Introducing cultural issues and cultural awareness in conceptual modelling education

Abstract

© 2016 The authors and IOS Press. All rights reserved. Conceptual modelling education is often a part of any Informatics and Computer Science curricula but is also included in other study programs where conceptual modelling knowledge is needed. Conceptual modelling is well defined and numerous sources are available in existing literature. The steps to develop conceptual models are easy to learn and support is possible also via different tools, based on a theoretical background, mostly through the Peter Chen approach. In general, such an educational approach can be described as a standard conceptual modelling education. But, unfortunately, standard conceptual modeling education does not inform culturally-aware developers of conceptual models. The confidence and assurance that cross cultural issues and cultural awareness will be considered in the phase of conceptual modelling could be reached on one side by upgrading the conceptual modeling approach with a cultural point of view, as well as by introducing cultural issues into conceptual modelling education. Students need to be aware of basic cultural issues and concepts and their influence on conceptual modeling. In the long term, the mentioned content should become part of standard conceptual modeling education. This means changes in the content of curricula as well as a change in thinking by students and teachers.