Short-Term Study Abroad for Pre-service Teachers: Personal and Professional Growth in Brighton, England

This study examines the personal and professional development of 34 pre-service teachers who participated in a study abroad program for education majors in Brighton, England. The participants completed a variety of assignments and learning activities before, during, and after the program, including 20 hours of observation in area schools. The results indicate that in terms of personal development, the pre-service teachers experienced increased levels of self-confidence, autonomy, tolerance for ambiguity, flexibility and adaptability, and interpersonal skills. Professionally, the participants identified the role of culture in education and pedagogy, described being better equipped to work with diverse learners in the United States, and developed instructional strategies to use in their future classrooms

INTERNATIONALIZATION AND TEACHER EDUCATION: WHAT DISPOSITIONS DO TEACHERS NEED FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT?

As more and more universities begin the process of internationalizing their campuses, teacher education programs must also prepare pre-service teachers for global engagement. Establishing a strong foundation for global engagement is crucial in teacher training as it impacts not only pre-service teachers, but also the students with whom they will work. Teacher education programs can promote internationalization and prepare teachers for global engagement through study abroad programs as well as by incorporating models and frameworks for global education into the curriculum.  Although there are a number of these models and frameworks available, all of which share many of the same indicators of global-mindedness, there is something missing: the dispositions that teachers need in order to participate in global engagement in a meaningful way.  Drawing on research from critical theory, psychology and student development theory, this paper describes five dispositions that are essential for preparing teachers for global engagement. These dispositions include curiosity, tolerance for ambiguity, reflexivity, flexibility and persistence.  These dispositions are not independent of one another and are required in different degrees, depending on the global context being investigated. KEYWORDS: internationalization, teacher education, global engagement, pre-service teachers.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/atee.v1i0.65

Student reflections on teacher identity development in a yearlong secondary teacher preparation program

This preliminary case study examines qualitatively the experiences of 20 participants enrolled in an international English-medium secondary teacher preparation program at a university in Finland and analyzes reflections on their teacher identity development. Multiple measures of data with triangulation were collected from course work, including reflection essays from 20 pre-service teachers and a focus group interview with four of the pre-service teachers. The data were analyzed with thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) in order to find categories of factors that influenced the pre-service teachers’ teacher identity development. The results indicate that the support especially from mentors and positive feedback from pupils during two teaching practicum periods, and the student teacher’s passion for their own subject, were incremental in building confidence in one’s teaching abilities. The participants also realized that they were in the beginning of their teacher identity development and were committed to lifelong learning.Peer reviewe

Curricular priorities for business ethics in medical practice and research: Recommendations from Delphi consensus panels

BACKGROUND: No published curricula in the area of medical business ethics exist. This is surprising given that physicians wrestle daily with business decisions and that professional associations, the Institute of Medicine, Health and Human Services, Congress, and industry have issued related guidelines over the past 5 years. To fill this gap, the authors aimed (1) to identify the full range of medical business ethics topics that experts consider important to teach, and (2) to establish curricular priorities through expert consensus. METHODS: In spring 2012, the authors conducted an online Delphi survey with two heterogeneous panels of experts recruited in the United States. One panel focused on business ethics in medical practice (n = 14), and 1 focused on business ethics in medical research (n = 12). RESULTS: Panel 1 generated an initial list of 14 major topics related to business ethics in medical practice, and subsequently rated 6 topics as very important or essential to teach. Panel 2 generated an initial list of 10 major topics related to business ethics in medical research, and subsequently rated 5 as very important or essential. In both domains, the panel strongly recommended addressing problems that conflicts of interest can cause, legal guidelines, and the goals or ideals of the profession. CONCLUSIONS: The Bander Center for Medical Business Ethics at Saint Louis University will use the results of the Delphi panel to develop online curricular resources for each of the highest rated topics. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1472-6920-14-235) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Short-Term Study Abroad for Pre-service Teachers: Personal and Professional Growth in Brighton, England

This study examines the personal and professional development of 34 pre-service teachers who participated in a study abroad program for education majors in Brighton, England. The participants completed a variety of assignments and learning activities before, during, and after the program, including 20 hours of observation in area schools. The results indicate that in terms of personal development, the pre-service teachers experienced increased levels of self-confidence, autonomy, tolerance for ambiguity, flexibility and adaptability, and interpersonal skills. Professionally, the participants identified the role of culture in education and pedagogy, described being better equipped to work with diverse learners in the United States, and developed instructional strategies to use in their future classrooms

Honors Students Reflecting on a Clinical Experience in Alternative Education

Being successful in the 21st century requires at minimum a high school diploma, if not a college degree (Hayes, 2012; The Urban Institute, 2003), however, this is simply not the reality for all learners. Pre-service secondary teachers need to have direct experience working with at-risk youth prior to beginning their career. One approach to this is to complete meaningful clinical experiences, which are an integral part of the transition from student to teacher (Bennett, 2012; Zeichner, 2010), in alternative educational settings. This presentation will discuss the learning outcomes of Honors pre-service secondary teachers who completed their clinical experience in an alternative educational setting as part of an introduction to secondary education course. Over the course of the 10-week experience, the participants completed two orientations and completed a weekly clinical journal in which they reflected on their observations and interactions at the Agency site. The researcher used constant comparative analysis to analyze the reflections of the participants and identify areas of growth and challenge over time. Findings of the study include experiencing education from a different point of view, the challenges of teaching all learners, and identifying one’s own assumptions about learners and reconstructing them in order to be effective teachers

Learning Outcomes of Pre-Service Teachers Studying Abroad in Brighton, England

This presentation reports on the learning outcomes of pre-service teachers who participated in a three-week study abroad program in Brighton, England, where they engaged in using drama techniques in the classroom and visited local schools. Research has shown a number of benefits that result from a study abroad experience, such as development of intercultural sensitivity and communication skills, and an increase in the knowledge of the host country, and in self-awareness (Parsons, 2010). Furthermore, research indicates that even a short term study abroad program, lasting between several weeks to one month, can be beneficial (Bell & Anscombe, 2013; Vatalaro, Szente, & Levon, 2015). This qualitative study used constant comparative analysis to analyze the learning activities, including reflections and discussions, that the participants completed pre-departure, on-site and upon the return home. The findings indicate that the participants identified a number of similarities and difference in various aspects of education in the United States and England. The participants also reported out-of-class learning outcomes such as increased self-confidence, flexibility, and an emerging sense of adventure. The presentation will describe the learning activities, assessment tools, and recommendations for developing activities that lead to student self-reflection and growth and provide opportunities for discussion among attendees

“I Didn’t Realize HOW Important It Is”: Pre-Service Secondary Teachers Reflecting on an Intensive Clinical Experience

The present study examined the impact of an intensive clinical experience in a unique educational environment. The seven participants spent 2 days in a teacher-led, diverse charter school whose mission is to provide a safe environment for all students regardless of race, religion, or sexual identity. The participants were assigned to a class where they taught a lesson that they had designed. The participants reflected on their experiences through online discussions, personal reflections, and informal dialogues with one another as well as the faculty researcher. The results indicated that the experience impacted the participants in terms of working with diverse student populations, having a deeper perspective on the effects of bullying, negotiating power and control in the classroom and working with middle school students. The study revealed a need for preservice teachers to participate in scaffolded field experiences that challenge them to go beyond what they know about schools and working with diverse student populations