Promoting Cultural Skills Acquisition Through an International Student Teaching Field Experience

• In Event: Developing the Cultural Competence of Preservice Teachers Through Field Experience on Four Continents

Abstract

As part of a 5 week teaching experience to develop and apply cultural skills, a group of American pre-teachers studied abroad in Australia. The purpose of this study is to better understand how these student teachers acquired cultural skills that encourage application of cultural empathy in the K-12 classroom and the potential transference to new situations including the classroom.
The Australian and United States research team members used a phenomenological approach to explore the connections between the cultural skills student teachers acquire and their intent to apply these newly developed skills to professional practices. Findings show that decision making to participate in cultural based events is part of a complex decision making process that is just as important as participation.

Authors

• Michelle Salmona, Australian National University

• Margaret Partlo, Central Michigan University

• Dan Kaczynski, Central Michigan University

• Simon Leonard, University of Canberra