It is not just an academic experience: preservice teachers as long-term sojourners in a study abroad program in the USA

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reyhan Aslan ◽  
Melike Bekereci-Şahin
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Intercultural Learning ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThis paper aims to focus on the long-term international experiences of a group of preservice English teachers who studied abroad as part of their training and recently returned home.Design/methodology/approachEmploying an interpretivist case study, five preservice English teachers participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The participants were consulted to elicit feedback as the part of a member checking procedure.FindingsThis study revealed that the participants' views of their international experience were primarily shaped by two main themes: (1) postsojourn outcomes: intercultural learning, professional learning and personal growth and (2) “bumps” in the road: struggles in capitalizing the learning opportunities.Originality/valueRecruiting students for extended study abroad programs alone without a concerted effort to address (inter)cultural learning and growth might not guarantee the quality and the outcomes of such programs. Based on the findings, the role of meaningful and intentional collaboration within the participant groups and between the partner institutions as well as critical reflection opportunities to assist prospective teachers through their growth in intercultural learning was discussed.

Academic's perceptions of work-integrated learning in non-vocational disciplines

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabrielle A. Lloyd ◽  
Bonnie Amelia Dean ◽  
Michelle J. Eady ◽  
Conor West ◽  
Venkata Yanamandram ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Work Integrated Learning

PurposeWork-integrated learning (WIL) is a strategy that enhances student learning and employability by engaging students in real-world settings, applications and practices. Through WIL, tertiary education institutions forge partnerships with industry to provide students with access to activities that will contribute to their career-readiness and personal growth. The purpose of the paper is to explore academics perceptions of WIL from non-vocational disciplines, where WIL opportunities are less prevalent.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a qualitative, case-study methodology to unpack academics' reflections on the question “What does WIL mean to you?” Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 subject coordinators across a number of non-vocational degrees at one university in Australia. Open coding and thematic analysis was used to explore qualitative data and identify common themes.FindingsData suggest that academics largely have placement-based understandings of WIL that cause tensions for embedding WIL meaningfully in their courses. Tensions surface when WIL is perceived as a pedagogy that contributes to the neoliberal agenda that sits in conflict with theoretical approaches and that restrict notions of career.Originality/valueAlthough WIL is not relevant in all subjects, these understandings are a useful starting point to introduce WIL meaningfully, in various ways and where appropriate, in order to provide students opportunities for learning and employability development. The paper has implications for faculty, professional learning and institutional strategies concerning WIL for all students.

scholarly journals Study Abroad and Cultural Learning Through Fulbright and Other International Scholarships: A Holistic Student Development

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Madalina Akli
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Student Development ◽  
World View ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Intercultural Learning ◽  
Education Abroad ◽  
International Context ◽  
American Universities ◽  
American Students

This article focuses on one piece from the complex puzzle of internationalization, namely the intercultural learning during education abroad. It departs from a critical reflection on American student applications for the Fulbright program and uses the application process for Fulbright scholarship as a lynchpin for other study abroad scholarships for American students. It shows how the stages of before, during and after education abroad can be comprehensively integrated into a holistic process of student development in American universities. This process has the ultimate goal of helping American students function in an international context and redefining their world view to encompass the notion that cultures can be understood relative to one another.

Study Abroad Australia

2017 ◽  
pp. 87-110
Author(s):  
Johnell Bentz ◽  
Jamie N. Pearson ◽  
Allison Witt
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Study Abroad Program ◽  
Participant Outcomes

Research findings suggest that teaching experiences abroad have a significant impact on participant outcomes and perceptions; however, findings have also indicated that short-term experiences in particular, may not have the same impact as long-term study abroad experiences. This chapter highlights the facilitators and challenges of planning and developing a short-term, faculty-led experience abroad to Australia for preservice teachers. This three-week study abroad experience included immersive experiences and a commitment to critically examining issues surrounding diversity. The authors also describe a research study that was embedded in the study abroad program, known as Photovoice. Photovoice was employed as a means to document the preservice teachers' experiences and perceptions related to diversity. Participant photos and descriptions represent student perceptions of how diversity is represented in Australian schools and society.

scholarly journals Primary preservice teachers' perspectives of their literacy mentoring experiences during professional placement

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Margaret James ◽  
Suzanne(Sue) M. Hudson ◽  
Alexandra Lasczik
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Five Factor Model ◽  
Mentor Teachers ◽  
Professional Experience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Literacy Teaching ◽  
System Requirements

