Promoting Intercultural Learning: International Service Learning in Tanzania as an Alternative Placement for Teacher Candidates
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Journal for Civic Commitment Vol. 23, March 2015
*Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Queen’s University, Duncan McArthur Hall, Kingston, ON, CA, K7M 5R7
michellesearle@yahoo.com
© 2015 Journal for Civic Commitment
Promoting Intercultural Learning: International Service Learning in Tanzania as an Alternative Placement for Teacher Candidates Michelle J. Searle* & Alicia Hussain Queen’s University, Canada
Abstract The willingness to promote inclusivity and embrace diversity is an expectation in
our publicly funded, Canadian education system. To bring these values to their
professional practice, at home or abroad, teachers require an expanded skill set
that will allow them to be attentive and responsive to culture within their
classroom context. This paper explores the development of intercultural learning
based on participants’ experiences and reflections from an international service
learning experience as an alternative practicum placement. Data was collected
through interviews and focus groups. A discussion of the project and key
findings about knowledge, skills and attitudes are detailed. Conclusions and
implications for international service learning programs to assist pre-service
teachers with their progression towards intercultural competence are presented.
Introduction
Diversity is not a new concept in Canada; it has been shaping our history
since the earliest settlements. Each year, Canada welcomes immigrants with 20%
of the population as foreign-born citizens (Statistics Canada, 2007). The diversity
within Canada’s population will continue to increase; by 2030, Statistics Canada
projects that at least 25% of the population will be foreign-born. In addition to
2 M. J. Searle & A. Hussain
diversity within Canada, Canadians are also increasingly mobile; the
Government of Canada suggests that three million Canadians live abroad. The
implication of this mobility and increasing diversity is that, citizens of this
country need to understand the pluralistic cultures represented within society.
The Conference Board of Canada (2014) describes this as a practical and moral
imperative, which impacts all aspects of our society.
As diversity continues to play a significant role within our country, and in
the world beyond, there are consequences for the preparation of teachers. Public
education plays a critical role in shaping the values, attitudes, behaviors, and
skills of our future generations (Guo, Arthur& Lund, 2009). Educators working
within and beyond Canada need to understand issues of diversity and
inclusivity. Specific curricula focusing on cultural diversity and inclusive
practices are an essential aspect of pre-service education (Dei & James, 2002). At
minimum, pre-service teachers must be aware of the dispositions, knowledge,
and skills that will allow them to guide a diverse population in ways that
promote inclusion within the pursuit of academic excellence.
While the ethos of diversity and inclusion is part of the Canadian rhetoric,
the implementation in practice is far more challenging and complex. Our
Canadian teaching population does not reflect the diversity of our student
population and many systematic barriers exist (Ryan, Pollock, Antonelli, 2009).
Mwebi and Bringham (2009) note that, most pre-service teachers continue to be
relatively homogenous in terms of race, class and sex (i.e., white, middle-class,
and female). Many Canadian trained teachers may not recognize that they have a
culture and may not be attuned to the differences or similarities with other
cultures. In fact, research suggests that those who attend pre-service teacher
education feel ill-prepared and under confident when it comes to working
effectively with students from different backgrounds (Guo, 2006, Mujawamariya
& Mahrouse, 2004). Limited confidence or perspectives of diversity or cultural
awareness within pre-service teacher populations may diminish the potential for
full inclusiveness in education or society more broadly. Faculties of education
need active strategies to enhance diversity and inclusion within pre-service
teacher education programs.
Experiential learning is a long-standing part of teacher education
programs stemming from the work of curriculum philosopher, John Dewey
(1904; 1938). In Canada, pre-service teachers are required to complete placement
hours observing and teaching in classroom settings to become certified as a
International Service Learning as an Alternative Practicum 3
teacher. These practical learning environments are viewed as an essential aspect
of the pre-service education. Yet, providing classroom placements that
purposefully encourage an understanding of diversity and inclusivity is a
challenging task. Alfaro and Quezada (2009) cautioned that “colleges and schools
of education have responded without urgency in restructuring their field … few
have organized international field and clinical experiences that meet intercultural
competencies, international collaboration, global awareness, or motivation to
teach from a global perspective” (p. 47). If diversity and inclusion are a priority,
Heyl & McCarthy (2003) propose that, “a key role for higher education
institutions must be to graduate future K-12 teachers who think globally, have
international experience, demonstrate foreign language competence, and are able
to incorporate a global dimension into their teaching” (p. 3). Programs and
placements that offer students opportunities to learn about culture, diversity,
equity and inclusion within the Canadian system and beyond are a necessary
evolution within the field of education.
