Questions:
A- Using Something New as your artifact, choose three course concepts in this week's reading that are explored in the film. How does the film navigate issues of identity and prejudice? Does the fight that Kenya and Brian have in the grocery store feel genuine to you? Why or why not? What lessons does the film provide towards our understanding of intercultural communication?
B- How do you think the book's discussion of American culture pertains to Online education? Online education still receives much criticism and ridicule. Do you feel that is because of our cultural orientation toward certainty, or is it because of lack of ‘face time’? How do U.S. cultural perceptions and interpretations affect the status of Online education?
C- Think about a recent conflict situation in which you participated (e.g., an argument with your significant other, your parents, or a stranger). What communication strategies did you use to give, maintain, or save face?
Answers:
A. Generally, the movie outlines prejudice that the people of the white origin have towards their black counterparts that they are robbers, and the thugs and mostly uneducated; while the black people perceive their white counterparts as their oppressors. The fight between Kenya and Brian does not seem genuine. The fight is disguised in their frustrations at each other, but their feelings for each other are beyond their cultural barriers and different backgrounds they originate from.
B. In America, matters do with the online education are received differently by different groups of people. There is a general belief that online education is influenced mostly by gender and the ethnic backgrounds. Studies have found that, while most of the white learners may welcome the idea, the African-Americans, especially the female are resistant of online learning process. Online education is viewed as an empty process which lacks the much needed teacher-student interactions that are responsible for mentorship.
C. On the day I had an argument with my brother two weeks ago after accidently breaking his phone screen, I tried to invent techniques to save the whole situation. While he was angry, I decided not answer any of his rants and let him cool down first before I ushered my sincere apologies.