Harman Singh, the CEO of WizIQ, a SaaS-based online education platform, contributed an article to EdSurge about how cultural diversity is necessary for educational innovation. He discusses the role of education in society, the need for language diversity among shifting demographics, and issues with communication, economics and technology.

"Cultures that place a premium on education drive competition within the learn marketplace," Singh writes. "This view is pervasive in South Korea, Singapore, Japan, and other Asian countries where families hold student performance and advancement as core values." Singh notes that cultures prioritizing education in society are rapidly emerging as leaders in online learning.

The need for language diversity is growing as more people assimilate into new cultures, and "online learning providers now offer courses in more languages than ever before." This emphasizes differences in how people communicate and collaborate, and how students will need to learn how to work with one another.

"In the U.S., Canada, and Western Europe, students frequently work and collaborate in groups. This empowers students with 'lead' roles while teachers facilitate," Singh writes. "In other cultures, there is little collaboration, as teachers have historically been the primary authority in all classroom situations. Often, in countries like China, this view stems from the culture's deep-seed reverence for the wisdom of elders."

Singh argues that "as the reach of online education broadens, educators must embrace cultural differences and adapt to the accepted learning practices of each culture rather than expect these cultures to adapt."

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By Samantha DiMauro, Education World Contributor