Teachers’ critical interculturality understandings after an international teaching practicum

ABSTRACT

Using a critical approach, we studied the intercultural understandings of Canadian teachers who participated in a 3-week international teaching practicum in Kenya, 5–6 years before. Critical interculturality was used as the theoretical lens to explore the impact on teaching, constructions of identity, and power relations. We argue that while this international teaching practicum provided an ‘awareness’ of the Other, it functioned within a neo-liberal, object-based framework that failed to address systems of power, and, in some ways, perpetuated colonial perspectives. Participants in this study were able to question power relations but lacked the support needed to develop a critical understanding of their own positionality and how power works in intercultural encounters. If international teaching practicums are to continue, we suggest that participants and facilitators be supported in developing critical perspectives related to these issues. This will necessarily require the maintenance of long-term equitable relations with host communities. We conclude by offering substantive curriculum and programmatic structure recommendations for international/overseas teacher education programs.

KEYWORDS:

• International teaching practicum
• critical interculturality
• field experiences
• power relations
• identity
• neoliberalism

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Dr Kathy Mantas for her help in preparing this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Development Grant [grant number: 430-2015-01065].

Notes on contributors

Rogerio P. Bernardes

Rogerio P. Bernardes I immigrated to Canada, from Portugal, when I was eight years old. My research interests focus on intercultural education, the treatment of body size and shape in physical education, and constructions of the self. Currently I am in the final stages of completing my PhD and I hold an adjunct faculty position at Nipissing University, Canada.

Glenda Black

Glenda Black I was born and raised in a small mining town in Northern Ontario, Canada and recently returned to my northern roots. I am currently an associate professor at Nipissing University where I teach in the Faculty of Education. My research interests are intercultural and indigenous education, and leadership education.

James Otieno Jowi

James Otieno Jowi I am a male Kenyan of the Luo ethnic group of Kenya. I was born and raised up in Okana, a rural village near Kisumu Town around Lake Victoria. I studied at Moi University Kenya, University of Oslo, Norway, and completed a doctorate degree at the University of Twente in Netherlands. I have been a Senior Lecturer at Moi University in Kenya and now Principal Education Officer at the East African Community overseeing education programs in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.

Kevin Wilcox

Kevin Wilcox I am a multigenerational citizen of Canada and the descendant of Irish, British, Scottish, and Alsace-Lorraine immigrants. I am currently a teacher and university lecturer in the province of British Columbia, Canada. My research interests focus on education and literacy.