Culturally Sensitive IS Teaching: Lessons Learned to Manage Motivation Issues

The purpose of this study is to advocate culturally sensitive teaching that is largely overlooked in the IS community. As our community and the contemporary business world in general are essentially situated in a global, networked, multicultural environment, inadequate cultural understanding of this environment would unfortunately indicate poor preparation for future IS professionals‟ careers. Situated in the context of HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) in the US, this investigation narrates authentic stories and experiences that reflect cultural challenges and issues faced by today‟s educators. Insights gained from the study provide practical lessons for educators who are similarly situated in a culturally challenging environment. More specifically, the study analyzes motivational issues commonly exhibited by a homogeneous group of students in this unique research context and suggests some practical approach to manage those issues. Implications further address culturally sensitive teaching concerns that might require IS educators‟ and researchers‟ attention.