Rationale for Service Learning in Education
Service learning (SL) promotes growth of understanding while meeting
wider community needs through carefully crafted experiences. Furco (1996)
proposes that “service enhances learning and the learning enhances the service”
(p. 12). SL promotes the ideology that teaching and learning can happen beyond
the walls of a classroom and enhance civic commitment. Learning through
service to others has been incorporated into educational programming for
decades; recently, this trend has focused on the implementation and implications
of this within teacher education (Barnes, 2002; LaMaster, 2001). Research
suggests that when SL is a component in the preparation of teachers the benefits
include: a broadening of pedagogical methodologies that are applicable to
diverse settings as well as increased understanding of moral and social teaching
responsibilities and abilities (Anderson, Swick & Yiff, 2001; Barnes, 2002; Root &
Furco, 2001; Watson, Candall, Hueglin, & Eisenman, 2002). The challenges for
successful SL are well documented by Anderson & Pickeral (2000); it is a
complex method of teaching and learning that must be carefully attended to.
International service learning (ISL) builds on the experiential components
of community based service learning implemented in an international context.
There are many goals in linking international education, service and travel. Past
research has established that overseas placements provide empowering
opportunities, where pre-service teachers develop personal qualities as well as
4 M. J. Searle & A. Hussain
pedagogical skills (Ferry & Konza, 1999; Faulconer, 2003). Crabtree (2008)
suggests that include: “increasing participants’ global awareness and
development of humane values, building intercultural understanding and
communication, and enhancing civic mindedness and leadership skills” (p.18).
Yet, McLeod and Wainwright (2009) claim that more needs to be done to fully
understand study abroad experiences. There are many research studies that
document the merits of ISL (e.g. Crabtree, 1997; Hartman & Roberts, 2000;
Monard-Wiessman, 2003) and others that document the benefits the positive
competencies pre-service teachers develop when working in international
education (IE) contexts (e.g. Baker, 2000; Mahon & Cushner, 2002; Stachowski &
Brantmeier, 2002). Boyle-Baise (2002) found that when teacher candidates have
authentic experiences within communities different from their own, they change
their preconceived perceptions about others and feel more confident about their
ability to work in diverse settings. Student placements that are conceived of ISL
have the potential to nurture the values of inclusivity by challenging pre-service
teachers to adapt to teaching and learning within a new culture.
Promoting Intercultural Learning
One aspiration of ISL is the enhancement of intercultural learning.
Intercultural learning is defined in many ways and has been positioned as a
continuum from ethnocentrism towards cultural sensitivity (Bennett, 1986). It is
also positioned as a set of competencies that can be identified and assessed
(Deardorff, 2006; 2008). Each of these authors situate intercultural learning
differently but they share a premise about “acquiring increased awareness of
subjective cultural context (world view), including one’s own, and developing
greater ability to interact sensitively and competently across cultural contexts as
both an immediate and long-term effect of exchange” (Bennett, 2009, p. 2). One of
the benefits of ISL in teacher education is an intentional and systematic
commitment to fostering intercultural learning. Long-term intercultural learning
may allow participants to progress along a developmental continuum towards
intercultural competence. Intercultural competence denotes a more complex
awareness of perceptual discriminations of difference that allows for a
transferable skill about how to learn about culture (Fantini, 2009).
Research Context
The context for this research study was developed and situated within the
pre-service teacher education program at a mid-sized university in Ontario,
International Service Learning as an Alternative Practicum 5
Canada. In Ontario, teachers are required to complete their Bachelor of
Education and also obtain a certificate from the Ontario College of Teachers
(OCT) to work as an educator in publicly funded classrooms. The research
context describes the faculty, course and project where this study about
international service learning as an alternative placement is situated.
Faculty. Approximately 700 pre-service teachers candidates are enrolled in
a pre-service program that emphasizes learning from and through field-based
experiences across educational settings. One initiative, to promote inclusion and
diversity is program focus courses. Each course lasts the full year and offers an
experiential learning component that is framed as an alternative practicum
placement. Candidates complete a total of 16 weeks in school placement
experiences during their pre-service year; at least 3 of these weeks are part of an
alternative placement connected to their program focus. Alternative practicum
placements encourage student understanding of diversity and inclusion by
introducing pre-service students to non-traditional classroom settings, including
the ethos of service learning within local, national, and international
communities.
