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intercultural communication among remote
learners.
• Different national cultures emphasize dis-
tinct values and are associated with diverse
languages. It is apparent that the presence
of different languages, and the inability
to speak and comprehend these different
languages, creates barriers to efficient
knowledge sharing throughout the organiza-
tion. In the case of multinational learning
groups, a lot of knowledge might be lost in
translation, or due to the inability to articu-
late the knowledge in the project's working
language (Myers & Tan 2002). A good way
to diminish the negative consequences of
language barriers is to emphasize active
listening skills, patience, and understanding.
Despite language differences, it is important
to enable all members an equal opportunity
to be heard. The difficulty of studying and
communicating in a second language exac-
erbates the problem of equal participation,
especially in the case of a CSCLE. Until
students have built up sufficient fluency in
the lower-level language skills (Raybourn,
Kings, & Davies, 2003) to be able to express
their understanding in their own words in
the language of instruction, they may find
it difficult to display their newly acquired
knowledge. Therefore, the instructor must
encourage learners with less language ex-
perience, and help them to overcome their
difficulties in expressing their opinion, and
actively participate in the learning proce-
dure.
• Learners have different strategies, approach-
es, and capabilities for learning that are a
function of prior experience and heredity.
Individuals are born with and develop their
own capabilities and talents (Ford, 2000).
Instructors need to help students examine
their learning preferences and expand or
modify them, if necessary. They also need
to attend to learner perceptions, as long as
these differences are adapted to by varying
instructional methods and materials.
ConClusion And Future
reseArCh
As several studies have observed (Adler, 1997;
Watson, Kumar, & Michaelsen, 1993), diversity
within teams is a reality for educators and or-
ganizations. It is also an important social value
for synchronous society. For these reasons, it is
important that research clearly and accurately
elucidate the true impact of diversity in learning-
teams. This requires moving beyond studies of
simple demographic effects and broad generaliza-
tions about the effects of diversity on teams, to
understanding how these differences arise and are
experienced in specific contexts. Only then, both
learners and instructors will be able to manage
differences effectively and understand in detail
how diversity really affects individuals in different
types of educational organizations.
In the current chapter, diversity issues that
arise from both social and cultural differences are
analyzed. Social differences focus mainly on race,
gender, class and age. While cultural differences
focus on how individuals' cognition, values, be-
liefs, communication styles, and study behaviors
are influenced by their culture. The impact of
these factors on the learner-learner interactions
are being summarized in Tables 1-2.
Online learning and virtual learning envi-
ronments demand that the role of the instructor
will be the one of the facilitator in the learning
process, rather than that a of knowledge dispenser.
Conclusively, in order for the instructor to attain
successful collaboration, diversity and all its
factors that affect learners' interactions must be
adequately analyzed and studied. A number of
constructive suggestions to be used by the instruc-
tor in both the design and the implementation of
learning activities are presented in the bulleted
paragraphs throughout the “The Impact of Gender
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