Bringing Life to Educational Psychology through Cross-Cultural Experiences

This chapter describes an educational psychology course that included student experience in Japanese public schools. Infusing culture can make educational psychology come alive for students. Taught in cultural context, educational psychology, like other psychology courses, is no longer an abstract and disconnected field for students hoping to teach. Use of available cultural contexts and cross-cultural collaborations can do much to elicit authentic learning and critical reflection in students. With so many cultures around the world, the potential may be limitless.