Desire to Learn

Desire to Learn

Page 69

Technology and You

In what ways might technology and mediated communication help you learn about another culture? Have you used such means to learn about another culture in the past? What did you find most and least helpful about this approach?

Learning culture-specific information can be a useful starting point in intercultural communication; knowledge of general interaction patterns common for a particular group can increase your awareness of other ways of communicating. It can also prepare you to adapt—or to decide not to adapt—as you consider the many factors influencing an intercultural interaction.

But how do you go about learning about another culture or co-culture and its members’ communication preferences? Is it OK to ask group members questions or to seek clarification? Do you have to visit a foreign country to learn about that nation’s culture? Do you need a close friend within a given co-culture to help you understand aspects of that co-culture’s communication? We encourage you to ask respectful and earnest questions and to experience other cultures in whatever way you are able—whether that means trying foods from outside your own culture, studying the scriptures of another faith, or deciding to study abroad.