Title: An online discussion on multiculturalism, a myth or a culture of silence?

Authors: Karen Garcia

Addresses: Educational Consultant, Knowledge Systems Design Evaluation and Training, USA

Abstract: This paper questions whether multiculturalism exists online. A case study examines a discussion about the myth of multiculturalism taking place in a Moodle, a Course Management System (CMS). An international group participated in a six weeks asynchronous, collaborative learning experience where discussion included their identifying the intrinsic worth of the virtual environment for facilitating communication, and examining an online culture as a culture of silence. The paper offers an evaluation of the appropriateness of the term |multiculturalism| for online asynchronous interaction and presents ethnopluralism as a better term to convey the diversity of cultures from which online communication takes place.

Keywords: Moodle; learning environment; course management systems; CMS; open content; multiculturalism; ethnicity; ethnopluralism; online culture; open source; virtual communities; web-based communities; online interaction; online learning; e-learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCEELL.2007.013661

International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning, 2007 Vol.17 No.2/3, pp.146 - 159

Published online: 10 May 2007 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article