Tensions in Teaching Chinese International Students: A Self-Study of Cultural Competence in an Educational Foundations Course

ABSTRACT

This collaborative self-study chronicled the evolution of our foundations of education course over three semesters as we attempted to make it more inclusive of our Chinese international students’ beliefs and lived experiences. Rooted in frameworks centered on intercultural competence and teacher educator tensions, an analysis of reflective journals and discussions about our experiences teaching Chinese international students revealed messages of cultural minimization within our course as well as tension between our democratic beliefs and acceptance of cultural difference. From this analysis, we made several curricular-instructional changes to our course. Interviews with students who experienced the changes revealed our (need for continued) growth as culturally competent teacher educators. The study offers implications for teacher educators and demonstrates the necessity of self-study in helping teachers of educational foundations realize its democratic promise.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tensions were unearthed between our democratic aims and our Chinese students’ needs

• Teacher educators’ foundational education course became more inclusive

• Areas of needed growth for teacher educators’ cultural competence were discovered

KEYWORDS:

• Intercultural competence
• collaborative self-study
• foundations of education
• undergraduate teacher education
• international students
• reflective practice

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics Approval

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U0wAnhhtXiArNNiCr_A25lqwrhwgRqgA/view?usp=sharing.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Rob Martinelle

Dr. Rob Martinelle is a Senior Lecturer of Social Studies Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. His scholarship focuses on reflective practice and (its intersection with) justice-based social studies teacher education.

Lauren Funk

Dr. Lauren Funk is a high school social studies teacher in Massachusetts and an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Her research interests include civic engagement, teacher reflection, educational legislation, and teacher resistance.

Erin Nerlino

Dr. Erin Nerlino is a high school English Language Arts teacher at a public regional school in Massachusetts. Her research interests include the relationship between policy and teachers’ work, the impact of working conditions on teachers’ experiences teaching, and teacher career stages and development.

Brandon Foye

Dr. Brandon Foye is an Assistant Professor of Practice at North Dakota State University. He works in the Health Education & Physical Education program and teaches courses related to physical education teacher preparation and coaching. His research interests include online physical education, and physical education teacher & coach education.