Junko Kobayashi & Linda Viswat
An Exploratory Study of “Fairness” in Educational Settings —American and Japanese University Students—Abstract
This paper deals with differences and similarities in the perception of "fairness" in e
ducational settings between American and Japanese university students. First, data was
collected through open-ended questionnaires and interviews as to the words and actions
of Native English-Speaking (NES) teachers that Japanese students regarded as unfair,
and those of Japanese students that American teachers found to be unfair. Based on the
responses, a second questionnaire was prepared and distributed to 155 American students
and 157 Japanese students. This paper specifically discusses the diverse viewpoints voiced
by American and Japanese students, and suggests ways to reduce their respective discontentment
in educational settings.
Keywords: fairness, students’ perceptions, cultural differences, individual differences, diverse viewpoints