Introduction:

If linguistic communication is what divides ethnicity, so instruction is what unites people from understanding different civilizations. The instruction system is one of the critical tools to develop people for planetary consciousness and helps to get the better of barriers between diverse societies throughout the universe. However, due to cultural differences within the society, instruction is thought of otherwise in different states. Particularly in West Africa, Ghana, has an instruction system that reflects high-power distance dimension. Additionally, their instruction system contradicts the different relationship between low and high power-distance dimensions, why the instructors are centre of instruction, why pupils must esteem the instructor, and what are the relationship between the instructor and the pupils. Furthermore, the cardinal construct of high and low power-distance dimensions leads to the thoughts of what is cultural communicating, why survey intercultural communicating and its results.

Summary of Interaction:

Throughout history, instruction in Ghana was curved into the system of high power-distance dimensions. In order to understand what features create a high power-distance dimensions system, I interviewed a friend from Ghana. Thomas Appiagyet is Ghanese from West Africa. He came to America for higher instruction and wants experience in the Petroleum technology plan for his major in college. He peculiarly chose the University of Kansas because he got a Scholarship in the technology section. This is his 2nd semester analyzing in the States.

I met Thomas in Watson library because it was a perfect topographic point to interview since the surrounding was really moderate and rather hence, it was easy to inquire inquiries and helped to me to concentrate on his thoughts and reflect on his responses. We had our interview on February 24, 2011 around 4pm because that was the lone available clip for Thomas. I started the interview by recognizing him and tried to intermix the inquiries into it. My inquiries were largely based on the instruction system and focused on how Ghanese ‘s perceptual experience could be different from the American cultural system.

Application of Concept:

White questioning Thomas, his personal life narratives led me to see a different construct which was the power distance dimensions by Hofstedes. Harmonizing to the article of “ Cultural dimensions and societal behaviour, ” Hofstede ‘s Power Distance dimension relates to the grade of equality and inequality nowadays in the society, besides it relates to how people accept civilization and power differences. High power-distance societies have relationships in which people are distanced from their superior and esteem their sentiment. Therefore, states with high power-distance civilization accept the fact that ‘inequality in power is considered the norm ; and the status of inequality is authorized by the leaders instead than persons ( Ahmed, Mouratidis, & A ; Preston, 2009, P. 49 ) . ‘ Harmonizing to Magdalena Polack, the civilization of a high power-distance dimension society is characterized by certain differentiations such as pupils respect their instructors, instructors are the centre of the instruction ; hence, the order and the regulation of the schoolroom has to be followed, pupils wait until the instructor gives waies ( Polak, 2001 )

In contrast, low power-distance societies depend on their higher-ups in an accessible manner and the determinations can be negotiable ( Basabe, Nekane ; Ros, Maria, 2005, p. 192 ) . In other words, in this society, each single individual has less power over a group of people and the society is treated as equal even in an unjust state of affairs. Low power-distance societies besides have certain distinguishable features such as pupils have more independency over the instructor, pupils are the centre of the instruction, pupils ‘ enterprise and communicating is extremely valued, pupils are encouraged to inquire any inquiries and show their ain thoughts ( Polak, 2001 ) . Hofstede ‘s theoretical account identifies that by and large, most of Western/Northern European civilization is considered as low-power while Asiatic and Latin Americans are known to be high power-distance ( Ahmed, Mouratidis, & A ; Preston, 2009, p. 53 ) .

