Christine Liao

Intercultural Collaboration in Culturally Responsive Art Integration Curriculum Development

Christine Liao – University of North Carolina, Wilmington, USA

(With Moe Iezaki – Naruto University of Education, Tokushima, Japan)

Abstract:

This intercultural project engaged graduate students from the U.S. and Japan in developing a culturally responsive art integration curriculum centred on Japanese cultural art. Conducted online using Padlet as the communication platform, the project facilitated intercultural communication and collaborative curriculum development. Students began by exchanging self-introduction videos introducing their specific local cultural art forms. Japanese students then shared an art lesson plan focused on teaching a selected aspect of their local art and reflected on how these topics related to their own experiences and the students they envisioned teaching. The American students learned from their Japanese peers, providing feedback and sharing ideas for developing an arts-integrated lesson aimed at introducing the Japanese cultural art they learned to American K-12 students. This feedback loop continued as American students refined their lesson plans based on input from their Japanese partners. Both groups reflected on the collaborative process. Japanese students noted the challenges and benefits of online communication, such as overcoming language barriers and the excitement of sharing their culture internationally. They gained insights into how their cultural art could be interpreted and taught in a different cultural context. American students reflected on the influence of Japanese feedback on their lesson development, how the collaboration challenged their assumptions, and the depth of understanding they gained about Japanese cultural arts and teaching methods. Both groups emphasized how this intercultural exchange enriched their teaching practices and helped them develop a more inclusive and culturally responsive approach to art education. The poster will showcase the project’s process, examples of student work, and the key learning outcomes from both groups. This project demonstrates the value of intercultural communication in learning cultural art authentically and collaboratively developing a culturally responsive curriculum that respects the art form’s cultural origins.