Transcript General

A REVIEW OF HISTORICAL
AND CURRENT
ORGANIZATIONAL INITIATIVES
Michael J. Stevens, PhD, DHC
Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
The Lucian Blaga University, Sibiu, România
In K. C. Elliott (Chair), Internationalizing the undergraduate
psychology curriculum: Lessons leaned and new opportunities.
Symposium conducted at the International Conference on the
Teaching of Psychology, St. Petersburg, Russia, July 2008.
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Background
 Psychology:
International in origins; arose in diverse
countries during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries
 Dominance of U.S. psychology:
Increased insularity; dismissive of non-Western
“alternative” psychologies
 Globalization:
Challenging the current ethnocentrism and
parochialism of U.S. psychology
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Challenge to U.S. Psychology
“Th[e] globalization of psychology…has led to
outcomes that might conceivably reshape the
way in which we understand our discipline,
including…how we teach the discipline and its
applications to the next generation of students.”
From “The Globalization of Psychology: What Does It Mean,” by P. D.
Nelson, 2007, The Educator, 5(Spring/Summer), p. 3.
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Challenge to the U.S. Curriculum
“…it is clear that education and training in [U.S.]
psychology may need to adjust its curricula,
practica, and research and training contexts…it is
necessary that we respond in new and
imaginative ways.”
Anthony J. Marsella
From “Understanding the Importance of Internationalization in
Psychology: An Interview with Anthony J. Marsella,” by M. Boneau,
2007, The Educator, 5(Spring/Summer), p. 6.
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Marsella’s Recommendations
 Curricular Premises
Multicultural
Multidisciplinary
Multisectoral
 Curricular Methods
Diverse coursework and reading
Distance learning
Field research
Nontraditional internships
Foreign language
Study abroad
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Stevens’ & Wedding’s
Recommendations
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Offer multidisciplinary perspectives
Bridge the gap between science and practice
Provide training in overlooked specialties
Prepare for policy development and advocacy
Require competency in a foreign language
Encourage study abroad
From Handbook of International Psychology, by M. J. Stevens & W.
Wedding, 2004.
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2001 APA Education Leadership
Conference
 Recognition that U.S. psychology must remain
current or become marginalized
 13 recommendations - 4 curriculum-related
Internationalize the curriculum
Promote international exchange programs
Reconsider the language requirement
Facilitate faculty development
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2002 APA Working Group
 Competencies for the U.S. Psychology Major
Prepare students to understand human functioning
situated outside of U.S. borders and Western culture
10 learning goals and suggested outcomes
e.g., critical thinking, international awareness
Pedagogies
e.g., assessing level of social responsibility
 Guidelines published in 2007
(www.apa.org/ed/resources.html)
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2004 APA Working Group
 Internationalizing the U.S. Undergraduate
Psychology Curriculum
Carnegie Corporation grant awarded to the American
Council on Education to coordinate a multidisciplinary
project to internationalize teaching and learning in
U.S. higher education
Prepare students to understand psychological
science and practice around the world and how
psychologists address phenomena that vary
internationally
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2004 APA Working Group
 Five learning goals
e.g., understand research methods and skills
needed for international research competence
 Associated outcomes
e.g., appreciation of methodologies used
elsewhere (ethnography)
 Report completed in 2005
(www.apa.org/edu/pcue/International.pdf). APA’s BEA and
CIRP are reviewing and updating goals and outcomes
before seeking input from APA boards, committees,
and divisions. Future plans include a central webbased resource clearinghouse (e.g., sample curricula).
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Resources - Office of Teaching
Resources in Psychology (Div 2)
 OTRP develops and distributes instructional
materials and provides services to
psychology instructors
(http://www.teachpsych.org/otrp/index.php)
International Psychology: A Compendium of
Textbooks for Selected Courses Evaluated for
International Content (L. M. Woolf et al., 2002)
Textbooks in introductory psychology,
social
psychology, and life-span
development evaluated
for international content
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Resources - OTRP
International Psychology: Annotated Bibliography,
Relevant Organizations, and Course Suggestions
(L. M. Woolf et al., 2002)
Resources for incorporating international
content into existing courses and for developing
courses on international psychology (e.g., syllabi,
annotated bibliographies, videos)
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Resources - Database (Div 52)
 National Speakers Bureau
The National Speakers Bureau is a zipcode database of
contact information on expert international
psychologists willing to speak at nearby high schools,
community colleges, and universities about their
international teaching, research, practice, and public
service.
The National Speakers Bureau will be publicized on the
websites of Psi Beta, Psi Chi, and TOPSS as well as by
correspondence with psychology departments
throughout the U.S.
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Resources - PowerPoint (Div 52)
 Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools
(http://www.apa.org/ed/topss/topss_demos.html)
The mission of TOPSS is to promote scientific
psychology in the secondary school curriculum and to
meet the curricular needs of secondary school
teachers. APA’s Division 52 created a PowerPoint
presentation on international psychology for high
school teachers. Slides describe the field of
international psychology, key concepts, its history,
promising careers, and resources for students. Slides
can be downloaded for classroom use.
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International Council of
Psychologists (ICP)
 International Conference on the Teaching of
Psychology Education (formerly ICOPE)
2002 Conference (St. Petersburg)
Evolved from APA’s Partnerships Program (P3:
Teaching a Global Psychology: International
Dialogue)
Karandashev, V., & McCarthy, S. (Eds.). (2006). International
practices in the teaching of psychology. International Journal of
Psychology, 41(1).
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ICP
 International Conference on the Teaching of
Psychology Education (formerly ICOPE)
2005 Conference (Foz de Iguacu)
ICP support for conference
McCarthy, S., Newstead, S., Karandashev, V.,
Prandini, C.,
Hutz,C., & Gomes, W. (Eds.). (2007).
Teaching psychology
around the world. Newcastle
upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge
Scholars Publishing.
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ICP
 International Conference on the Teaching of
Psychology Education (formerly ICOPE)
2008 Conference (St. Petersburg)
ICP support for conference
Joint ICP / APA programming evolved from networking at the
2007 ICP conference and a commitment by ICP and APA’s
Division 52 to partner on internationalizing
curriculum and
training
Webster University - One Model
 Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences
(http://www.webster.edu/depts/artsci/d_behavioral.htm)
The Department consists of a diverse group of
disciplines, all of which emphasize understanding the
behavioral, social, and cultural forces that shape our
global society. Psychology majors may pursue an
international curriculum, such as the International
Studies Certificate, in addition to their major. They can
count internationalized courses from their psychology
major as part of the Certificate (e.g., Genocide and
Holocaust, Prejudice and Discrimination).
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The Task Ahead for U.S. Psychology
 Broad, sustained, and systematic effort needed
to:
Conceptualize, develop, and overcome resistance to a
model core curriculum of required and elective
coursework, supervised field experience, and
extracurricular opportunities
Intradisciplinary utilization
Extradisciplinary borrowing
Innovative additions
Infusion of international content
Nontraditional pedagogies
Design and apply methodologies to evaluate goals and
outcomes of an internationalized psychology curriculum
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Discussion
 How should international psychology organizations
support the internationalizing of the (U.S.) psychology
curriculum?
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