Different Responses to Text according to Culture in the Philippines

Abstract

There are two main cultural backgrounds among the students at De La Salle University in Manila. They are either Filipino or Chinese. The university is a single-mode conventional university and draws students from all over the Philippines although many are from the city of Manila. In the classroom, the students show clear cultural, behavioral, and attitudinal differences. These differences become evident in their learning with respect to their different responses to reading texts. We have investigated these differences as being liberal, conservative or neutral according to the students' cultural background, prior education, and extent of overseas travel if any. The implications here are for those teaching at a distance and without face-to-face meeting to be aware of these differences. Since most open and distance education in the Philippines is text based, the findings presented in this study will be useful for understanding student responses and for student assessment not only within the Philippines but in any region where there may be significant cultural differences among the students.