Cross-Cultural Communication is Increasing in a Technology-Enhanced Environment.

Technology Influences Cross-Cultural Communication And Brings People Together Across Cultures

In past years, cross-cultural communication has been sometimes limited depending on location, language, time difference, and cultural barriers. In this newly developed era of technology, communication across borders is now very much possible. Websites for social media, blogs, videos, chat rooms all help individuals interact with one another across cultures. While culture and language are continuing to stay slow and stable, technology is fast and developing. According to the picture below, four in ten students believe that integrating social networks in the classroom would benefit their education.  

         To agree with those students, a team of researchers at Stanford University developed a study in the area of education on the use of digital technology and their results include, “Digital technology can motivate and influence people to approach cross-cultural communication and cultural exchanges with greater sensitivity, understanding, and ethical awareness in order to bring about positive international and social relations.” This ethical awareness can better help us to understand each others different cultures and allow everyone to exchange our ideas in a positive way. 

People Argue That Technology Can Enhance Learning or be a Distraction.

According to an article by Mashable Lifestyle, innovation is advancing in schools across all levels. The article states that, 91% of teachers in the United States have access to computers in the classrooms and 81% of teachers believe that tablets enrich classroom learning. Even 1 in 5 students have used a mobile app to stay organized with classwork. E-textbooks are expected to make up 11% of textbook revenue by 2013. With technology continuing to advance and become more useful, there's no doubt that the use of technology will increase in the classrooms. 

Roberta Z. Lavine, Director of Undergraduate Program and Associate Professor of Spanish at the University of Maryland, has extensive experience in technology for instructional purposes. She received the University of Maryland Award for Innovation in Teaching with Technology. In her classroom, there is a simulation for four to six weeks with students from Ecuador and students from the University. They negotiate with different technology tools over the Internet. Lavine allows students in the simulation to use whatever tools works better for them to communicate.

The following clip is from an interview with Professor Lavine about the challenges she faces with using technology in the classroom and in general.

According to an article by The New York Times, Matt Richtel writes “There is a widespread belief among teachers that students’ constant use of digital technology is hampering their attention spans and ability to persevere in the face of challenging tasks.” Is technology engaging students or distracting them? Lavine says in her interview, “People are distracted as they’re being talked at… It’s hard to engage all the students all the time. You have to think of a way to use every precious minute in a way that is productive for where you’re going but also lets students feel that they’re comfortable and that’s a challenge." She's right, people are distracted all the time, but it's important to let the students engage in the technology that's better for them and be able to learn through that method.

Spanish Culture and Language is Expanding. Technology is Allowing us to Embrace These Cultural Differences.

The most widely spoken romance language is Spanish. It’s the official language of Spain and much of Latin America. Over 14 million people who were born and live in the United States speak Spanish as their primary language. Spanish speakers are able to identity what Latin American country a person is from just by their accent. The Gilchrist Center of Cultural Diversity in Montgomery County, Maryland is just one of the many places that provide service to Spanish speakers. Volunteers are able to help these Spanish speakers in this computer classes by translating phrases into Spanish and helping them with basic computer details. Every culture, not only Spanish culture, is looking to use more technology to help communicate with their family across the country by using Skype and email. It can be a lot cheaper to use a library computer to communicate with your family then to buy phone cards but the biggest problem is that old generation don't know how to use technology. It's important to educate our fellow citizens, whatever the language may be, to enhance their knowledge of technology to help them communicate and become aware of this new era. 

The most important thing to do when dealing with cross-cultural environments is to not assume something about a particular person by the way they look or talk. Technology is allowing us to communicate within different cultures and sharing our ideas to find similarities and embrace differences. Technology is something the world has in common. It is continuing to grow and become better in different aspects and hopefully in the future, we will all be able to use technology and older generations will become more understanding of this new generation. 

Adrian, a senior at the University of Maryland, shares his view on how communicating across cultures is more effective through technology.

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