CULTURAL PARADIGM SHIFT IN TEACHING

Abstract

This paper aims to focus on the cultural paradigm and its shift over the years in learner-centered classrooms.  In contemporary classrooms, in times of globalization, 21st-century skills require a lot of alterations in the instructional process. In the learning process, the educators have to shift the materials and content according to the learner`s culture. For teachers worldwide, the task of adapting and customizing resources to students' requirements, expectations, culture, and interests is sometimes regarded as overwhelming. Novice teachers find it extremely difficult to make some adaptations and adjust the content to culture. The purpose of this research was to identify if teachers have to shift the learning process due to the cultural background of the students and to what extent. To achieve desired learning results, the teachers not only change the teaching materials but take into consideration the cultural background of each individual in the classroom. The article underlines the significance of changing learning materials and modifying resources to learners' cultural paradigms.  The questionnaire was used to collect data from four universities in Georgia and various universities abroad. The study found that teachers needed to change the materials as when resources are created with students' culture in mind, the learning process is greatly impacted.

Keywords: cultural paradigm, adapting materials, globalization, shift in teaching.