Educational approaches across cultures: Consequences for international I/O programs

Abstract

Approaches to education and training differ across cultures and regions. Education systems vary widely in terms of the philosophies for teaching and training, the formal organization and regulation regarding certification and degree conferral, and the informal expectations for faculty and students. These cultural differences in norms, values, and practices have the potential to create challenges for schools hoping to develop a truly international industrial/organizational (I/O) curriculum that includes international exchanges and experiences. In an effort to inform and improve the development of international I/O programs, this chapter aims to critically analyze the dominant approaches to graduate training across a few exemplar cultures and to distill suggestions regarding the internationalization of I/O education. Toward this aim, the chapter is divided into three primary sections. We begin with a brief summary of the education systems and philosophies prominent in the USA, Europe, the UAE, Brazil, and China. These regions were selected to represent a wide range of influential areas where I/O psychology either currently exists or may eventually expand. These education models are then critically integrated with a focus on how various aspects of the education systems from around the world can be combined to provide the best of all worlds for international I/O curricula. For example, we suggest the use of a variety of educational techniques including didactic learning, experiential learning, critical thinking, personal reflection, and group work. We conclude the chapter with a summary of the suggestions that can be gleaned from this analysis, with a focus on how the elements of the education models can be combined to influence curriculum content, training of students, and educational and research-oriented collaboration between programs. We hope this chapter will serve as a starting point for programs simply looking to add a little more international perspective to their existing program or looking to develop into a truly global international I/O program.