Cultural aspects of transnational distance education: A case study

This is a case study of one of the goals of a Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE) and the Fundacao Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES) issued grant called the US-Brazil Technological Cultural Initiative. This grant provides for student/faculty exchanges between two universities in Brazil and two community colleges in the United Sates. The goals of the grant are to enhance cultural diversity as well as foster a common core curriculum in Business and Information Technology and promote technology. During the grant period, six online classes were to be developed to be shared between the four universities lasting beyond the grant's four-year life.;Discussions in initial meetings with faculty and project directors regarding the development and sharing of online classes demonstrated shortsightedness. This occurred in the early stages of the grant when discussing and brainstorming for the development of online classes; it was believed this development would not be a major obstacle and the content could be easily translated into Portuguese. However, during the years of teaching an online E-Commerce class and considering what E-Commerce is in the United States and what it is in Brazil, is a mere language translation adequate? It may be for some classes perhaps, but not for all. In retrospect, should not cultural, social, legal, and other issues be taken into consideration when developing online classes for the transnational student? What subjects allow a direct translation of content and which do not? What are the implications for the grant? The study attempts to research student and faculty views concerning these questions toward cultural aspects of transnational distance education.