Supporting cross-cultural online discussion with formal and informal platforms: a case between Hong Kong and Taiwan

Liping DENG*, Yang Hsueh Chen, Sandy S C LI

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

    11 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The paper reports on a collaborative project on fostering cross-cultural online discussion between two universities with one in Hong Kong and the other in Taiwan. Two online platforms—Moodle as a formal channel for course-related discussion and Facebook as an informal channel for social-oriented interaction—were employed. The study pays special attention to instructional design based on research-derived strategies and reflects on the effects of various strategies as well as students’ experiences and perceptions. The results show that the students perceived the online discussion as valuable for exchanging perspectives and enhancing cross-cultural understanding. However, they were less motivated to use Facebook as the informal channel for socialization. The challenges encountered especially those concerning using Facebook in formal learning environments will be discussed. At the end, the recommendations for better utilizing and bringing together formal and informal online platforms will be suggested.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number5
    JournalResearch and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning
    Volume12
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2017

    Scopus Subject Areas

    • Social Psychology
    • Education
    • Media Technology
    • Management of Technology and Innovation

    User-Defined Keywords

    • Course management system
    • Cross-cultural communication
    • Facebook
    • Higher education
    • Online discussion

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