Co-Creating and Contextualizing Global Studies Content in a Japanese University: A Journey in Teacher and Student Engagement

While existing research shows co-creation projects enhance student agency and deepen content knowledge, Japanese higher education has largely overlooked this pedagogical approach. This educational design research (EDR) study uses a mixed-methods approach to examine what happened when 23 second-year Japanese global studies university students helped create the instruction materials normally developed by teachers. Shared digital work spaces supported this shift by creating a psychologically safer and more collaborative environment than the traditional Japanese classroom typically allows. Over one academic semester, we collected student-created digital content, reflective writing assignments and pre-and post-course questionnaires. Qualitative analysis showed students moving from abstract awareness of global issues to specific, actionable steps in their own lives. These findings indicate that co-creation can engage Japanese students, develop nuanced thinking on complex international issues and succeed even in hierarchical educational contexts.