CULTURE AND LEARNING

EDU 3063

Cultural Relativism
Different cultural groups think, feel and act
differently. Studying differences in culture
among groups and societies presupposes a
a position of cultural relativism. Negotation
is more likely to succeed when the parties
concerned understand the reasons for the
differences in viewpoint.

Cultural Ethnocentrism
Cultural ethnocentrism is the
belief that
ones own culture is superior to
that of
other cultures.

Why understanding culture is

important?
Without an understanding of the
unique
meanings existing for the
individual, the
problems of helping him effectively
are almost insurmountable .
- Athur combs

 Educators do not believe that all learners

are the same. Too often, educators to
treat all learners alike while paying lip
service to the principle of diversity.
Teachers know that students learn in
different ways; an individual learners
culture, family back ground and socioeconomic level affect his or her learning.
The context in which someone grows and
develops has an important impact on
learning.

 At present, schools are heavily

biased
toward uniformity over diversity.
The
challenge is to identify what
should be the same in schools
and what should be different.

 The emphasis on uniformity is a

serious disadvantage for students
whose culture has taught them
behaviors and beliefs that are
different from the norms of the
majority culture most often
emphasized in schools. Students
whose families value collaboration
are told to be independent. Students
whose culture values spontaneity are
told to exercise self-control.

 The culture clash often causes

students to struggle in school
and yet their individual
strengths, if valued, respected
and promoted would bring them
success and increase their selfconfidence.