Designing Web-Based Training: How to Teach Anyone Anything Anywhere Anytime

11.3. AVOID COVERT NATIONAL CHAUVINISM

National chauvinism can creep into your work in a number of ways. Most of the time it is innocent and unintended. It consists of acting as if your culture and your country is the only one that matters. To avoid national chauvinism, adapt your designs so everybody can understand and participate.

11.3.1. Use generic objects in examples

Are your examples all specific to your locale and culture? If so, broaden them so that learners can see that the concepts apply to them, too.

For example, if you are talking about money, do you automatically show a picture of only the currency of your country?

If you need an arbitrary object for an example, is it one associated with a particular nation or culture?

11.3.2. Avoid local expressions

Take care with informal expressions and references to local institutions, sports, TV programs, and so forth. Avoid blunders like these:

• "In the testing labs, our product scored a grand-slam home run."

• "For an account number, use your Social Security Number."

• "... as if Dilbert adopted Garfield and moved into Seinfeld's apartment."

• Using "we" and "our" to refer to the citizens of your country.

Substitute internationally known references, and use expressions everyone can understand.

11.3.3. Think from the viewpoint of ...