PurposeBeing literate can change the lives of Australian students. Therefore, graduating effective teachers of literacy is an imperative for Australian schools. Professional experience provides an opportunity for preservice teachers to refine their skills for teaching literacy under the guidance of a mentor teacher. This study investigates from the perspective of preservice teachers, the attributes and practices primary mentor teachers demonstrate when mentoring literacy teaching during professional experience.Design/methodology/approachThis investigation utilised survey design to gather data from primary preservice teachers (n = 402) from seven Australian universities. The 34 survey items were underpinned by the Five Factor Model of Mentoring and literacy practices prescribed by the Australian curriculum. Preservice teachers self-reported their responses about their literacy mentoring experiences on a five-point Likert scale. The Five Factor Model of Mentoring provided a framework to analyse and present the data using descriptive statistics.FindingsFindings revealed 70% or more of preservice teachers agreed or strongly agreed mentor teachers had the personal attributes, shared the pedagogical knowledge, modelled best practice and provided feedback for effective literacy teaching. Conversely, only 58.7% of the participants reported their mentor teachers shared the system requirements for effective literacy teaching.Research limitations/implicationsThe preservice teachers self-reported their experiences, and although this may be their experience, it does not necessarily mean the mentor teachers did not demonstrate the attributes and practices reported, it may mean they were not identified by the preservice teachers. While there were 402 participants in this study, the viewpoints of these preservice teachers' may or may not be indicative of the entire population of preservice teachers across Australia. This study included primary preservice teachers, so the experiences of secondary and early childhood teachers have not been reported. An extended study would include secondary and early childhood contexts.Practical implicationsThis research highlighted that not all mentor teachers shared the system requirements for literacy teaching with their mentee. This finding prompts a need to undertake further research to investigate the confidence of mentor teachers in their own ability to teach literacy in the primary school. Teaching literacy is complex, and the curriculum is continually evolving. Providing professional learning in teaching literacy will position mentor teachers to better support preservice teachers during professional experience. Ultimately, the goal is to sustain high quality literacy teaching in schools to promote positive outcomes for all Australian school students.Originality/valueWhile the role of mentor teacher is well recognised, there is a dearth of research that explores the mentoring of literacy during professional experience. The preservice teachers in this study self-reported inconsistencies in mentor teachers' attributes and practices for mentoring literacy prompting a need for further professional learning in this vital learning area.

Exploring situated ambiguity in students’ entrepreneurial learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elin Kubberød ◽  
Inger Beate Pettersen
Keyword(s):  
Critical Incident ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Master's Students ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Phenomenological Perspective ◽  
Group Interviews

Purpose Building on entrepreneurial learning research, the purpose of this paper is to argue that the students participating in foreign entrepreneurial education programmes can have realistic entrepreneurial learning experiences. This research addresses two specific questions: how situated ambiguity induced by a foreign culture may contribute to contextual entrepreneurial learning in education, and whether ambiguity induced by cross-cultural situated experience can stimulate critical reflection and important learning outcomes in entrepreneurship and increase entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE). Design/methodology/approach The authors adopted a phenomenological perspective in the research, and used focus group interviews and the critical incident technique to investigate Norwegian master’s students’ experiences of entrepreneurial learning in a long-term practice in an American startup. Findings The empirical findings reveal that the students perceived the foreign cultural learning setting as imbued with ambiguity and uncertainty. However, as the students enhanced their understanding of the culture and entrepreneurial milieu through observations and co-participating, they managed to adapt and develop new strategies and methods to cope with the new environment. Eventually, the students became more entrepreneurial and developed their ESE. Practical implications The research demonstrates how educators can design educational programmes that approach real entrepreneurial learning contexts. Nevertheless, the research also displays several ethical dilemmas that educators need to address. Originality/value The study delineates a new concept for educational designs called situated ambiguity, which reinforces the essence of situated entrepreneurial learning with cross-cultural learning. This concept offers a promising avenue for educators to approach real entrepreneurial learning in both theory and practice.

Virtual mentor partnerships between practising and preservice teachers

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Briscoe
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Preservice Teacher ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Experienced Teacher ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mentorship Program ◽  
Self Reports

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the potential benefits of a virtual mentorship between teacher candidates and practising teachers. Specifically, the research aimed to determine whether candidates felt they had increased their professional learning and prepared for the realities of the job early in their training program as a means to enhance their well-being. Design/methodology/approach A systemized, virtual mentorship network was set up and a qualitative mixed-methods study was conducted with two separate groups of 77 students total consisting over a three-month course in two consecutive years. Three data sets were collected; this paper reports on one set – qualitative self-reports from mentee participants. Findings The response from preservice teacher participants was, through qualitative self-reports, an overwhelmingly positive. After engaging in a guided virtual mentorship with an experienced teacher, they felt more prepared, more confident and more supported. Response from the preservice teacher participants provided evidence and confirmed a sense of improved educational preparedness for teaching by engaging in a guided virtual mentorship partnership with an experienced teacher. Research limitations/implications Virtual mentorships are highly beneficial for teacher candidates’ learning and professional growth; the relationships positively impact preservice teachers’ level of preparedness for the profession, which can lead to increased confidence and contribute to a positive sense of well-being. In addition, the virtual approach eliminates many of the access barriers that limit the efficacy of traditional, face-to-face mentorships. In doing so, the virtual format makes mentorships a possibility in any teacher preparatory education program, with endless opportunities to connect teachers across the world. Originality/value In an effort to better prepare quality teachers, a virtual mentorship program, embedded in teacher education programs, is a viable solution for shaping preservice teachers learning in the early stages of their careers, establishing a commitment to professional learning and mitigating teacher attrition rates and burnout by enhancing well-being. For these reasons, the authors believe virtual mentorships can be considered to be used as a framework for the future.

