Does Short-Term International Immersion have a Sustainable Impact on Teachers’ Cultural Competence? Follow-up Interviews Eight Years After a Teaching Experience in South Korea

Kevin Oh,Natalie Nussli

doi:10.14434/josotl.v21i3.31178

Abstract

This qualitative study was conducted with teacher candidates studying in a Masters program at a university on the west coast in the United States. The main goal was to capture if immersion in a foreign culture and the short-term teaching of primary and secondary school students in South Korea had any sustainable impact on the participating teachers’ perception of their cultural knowledge, competence, and awareness almost a decade after their immersion experience. The researchers interviewed four teachers who had participated in one of two immersion projects conducted in 2010 and 2011. A questionnaire on teachers’ self-efficacy regarding culturally responsive teaching (modified from Chu & Garcia, 2014) was administered prior to the interview giving the participants a tool to reflect on what it means to be a culturally responsive teacher and to self-assess their own cultural competence and teaching practices. Four themes emerged from the interviews, namely, perspective-taking ability, relationships, teaching strategies, and cultural knowledge. The findings indicate that international immersion not only offers an effective way for pre-service teachers to receive intercultural training. It also has the potential to create transformative learning experiences by immersing students in cultural contexts unfamiliar to them. The findings from this study will be interesting to teacher educators who consider integrating international immersion projects into their teacher education programs.

Highlights

Teacher candidates returning from international field experiences tend to be more appreciative of students’ cultural heritage and more willing to use it as a valuable source to enrich the curriculum (Shedrow, 2017)
This study was guided by two research questions: 1. What long-term impact does an international immersion experience have on teacher trainees in the U.S with regard to their cultural responsiveness?
This follow-up study investigated the long-term impact of an international immersion experience on U.S American teacher trainees with regard to their cultural competence and their teaching practices

Summary

Introduction

International cross-cultural field experiences for pre- and in-service teachers have been associated with many positive outcomes, such as teachers’ enhanced empathy and respect toward students with a culturally diverse background, greater self-confidence in teaching, better problem-solving skills, greater flexibility, a more inclusive approach to cultural differences, and increased intercultural awareness (Baecher & Chung, 2020; Kambutu & Nganga, 2008; Mahon & Cushner, 2002; Malewski et al, 2012; Rodriguez, 2011; Walters et al, 2009).Teacher candidates returning from international field experiences tend to be more appreciative of students’ cultural heritage and more willing to use it as a valuable source to enrich the curriculum (Shedrow, 2017). International cross-cultural field experiences for pre- and in-service teachers have been associated with many positive outcomes, such as teachers’ enhanced empathy and respect toward students with a culturally diverse background, greater self-confidence in teaching, better problem-solving skills, greater flexibility, a more inclusive approach to cultural differences, and increased intercultural awareness (Baecher & Chung, 2020; Kambutu & Nganga, 2008; Mahon & Cushner, 2002; Malewski et al, 2012; Rodriguez, 2011; Walters et al, 2009). Oh and Nussli diversity, a better understanding of curriculum and pedagogy, and a higher interest in teaching diverse students (Malewski et al, 2012) Such field experiences are critical to becoming culturally responsive educators and are “most effective before a student teaching internship when combined with critical reflection that is connected to issues of equity and effective teaching research” The lack of follow-up interviews at a later point in time did not allow for conclusive statements (Kambutu & Nganga, 2008)

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Discussion

Conclusion