Can an international field experience assist Health and Physical Education pre-service teachers to develop cultural competency?

Mark Boylan,Matthew Winslade

doi:10.1080/2331186x.2016.1264172

Mark Boylan, Matthew Winslade

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186x.2016.1264172

Copy DOI

Abstract

AbstractAn emerging focus of teacher education courses within countries such as Australia centres on the development of cultural competency. An international practicum experience or student mobility programme embedded within pre-service teacher education programmes is one way to provide such an opportunity. In subject areas such as Health and Physical Education (HPE) this is of particular relevance given the nature of teachable subject content relating to the impact of culture on the lives of young people in contemporary societies. This article examines the perceived value of an international sports-based field experience in assisting to develop HPE pre-service teachers’ cultural competency. In partnership with the Pacific in Union (PiU) Rugby for Schools initiative, 12 HPE pre-service teachers from an Australian regional university were linked with local schools in Western Samoa and required to facilitate a three-week sports-based, health and physical activity programme. The programme is referred to as t...

Highlights

Professional standards set by the national governing body the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) requires graduate teachers to be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture and cultural identity on the education of students (AITSL, 2012)
Whilst participants described their understanding of cultural competence in a variety of ways, there was a common understanding that diversity was a key concept and that to be able to operate effectively as a teacher they had to acknowledge differences within their students and how this might impact on their practice
Participant 5 recognised a need for the awareness and acceptance of cultural diversity in order to be able to remove differences as a potential barrier to effective practice: Being aware of other cultures and being able to work, regardless of different religions or skin colour, gender and of not really having the barriers that different cultures can put between people

Summary

Introduction

Professional standards set by the national governing body the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) requires graduate teachers to be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture and cultural identity on the education of students (AITSL, 2012). This development has led to the elevation of cultural competence as an integral component of exit requirements for pre-service teaching students from Australian universities (MCEECTYA, 2011; Perso, 2012). Whilst it is not a new concept, one method identified as a way of introducing students to cultural immersion is through the embedding of an international field or cross-cultural experience in a pre-service programme (Battersby, 2002; Colling & Wilson, 1998; Ekstrom & Sigurdsson, 2002; Harrison & Malone, 2004; Lee, 2011; Rapoport, 2008; Suttichujit, 2009; Webber, 2005; Willard-Holt, 2001)

Methods

Results

Conclusion