Improving professional development relationships that support teacher learning

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-381
Author(s):  
Danielle Lillge
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Learning ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Literacy Reform ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Need Support ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Support Teacher

Purpose Current top-down literacy reform mandates have reenergized attention to professional development (PD) outcomes. Still, questions remain about why English teachers struggle to apply their learning. Refocusing attention on understanding the complex yet critical relationship between professional development (PD) facilitators and teachers offers one explanation. Design/methodology/approach Using a telling case from an interactional ethnography, this paper illustrates how through their language-in-use teachers and facilitators can productively resolve conflicts that, if left unaddressed, can prevent teachers from acting on their professional learning. Findings A set of discursive moves – flagging, naming, soliciting and processing – provide a toolkit for surfacing and successfully resolving conflict in PD interactions. Research limitations/implications These moves offer a way of prioritizing the importance of teacher–facilitator relationships in future research aimed at addressing the longstanding conundrum of how best to support English teachers’ ongoing professional learning. Practical implications Teaching facilitators and teachers how to collaboratively address inevitable conflicts offers a needed intervention in supporting both teacher and facilitator learning. Originality/value Previous research has affirmed that facilitators, like teachers, need support for navigating the complexity of professional learning interactions. This paper offers a language for uncovering why teacher–facilitator interactions can be so challenging for teachers and facilitators as well as ways of responding productively in-the-moment. It contributes to a more capacious understanding of how these relationships shape diverse English teacher learning.

scholarly journals Preservice Teacher Reflections about Short-Term Summer Study Abroad Experiences in Italy

2016 ◽  
pp. 91-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Colwell ◽  
Diane Nielsen ◽  
Barbara A. Bradley ◽  
Mindy Spearman
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Italian Language ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
Study Abroad Program ◽  
Summer Study

This chapter studies 21 preservice teachers' blog reflections about working in an Italian classroom and living with a host family during a four-week study abroad program in Northern Italy. During the program, preservice teachers were required to blog about their experiences living and studying abroad using personal blog sites. To encourage more candid reflection about the program, the blog posts could be related to any aspect of the program preservice teachers chose to reflect on. After setting the context of the study through description of the study abroad program and its requirements, the authors present qualitative findings regarding preservice teachers' (a) thoughts related to their observations of Italian classrooms, (b) thoughts related to becoming an Italian language learner, and (c) lessons learned from the study abroad experience. Findings discuss preservice teachers' reflections on making sense of educational and cultural differences, experiences as Italian language learners, and opportunities for professional and personal growth.

scholarly journals Preservice Teacher Reflections About Short-Term Summer Study Abroad Experiences in Italy

2018 ◽  
pp. 1743-1763
Author(s):  
Jamie Colwell ◽  
Diane Nielsen ◽  
Barbara A. Bradley ◽  
Mindy Spearman
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Italian Language ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
Study Abroad Program ◽  
Summer Study

This chapter studies 21 preservice teachers' blog reflections about working in an Italian classroom and living with a host family during a four-week study abroad program in Northern Italy. During the program, preservice teachers were required to blog about their experiences living and studying abroad using personal blog sites. To encourage more candid reflection about the program, the blog posts could be related to any aspect of the program preservice teachers chose to reflect on. After setting the context of the study through description of the study abroad program and its requirements, the authors present qualitative findings regarding preservice teachers' (a) thoughts related to their observations of Italian classrooms, (b) thoughts related to becoming an Italian language learner, and (c) lessons learned from the study abroad experience. Findings discuss preservice teachers' reflections on making sense of educational and cultural differences, experiences as Italian language learners, and opportunities for professional and personal growth.

scholarly journals Long-Term Impacts of Short-Term Study Abroad: Teacher Perceptions of Preservice Study Abroad Experiences

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Shiveley ◽  
Thomas Misco
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Teacher Perceptions ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Personal Impact ◽  
Short Term Study

Given the calls for a stronger global focus among pre-service teachers and the value of study abroad experiences to assist in this process, many teacher preparation programs have worked to include study abroad experiences into their programs. Including study abroad experiences lasting a semester or more has proven to be a challenge for many such programs however, given the highly structured and locally contextual nature of teacher education. The result is that most study abroad experiences available for preservice teachers are short-term, lasting only a few weeks. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not a short-term study abroad course, taken during preservice teachers’ undergraduate program, had any lasting professional or personal impact once they become teachers.

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