The Implementation and Analysis of an International Student Teaching Program

The Implementation and Analysis of an International Student Teaching Program

Kathryn Dixon (Texas A&M University, Commerce, USA), Ricardo Gonzalez-Carriedo (University of North Texas, USA) and Lisbeth Dixon-Krauss (University of North Texas, USA)
Copyright: © 2017 |Pages: 21
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-2145-7.ch010

Abstract

This chapter provides an account of an international student teaching exchange program between the University of North Texas (UNT) and the University of Seville (UdeS) from inception to implementation. The first section of the chapter offers a rationale for the program including a review of research related to international exchanges specific to educator preparation. Section two includes a discussion of program establishment, a description of initial contacts between the universities and steps taken to form legal agreements binding the institutions to the program. Logistical aspects of the program are detailed, including agreements with local school districts. The final section synthesizes the research conducted at UNT using Mezirow's (1991) transformative learning theory to study the effects of the program on its students. Three years of data have shown a clear pattern in regard to the personal and professional growth student teachers experience as a result of their participation in the program.
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Rationale For An International Student Teaching Program

In our increasingly interconnected world, providing students of all ages with experiences to expand their global perspectives has become a necessity. In many parts of the world, physical mobility is common among students and individuals who seek to develop their personal and professional skills in different cultural and linguistic environments. For this reason, it has become the goal of some teacher education programs across the United States to offer opportunities for teacher candidates to complete some of their professional training in a foreign country.

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