Title

Internationalizing Psychology Courses

Document Type

Article

Source

Psychology International

Volume

20

Issue

3

Publication Date

7-2009

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Many academic departments have engaged in diversity transformation projects over the last decade. These endeavors generally focused on increasing faculty and student awareness of underrepresented groups and multicultural issues within the United States (Goldstein, 1995; 2005). Similarly, textbook authors have been broadening the scope of research included in standard psychology textbooks to include diversity perspectives. Our university has been involved in an effort to increase diversity-focused student learning outcome (SLO) goals across the curriculum. This diversity transformation process has provided us with an opportunity to look at various cultural groups within the United States and to incorporate cross-cultural information into our classes. After concluding this examination, faculty in our department were concerned that students continued to receive a very Amerocentric view of psychology as a discipline. For example, the majority of research incorporated into textbooks and readings is carried out at American institutions. Many of us had taught and conducted research abroad and were interested in how psychology was studied and understood globally (Sexton & Hogan, 1992).

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