A foot in both camps: lessons learned about without-prejudice teaching and learning from cross-cultural experience

Abstract

This paper articulates lessons learned about without-prejudice teaching and learning from a researcher-practitioner who has experience in both developing and developed contexts. Developing countries often look to Western countries for education standards, but Western countries rarely look to developing contexts where theory is being generated about divisions and access to education. This comparative study integrates lessons learned from both contexts. It uses an auto-ethnographic methodology and draws upon phenomenographic research and critical theory. The need for emic (insider) without-prejudice teaching and learning practices is articulated in three lessons: 1. culture privileges for or prejudices against students’ access to education; 2. beliefs systems allow or deny access to learning opportunities and environments; and 3. student–teacher relationship can interrupt prejudice.

Keywords:

• Cross-cultural experience
• without-prejudice practice
• belief systems
• student–teacher relationships

Disclosure statement

This paper is the author's original work and is not supported by funding. There are no conflicts of interest to report.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alison Willis

Dr. Alison Willis is a lecturer in the School of Education at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Her research interests include education in developing contexts, the interconnections between the social and psychological aspects of learning, and learning cultures. She is an Australian Council of Educational Research Associate (Education and Development) and is deputy portfolio leader of initial teacher education programs at USC.