Childhood Education Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:

Transcription

1 This article was downloaded by: [Jacqueline Batey] On: 26 December 2013, At: 14:56 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: Registered office: Mortimer House, Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Childhood Education Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: Education Diplomacy: Global Diplomacy Awareness Developed Through Short-Term International Internships Jacqueline J. Batey a a Early Childhood Education, University of South Carolina Beaufort, Bluffton, South Carolina Published online: 23 Dec To cite this article: Jacqueline J. Batey (2014) Education Diplomacy: Global Diplomacy Awareness Developed Through Short-Term International Internships, Childhood Education, 90:1, 77-80, DOI: / To link to this article: PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the Content ) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at terms-and-conditions

2 Education Diplomacy Global Diplomacy Awareness Developed Through Short-Term International Internships Downloaded by [Jacqueline Batey] at 14:56 26 December 2013 Education is the great problem solver in global societies. The first set of international educational goals was set in Thailand in 1999, with key targets to be universal primary education and gender parity by the year 2000 (Burnett & Felsman, 2012). By the late 1990s, little progress had been made toward accomplishing these goals and so the education community came back together to review and renew their targets. One of the ways that researchers have found to expand and inform global thinking about the impact of education is through international teaching experiences for students preparing to become teachers. People have always been curious about the ways that societies acquire and use knowledge, the way that knowledge is translated into skills, the way that knowledge sustains and transforms societies, and the ways that children learn and are taught (Association for Childhood Education International [ACEI], 2013, p. 1). Education diplomacy refers to cross-disciplinary, transnational sharing of ideas, theories, and concepts that advance education. This article will address the effect of a short-term international teaching internship on American students awareness of global diplomacy as it relates to the by Jacqueline J. Batey Jacqueline J. Batey is Assistant Professor, Early Childhood Education, University of South Carolina Beaufort, Bluffton, South Carolina. primary classroom. Many state universities and schools of education require teacher candidates to take a course in multicultural education or promote issues of diversity and social justice within their core curriculum. However, college courses, textbooks, and class discussions are not sufficient for producing effective teachers working in urban areas where there are high concentrations of children from distinct ethnic and linguistic minority populations (Quezada, 2004). Although multiple governmental groups and education associations have recently called on U.S. colleges and universities to promote internationalization and crosscultural understanding (American Council on Education, 2002; Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship, 2005), most teachers still prefer to teach near or within their own neighborhood schools. For the past seven years, qualified education majors at the University of North Florida completing their final semester have had the opportunity to participate in student teaching internships in schools in England. Since 2007, small cohorts of students from the College of Education and Human Services at University of North Florida (UNF) have completed a three-week internship in Plymouth. The American faculty trip leaders designed and conducted a rigorous pre-application, application, and preparation procedure in order to select students for the experience abroad, and faculty at the University College, Plymouth (UCP) in England helped with establishing relationships and placing the American students in local schools. Student participants were selected keeping in mind the enormous responsibility of sending preservice teachers into schools to teach (Batey & Lupi, 2012). In addition, UNF faculty trip leaders crafted a comprehensive process for marketing the trip, the application process, trip preparation meetings, on-site supervision, reflection, post-trip responsibilities, data collection, and evaluation. As a result of supervising the internship, the faculty team leaders witnessed the student teachers becoming active participants in their own transformations through their experiences in the English classrooms, in university relationships, and with the British culture. After planning, implementing, and supervising the internship, the authors recognized that the participants also demonstrated increased personal and cultural awareness and global sensitivity. January/February 2014 / 77 CEvol90no1.indd 77