Course. Educators Abroad (FOCI 255) is a program focus course that
promotes awareness about international education and intercultural learning.
Candidates enrolled in FOCI 255 complete their alternative placement in one of
the broad areas related to international education, culture or globalization.
Students can choose to work locally, nationally or internationally. The Bachelor
of Education program at this institution has a reputation for placing pre-service
teachers in accredited international schools, but there has been growing interest
in working within international communities. In response to this interest, the
faculty constructed two ISL placements; the ‘Tanzania Project’ featured in this
paper is one of the alternative placements.
Project. The ‘Tanzania Project’ in Butiama was designed to fulfill the
alternative placement requirement. Initially the project was spearheaded through
the Career Placement Office within the Faculty of Education, with one Placement
Coordinator responsible for the initial communications with our Tanzanian hosts
and preliminary aspects related to pre-service teaching, service learning and
living. Once it was clear that the there was support from both the institution and
the project partners, one of the course instructors, who is also an author on this
paper, volunteered to facilitate the pre-service teacher involvement.
6 M. J. Searle & A. Hussain
In setting up the project each year, joint introductory sessions were held
between the placement coordinator and the course instructor to explain the idea
of service learning and the opportunities as well as the responsibilities. When
possible past participants would attend in-person or via web based conference to
share their ideas. Next there was a brief application process in which students
outlined their interests and provided a rationale for successful participation (i.e.
past travel, language skill, support from family). These applications were used to
determine the extent of their commitment and begin a dialogue about
opportunities and expectations.
Once students committed to the ‘Tanzania Project’ they formed a team
who met weekly after the FOCI course and each person, as part of a committee,
assumed specific roles and responsibilities for managing the process of the
project. Some responsibilities included: communicating with the school and
housing hosts, arranging visas and documentation for travel, coordinating flight
arrangements, planning ground travel and in-country excursions, and organizing
educational and fundraising initiatives prior to and post departure. Student
engagement in these organizing structures was essential to the viability of this
project. While their support was valuable from an administrative perspective, it
also provided opportunity for these pre-service teachers to create a community
of practice who understand the depth of details required in planning for ISL.
Over five years, the ‘Tanzania Project’ provided an experience for pre-
service teachers who were interested in ISL. Each year since its inception, the
group totaled 6-10 pre-service teachers spent approximately six months engaged
in the project. Five of these months were spent preparing to spend one month in
Tanzania. In Tanzania, three weeks were spent on a practicum placement where
students taught during the day and worked on service projects during the
evenings and weekends. The final week was spent exploring the country. Each
pre-service teacher provided their own funding, although some funding was
available through our institution in the form of an Elliott/Upitis/Bamji Travel
Fellowship.
Purpose of the Research
This research documents participant experiences across multiple years to
identify ways in which this project promoted intercultural knowledge, skills and
attitudes. Three questions guided this research study:
International Service Learning as an Alternative Practicum 7
(1) What can be uncovered and discovered from participants’ experiences?
(2) What new understandings emerge in this project?
(3) What insights can this project provide about international service learning
as an alternative practicum experiences in pre-service education?
Design and Methodology
This inquiry recognizes the difficulty of analyzing data from overseas
encounters and therefore employed a range of data collection procedures
(Denzin & Lincoln, 2005; Kim & Gudykunst, 1980). As Patton (1990) stated, “no
single data source can be trusted to provide a comprehensive perspective” (p.
144). Crafting data from multiple sources emphasizes diverse ways of engaging
and learning through inquiry. The approach used in this research is consistent
with recommendations for using multiple strategies where participants are
treated as active interpreters who construct their realities through discussions,
stories, and narrative (DePoy & Gitlin, 2005).
The participants include 11 educators; nine of these were Tanzania Project
participants, eight were female and one was male. The remaining two
participants were the researchers of this paper, one of whom facilitated the group
each year and travelled with them in 2009-2010, and the other who joined the
group in an observational capacity during the 2009-2010 year. This gender
imbalance is representative of the predominantly female group over time.
Data was collected through a series of iterative qualitative processes that
included: (a) pre, during, and post experience focus groups with 3 participants
from the 2009-2010 cohort; (b) interviews with 6 past participants spanning each
of the cohorts from the project inception in 2007; and (d) researcher observations
and field notes spanning 4 years involvement in the project. All data was
collected, transcribed, and coded by the researchers-authors.
