Teaching Abroad: Creating Global Citizens and Global Teachers

Advancing Teacher Education and Curriculum Development through Study Abroad Programs

This chapter describes how faculty can plan, develop, prepare, and lead a study abroad program in a non-English speaking country for students majoring in education. It presents an overview and timeline for directing a program, discusses how to plan and develop a program, tells how to recruit and prepare participants, and describes how to support participants while living and teaching abroad. It also presents issues that faculty should consider during each phase of a study abroad, and it provides suggestions for addressing these concerns. It is strange what walking far from home will do to a person, strange and beautiful. The more you see, the less you will realize that you know. Still, a journey such as this is quite literally a "choose your own adventure" in that you get out exactly what you decide to put in. I think more people should know what it is to completely relinquish control by stepping outside the so-called comfort zone. In doing so you might find that the other side is not so frightening or unfamiliar and that, after it all, you are a better person because of it.

Journal of Transformative Learning, 2022

This investigation explores the benefits that faculty gain from teaching on short-term, faculty-led programs, complementing a much more extensive literature on student outcomes of this study abroad program model. A secondary goal of the research was to learn whether faculty gains stemming from these experiences resulted in follow-on benefits for the institution and, more broadly, for internationalizing curricula and teaching on the home campus. Among the findings, the four key benefits that faculty reported were cultural and intercultural learning, a further development of their own research interests and professional networks, a deeper knowledge of students, and a sense of rejuvenation for teaching. While these findings support related research demonstrating some strengthening of internationalization efforts, the authors argue that their research provides support for a transformative learning approach which would enhance faculty development through reflection and longer-term benefits to the institution.

2015

This paper describes a component of a larger cross-national comparative study on faculty development for teaching international students. Here we describe the study and report preliminary findings that offer analyses of the informal and formal means by which Italian and US university instructors enhance the knowledge and skills they find necessary to teach international students successfully in this era of educational globalization. We also offer insights and challenges of conducting cross-national adult educational research and explain why such studies across international adult and higher education contexts are essential in understanding how the world of academe is learning to adapt to globalization and international student mobility.

2017

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 ...

Journal of Global Awareness, 2022

Short-term faculty-led study abroad programs are high-impact pedagogical practices designed to enhance students' global competency. However, there is a gap in our understanding regarding the specific educational components of short-term faculty-led study abroad programs that promote global competency. This systematic review examined nearly two decades of research on such programs (n=86) to assess the educational components associated with increases in students' global competencies using Steinberg's (2017) educational components as a framework. Results indicated that the educational components included in global competency-building education abroad courses varied substantially across programs and global regions. The components most strongly supporting enhanced global competency were pre/post program sessions and meeting with experts in the host country. Overall, the study findings offer educators and administrators insights into best practices for designing, implementing, and evaluating short-term study abroad courses designed to enhance global competence among undergraduate and graduate students.

Journal of Studies in International Education, 2021

This study explores connections between design features of faculty-led short-term study abroad programs and resulting changes in students' global perspectives. Over 2,000 students provided data for this study, completing the Global Perspective Inventory (GPI) before and after studying abroad. Results indicated that program features such as participation in an internship and opportunities for reflection are positively associated with global perspective development while abroad, whereas features such as number of students traveling together and coursework in English are negatively associated with such development. Given the increasing numbers of students who participate in faculty-led short-term abroad programs, research that provides evidence-based recommendations concerning program design is essential to enhancing global perspectives through study abroad. Keywords study abroad, cross-border delivery of education, international exchange programs, mobility of students and academic staff, strategic institutional management of internationalization

Advances in higher education and professional development book series, 2016

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.

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education, 2009

When surveyed, faculty generally believe that study abroad is desirable or essential, that it is important to work with people from different cultural backgrounds, it helps people to function effectively in another culture within their profession, and enhances knowledge of current international issues and affairs (Dooley, Dooley & Carranza, 2008; Towsic, N.D.). Sending faculty to programs abroad can therefore enhance academic potential (Özturgut, 2007). The 10-day Faculty Abroad Seminar (FAS) sponsored through the Office of Mexican and Latin American Programs at Texas A&M University was developed to contribute to the internationalization of faculty by directly exposing them to the culture, history, government, business, and language of Mexico. The main objective was for faculty participants to incorporate applicable global experiences into their teaching and research programs. The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal impacts of the FAS on participants from 1994-2007 in terms of teaching and research collaboration. As faculty participants reflected about their teaching and research impacts, a higher percentage of respondents had teaching impacts compared with research impacts (74 percent and 64 percent, respectively). In describing personal impacts participants' comments supported the belief that the Faculty Abroad Seminar changed them, personally, and professionally.

Frontiers the Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 2009

Online Submission, 2013

Twenty first century teachers need to be proficient in technology, skilled as reflective practitioners, and able to reflect on diversity in a myriad of ways: learning styles, special needs, cultural differences, racial differences, developmentally appropriate differences, teaching styles, and personality differences of children, teachers, parents, community members, and administrators. The paradigm shift of the 21st century is that teachers need to be team players who are skilled at operating in a variety of collaborative partnerships. Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) in Chicago over the years has developed many international program experiences for students. Study abroad for a few weeks, a semester or a year provides an intensive way to experience another culture and see other ways of living life. This article takes a close look at a recent NEIU initiative, a program called Student Teaching and Korean Experience (S.T.a.K.E.). Students are able to complete an overseas student teaching internship in South Korea. We will examine students' reflections on their experience.