3 While traditional study abroad offerings are primarily a semester or year in length, the short-term internship is becoming increasingly popular in programs offered by colleges and universities in the United States (Alfaro, 2008; Cushner & Mahon, 2002). International study abroad opportunities are recognized in the literature as having the power to provide significant positive influence on a student s personal growth and maturity, and to further increase their appreciation for diversity and language differences (Pence & Macgillivray, 2008; Toncar & Cudmore, 2000). In 2004, Chieffo and Griffiths reported that U.S. universities were offering more short-term study abroad programs, lasting less than 8 weeks. While some debate can be found in the literature about the overall long-term merits of short-term study-abroad programs (Arenson, 2003; Freinberg, 2004; Zamastil- Vondrova, 2005), universities are increasingly encouraging students to participate in them. Duration of study abroad data provided by the Institute of International Education (2011) indicate that over 56% of all U.S. students who have studied abroad participated in short-term programs of 8 weeks or less, rather than the traditional academic year or semester abroad. Short-term programs have several advantages. They are less expensive to run, are less disruptive to student employment at home, bring students back to their families sooner, and often are designed as cohort or group models so as to eliminate the fear of traveling alone (Penington & Wildermuth, 2005). Additionally, many short-term study-abroad experiences include the support of university faculty members, who accompany students for the duration of the experience. Zamastil- Vondrova (2005) concluded short-term study-abroad experiences help students engage and work with peoples of other cultures, and gain insight into a world larger than their own. Although study-abroad outcomes are routinely conducted immediately following participants return to their home country, it is clear that the impact of these experiences often is not realized by students until much later in their career (Akande & Slawson, 2000). Certainly, the experiences of studyabroad participants are varied, individually experienced and processed, and complex (Hadis, 2005). Although few, some longitudinal studies indicate that study-abroad trips have a positive long-term impact. The Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) surveyed 50 years of studyabroad alumni about the long-term personal, professional, and academic impact of their experience. The results showed a positive influence on selfand cultural awareness, as well as a positive effect on career performance. Other studies also suggest that knowledge, skills, and self-awareness gained by studying abroad are professionally applicable, in terms of intercultural competencies, personal growth, and, in some cases, choosing a potential career path (Franklin, 2010). These longitudinal studies illustrate the long-term impact of the exchange of knowledge and ideas, which positively results in cultural and global awareness. Participants Cohorts of interns were selected as participants for the trips in groups of 6-12 students. They were enrolled as undergraduate teacher education students and were in the final semester of their program, having met all the requirements necessary for entry into the student teaching internship. Each of them had completed more than 120 hours of school-based field experiences in local primary and secondary schools prior to student teaching and a portion of these hours was done in schools with diverse student populations. Prior to leaving for the international student teaching experience, the interns completed 10 weeks of full-day student teaching. They represented a wide range of disciplines within teacher education (pre-k-primary, elementary, special education, and secondary education.) Pre-trip Preparation Participants were chosen for the international internship through a rigorous vetting process, which included submitting essays to indicate interest and level of commitment to the goals of the international experience. They were interviewed by faculty team leaders, and were required to provide references who were contacted to provide insight into their reliability and their personal and professional maturity. Prior to their departure for England, the students met four times as a cohort with home faculty to discuss the grade level assignments and the British National curriculum, school routines such as tea time, the inclusion of children with disabilities in general education classrooms, and common vocabulary used in U.K. schools that may be different than that used in the United States. Students were usually able to communicate through with their Plymouth teacher prior to arriving in England, which served as a strong motivator and reduced some of their apprehension. School placements in Plymouth were done through a collaborative process with the liaison at University College at Plymouth (UCP). Whenever possible, the interns were placed in a grade level equivalent to their American internship, to allow for more specific comparisons. Data Sources, Collection, and Analysis The data sources for the research were gathered in a variety of ways. The reflection papers of the participants were the major source of information. These papers were submitted two weeks after returning from the international internship. Participants were asked to provide detailed descriptions on their school activities, including comments on the absence of textbooks, classroom accommodations for diverse learners, classroom management and the use of instructional time, and school relationships. Teacher-student interaction, teacher-teacher interaction, head teacher-teacher interaction, head teacher-student interaction, and 78 \ Childhood Education CEvol90no1.indd 78

4 family participation were addressed. Data were also gathered from discussions during two seminars held while abroad, as students shared their initial and continuing responses to the school experience with host university and UNF faculty. Informal comments and insight observed during shared meals and conversations were also used. Faculty team leaders and a graduate research assistant reviewed the reflection papers, separating and categorizing data that seemed to illustrate patterns of responses. This form of research is closely aligned with narrative inquiry, the process of gathering information from people s stories (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990). Student-reported comments were often insightful about the skills, strategies, and behaviors they observed in the classroom. The U.S. interns reported unexpected differences in almost every aspect of their involvement in the British schools. At first, they felt intimidated by with the absence of textbooks, but eventually were pleased. U.S. curriculum is often provided in the form of prepared grade level kits, which include the teacher s instructions as well as workbooks and assignments for the students. They adapted quickly and developed confidence in their ability to create successful interactive learning experiences. They were impressed with the British classroom teachers capacity to teach multiple subjects, including the arts and physical education subjects that are usually covered by specialists in the United States. Teachers in the United Kingdom are also expected to differentiate instruction to accommodate learners at every level in their classrooms. One difference in the school day that the interns thoroughly enjoyed was the number of breaks for tea and the additional planning time built into the school day for faculty to get together and plan. Because of these breaks, many of the British teachers often demonstrated positive relationships with each other and their head teacher. The interns described the working atmosphere as healthy and relaxed. The physical school facilities were very different. The interns also needed to adjust to the teaching of religious education in every school at all grade levels. Review of the U.S. interns reflection papers clearly indicated that they gained much knowledge surrounding the skills and dispositions that affect student learning and faculty rapport within the British classroom and school setting. Comments in the participants reflection papers indicate that they were drawn to the teacherstudent relationships that encouraged trust and autonomy for one s actions, and that cooperation, respect, and camaraderie between teachers and between teachers and head teachers were very evident and welcomed. Most of all, the U.S. interns were able to explore the deeper meanings of an international internship, reflecting on aspects of the experience that foster the critical role international student teaching experiences can play in enhancing the cultural competence, pedagogical, and global awareness of future teachers. Many comments made by the participants were representative of the core dispositions of many teacher education programs that support cultural competency for the 21st-century teacher. Education is an important link connecting teachers to teachers in a world-wide conversation about the value and relevance of learning in human development. Conclusion The shrinking world and new global realities require a different set of skills for the education community. More than ever, preservice teachers need significant cross-cultural experiences that enable them to teach with, work with, and continue to learn from people different from themselves. Education diplomacy may be one more tool for improving education practices, policies, and opportunities in the teacher preparation classroom. The lived intercultural experience is the key to gaining a meaningful understanding of other cultures as well as one s own place in an interconnected world (Cushner, 2007). Even years after the international experience, participants continue to have a greater understanding of the intellectual life and traditions of the British, in addition to an increased awareness of the differences between the two countries. The present study of the short-term internship in Plymouth demonstrates the value of the international experience as a way to expand cross-cultural knowledge and to develop a global perspective in student teachers. It highlights that the experience not only increases recognition of differences in surface culture, such as food and clothing, but also creates an overt and subtle awareness of deep cultural issues, such as the impact of immigration and poverty worldwide. International teaching internships are one tool that may be useful for advancing education diplomacy, one teacher at a time. Awareness must occur before change can take place. References Akande, Y., & Slawson, C. (2000, May/ June). Exploring the long term impact of study abroad: A case study of 50 years of study abroad alumni. Paper presented at NAFSA: Association of International Educators, San Diego, CA. Alfaro, C. (2008). Global student teaching experiences: Stories bridging cultural and intercultural difference. Multicultural Education, 15(4), American Council on Education. (2002). Beyond September 11: A comprehensive national policy on international education. Washington, DC: American Council on Education, Center for Institutional and International Initiatives. Arenson, K. W. (2003, November 17). Gains seen in short study-abroad trips. The New York Times, A17. Association for Childhood Education International. (2013). Advancing education through diplomacy (program book). Washington, DC: Author. Batey, J., & Lupi, M. (2012). Reflections on student interns cultural awareness developed through a January/February 2014 / 79 CEvol90no1.indd 79

