Transformative Research Exploring Cross-Cultural Educators' Understanding of Local and Global Social Justice

• In Event: Connecting Communities: Transformative Research Exploring Host and Indigenous Community Perspectives in Preservice Teacher Education Abroad

Abstract

Educators’ cross-cultural international collaborations in the form of study abroad programs contribute to increasing awareness of socioeconomic relations, structural oppression, and human connectedness (Foronda & Belknap, 2012), yet they might also reinforce stereotypes and/or biases (Woolf, 2006). Researchers suggested including critical reflections, small group discussions, and community engagement to minimize such biases and stereotypes (Jotia et al., 2020). Based on these recommendations and our prior experiences of conducting study abroad programs, we created a virtual community of practice wherein international educators explored and reflected on local and global educational social justice. The research question guiding our study was: What themes emerged when a cross-cultural team of researchers involved in a virtual international community of practice (Global Social Justice in Education; GSJE) investigated reflections on local and global social justice?

We collaborated with 13 educators representing China, Kenya, Nepal, Tanzania, Turkey, U.S., and Zambia to (a) recruit approximately 100 students (including preservice teachers) from these countries and (b) plan curricular activities that focused on intercultural competence and educational social justice. The community members engaged in bi-weekly online meetings. We used the following theoretical perspectives to develop GSJE activities (Authors, in press) and to inform our research: United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (UN, 2015), Cazden’s (2012) Social Justice Framework (e.g., preservation of indigenous cultures), Deardorff’s (2006) Intercultural Competence and Lave and Wenger’s (1991) Community of Practice. Data comes from participants’ reflections. Using thematic analysis (Peer, 2020), we documented social justice issues identified by the participants in their local and global contexts and how they grappled with their roles as educators to address such issues.

Participants identified social justice issues related to gender, patriarchy, identities of immigrants, race, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation. The participants also discussed implications of these issues in their local contexts, suggesting that GSJE created an opportunity for them to explore truth in their own contexts and investigate it in the global context. For example, when participants reflected on the meaning of their names, naming practices, and implications for social justice and educational practices, they discussed patriarchy, gender, social identities, and inequities associated with naming. In another activity in which participants reflected on their privilege, they discussed the complexity of privilege associated with inequitable educational and social practices. Participants discussed how their social identities were considered more, or less, privileged, depending on their local context. GSJE participants also reflected on how different forms of art represent racial identities, rights of immigrants, and ethnic minorities. They critically reflected on how art provided important means of expression for oppressed groups.

Our findings indicated that international participants’ collaborative explorations led to recognition of the complexity of social justice issues and their educational implications, extending the conversation about how a virtual community of practice has the potential to enhance educators’ understanding of social justice issues from multiple perspectives

Authors

• Bima Sapkota
  Presenting Author

• Jill Annette Newton, Purdue University
  Presenting Author

• JoAnn I. Phillion, Purdue University
  Presenting Author