Initially, coding of data was undertaken by each researcher and then
discussed to enhance a set of common codes (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). After the
initial coding, a discussion about emerging themes and patterns took place. This
collaborative analytic process furthers the reliability by allowing themes to
emerge and then revisiting the data in light of these themes (Alfaro & Quezada,
2009). Based on this, key concepts drawn from the field of intercultural learning
were used as an organizing heuristic. This provided an ideal framework for
8 M. J. Searle & A. Hussain
analyzing data about participants’ thoughts, behaviors, experiences, and
observations.
Findings and Discussion
A heuristic focusing on knowledge, skills, and attitudes serves as an
organizing concept to explore the intercultural learning of participants who were
involved in the Tanzania Project across multiple years. Intercultural learning is
viewed as having numerous dimensions with interrelated and interconnected
aspects (Deardorff, 2008). Yet, examining three of these areas independently
allows for a close exploration of participants experiences that can contribute to a
holistic understanding of their intercultural learning. Quotes are selected and
included for their representational nature and the themes they explore. Overall
these findings extend the existing research by attesting to the impact of ISL.
Knowledge of self and others
In Canada, the teaching profession may have limited understanding of
important dimensions of intercultural learning because teachers typically reflect
a predominantly small percentage of our diverse population (Ryan et al., 2009).
Many pre-service teachers in in the Canadian context have not had significant
intercultural experience prior to entering the classroom. Examining the
knowledge of self and others provides one way to consider the potential for
educators’ intercultural learning.
Project participants identified as having limited experiences with people
who lived outside of Canada. Those involved also described having limited prior
knowledge or lived experience of other cultures. When asked about key facets of
their culture, most participants identified and explained themselves as
“Canadian”. Although many of the participants had travelled abroad, the nature
of these experiences was almost exclusively vacations. Many participants
described how their families/friends supported the idea of an international
placement but expressed concern about the rural area. One pre-service teacher
shared how she talked about this experience with her family, “I explained there
are these protocols, I had a whole university looking out for me.” Another
participant also referenced the safety found in being part of a group travelling
from a reputable institution, she said, “it has helped, just knowing you can travel
somewhere that’s not a Caribbean resort and still be okay.” Seven of the nine
students interviewed for this research commented that they learned a lot about
International Service Learning as an Alternative Practicum 9
how to prepare for international travel through this experience. In contrast to the
participants, the researchers were both experienced teachers who had
worked/lived overseas and embraced diverse culture contexts.
Both the researchers, and the two students who had previous
international travel experience recognized the commitment in planning for group
travel. A five-month pre-departure involvement, as an extension of their
education program, enhanced participants’ knowledge by providing
opportunities for understanding motivations and goals for those participating.
One participant reflected:
It took us so long to figure out what each other wanted that the process of
getting to know each other was slow. I thought everyone was of the same
mind. Not that people can’t have different opinions, but I think it would
have at least helped to know that, okay, not everyone has the same mind
as me, and not everyone is going there for the same reason.
Each participant had a unique reason for wanting to be involved. For example,
one pre-service participant described, “I want to understand more about how to
teach in a school that has limited access to resources.” While another commented
on her desire to “use my artistic skills to help make the classrooms nicer places
for kids to learn, to paint stuff on the walls that can help motivate and promote
learning.” A third participant described how she wanted to go to because she
had always wanted to see Africa. Looking across all of the responses shows three
main goals that often overlapped: working with others, learning about schooling
in different cultural contexts, and fulfilling a desire to travel. During the pre-
departure sessions educators discussed alignment between individual
aspirations and project goals.
Participants learned about themselves and others by taking an active and
intensive role in planning the project for that year. Students were expected to
work with project partners and past participants to construct their experience.
One person summed up the sentiment of this teamwork, “allowing a free flow of
information between multiple people means we get to collaborate with real
teachers and we’ll be able to take these skills into our future practice.”
Collaborative practice meant making decisions about project goals with partners,
group and individual fundraising, group travel plans, basic Swahili acquisition,
and forging local connections to raise awareness of the project. Participants
10 M. J. Searle & A. Hussain
described these meetings as stressful, felt that they had a lot of responsibility and
needed more direction. Every participant commented on the time invested prior
to travel. One cautioned that, “it is a really big commitment… the Tanzania
Project is a major part of your life.” Another participant suggested that, “the
planning has been a challenge because there are a lot of decisions to be made …
it is hard to work with a group of people you don’t know.” Yet, many recognized
the commitment yielded learning valuable for the project and the future. One
person said, “I was so glad for the limited amount of Swahili we were able to
learn before we went there, just having those phrases made all the difference.”
