Cultural Awareness - Evaluating the Social and Cultural Implications of the Internet - Assignment Example

Cultural Awareness Name Institution Date Cultural Awareness a) A reflection (approximately 500 words) reflecting on your culture and what you have learnt from other cultures using the replies you made to the other peoples As an Australian I very well understand my culture. The Australian culture is founded and defined on the basis of stories of ancient battlers, brave soldiers, bushrangers, sporting heroes, plucky migrants and working heroes. It is a fair ‘go’ culture of great outdoors as well as healthy helping of irony. The Australian culture is also defined by its Aboriginal heritage, the existence of diverse cultures, innovative ideas as well as arts scenes that are thriving. The Aboriginal culture is demonstrates the rich and timeless tradition. Australians belief of the existence of dreamtime which is a sacred time that existed before the world was created. The Aboriginal heritage has taught me that we in Australia belief in ancestors, rock arts, barks painting and craft that reveal dreamtime stories. Songs are used to tell dreamtime journeys that map water sources and other landmarks that are essential verbally. Traditional dances usually reveal the creation of myths and enactment of deeds of dreamtime heroes as well as historical events. Colonial myths of battlers, bushrangers as well as brave soldiers form the Australian beliefs in mateship and fair go. This has helped me learn that, Australians have a strong affection to the battler who fought against colonialists, poverty, injustice and unjust authority. I respect heroes who fought for justice and liberty as a national culture. The Australia language is Australian English which is coined with strine and abbreviated with words that end with ‘o’ or ‘ie’. Nicknames are reversed, vowels are flattened and sentences are ended with an inflection which is slightly upward. Australians are sports mad people. This is evident with the availability of many sporting organisations nationally, locally and regional. There are 6.5 million Australians who are registered as participants in sports. We in Australia adore sports heroes and most of the people love football, rugby, swimming, cricket and tennis among other sports. In Australia, we embrace share values where all genders male and female are respected equally, support for democracy and rule of law, freedom of religion, speech and association. Multiculturalism is present in Australia with the existence of diverse food, festivals as well as faith. The existence of other people from other nations lives in Australia with mixed cultural origin. There are 226 different languages that are spoken by people in Australia irrespective of the English language. Cultural diversity is reflected by food that serves to embrace most of the world’s cuisines as well as artfully fuses. I learnt to prepare food such as European flavours, spices that are tantalising from Africa, Middle East, Asia, Italia pasta, dumplings and tapas. I also embrace festivals such as samba and capoeira. Religion is also highly embraced in Australia with the existence of many churches of different denominations including; Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist temples, Catholic and Anglican churches, mosques as well as synagogues. Australians also belief in innovations and coming up with new ideas. The idea of artificial manufacture of ice was developed in Australia that allowed the exportation of meat from Great Britain using ships that were refrigerated. Australians also crave in the culture of theatre to literature. This is evidence that Australians are big lovers or arts. b. Discuss how culture, diversity, principles of consultation and ethics influence an IT solution you will develop as an IT professional. Specifically, how does this relate to working with Aboriginal communities and organisations? You may give examples of how this may apply to creating an IT solution for people from your culture. This should be written in the third person ie avoid the use of “I”. Culture, diversity, principles of consultation and ethics has influence on information technology. Introducing a new technology in an organisation can face great challenges due to the culture of an organisation and the people who work there. The introduction of internet in the local schools in our community is one of the projects that will improve effective learning and performance of students in primary schools. However, the introduction of this innovation in learning may be influenced by culture, diversity as well as principles of consultation and ethics from the respective communities one works with. It is evident that, internet has got many benefits that it will accrue to the people as well as schools in the community in terms of communication, social interaction, information gathering, learning, commerce and entertainment. Introducing internet to schools will help students, teachers and other school administrators have an easy accessibility of information. Students will be able to access their learning materials fast from many information sources in the internet. Internet will also benefit the people within the schools communities to disseminate their information quickly and accessible throughout. Communication between students and teachers as well as within departments will be easily facilitated. Using internet will help in developing and maintaining social relations within and outside the school communities. This will add in maintaining relationships and better functioning of individuals and the society. The introduction of internet will also facilitate the development as well as maintenance of communities of individuals who have interests and concerns that are shared (Brey, 5). The schools will also be better structured with specific agendas. Cultural understanding will also be enhanced between people from different communities through the use of internet. This will be as solution that will promote better understanding among cultures as well as cultural identities whereby people from different cultures will be easily be brought together for the purpose of communicating with one another under cultural exchange conditions that are conducive. Even though the people in these schools will benefit a lot from the introduction of this innovation, culture will play a big role in ensuring that it is implemented. It is important to consult with the school community including the schools administrators before introducing the initiative in their schools. The reason is that, the schools are within the Aboriginal communities and there may be resistance or need for training for these schools and communities to accept the introduction of internet. It is evident that the Aboriginal populations in Australia are the most primitive citizens and may not be having the knowledge of the importance of internet in their lives. This calls for clear cultural awareness of these communities to ensure that, explanation is provided on the need of internet in schools within the communities. Meeting with Aboriginal people is important to hear their stories on how they perceive internet. Before introducing anything new to Aboriginal communities, one must be aware that, these communities embrace their culture a lot and it is necessary to gain their trust before introducing internet to the schools. To ensure that the community accepts and assimilates in the use of internet, supporting them through employing Aboriginal people to carry out the tasks of the project is necessary. This will serve a good purpose of breaking stereotypes by training the people from the communities and employing them to work in the implementation of the innovation in schools. Ensure that, Aboriginal representation is advocated for by encouraging local councils in creating as well as implementing policies for representing and consulting these communities. Despite being supported by Aboriginal people in implementing the innovation, it is necessary to create cultural awareness for the main staff that one will be working with. This can be achieved through carrying our cultural awareness programs to educate the staff about the culture in this community. Since the introduction of internet in the schools will affect the Aboriginals, it is important to consult with them since this innovation directly affects them. This will help one in understanding whether what they are doing is being done in the right way or if there is need for any protocol that need to be followed before introducing the innovation. Aboriginal people put a lot of value in respect for other people and communities. Volunteering to help Aboriginal communities can help one in experiencing their life at first hand. Giving presentations or talks to Aboriginal people will serve as a good task that will inform them about the importance of internet in their schools. Consulting them on what one is going to inform them and how they can provide their support is important. Ensure to dispel the myths of how internet is harmful to the community by providing them with statistics that are current as well as true stories about the positive change that internet will bring in their lives and that of their children. When introducing internet to the Aboriginal community, one should not borrow from their culture because one may not understand what they refer to in a particular situation and especially without their consultation. Such an act implies ones disrespect to the Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal people do not like complex solutions and it is wrong to tell them about the best solution for a situation. One should ensure to answer any question that is asked by the Aboriginal people, keeping quiet for questions that are not appealing may portray disrespect. Before introducing the innovation of internet to the communities, there are various ethical and consultation principles that must be followed. Innovations must be implemented according to the highest standards of due diligence, ethical as well as professional practice and according the law which is applicable. One should not seek to borrow any culturally restricted materials from Aboriginal people, but only acknowledge them legally and ethically responsible by accepting them on occasion. One should not acquire cultural material when in knowledge that it has been acquired from another country while in violation of the laws of that country. Cultural material should not be acquired when suspected to be obtained through means that are not authorised. References Brey Philip, Evaluating the Social and Cultural Implications of the Internet. University of Twente. 2005. Read More