E-learning in Multi-cultural Environments: An Analysis of Online Cabin Crew Training

<p>Throughout the first decade of this century, the airline industry struggled with many challenges stemming from unstable oil prices and natural disasters. Attention was given to people as tools for competitive advantage. The airline industry focused on Human Resource Management and, as a result, e-learning gained increasing attention as it imparted knowledge on an asynchronous and global basis with substantially reduced costs. However, while focusing on learning technologies, organizations failed to acknowledge learners needs and cultural backgrounds by creating neutral e-learning environments, which resulted in ineffective training and reduced performance improvement. This thesis aimed to study the perceptions of a multi-cultural group of cabin crew members about e-learning courses designed and developed by their employing airline. A questionnaire verified the opinion of these cabin crew members on factors regarding course relevance and learner motivation, cultural sensitivity, course organization and navigation, and course interactivity in neutral e-learning environments. The results showed that the employing airline developed e-learning courses that were highly technological and interactive but had little regard for learners cultural and language backgrounds. As a result, ineffective online training prevailed.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Aeronautics

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - Open Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Applied Aviation Sciences

Year

2012

Author dc:creator

• de Brito Neto, Jose Felix

• E-learning
• multicultural
• cabin crew
• training
• Aviation
• Management and Operations

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.erau.edu/edt/28

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.erau.edu:edt-1027