International Teaching Research Articles

Examination of International Teacher Opinions About Erasmus Projects on Information Technologies

Bu araştırmanın amacı, Erasmus programı kapsamında bilişim teknolojileri alanında projelerde yer alan farklı ülkelerdeki öğretmenlerin görüşlerini incelemektir. Araştırmada nitel araştırma yöntemine ait fenomenoloji deseni (olgu-bilim) kullanılmıştır. Araştırma grubu, üç farklı ülkeden bilişim teknolojileri alanında Erasmus programı kapsamında proje yürüten 11 öğretmenden oluşmaktadır. Türkiye, Portekiz ve İtalya’dan katılımcı öğretmenlerin görüşlerini içermesi araştırmada geniş bir örneklem sunmaktadır. Araştırmanın verileri araştırmacı tarafından geliştirilmiş yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu aracılığı ile gönüllülük esasına göre toplanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde nitel veri analizi tekniklerinden içerik analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçları, Erasmus programı kapsamında bilişim teknolojileri alanında projelerdeki eğitim ve atölye çalışmalarının öğretmenlerin mesleki gelişimine, dijital becerilerine, iletişim ve iş birliği becerilerine, etkin öğretim yeteneklerine ve yaratıcılıklarına katkı sağladığını göstermektedir. Ayrıca, bu projelerin öğrencilerin derse olan ilgilerini artırdığını, öğrenme motivasyonlarını yükselttiğini ve dijital becerilerini geliştirdiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Öğretmenler arasında bilgi paylaşımını teşvik etmekte ve projelerin okula yansıtılarak öğretmenlerin ve öğrencilerin faydalandığı bir ortam sağlamaktadır. Bu sonuçlar, Erasmus programının eğitim alanında iş birliğini teşvik etme ve teknoloji kullanımını destekleme konularında önemli bir araç olduğunu göstermektedir.

The contribution of Teacher education to universities: a case study for international teacher educators

ABSTRACT This paper reports on the initial stage of a research project which aims to develop deeper understanding of the contribution teacher education, as a sub-discipline within Education, makes to Higher Education in England. The study is located in the intersection between the domains of teacher education and higher education scholarship, which in England represents a contested and ambiguous professional space. Tensions between competing accountability measures, pulling away from university-based to exclusively school-based teacher education, are exacerbated by proposed policy changes arising from the government's recent market review. Findings drawn from analysis of qualitative data from a national survey are discussed in the context of Elizabeth Povinelli's critique of late liberalism and previous scholarship on the nature of teacher educators’ work. Evidence from the study demonstrates numerous benefits to higher education of hosting teacher education departments, including contributions to standard metrics, regional development and knowledge exchange within a strategic social justice agenda. However, teacher educators themselves may find articulating these benefits difficult, because of marginalisation from the dominant ways of achieving and accounting for excellence in the modern university. These findings offer a cautionary tale to international colleagues whose governments may be embarking on equivalent paths of teacher education reform.

Internationalisation without international students? Internationalising the curriculum and student experience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia

ABSTRACT This article explores the research into a teaching innovation in the Bachelor's level course of Pedagogical Communication at Comenius University Bratislava in Slovakia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of the innovation was to raise interest in internationalisation among K-12 pre-service teachers and develop their skills necessary to succeed in an international environment through a comprehensive internationalisation of the teaching and learning process. We show that the innovation increased students’ motivation and interest in teaching international pupils and for internationalising their future teaching practice. At the same time, students also improved their competencies in communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Findings suggest that even when international students are not enrolled in a course, home students can reap the benefits of internationalisation. Thus, internationalisation of the formal curriculum at home can prepare students to thrive in today’s globalised world, which is most encouraging for universities that are unlikely to attract international students in large numbers.

Expanding trauma education during war: pediatric trauma fundamentals training in Ukraine.

