11. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
3) Empirical Investigation
- Participants:
- 95 medical students (M=22.8 years)
- Country of residence: Ireland
- Country of birth: 16 countries, 4 continents
- 65 Europe
- 14 North-Americans
- 13 Asians
- 3 Africans
Asien or African

12. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
3) Empirical Investigation
- Instruments and Procedure
Cohort
characterisation
• Demography
• Metacognitive
Awareness
Inventory
Simulation
• Interaction data
• Usage
(time, dialogues)
• Score predictions
• Reflections
Post-simulation
• Motivation
• Perception of
thinking prompts

13. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
3) Empirical Investigation
- Results: Metacognition and Learning

14. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
3) Empirical Investigation
- Results: Metacognition and Learning

15. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
3) Empirical Investigation
- Results: Metacognition and Learning
Score predictions:
 Lowest by Europeans
 Eur < N-Am

16. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
3) Empirical Investigation
- Results: Metacognition and Learning
No differences in
- Performance in simulation
- Duration/dialogues
- Motivation
Score predictions:
 Lowest by Europeans
 Eur < N-Am

17. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
3) Empirical Investigation
- Results: Social Networks
- Facebook, Twitter

18. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
4) Discussion & Outlook
- Some cultural variations on metacognition and SRL were
identified
- Differences in attitudes towards sharing social web information
- Initial indications for potentially relevant aspects for personalising
learning
- Adaptation of types of and triggers for metacognitive prompts
- Supporting acceptance and trust of user model enrichment

19. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
4) Discussion & Outlook
- Avoid overgeneralisation and oversimplified adaptation!
- Culture as usual but changeable way of doing things
- Two-step approach towards adapting pedagogical
strategies and resources
- Initial cultural information to initiate adaptation
- Continuous monitoring process

20. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
4) Discussion & Outlook
- Study results inspire future studies
- More balanced sample
- Finer-grained analyses:
- Countries
- Socio-cultural aspects

21. A Case Study on Cultural Variations in Learning Paphos, Cyprus– 17th September 2013
Contact:
Christina Steiner
Cognitive Science Section
Knowledge Technologies Institute
Graz University of Technology, Austria
christina.steiner@tugraz.at