Six of the participants indicated that they wished they had learned more Swahili.
One student revealed, “I never knew dealing with an Embassy would be so
stressful!”” Overall, data from across Tanzania participants is important because
it identifies the possibilities for self-learning when students have active roles in
preparing and planning for ISL experiences.
Participants learned about the Tanzania people from direct
communications with our hosts during pre-departure planning, from the
anecdotes shared by past participants, and from their own interactions with
others once they arrived in Tanzania. Participants had many positive things to
say about their experiences learning about others from the Tanzanian culture.
One sentiment that captures the group feelings is, “I had a lot of positive things
to say about the people in Tanzania and how we were treated there and the
experiences that we had.” Once they had the opportunity to get to know
Tanzanian people, the participants began to understand the differences within
and across culture sand were able to identify some preconceptions they had.
When we first landed, I surprised at how modern and urban most of the
city was, this changed my thinking and I think it has tweaked the thinking
of my family back home when I show them pictures and tell them stories.
This experience changed my vision of how quick we are to make a
decision about what a continent looks like and is like, now whenever I
think about international subjects, I still think about that… this isn’t one
country with one belief, one look to the entire place.
There is just so much to learn here, the language, the people, their
schooling… it is all so different; I am both overwhelmed and excited about
this. Every person I have tried to speak with responded and I just wish I
could understand more Swahili.
International Service Learning as an Alternative Practicum 11
Some of the learning about others took place when confronting their own
judgments and stereotypes, others experienced revelations that allowed them to
gain a deeper understanding about Tanzanians and the diversity within the
Tanzanian culture. As one participant identified, the time she spent in Tanzania
was insufficient to learn all about Tanzanian culture, but it was still invaluable to
her; she explained:
Now, mind you, can I really say how life is in Tanzania? No, but I have a
better idea about how some people live in the communities that I was in
and that’s something that can be brought back into the classroom and
talked about with students and a way to engage students in Canada and
talking to them about what do they think can be done to help the situation
of students in these countries with the struggles that they have and what
kind of struggles the students have in Canada and what things do they
have to be thankful for. So, just kind of opening up a dialogue within
Canada about what’s happening, not shutting our eyes to the different
learning situations that kids have all over the world.
Her voice echoes that of other participants who recognized that this represented
a first experience into an extensively layered world of international education.
Part of learning about others was gaining an awareness of the Tanzanian
curriculum and culture. In different ways, at different times, all participants
experienced anxiety about this aspect of the project. The varying levels of
confidence pre-service teachers held about their teaching were played out in
classrooms that were culturally different from any of their previous experiences.
Two participants commented on how frustrated and shocked they felt when they
were expected to lead the classes in Tanzania. Participants knew they had much
to learn and told stories about how they learned by watching the Tanzanian
teachers to observe what was working. One participant explained, “we spent all
these practicums with teachers giving us critical advice and then, here was this
woman who has been teaching longer than all of my associate teachers put
together and she thinks our teaching is wonderful, great amazing!” The
differences they observed provided new knowledge about approaches to
curriculum and culture.
12 M. J. Searle & A. Hussain
In Tanzania, it’s assumed that because you went through high school you
can teach. I felt lucky to know something about teaching and assessment
when I was there, although I didn’t know as much as I do now after
teaching full time.
It changes my view of how you can teach, on the first day we walked in
and he [Tanzanian teacher] said, you’re going to teach and he was giving
us a book and saying, just read it to the students, go for it! And we were
like, no, we can do better than that. I think it was about the structure of
government, so we made a diagram and then we would read a part, and
then, we’re learning it as we’re reading it because it is Tanzania history
and then we were able to quickly transmit it to the students. It really
brought my confidence up…
I feel like this experience gave me a lot more confidence in myself as a
teacher, I don’t have to be 100% prepared to teach as long as I know
enough to spark communal knowledge. We would often teach, between
three of us, just sort of building that knowledge with the students and so it
has changed how I look at preparation.
A lot of my teaching now evolves around discussion and community
because that is what I saw working in Tanzania and that is what I aim for.
These four quotations provide examples of beliefs that project participants held.