On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a large-scale offensive in Ukraine, resulting in significant casualties to civilians, including children. As part of a seven-stream trauma education initiative, a novel pediatric trauma fundamentals course (PTF) was developed to provide standalone pediatric trauma education by our academic/NGO partnership. The objective of the program was to develop, implement, and evaluate a novel PTF educational course in the active armed conflict zone of Ukraine. A novel two-day PTF course was internally developed, translated into Ukrainian, and implemented across eight Oblasts (regions) in Ukraine from November 2022 to December 2023. Participants completed pre-and post-assessments in knowledge and self-confidence, and critical skills were assessed against objective skill checklists. Change in knowledge and self-confidence were analyzed, respectively, with the nonparametric Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test and McNemar's test for paired data. Anonymous course evaluations were solicited after each course. Six to eight-week follow-up surveys were conducted to assess skill utilization and stewardship. Four hundred and forty-six Ukrainian health care providers were trained during 30 courses across 8 Oblasts in Ukraine during the intervention period. Aggregated knowledge and self-confidence significantly improved across all measures. Ukrainian instructors of courses received higher raw scores across all evaluation points on instructor feedback surveys as compared to international instructors. Six to eight-week follow-up surveys demonstrated participants had positive views of the training, have used the training on patients, and have taught the material to other health care providers. Our novel PTF intervention demonstrates a successful partnership-based model for implementing pediatric trauma education in an active conflict zone in Ukraine. Challenges to implementing such programs can be mitigated through strategic partnership-based models between academic institutions and organizations with local knowledge and expertise. Ukrainian instructors provide course experiences similar or superior to international instructors, likely due to multiple factors related to language, culture, and context.

Challenges and Needs of International Graduate Teaching Assistants

In this mixed-methods study, we surveyed 23 international teaching assistants (ITAs) and interviewed eight at a public university. Preliminary findings suggest that ITAs find developing course materials, grading, and providing feedback most challenging. The language barriers, imbalance in work and study, uncertainty in professional identity, and feeling unacknowledged exacerbate the difficulty of performing their roles. Beyond mandatory institution-wide training, they voiced a need for more training to improve students’ motivation, engagement, and time management.

Educational Sovereignty and Cultural Security in International Exchange of Higher Education in the Information Age

Abstract With the development of the information age, international teaching cooperation and exchanges have become increasingly frequent, and educational sovereignty and cultural security in higher education international exchanges have gradually become the focus of attention. This paper constructs a multiple regression model of educational sovereignty related to international exchanges, and designs a cultural security risk assessment model in international exchanges by combining fault tree and Bayesian network to prevent cultural invasion. Empirical Analysis is carried out on this basis to explore the factors and preventive measures affecting educational sovereignty and cultural security in higher education international exchanges. In the regression results, the standard regression coefficient of national comprehensive strength is the highest at 0.272, in which the significance of intellectual property rights, educational legislation, educational administration, state authority and national total strength are all less than 0.001. The accuracy rate is more than 90% for identifying cultural security risks. In the research of this paper, the cultural security risk problems can be effectively identified, and the cultural security problems in the international exchange of university education can be improved with practical guarantee.

“Voices on the ground”: Solomon Islands teachers’ perceptions of hosting an Australian pre-service teacher education program

There is scant representation of the outcomes of international teaching experiences from the perspective of host teachers despite a growing number of these sorts of programs. Addressing this gap, we conducted focus group interviews with 21 Solomon Islands teachers/school leaders regarding their experiences hosting Australian pre-service teachers in their schools. Findings revealed a range of program benefits, challenges, and some suggestions for improvement, and overall showed the value of these types of programs for host country teachers. However, given the popularity of international study programs as an internationalisation strategy in higher education in Global North countries, and the likelihood of these programs to involve previously colonised, developing countries, the study's findings are important from an ethical standpoint, to explore potential colonising influences and power relations that may arise. As such, this study has implications for how international immersion programs should be planned and enacted to ameliorate potential.