This cultural dimension helped me to distinguish between Western and Asiatic civilizations and understand the different features of each civilization. It helped to understand the effect of the cultural differences and its society, particularly in Ghana. First, Ghana has high power distance dimension society. Harmonizing to Thomas, the instructor was the centre of instruction where during the talk. The pupils debate the job before nearing the instructor because the instructor expected pupils to happen their ain solution to the job instead inquiring inquiries. Students do n’t usually travel to see the instructor during their office hours and most of the clip, the instructors ca n’t be found in their office. Besides, they set up regulations. Students ca n’t travel against their authorization and knock. If non, there will be penalty for the pupils. Harmonizing to Thomas, their school used two types of penalties to the pupils such as bodily penalty and capital penalty. In bodily penalty, when the pupil battles against other pupils or other people, that pupil is physically punished which involves hurting such as hitting the dorsum of the pupil utilizing a stick. Other penalty is capital penalty where if pupil is guilty of plagiarising work, they are suspended from school. In add-on, the pupils ca n’t go forth the category room without the permission of the professor even though the talk is finished.

Second, it is considered ill-mannered if the pupil expresses their sentiment or challenges the instructor. So, during category, pupils usually do n’t inquire inquiries or show their sentiments. Last but non least, the relationship between the pupils and the instructor is really formal even after the category. Unlike in the States, it is really rare that pupils go friends with the professors. There is ever a immense boundary line line which separates the business of each individual. Therefore, Thomas ‘s favourite instructor was Mr. Aggry, a natural philosophies instructor, who ever welcomed him and treated him as a friend.

Analysis:

Through the interaction with Thomas, I realized that our difference of civilization, ethnicity, and linguistic communication did non affair of understanding his position and seting myself into his places. I understood every item narratives he was explicating because I besides grew up in a civilization where high power distance dimensions is carved in to the civilization. However, I was surprised how the construct of power distance dimensions was omnipresent and it did non stand for merely one ethnicity. Particularly, Ghana being ruled by England during the past history surprised me that West Africa was most considered to be high power distance dimensions society. By sing this phenomenon, I gain broaden cognition about Ghana ‘s instruction system and somehow I could put correlativity between pupils from high power distance dimensions versus low power distance dimensions civilization. I besides realized that intercultural communicating was non merely all about globalisation, but instead how linguistic communication is understood through different mediums such as utilizing organic structure linguistic communication, tone of voice, and oculus contact. These niceties of communicating drama a critical function in to the full understanding the relationship between basic communicating and intercultural communicating. Through interaction with Thomas, I realized both of us used organic structure linguistic communication when there was a certain construct we did non understand. For illustration, when I was inquiring the inquiry “ What influence in your experience has led to develop positive experiencing about your instruction? ” I noticed I was utilizing batch of manus motions in order to explicate the inquiry. Thomas did the exact thing when he was explicating peculiar state of affairs. Besides organic structure linguistic communication, oculus contact and the tone of his voice helped me to visualise how occupied he was in the interview, and that he to the full understand the temper of the interaction.

Merely questioning one individual did non assist to to the full understand the deepness of the differences between low and high power distance dimensions. Just like all scientific discipline lab experiments need changeless values, interaction between more ethnicity and position position are needed to make better apprehension of intercultural communicating. However, the interaction gave me a good solid position point on how high power distance dimensions exist in assorted states. Besides, merely by doing inquiries out of one chosen construct, I was able to pull a correlativity between Thomas ‘ experiences to Hofstede ‘s cultural dimension method. Therefore, to the full analysing his method could do me understand non merely other civilization ‘s instruction system but besides see cultural form during intercultural communicating.

Decision:

In decision, Ghana ‘s civilization is blend into high power distance dimension society. The difference between high and low power distance dimension helps to understand the difference in instruction system across the universe. Low and high cultural dimension method can be differentiated between different civilizations. Ghana has a civilization where instructor has more rights and authorization than the pupils and they must esteem the any facet of the instructors are doing. The relationship between them is besides official and has boundaries between them. In add-on, despite cultural, lingual, or cultural differences, the interview was non trouble and besides to pass on. Communication is non entirely about globalisation, but relies to a great extent on non-verbal cues. However, holding one experience is limited to merely one interaction, therefore can non do any concrete decisions about globalisation associated with intercultural communicating. Every ethnic may hold cultural differences ; nevertheless, by understanding their civilization in a different position is of import to excel mayhem between states.