The pre-service teachers were simultaneously learning about themselves and
others while also learning about the curriculum and the culture in Tanzania. The
opportunity to confront their previously held cultural views and expand their
understanding strengthened the potential for intercultural skills. Their ability to
master content quickly, use the pedagogical expertise they developed and
practiced through their teacher’s college affirmed their skills as an educator
while also showing them there was more they could learn.
Skills
Pre-service participants learned many skills through this ISL experience. These
skills documented here encompass aspects of the existing research about the
impact of ISL. One participant stated, “this experience has left me with a lot of
questions about teaching and learning and student motivations.” Questioning is
a valuable skill in intercultural learning, it can create many opportunities for
International Service Learning as an Alternative Practicum 13
relating to others. Another skill developed was working with others within and
across cultural contexts, a skill that many participants valued.
At first I just planned with the other Canadian teachers, but then included
the local Tanzanian teacher because he knew about their resources and the
students. When we planned with him he explained what students needed
to learn for the exams and it was easier.
Team teaching taught me the value of using local resources and showing,
I mean demonstrating, how to use the resources we brought with us. We
helped to plan for their use within the curriculum.
At first we were just planning together, but then he asked me to help him
with his calculus. He showed me how his phone operated as a scientific
calculator. We debated the nature of learning calculations and their role in
both math and science, since we both taught these.
Shared planning reinforced participants skills of interaction, provided a shared
focus, and allowed pre-service teachers to consider various factors in their
planning. Talk about logistics of planning evolved and lead to the nature and
purposes of schooling and its multiple structures. These philosophical exchanges
allowed everyone to practice their skills of listening and interpreting.
It is interesting to see what it’s like, the emphasis on exams … I think the
students, at first, were just kind of caught off guard at our teaching style,
like asking them questions rather than telling them the answers, getting
them to really think. I think it just allowed me, as a teacher, to grow to see
the benefits of the Ontario curriculum system. You can kind of see how
that inspires critical thinking and just the liberty to think outside of the
box that sometimes people abroad don’t necessarily get. So, it forced me
to re-evaluate what I wanted to be and how I wanted to be as a teacher
and I think I couldn’t have come at a better time in Teacher’s College.
All of the participants described changes to their understanding or pedagogy as
a result of their involvement in the Tanzania Project. One of the skills that all
participants engaged in was that of reflection. One participant shared:
They needed water and they needed food and they needed a lot of things
besides laptops from Queen’s University and it didn’t really hit me while
we were preparing for the trip, but when I got there and I was able to sit
14 M. J. Searle & A. Hussain
down and see what we had brought and what we were planning on
doing, that was one of the biggest things that jumped out to me. I would
stay awake at night sometimes and think, like, what are we doing here?
Although this quotation shares a reflection from only one participant, many
expressed similar questions about what we brought to the experience in terms of
our knowledge and skills. Others asked tough questions about teacher education
processes, gender, health of children, and access to health care. This form of
questioning and the reflective comments points to the significance of this ISL
practice as an authentic learning experience, which strengthened teachers’ skills
across multiple areas. Participants were asking tough questions of themselves
and the project that could have a positive impact on their intercultural learning.
Attitudes and awareness
A third dimension is the attitudes and awareness that participants
brought to and cultivated within the ISL experience. This dimension is
significant as it offers evidence to further strengthen ISL as an opportunity for
expanding pre-service teacher thinking about intercultural learning prior to
entering the classroom. All participants expressed a commitment towards
respecting one another and the host culture. Each also identified that they were
open to learning from others and wanted to form relationships. Seven of the nine
participants described the complex nature of friendships across cultures. This is a
significant discovery because some participants felt they were able to make
friends but they often questioned the intention of that friendship and the role
that economics played in it.
I would get upset by people who I felt were friends asking me for money
because it is not a very Canadian notion. However, in Tanzania you ask
everybody for money. There it was par for the course, I still find it tricky
when I communicate with my friends there.
I struggle with what genuine friendship is, you know maybe it can mean a
lot of things. I had to adapt to that in another society. I still wonder about
that sometimes, I still think about what it means to make friends across
international lines.
It’s hard to make decisions, the whole time having people go, well do it
this way and friends telling you, well I can use the money. The kids really
International Service Learning as an Alternative Practicum 15
need your help and so we put it off deciding about the money as long as
possible.
Participants approached relationships with people from other cultures by
becoming aware and responsive to their own values while trying to withhold
judgment. Closely linked to this openness is their development of empathy; both
of which are attitudes valued in the Canadian teaching context. During a
discussion about one participant’s experience purchasing books in a store in
Tanzania, she shared a few moments of shock, confusion, and eventually an
empathetic conclusion.