PILOT PROJECT OF ASSESSING INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS’ RESEARCH COMPETENCIES

The article reveals the importance of research competencies among domestic and international teachers of different educational institutions. The purpose of the article is to assess the demand and significance of research skills among teachers for future application in their professional activities. The review of the issue in recent literature and the analysis of questionnaires were completed to reach this purpose. The article considers the State obligatory standard of higher education, which establishes the standards for knowledge, skills, and levels, and indicates the necessity of finding solutions in the realm of research activities. During the study, the authors analyzed teacher questionnaires from various levels of educational institutions and demonstrated the rankings of the given general and professional competencies. The authors conducted the survey with open-ended and closed-ended questions to determine the interest of teachers in research activities. Additionally, the study processed statistical data using SPSS Statistics software. The measurement of reliability as Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was utilized, which indicated the consistency of the questionnaire items and the appropriateness of responses. The answers of Kazakhstani and foreign teachers were compared and contrasted by the researchers. According to survey results of teachers from seventeen different countries, teachers engage in scientific research activities during the teaching process that change the way teachers perform their duties. They showed 100% interest in research activities, and 70.6% of the teachers were adamant that university influences education students’ decisions to pursue careers as researchers.

Starting and Sustaining an International Teacher Collaboration: Insights and Recommendations from a SoTL Project.

Starting and Sustaining an International Teacher Collaboration: Insights and Recommendations from a SoTL Project.

Chapter 2 of Teaching International Law – Course Content

Chapter 2 of Teaching International Law – Course Content

Challenges and Coping Strategies of EFL Trainee Teachers in International Teaching Practicum

International teaching practicum is highly relevant in developing the quality of education worldwide. Innumerable institution sends their trainee teachers to help improve educational quality and build professionalism. During the practicum, trainee teachers will be experiencing some pertinent issues and problems that will help to shape teachers’ personalities and teaching practices in the future. Knowing the importance of experiencing these challenging episodes in practicum, researchers investigated the coping strategies for challenges and reported how trainee teachers conceptualized their learning. This qualitative research aims to provide valuable insight and practical solutions for trainee teachers facing challenges during teaching practicum. The data was obtained through observation and interviews with two trainee teachers who have participated in an international teaching practicum in Malaysia. Based on the research finding, the challenges faced by trainee teachers are categorized into several themes: students’ behavior, school facilities, mixed-ability students, school curriculum, and time management. Moreover, trainee teachers used several coping strategies to overcome challenges: antecedent strategy; learning through play strategy; grouping strategy; school modules to overcome unfixed curriculum; and setting priorities.

Cross-Cultural Experiences in Teacher Education: Indonesian Pre-Service English Teachers' Perspectives on International Teaching Practicum

This study addresses a significant gap in current literature concerning the international teaching practicum experiences of Asian pre-service teachers specializing in English education. Focusing on three Indonesian pre-service teachers, the research explores their experiences during international practicum in the Czech Republic, Thailand, and Malaysia. Methodologically, the study employed in-depth semi-structured interviews, along with the analysis of narrative journals and artifacts from the International Teaching Practicum (ITP) program, following the thematic analysis approach by Braun and Clarke (2006). This involved meticulous examination of data, coding, and thematic classification to derive meaningful interpretations. Key findings highlight the challenges faced by participants, including language barriers and cultural adaptation. Despite these challenges, participants reported substantial growth in confidence and self-assurance, fostered by active participation in teaching and learning activities. Significantly, the practicum provided valuable insights into multicultural education, deepening the participants' understanding of different teaching methodologies, the role of teachers, and the nuances of local educational systems. The implications of this study are far-reaching, particularly in enhancing multicultural competence in teacher education. By shedding light on the under-researched area of international teaching practicum involving Asian contexts, the study contributes essential insights into the evolving landscape of global teacher education.

Narratives of Experiences in International Teaching Practicum: Lessons from an EFL Pre-Service Teacher

Contrary to popular belief that field experience should be held in local settings, teacher education programs currently initiate networking with other countries through the international teaching practicum (ITP) program. Considering the platform’s magnitude, this paper aims to explore the pre-service English teacher’s experiences during ITP to build professional development of EFL potential teachers from various activities abroad. In this study, a narrative inquiry was implemented and supplemented with data obtained from Tina (pseudonym), an EFL pre-service teacher in one of the Indonesian universities who joined a four-month ITP program abroad, particularly in Thailand. In collecting the data, semi-structured in-depth interviews that emphasized five eligibility aspects were used. The findings reveal that the pre-service teacher reaped plenty of meaningful experience from ITP in terms of the classroom situation, the implementation of basic teaching skills, the period of success or failure in teaching, values for EFL teacher candidates in ITP, critical incidents, and students’ general English competence after ITP. This study provides evidence and feedback for the institution for better planning and organization in implementing practicum. Further, it implies equipping student-teachers with sufficient skill and competence related to adaptability, cultural identity, fear, and emotions in facing challenging English instruction in the future through multiple exposures to teaching instruments and supporting situated environment facilities.

