Recognizing, defining, developing, comparing learning cultures – possible, mandatory, voluntary?

Learning happens through social interaction. Learning happens everywhere, all the time, in all different ways. Learning processes, environments, participants create learning cultures. Learners gain something when learning but also bring bits of themselves into the learning process and the learning culture. Learning (I believe) is an active process. Learning cultures are formed, they develop, evolve, grow locally, globally, nationally, internationally, culturally, interculturally, multiculturally on land through human contact online through interactive contact. What is a learning culture really? There definitely is not one. What are learning cultures? Where are they?

On the 21^st century online learning is the topic of the day and with that come learning cultures. The internet has brought the world to our finger tips – literally. Everyone has a chance to travel around the world, participate in multicultural interaction, be part of different learning cultures without actually leaving ones home. Does everyone really have that chance to be part of a leaning culture? Does one have a chance to alternate between different cultures or be part of different learning cultures simultaneously?

Before opening the following topic I want to state that I am writing this with utmost respect and my intention is not to disrespect anyone. I'm just curios and wuold like to ponder on this topic and hopefully get some opinions and insights and learn more about online learning cultures.

I read an article in our local news paper (www.satakunnankansa.fi) last week talking about the caste system in India and how even with the caste system terminated in 1950, modern India is still strongly functioning according to the caste system tradition. According to caste system rules it is nearly impossible to move up in the caste system, even in the modern times of social media and not well looked upon if communcating above one's own caste. Even the virtual friends of an individual consist of people from the same caste as the indivifual himself/herself. As a person born and living in Finland the caste system in its totality is hard for me to comprehend and in some perspective I find it sad even, because I think it also limits individuals öearning possibilities. I can't help but think what kinds of communication and interaction opportunities does online learning environments offer to people living in the caste system. Are there different online learning environments and therefore learning cultures formed for the different castes in e-India? Who controls the participants caste when participating in an online learning environment? How does the caste system affect the formation, development of an online learning culture? What if as a M4 task we were to develop an online module for participants belonging to different castes, would that be allowed in the learning culture context? 

In my teacher training studies I am also reflecting my teacher identity; where was I before entering the study program, where am I now, where am I heading.. I am thinking about the same issues in this module but with the multicultural online twist. As a teacher I am all about offering equal learning opportunities for everyone regardless the background, possible economical or social limitations, nationality etc. As a multicultural online teacher I have just started to form and develop my identity but still I can say that core issues also in my multicultural online teacher identity is the possibility to offer equal learning opportunities for everyone. In order for that to be possible there is plenty for me to learn. Of course my multicultural online teacher identity is part of my teacher identity, I get it – now. Never before have I understood or really thought about how many layered my teacher identity is or can be. Recognizing, defining, developing, comparing learning cultures will definitely be a challenge for but also will develop and expand my teacher identity. I will take on this mandatory challenge voluntarily with all the possibilities that will follow.

I don't know if all of the above text really falls under the title above or the topic task 3, but take this as a start of a multicultural online learning culture conversation. I'll be sure to dig deeper into this topic and hopefully end up with a better understanding of the notion of different learning cultures. I mean, aren't I currently member of a virtual learning culture? Am I not now learning in a multicultural online learning environment? 

What is the learning culture of M4?