Oh, there’s a little corruption happening there, we’re pretty sure. They
kept kicking us out of the store and they would only talk in Swahili and
whenever anybody from our group would walk in the store and start to
look at another book, they would kick us out … no matter how much
power you have within the community, you know, you have a career, but,
you’re still struggling yourself and you’re still looking out for your family
and [we think] there is still that corruption, because it’s a matter of
survival. You’re going to take your little bit in order to help your family
and that’s just part of [doing business].
This quote reflects a shift in thinking that was articulated by most of the group. When pre-service teachers suspected corruption they were at first very angry and upset, but later, in reflecting they were able to cultivate a openness, avoid judgment and be empathetic to social conditions they were just beginning to understand. Promoting a sense of empathy for others was an awareness driven by the ISL experience.
There were multiple dimensions to the ISL project that provided opportunities for curiosity and discovery. In addition to providing service by volunteering in local schools, pre-service teachers had engaged in collecting donations prior to departure. Yet, through the ISL experience many participants came to understand the complexity associated with giving. One participant describes how a previous project participant shared that one of their hosts was proud of having his own books; this motivated her to bring books with her to give. She described, “the books had been given to him and they were so old. He liked textbooks, he couldn’t understand why anyone would want to read fake stuff, because fake stuff is not real.” Although, the participant had travelled with several fictional books to give her host, she realized that these were difficult gifts to give. She explained, “I just didn’t think to ask the question of what types of
16 M. J. Searle & A. Hussain
books. It was funny, because the kids there were far more interested in what types of crops we have and they had a million questions that were not answered by story books.” From this example, we can see the teacher has an attitude of humility, is learning the complexity of giving. Another teacher shared a story that reveals her desire to give and provides insights into the transformations that can take place during ISL.
On my last day of being there … I needed to do something to thank
everyone ... I made them Indian food and they really appreciated that and
to think that, at the end of it all, it also taught me about small gestures,
how much that can mean… It was really nice to see at the beginning of the
whole experience, I had kids running away from me and screaming
because I looked different from the other Canadians; as much as it kind of
hurt my feelings, at the end, you know, you had them playing with your
hair rather than being scared. It was really such a unique experience …
I’m pretty sure the experience sort of touched their lives, kind of
broadened their understanding of the world – I know it did mine.
This teacher speaks of the attitudes she encountered and the impact of these attitudes on her feelings and beliefs. In a short anecdote she reveals a lot about the power of time and interactions brought about through ISL as an alternative practicum placement.
One question raised in the research is the length of time immersed and the potential impact these ISL experiences can have. More than one student described feelings of culture shock when returning to Canada. In many examples, their experiences shook their world view, made them ask new questions and opened their eyes to the ways in which other people are conducting their lives.
I still look at flights sometimes, I wonder what I would do and how much they cost and I think about going back there to see my friends. I know it wouldn’t be the same but I am always trying to find a way back.
When I came back, I felt really good about how my attitude and habits had changed, especially my consumer habits and my awareness of money. But like anything, after a while, you get back into your life. Sometimes, I just want to go back for a reality check. I was standing there and people were angry because someone had more than eight items in the express line and I was thinking, this is not
International Service Learning as an Alternative Practicum 17
important, there was so much stuff and I had seen children who had so little. It was upsetting, but after a while you get desensitized again.
Participants gained an awareness of another culture, an experience of having
been immersed in that culture, and a heightened sensitivity about their home
culture. All of the participants commented on an awareness of the
interconnection of teaching and learning. One participant said, “we go there to
teach, but we learn so much more!” This sentiment was common from simple
statements where we heard such as, “it just changes people; we go back and we
look at things differently” to more complex unveilings. Examining your attitude
or gaining awareness when you are living and working with a group in a
different cultural context provides many layers for intercultural learning.
Conclusion and implications
Within the Canadian context, extended involvement in an ISL project as
part of pre-service education provided significant opportunities for
strengthening intercultural awareness and skills. This research has drawn on a
body of literature and participant experiences to show that there are many
benefits for pre-service teachers who choose to experience diverse cultures by
teaching and learning overseas (e.g. Fitzsimmons & McKenzie, 2006; Mahan &
Stachowski, 1992; Wilard-Holt, 2001; Wilson, 1993). This ISL project created an
opportunity for immersive learning, where dialogue and shared experiences
facilitated a deeper understanding of oneself and others, as well as the
interconnected world in which we live (Cushner, 2007). ISL as an alternative
placement provides a valuable opportunity for international exchange that has
lasting consequences on participants ability understand diversity and foster
inclusivity.