Creation of A Mixed-Reality Simulator Professional Development Module to Attend to the Unique Needs of International Teaching Assistants in Active Learning Classrooms

International teaching assistants (ITAs) bring cultural perspectives and language diversity to university programs. However, ITAs can be underserved through traditional professional development initiatives. A mixed-reality teaching simulator module was created to attend to the unique needs of chemistry ITAs and prepare them for active learning instruction. To create the module, seven ITAs were interviewed about their professional development needs. ITAs most commonly wanted to practice asking and answering student questions, engaging disengaged or disrespectful students, and navigating language difficulties with students. The mixed-reality simulated teaching module provided opportunities for ITAs to rehearse one or more of the three focus areas. Three ITAs tested the simulator and reported that using the simulator for professional development with cultural and linguistic layers would be beneficial both to existing and new ITAs. These research findings set the foundation for generating a transformative set of training materials that institutions can use to reduce teaching anxiety and increase the effectiveness of ITAs in the classroom, thus enhancing student learning through more effective active learning instruction.

Unveiling the Transformation: The Impact of Teaching Internships in Thai Schools on Pre-Service Teachers' Professional Development

Being an effective teacher requires teaching experience and practical knowledge about the classroom. The knowledge can be obtained from classroom lectures and teaching practices can be learnt by having internship programs at schools and the community. This study aims to uncover the transformation of Indonesian pre-service teachers to their Professional Development during their participation in the international internship program in Thailand. Qualitative method was carried out to understand participants’ experience and benefits of the program. The study interviewed seven pre-service teachers who were selected enrolling in the program. The finding indicated that international teaching internships the participants involved help improve their professional development. They believed that there were three aspects affecting their professionalism, namely, pedagogical skills, language competencies, and life skills. This present study highlights that participating in teaching internships is useful for students’ professional development. As they will be a teacher, having teaching practice will provide students with the opportunity to apply what they have learnt to the real-world teaching situation, and this will be meaningful for their profession.

What makes academics (in)active in higher education internationalisation: evidence from Cambodia

ABSTRACT This study explores the international engagement of academics and the factors influencing their engagement in internationalisation efforts in Cambodian universities. Data were gathered through online semi-structured interviews with academics and university administrators and later coded and analysed using reflexive thematic approach. The findings revealed that academics predominantly participate in outbound capacity development, with limited engagement in joint research projects and the internationalisation of curriculum and teaching. At the individual level, factors such as competencies, networking opportunities, sense of belonging, employment nature, and demographic attributes were found to influence the engagement in internationalisation. Additionally, institutional leadership, policies, human resources, and institution type were key institutional factors shaping their engagement. For effective promotion of engagement in internationalisation, greater commitment and support from the government and universities are crucial. This paper provides valuable insights into the experiences of Cambodian academics, contributing to the limited literature on higher education internationalisation in developing countries.

Teaching Visually Impaired Translators and Interpreters in Romania: Available Tools and Inclusive Teaching Methods

Abstract This article explores the teaching methods used in university classes of Translation and Interpreting with visually impaired students. It is the first essay on this topic applied to the context of Romania. Therefore, it offers basic suggestions of implementing international teaching methods for visually impaired students in Translation and Interpreting in Romanian universities, while also raising awareness about the challenges they face. The literature review is divided into two categories: digital skills and professional skills. In presenting the most essential digital skills a visually impaired translator and interpreter must acquire, the article makes reference to Kornacki’s model which groups technologies according to the necessary skills. The professional skills are discussed in three articles from two different universities, namely the University of Trieste in Italy and the University of Mainz/Germersheim in Germany. The German study described in two articles – one in German and its shorter version in English – gives a detailed perspective on the topic, being the core of the theoretical ideas mentioned in this article. The knowledge acquired by reading this article will most certainly lead Romanian professors to using the optimal approach when teaching emerging visually impaired translators and interpreters. The teaching methods can be put into practice if the right equipment is available and accessibility is implemented in all aspects regarding translation and interpreting.

