INFUSING GLOBAL COMPETENCE IN CLASSROOMS THROUGH SHORT TERM TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ABROAD

Abstract

This exploratory study examines the effects of a short term study abroad on mid-career kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) teachers. The group of U.S. teachers traveled to Belize to gain hands on knowledge about the sciences in an international context, which they have since been able to implement in their classes. This article argues for the value of short term study abroad in internationalizing curriculum. The authors describe the Belize program, its implementation and evaluation, and provide recommendations for future programs of a similar nature. Data collection included pre and post surveys, journals, observations, field notes, and a long term post-program survey. Evaluation was used to measure how the experience influenced professional and personal development, to describe any impacts in the K-12 classroom, and to improve future study abroad programs.

Keywords:study abroad,professionaldevelopment, international teacher education, in-service education, mid-career teacher training

REFERENCES

Alfaro, C. & Quezada, R.L. (2010). International teacher professional development: Teacher reflections of authentic teaching and learning experiences. Teaching Education, 21(1), 47-59.

Brindley, R., Quinn, S., & Morton, M. L. (2009). Consonance and dissonance in a study abroad program as a catalyst for professional development of pre-service teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(3), 525-532. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2008.09.012

Byram, M., Gribkova, B., & Starkey, H. (2002). Developing the intercultural dimension in language teaching: A practical introduction for teachers. Council of Europe. Retrieved May 29, 2015, from http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/Guide_dimintercult_En.pdf

Collins, A. (1988). Cognitive apprenticeship and instructional technology. (Technical Report No. 6899). BBN Labs Inc., Cambridge, MA.

Cushner, K. (2007). The role of experience in the making of internationally-minded teachers. Teacher Education Quarterly, 34(1), 27-39.

Cushner, K., & Mahon, J. (2002). Overseas student teaching: Affecting personal, professional, and global competencies in an age of globalization. Journal of International Studies in Education, 6(2), 44-58.

DeVillar, R. A., & Jiang, B. (2012). From student teaching abroad to teaching in the U.S. classroom: Effects of global experiences on local instructional practice. Teacher Education Quarterly, 39(3), 7-24.

Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., & Christian, L. M. (2009). Internet, mail, and mixed-mode surveys: The tailored design method. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley & Sons.

Donnelly-Smith, L. (Fall, 2009). Global learning through short-term study abroad. Peer Review, 12-15.

Gleeson, M., & Tait, C. (2012). Teachers as sojourners: Transitory communities in short study-abroad programmes. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(8), 1144-1151. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2012.07.005

Herrington, J., & Oliver, R. (2000). An instructional design framework for authentic learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(3), 23-48.

Jackson, Anthony. Asia Society. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://asiasociety.org/globalcompetence

Jochum, C., Rawlings, J., & Tejada, A. (2015). Study abroad as professional development: Voices of in-service Spanish teachers. Dimension 2015, 121-135.

Knowles, M. S., Holton III, E. F., & Swanson, R. (1998). The Adult Learner. Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing.

Lu, H., &Soares, L. (2014). US elementary preservice teachers' experiences while teaching students in Taiwan. Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 14(1), 59.

Mansilla, V. B., & Jackson, A. (2013). Educating for Global Competence: Learning Redefined for an Interconnected World. In H. Jacobs (Ed.), Mastering Global Literacy (5-27). New York: Solution Tree.

Marx, H., & Moss, D. M. (2011). Please mind the culture gap: Intercultural development during a teacher education study abroad program. Journal of Teacher Education, 62(1), 35-47. doi:10.1177/0022487110381998

Moustakas, C. E. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage.

Myers, E. J. (1997). Some benefits of an education abroad program for elementary preservice teachers. Education, 117(4), 579+. Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/AcademicJournalsDetailsPage/AcademicJournalsDetailsWindow&jsid=54a11b13e2307e80d2bc08dc624aa081

NCREL and Metiri Group. (2003). “enGauge 21st century skills: Literacy in the digital age.” Napierville, IL and Los Angeles, CA: NCREL and Metiri.

Palmer, D. K., & Menard-Warwick, J. (2012). Short-term study abroad for Texas preservice teachers: on the road from empathy to critical awareness. Multicultural Education, 19(3), 17. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA322480284&v=2.1&u=gain40375&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=df034b6fba9c25304465719e4445f0b6

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009). P21 framework definitions. Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf

Patterson, T. (2013). Stories of self and other: Four in-service social studies teachers reflect on their international professional development. Columbia University, NY. Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. (3561237)

Phillion, J., Malewski, E. L., Sharma, S., & Wang, Y. (2009). Reimagining the curriculum: Future teachers and study abroad. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 18, 323.

Quezada, R. (2004). Beyond educational tourism: Lessons learned while student teaching abroad. International Education Journal, 5(4), 458-465.

Roberts, A. (2003). Proposing a broadened view of citizenship: North American teachers' service in rural Costa Rican schools. Journal of Studies in International Education, 7(3), 253-276.

Rutledge, David W. (2002). Cross-border cultural plunge experience: A study of in-service teachers’ professional development. University of Colorado, CO. Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. (3057805)

Statistical Institute of Belize. (2013). Belize Population and Housing Census 2010. Country Report. Belmopan.

Trilokekar, R. D., &Kukar, P. (2011). Disorienting experiences during study abroad: Reflections of pre-service teacher candidates. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27(7), 1141-1150. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2011.06.002

U.S. Department of Education. (2012). Succeeding globally through international education and engagement. U.S. Department of Education International Strategy 2012-2016.

Wernicke, M. (2010). Study abroad as professional development for FSL teachers. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics/Revue Canadienne De LinguistiqueAppliquee, 13(1), 4-18.