Socio-Culturalism and Knowledge Sharing in Multicultural Virtual Learning Communities: Mapping a Conceptual Framework using a Case-based ¡®Quanto-Phenomenography¡¯ Approach

Farooq Mughal and Aneesa Zafar

International Journal of Learning and Development, 2011, vol. 1, issue 2, 1-26

Abstract: Abstract The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of socio-cultural values on the process of knowledge sharing in a multicultural virtual (online) learning community. The study was conducted on a community of place consisting of a mix of students (n = 50) from different parts of the world using a virtual learning environment designed to support learning within and outside the classroom. Pertinent to this, the paper explores three significant areas- a). what societal and cultural values influence the process of knowledge sharing; b) which values are considered important by the community members; and c). do these socio-cultural values limit the utility of a virtual learning environment. The theoretical basis of this study is strongly related to Vygotsky¡¯s (1983) theory of ¡®mediated mind¡¯ and Thorne¡¯s (1999) theory on ¡®internet-mediation¡¯. The authors conduct a theoretical discourse of the literature to develop a framework consistent upon the VLC model proposed by Schwier (2007) and the three-phased integrative model of virtual communities as societies developed by Romm et al. (1997). The authors use an integrative ¡®quanto-phenomenographic¡¯ approach by employing a mix of descriptive and phenomenographic research. The analysis revealed that the socio-cultural values influenced the knowledge sharing process at two-levels i.e. the user level and the environment level yielding altogether 12 socio-cultural values which including nationality, integrity, trust, gender etc. which might inhibit the utility of a virtual learning environment. Keywords- knowledge sharing, virtual learning community, socio-culturalism, culture, multiculturalism, virtual learning environment, phenomenography

Date: 2011
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/ijld/article/download/1178/950 (application/pdf)
http://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/ijld/article/view/1178 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:mth:ijld88:v:1:y:2011:i:2:p:1-26

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of Learning and Development is currently edited by Hugh Butler

More articles in International Journal of Learning and Development from Macrothink Institute
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Technical Support Office ().