Teacher Candidates in International Contexts

Colleges of education are under pressure to produce globally competent teachers. Within this context, there has been increasing support for participation in international field experiences. This chapter presents findings associated with a study abroad experience on preservice teachers' cultural awareness and efficacy for culturally responsive practices. Implications will address the development of understanding of the various issues that surround international teaching experiences for preservice candidates.

Becoming Responsive Teachers during a Practicum-Based Study Abroad Experience

This chapter shares the planning, design, and implementation of a unique, intensive practicum based faculty-led study abroad program for preservice candidates in village and town schools in Belize, Central America. This study abroad experience included cultural explorations, school-based writing practicum experiences, and daily seminar sessions. In communities of writers, preservice candidates focused on learning from and with Belize learners and families as they developed as responsive teachers. The authors designed engagements to mentor preservice candidates in strengths based teaching, creating side-by-side writing communities, developing purposeful and intentional instructional language, and learning from students' families. Reflecting on two consecutive trips during the university's winter semester, the authors share insights on re-imagining educational and travel narratives. They also discuss ways they continue to learn from participants as they design future trips.

Learning about Culture and Teaching During a Short-Term Immersion-Based Study Abroad

Culturally responsive teaching is grounded in an understanding of students' cultural backgrounds. However, how do preservice teachers learn about culture? While coursework and field placements can help preservice teachers to begin to understand what culture is, a study abroad program in which participants are immersed in a community and schools can help them move beyond surface-level ideas of culture to a deeper understanding of it. This chapter describes a 4-week summer study abroad program in Italy in which each preservice teacher lives with a host family and observes and teaches in an Italian school. It presents findings from preservice teachers' reflections on culture and teaching based on blog entries. Finally, it provides suggestions for future research related to better understanding and preparing preservice teachers to engage in culturally responsive teaching.

Consortium Models

The purpose of the chapter is to explore the type of study abroad programming available to pre- and in-service teachers through the lens of a participant. The authors' experiences with the various programming options provide a unique perspective on the options available to both participants and their educational and professional institutions. The data indicates that international education experiences are of particular value to those in the teaching profession, and the authors' experiences point to the consortium model of international education as a uniquely promising model for providing transformational educational experiences to pre- and in-service teachers.

Studying Abroad to Inform Teaching in a Diverse Society

This chapter presents information about Ball State University's Study Abroad Program within the Department of Elementary Education. A general description of students enrolled in the Elementary Education program is given, both historically and currently. Then the origins of the Ball State Elementary Education Study Abroad program are explained, followed by a description of countries and program types that have occurred over the years. A general overview of program considerations, including making contacts, recruiting students, and working with schools is then provided. Next, three travel programs in the department are described, including development, recruitment, and vignettes focusing on experiences in each program. Next, research about program experiences is presented, including the impact of study abroad experiences on students. Personal reflections from instructors who have participated will then be shared. Finally, suggestions about developing and implementing programs will be identified.

From Cultural Immersion to Professional Growth

This chapter presents a case study that explores impacts of the cultural immersion afforded from a study abroad program on teachers' professional growth over time. First, the study examined two teachers' cultural immersion process from their reflections and survey answers collected before, during, after the study abroad. Second, impacts of the study abroad experiences on classroom instruction were explored, using descriptive case study and phenomenology methods. Data from semi-structured interviews and teacher lesson observations were analyzed to explore to what extent the teachers infused diversity and multiculturalism in their instruction. The results of the study describe lived experiences of the two teachers who participated in a summer study abroad program that allowed unique experiences of cultural immersion and professional growth as a classroom teacher. The chapter also includes suggestions for future research that explores impacts of study abroad programs on teachers and their students.

The Benefits and Limitations of a Short-Term Study Abroad Program to Prepare Teachers in a Multicultural Society

This chapter describes a group study abroad program in which 12 U.S. participants (6 pre-service and 6 in-service teachers) traveled to South Korea to enhance their cultural awareness of Korea and to then develop curricula pertaining to Korean history, the arts, area studies, and literature. The authors describe what the program focused on and how the curriculum activities were designed and implemented. Further, an overall theoretical framework for the project and a summary of research findings is presented. Overall, findings note that the participants' level of perceived cultural awareness was not significantly altered through participation in the program. Additionally, this chapter reports whether and how participants' future perceived pedagogical practices were changed as a result of participating in this program. Suggestions for how to diversify the U.S. teacher workforce are also discussed.

The Cambridge Schools Experience

Clinical field experiences are essential components of teacher education programs. Though largely missing from most teacher education programs, cross-cultural field experiences aid teacher development by broadening their perspectives of diversity, teaching, and learning. This chapter explores the experiences of both preservice and in-service teachers who participated in a four-week intensive field experience in Cambridge, England. The Cambridge Schools Experience (CSE) curriculum emphasizes: 1) noticing and naming literacy practices, 2) deepening understandings of literacy teaching and learning, 3) being responsive in the moment, and 4) being a collaborative educator. Along with findings from the study, we discuss the program structure, as well as barriers to implementation and suggestions for overcoming those barriers to ensure program longevity.

Developing a Multicultural Cross-Curricular Study Abroad Experience

Study abroad experiences can and should be inherently two-fold. Before, during, and after the study abroad commitment, students experience and live both their curricular content as well as their culturally diverse experiences. In the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Dayton, our mission is to engage students in experiences that will support their ability to be reflective practitioners in a diverse society. This chapter will describe the development of a study abroad program designed to assist preservice teachers in developing and utilizing these skills and dispositions in a global setting. The study abroad experience required courses from both teacher education and general education content. An overarching goal of our program was to facilitate students' ability to utilize a multicultural lens both in their study abroad experience and throughout their lives. This chapter will describe how three professors integrated cross-curricular projects grounded in children's and young adult literature, historical literacy, and understanding diverse populations.

Study Abroad Australia

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.