I think it has touched my students in Canada that I have been able to talk to them about somewhere else, that I have made a difference in understanding someone else, they are really interested and ask a million questions.
I teach geography and I can offer experiences to the kids, first hand experiences, which they always find more interesting … I bring many world issues into the classroom and that is quite significant since I teach internationally now. And when I get back to Canada, I will have constant interactions with people from so many backgrounds.
18 M. J. Searle & A. Hussain
This experience makes you think a lot about the rest of the world and what’s going on everywhere. This is just one small community of millions and millions of kids.
Every participant in this study reported that the ISL was a valuable alternative
placement. We extend existing research by documenting examples of knowledge,
skills, and attitudes, which demonstrate a progression of intercultural learning.
The discoveries participants made about themselves and others provide
powerful and lasting impacts of the experience. Participants learned new skills
that are transferable to future schooling contexts and may have a positive impact
on their future interactions with diverse populations. By their own reports,
participants have more empathy, and are finding ways to convey cultural
understandings to others. Of particular significance is that the ‘Tanzania Project’
provided a space for applying, refining, and enhancing intercultural learning. As
participants engage in future intercultural learning experiences they raise
awareness about the multiple aspects of culture in ways that can continue to
positively change attitude and behaviors about differences (Bennett, 2009). These
changes in knowledge, skills, and attitudes have the potential to positively
impact participants’ lives, the lives of their students and others.
One of the new understandings from this research is the value and
responsibility of teacher education programs to provide ISL experiences to pre-
service teachers as an immersive opportunity for learning about diversity. By
experiencing diversity in culturally different contexts, pre-service teachers are
provided an opportunity to see, feel and reflect on the importance of inclusion.
Engaging issues of diversity and inclusivity through field work that is
constructed as an ISL alternative placement provides a structure and vision that
allowed participants to take risks, develop relationships and engage in a
reciprocal teaching and learning experience.
By undertaking this learning as part of a group experience that is
connected to their program within a faculty of education, participants have the
opportunity to engage in dialogic and reflective practice about diversity. The
examples from this study illustrate that participants often had strong responses
and shifts to their experiences. Providing opportunities for formal and informal
debriefing enhances the opportunities for individual and collective sense-
making. In addition, these participants are able to articulate ways in which they
are able to carry this ISL experience forward into their own classrooms. Now that
they are aware of the power of this type of experience, it is possible they will
International Service Learning as an Alternative Practicum 19
work to create ISL experiences within their classrooms, schools or professional
communities. Within Canada, these beginning shifts can result in lasting changes
for our diverse population. Teachers learn from these experiences, learning that
affects their professional and personal development and forever shapes the way
they work in classrooms and with students, no matter where they teach.
The value of ISL as an alternative placement is already established within
our faculty, although it is not embedded throughout our faculty culture. For this
type of learning to have sustainable processes, faculty who provide leadership
need support and recognition for ISL within the academic structures. Gilliom
(1993) initially raised this issue as one of global education and sadly, almost 2
decades later, limited learning about diversity and inclusivity persists. Research
from the study of the ‘Tanzania Project’ as an alternative placement begins to
understand the implications for participants; exploring the significance of this
complex ISL experience needs further investigation. This research, and further
research in the area of ISL, as part of the preparation of teachers can play a role
that goes beyond simply teaching in an international context, and can further
provide opportunities for developing a more inclusive society.
20 M. J. Searle & A. Hussain
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About the authors:
Michelle J. Searle
Michelle J. Searle, Ph.D, OCT is a lecturer in the Graduate Studies and Bachelor
of Education programs, Faculty of Education, Queen’s University and an
assistant professor (adjunct) at the Faculty of Education, Western University. Dr.
Searle taught internationally and volunteered internationally for a decade. She
provides instruction in international education for aspiring teachers. Her current
research involves assessment of curriculum and program evaluation in
international education.
Alicia Hussain
Alicia Hussain, PhD(c) is a lecturer in the Bachelor of Education, Faculty of
Education, Queen’s University. She completed her MEd studies at York
University with a concentration in cultural and policy studies. Prior to graduate
school, she taught overseas. Her current research interests include: school
discipline and safety, social inequities in education policies and settings, health
behavior in school-aged children, and theories and practices in teacher
education.
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