5 short-term international internship. Teacher Education Quarterly, 39(3), Burnett, N., & Felsman, C. (2012). Post-2015 education MDGS: Results for development institute. Washington, DC: Overseas Development Institute. Chieffo, L., & Griffiths, L. (2004). Large-scale assessment of student attitudes after a short-term study abroad program. Frontiers: The International Journal of Study Abroad, 10, Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship. (2005). Global competence and national needs: One million Americans studying abroad. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from sec/study_abroad_2/benefits_of_study_abroad/ Connelly, F. M., & Clandinin, D. J. (1990). Stories of experience and narrative inquiry. Educational Researcher, 19(5), Cushner, K. (2007). The role of experience in the making of internationally-minded teachers. Teacher Education Quarterly, 34(1), Cushner, K., & Mahon, J. (2002). Overseas student teaching: Affecting personal, professional, and global competencies in an age of globalization. Journal of Studies in International Education, 6(1), Franklin, K. (2010). Long-term career impact and professional applicability of the study abroad experience. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 19, Freinberg, B. (2002). What students don t learn abroad. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 48(34), 2-3. Hadis, B. F. (2005). Gauging the impact of study abroad: how to overcome the limitations of a single cell design. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 30, Institute of International Education. (2011). Open doors 2011 fast facts. Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Retrieved from opendoors Pence, H. M., & Macgillivray, I. K. (2008). The impact of an international field experience on preservice teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education: An International Journal of Research and Studies, 24(1), Penington, B., & Wildermuth, S. (2005). Three weeks there and back again: A quantitative investigation of the impact of short-term travel/study on the development of intercultural communication competency. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 34(3), Quezada, R. L. (2004). Beyond educational tourism: Lessons learned while student teaching abroad. International Education Journal, 5(4), Toncar, M. F., & Cudmore, B. V. (2000). The overseas internship experience. Journal of Marketing Education, 11(1), Zamastil-Vondrova, K. (2005). Good faith or hard data? Justifying short-term programs. International Educator, 14(1), Early Years Specialization Bachelor of Child & Youth Care Early Years Specialization Join the School of Child and Youth Care to obtain a Bachelor of Child and Youth Care with a Specialization in the Early Years. Our program is flexible and meets the needs of the working professional. All courses, with the exception of one on-site intensive clinical lab course at the University of Victoria, are available through our web-based distance program. Our Program In addition to required courses within the degree program, the Early Years Specialization courses are: CYC 380 Practices for Young Children & Families: Historical & Contemporary Perspectives CYC 381 Leadership, Advocacy & Policy for the Early Years CYC 480 Advanced Applied Capacity Building for the Early Years CYC 481 Issues of Assessment & Evaluation with Young Children & Families CYC 410 Advanced Supervised Practicum (must be completed in an Early Years setting) Block credit for ECE diplomas and certificates MAY be available. For more detailed information, visit: undergraduate/requirements/early-years/index.php MA & PhD programs also available \ Childhood Education CEvol90no1.indd 80