한국 교육 ODA 교사 연수에 참여한 아제르바이잔 교사들의 경험 분석

This paper uses a qualitative paradigm to analyze the experiences and meanings of Azerbaijani teachers who participated in an online-based training organized by KOICA's Education Official Development Assistance (ODA) project. In other words, the study aimed to explore how Azerbaijani teacher training, designed as a learner-participatory program based on Azerbaijani educational cultural characteristics, is experienced and meaningful to Azerbaijani teachers in the source country and to discuss implications for Korean education ODA, which is strengthening its role as a donor country. To this end, in-depth online individual interviews were conducted with 38 Azerbaijani teachers, and the results are presented using the ‘analysis thematique’ method, which categorizes key interview findings into themes. As a result of the study, the narratives of Azerbaijani teachers who participated in KOICA's education ODA can be categorized as 1) improving their self-efficacy in teaching practice, 2) reconstructing their perceptions of teaching and learning, 3) reconstructing their future education and teacher identity, and 4) aspiring to spread their training effectiveness and join international teacher networks. Based on these findings, implications for Korea's education ODA are presented.

EXPLORING LANGUAGE BARRIERS DURING INTERNATIONAL TEACHING PRACTICUM IN THAILAND: PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ VOICES

The phenomenon of international teaching practicum exists to accommodate globalization in improving the quality of teaching internationally. However, the phenomenon of global teaching practicum, which has been investigated in many studies,earlier research, raises a number of significant barriers. Hence, this research aims to investigate the barriers faced by the Indonesian pre-service teachers during their teaching abroad program in Thailand. Qualitative research method were chosen in this study in order to obtain in-depth information about the phenomenon of international teaching practice through the interview with three Indonesian pre-service teachers. The findings revealed that Indonesian pre-service teachers discovered and faced several major barriers in the practicum for teaching abroad program in Thailand The toughest challenge experienced by Indonesian pre-service teachers is the language barrier. In addition, the response given by residents and the school environment to the language barriers experienced by Indonesian pre-service teachers was very good. Utilizing how students facilitate communication between Indonesian pre-service teachers and other students, and how in-service teachers offer advice and continue to assist Indonesian pre-service teachers in overcoming language barriers throughout the program.

International teaching practices in dental trauma education.

Several publications highlight the insufficient knowledge possessed by dentists and dental students regarding the management of traumatic dental injuries (TDIs). A lack of clinical experience during Undergraduate (UG) education could explain the reported deficits in managing dental trauma post-graduation. Despite its importance in dentistry, there are very few reports on how, where and who teaches Dental Traumatology (DT) in the UG curriculum. The aim of this study was to investigate teaching practices in DT around the world in UG education. UG educators involved in DT teaching activities were invited to complete an online questionnaire hosted on Qualtrics®. The survey consisted of close-ended and open-ended questions on their teaching practices in DT. Only one answer per institution was included in the final descriptive analysis. A total of 203 responses from 164 institutions were obtained from 69 countries. All institutions reported that DT is included in their UG curriculum, and is mainly taught within Paediatric Dentistry and Endodontics. Most teaching and evaluation was delivered in traditional format. The number of contact hours dedicated to DT teaching activities ranged from 2 to 185 h (median = 10). Only 35% of institutions had a unified approach across disciplines. DT was taught as a separate course/module in 23% of the universities. Insufficient exposure to emergency care and the lack of formal clinical exposure to TDI was highlighted by many institutions. The need for a core curriculum was supported by 84% of the institutions with agreement on essential topics required at UG level. Teaching practices in DT varied internationally. Very few teaching hours were devoted to DT and many institutions identified a need for increased clinical exposure. There was a desire for a standardised coherent approach to DT in the UG education with suggestions to improve educational resources.