Teaching Taboo Topics: Strategies for Teaching about Cultural Diversity in Different Contexts

IACCP 2022’s Pre-Conference TEACHING Workshop

This workshop has limited space, but is free and open for all Congress registrants to apply-- first come first serve!

Time and Date:

July 11, Monday

UTC 12:00- UTC 15:00 (three hours)

Workshop title:

Teaching Taboo Topics: Strategies for Teaching about Cultural Diversity in Different Contexts

Abstract:

When teaching about cultural psychology, certain topics may be very challenging for your students, challenging their preconceptions and expectations. Four experienced teachers of cultural psychology currently teaching in Africa, America, India and China will lead an interactive workshop. We will share the skills and tips we have learned for reaching students in our contexts, even if they might not want to hear what we are teaching. Workshop participants will also learn a bit about the surprising kinds of topics or activities that are difficult in our contexts. Specific strategies and skills will be shared that you can apply to your own classroom (after carefully considering your cultural context!). Based on audience interest, we will also discuss issues of common interest such online teaching; teaching as a minority or cultural outsider; small classes vs. large lectures; and use of different materials such as media, journals, and online sites. Come to learn from us and discuss with your co-participants in the workshop. Teachers (or future teachers) of all levels of experience are welcome.

Teachers:

Johnny Andoh-Arthur, the University of Ghana

Rachana Bhangaokar, The Maharaja Sayajirao of Baroda, India

Emma E. Buchtel, Education University of Hong Kong

Yulia Chentsova Dutton, Georgetown University

Bios:

Johnny Andoh-Arthur trained as a teacher in one of the leading Teacher Training Colleges in Ghana. He taught at the pre-tertiary level for years before venturing into University teaching. At the University of Ghana where he currently works, he teaches Community Psychology at the undergraduate level, Social and Developmental Psychology at the master’s level, and Culture and Contemporary Psychology at the Ph.D. level in the Psychology Department. He recognizes the importance of cultural and diversity issues in psychological praxis and teaching, which makes him value eclectic pedagogies to meet the specific needs of students.  As a great fan of Paulo Friere and Lev Vygotsky, he sees education as ""a practice of freedom", with the teacher’s role being facilitative of the process”.

Rachana Bhangaokar is an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at The Maharaja Sayajirao of Baroda, India. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on Theories of Human Development, Child Psychology, Family in Society, and Trends and Issues in HD Research. All her courses strongly interweave cultural psychological and indigenous perspectives.

Emma E. Buchtel is an Associate Professor and Associate Head (International Engagement) at the Education University of Hong Kong. In both her research and teaching she aims to cultivate an attitude of enjoying diversity, and teaching skills that help students learn and benefit from different perspectives. A recipient of EdUHK’s President's Award for Outstanding Performance in Teaching and several teaching-development grants, she teaches lecture courses on Social Psychology and seminars on Cross-Cultural Communication at the undergraduate level.

Yulia Chentsova Dutton is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Within the domain of teaching students about culture, she teaches a course in Cultural Psychology as well as seminar courses on Culture and Psychopathology, Current Directions in Cultural Psychology, and Social Science Perspectives on Health. In teaching her highly interactive courses often struggle with the dilemma of helping students acknowledge the influence of culture, but also avoid essentializing and stereotyping. She is a recipient of the Georgetown University Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.