What is Culture? Part 1

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT CULTURE IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION?

Why are we interested in the concept of culture especially in the field of education? It is important because in education we have adopted even implemented such concepts as "multicultural education, bilingual/bicultural education, multilingual education, multiethnic education, intercultural education and antiracist education." These major educational concepts because of their various interpretations are today very imprecise and ambiguous. Defining and clarifying these concepts are extremely important if we are to address the right questions, research methods, findings, evaluation strategies and programs. Underlying these educational concepts is the concept of "Culture." If we are to begin to understand "multicultural education" we must begin by defining "Culture." Once it is defined in general, then we become more precise in viewing how culture works in the multicultural, bilingual and English-as-a-second language (ESL) classroom.

Culture is a means of survival. All people are cultural beings and need to be aware of how culture affects people's behavior. Culture in the curriculum can prepare students for effective citizenship in dealing with cultures of the community and of the world.

Culture is at work in every classroom. It affects how teaching and learning are organized, how classroom rules and curricula are developed, and how teaching methods and evaluation procedures are implemented. It also affects the rules for communication in the classroom, or the etiquette for participation in the classroom (e.g., knowing how, when and in what form to get the teacher's attention).

Objectives:
1. To obtain a holistic view of the concept, "Culture."
2. To develop a working definition of culture
3. To begin to define the culture of schools/ classrooms
4. To conduct research on your own ethnicity via the internet
5. To write a personal short cultural story on some aspect of your life
6. To test the effects of your short story in your classroom.
7. To obtain a more global perspective on Culture

To complete this Topic successfully, please complete the following activities in the order shown below:

ASSIGNMENT 1: How do you define culture?

TEXTBOOK READING: About the required textbook for this class

ON-LINE LESSON 1: What is Culture?

ON-LINE LESSON 2: Culture from the Anthropological Perspective

ASSIGNMENT 2: Etic and Emic in the Classroom

ASSIGNMENT 3: Reflect on what you have learned

GROUP ASSIGNMENT 1: YOUR Definition of Culture and Discussion

Go on to What is Culture? Part 2
or
Go back to Introduction