Training Industry Magazine - July/August 2020 - 51

APPROACHES TO GLOBAL ELEARNING: PROS AND CONS
BLENDED STRATEGIES
Pros

INTERNATIONALIZATION
Cons

* Facilitators provide
cultural context
* Audiences can shape
future training
* Cultural insiders deliver
culturally appropriate training
* Learners appreciate training
targeted directly to them

Pros

Cons

* Cost of face-to-face sessions

* Cost-effective single version

* Inconsistency in training
occurs

* Avoids potentially offensive
material

* Online facilitators might
struggle to respond quickly

* Training is simple and direct

* Interaction with trainers
may not be possible

* Learners share identical
training materials

LOCALIZATION
Pros

* Difficult to achieve as
instructors have their
own culture
* Can become bland
* Doesn't account for different
learning cultures
* Excludes non-dominant
cultures

CULTURAL INTEGRATION
Cons

Pros

Cons

* Flexible and scalable
solution

* Simplest form is similar to
internationalization

* Cultural inclusion, not
exclusion

* Final product may be
confused

* Highly targeted learning

* Can become costly if fully
implemented

* Exposes learners to multiple
cultures

* Impractical to implement
with short, simple courses

* Doesn't expose learners to
other cultures

* User-led design

* The broader the audience,
the more complex the course

* Inclusion of colloquialisms
and cultural references

Nevertheless, the attempt to eliminate
culture is an attractive and costeffective strategy for organizations
with a limited training budget and a
global audience.
LOCALIZATION
Localization seeks to adapt products
for specific cultures and create varied,
targeted products. The localization of a
course ranges from the simple (e.g., a
translated version) to the complex (e.g.,
profiling with tailored content). Simple
localization strategies can be achieved
with low levels of input from cultural
insiders, as only small graphic, content
and language changes will be made.
More complex strategies require a
deeper understanding of the cultures
represented within the target audience.
As a result, there is a risk of relying on
preexisting cultural frameworks and
stereotypical design ideas without
clear supporting evidence. Ideally,
instructional designers should be
guided by an organization's cultural
insiders rather than external research.

* Exploratory, multi-layered
course

AN OPEN DIALOGUE
ALLOWS CULTURAL
INSIDERS TO SHAPE THE
TRAINING DESIGN AND
ENSURE THAT IT DOES
NOT PRIVILEGE ONE
GROUP ABOVE ANOTHER.

* Involves effort to avoid
tokenism or superficial
multiculturalism

key cultures and user preferences for
the course.
Creating truly culturally integrated
training requires careful avoidance of
tokenistic inclusivity and stereotypical
assumptions, particularly if preexisting
cultural frameworks are used. Communication with cultural insiders and the
target audience is essential.
WHICH STRATEGY SHOULD WE USE?

CULTURAL INTEGRATION
In contrast to internationalization
and localization, cultural integration
strategies aim for a single, culturerich course that accounts for cultural
diversity among learners.
Methods to incorporate different cultures
include cultural research by reviewing
learning contexts and strategies, cultural
demographics by gaining insight into
learner experiences and expectations,
and cultural pluralism by targeting
audience input. The use of tools such
as questionnaires can help identify

Any of these strategies can be used to
create eLearning that meets the needs of
a global community. To ensure success,
instructional designers must work closely
with stakeholders to identify the best
strategy for a particular organization.
Designers should prioritize discussing
the course design with cultural insiders
before development. This collaboration
is the first and most crucial step toward
producing effective eLearning for a
global audience.
Lucy Hodge is a senior learning solutions
consultant at Walkgrove Ltd. Email Lucy.

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Training Industry Magazine - July/August 2020

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