Professional development intervention about global education in a small school district

Date

2021-12

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Abstract

This case study emerged from a global education professional development project in partnership with a small school district. The investigation asked two questions: first, what were teacher perceptions of growth in global competencies after their participation in professional development and the global education project they had developed as a training product? Second, what did the teachers perceive would be needed from the district to support continued global education. The study included 14 participants, 13 teachers, and one assistant superintendent. Global Competencies were framed using Hunter’s Global Competency model. This model was integrated into the global education pedagogy training to plan and implement a classroom project. The participants then responded to structured open-ended questions for analysis to determine their perceptions of their growth in the Internal and External Aptitudes that make up the Global Competency Model.
The respondents also responded to statements framed around Fullan and Quinn’s Coherence Model. These statements were in a Likert scale format and provided data responses for the second research question concerning district support for global education in the classroom. This data, along with open-ended response statements collected at the end of the project from participants, provided evidence of drivers in Fullan and Quinn’s Coherence model for improved instruction and learning and themes of perceived need for global education support. The researcher found that all participants experienced growth in global competencies as defined by Hunter's Model. Some participants possessed more of the external competencies of Global Awareness, Historical Perspectives, Intercultural Capability, and Collaboration Across Cultures due to travel, family background, or living abroad. The researcher also found that the four drivers of Fullan and Quinn's Coherence Model were evident in the district during the Global Education Professional Development Project. Some drivers were more robust than others, and some extenuating circumstances impacted the continued support for global education. The findings from this study are essential for advancing the understanding of small school district teachers learning to become global educators. The information from this study and any ongoing research that promotes district change initiatives and global learning is beneficial, specifically in small school districts.

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Keywords

Global Competencies, External Readiness, Internal Readiness

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