Cultural Differences in Communication: A Web Quest!

Increasing cultural awareness in adolescents is sometimes difficult, but this web quest encourages students to look at customs in other cultures and to consider their own culture from another perspective. Easily adaptable, this activity and its subsequent presentation and/or classroom discussion can help broaden the horizons of students studying in various content areas such as communications, social studies, business, and career readiness. The web quest provides viable links for students to follow online, and if you do not have computers available for every student, the countries covered are easily accessed individually and photocopied. Student explore an assigned region or country record some differences between their own culture and others' cultures, and share their findings with the class. Reflective questions coax students into thinking about what these cultural differences might mean and how people from other cultures may view the student researcher. Included are some sources and ideas for diagnostic tests as well as applications of this activity.