EDUC 8842 Posting 2

Growing up in a more rural area of Texas, I was not accustomed to much diversity in school. Sure, we had some students who were Hispanic or African American, but they were very few. My years in college were a little more diverse as my school reached out to get more students from around the world. But, before the use of on-line courses, the majority of the students were just like me. We had some different viewpoints based on our religious or political beliefs, but we had a similar view of the world, through the lens of a middle-class, Caucasian, southern United States, student. With the invention of the internet and cheap communication across the globe, colleges and universities have been able to attract a more diverse population of students from around the world. Siemens (2008) highlighted this increase in diversity with the creation of distance learning. Instead of working with just people of similar backgrounds, living the same experience I have lived, I am interacting with colleagues whose lives are completely different. I am finding that what works in courses in the United States might be viewed as totally off-base in other cultures. Walden University appears to be very diverse in the student population. I have worked with students from Puerto Rico, parts of Africa, and South America. I am also learning how to communicate with other students from backgrounds who may not understand the nuances of the language I use. My use of humor may not be well received with individuals who don’t understand double entendres or sarcasm. Emoticons may not transfer over either. I have even had to reevaluate how I address people in discussion postings (e.g. instead of using first names, some people want to be addressed as Mr. or Mrs. and their last name. Technology has most definitely been the key to global diversity in classes. Innovations like web cameras, videoconferencing online, and Skype telephone calls have increased the capacity for students to interact across the globe. Universities also use discussion boards to eliminate the problem of time zones in these types of courses. I can interact with classmates, even if they are asleep. By reading their posts, commenting on their blogs, or viewing their saved videos on YouTube, I can continue my learning. Reference: Laureate Education, Inc . (Producer). (2008). The future of distance education [Video Program]. Available from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4930715&Survey=1&47=7102460&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1.