An examination of the transition experience of faculty into an international school

Abstract

The problem of practice in this study was to understand the learning processes of faculty in their transition into an unfamiliar international school culture. Because of the unique experiences associated with transition among international school faculty, examining the phenomenon of transition and its associated learning processes which focus on self-directed transformation and change were of particular interest in this study. Through the examination of faculty members' distinct stories the phenomenon of transition was explored to better understand the psychological, social, and affective changes that occur throughout an individual's experience. Through interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), the research study described the lived experiences of faculty who are currently experiencing transition into an international school to explore transformative learning processes associated with assimilation. Despite the unique cultural and professional contexts in which the participants in this study were assimilating, each demonstrated characteristics of transformative learning, including critical reflection, dialogue, and self-directed action. Furthermore, the findings provide a commentary on what schools might do differently to more comprehensively support the transition experience of faculty into an international school.