Experience in another place: teacher learning from an overseas placement

ABSTRACT

Overseas placements are promoted in many tertiary institutions as a valuable component of undergraduate programs. Institutional ethnography, as a mode of inquiry that begins in the actual doings of people, was employed in this study to understand preservice teachers’ perceptions of their learning from an innovative model of overseas placement. In this paper, we explore an ‘epistemology of experience’ facilitated by the features of this model; the ‘live-in’ nature and intensive mentoring provided by university academics. We argue that overseas placements, overly restricted by regulatory authorities, can make a valuable contribution to initial teacher education at the theory-praxis nexus.

KEYWORDS:

• Epistemology
• place
• institutional ethnography
• international programs
• professional experience
• teacher education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. New South Wales Education Standards Authority.

2. Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership.

3. One such company whose posters were put up in some corridors at University of Sydney – but with whom we have not partnered – advertise to students the opportunity to ‘take on’ certain countries in a manner quite similar to ‘conquering’ them. Whilst their reference point may in fact be in regards to ‘taking on’ or ‘conquering’ the experience, the parallel seems nonetheless concerning.

4. Prac is an abbreviation for practicum, or more appropriately, professional experience.

5. Uni is an abbreviation for ‘university’.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Debra Talbot

Debra Talbot is a Senior Lecturer in Education & Director of Professional Experience at the University of Sydney. She has more than 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher, head of department in government and independent sectors, and professional learning consultant. Debra’s research interests are in teacher education, curriculum, pedagogy, and social justice. She continues to work with teachers in schools in these areas.

Matthew A.M. Thomas

Matthew A.M. Thomas is a Senior Lecturer in Comparative Education and Sociology of Education at the University of Sydney. He holds a PhD from the University of Minnesota and an MA from Columbia University, Teachers College. Matthew has worked as a public school teacher, teacher educator, researcher, and consultant across diverse contexts, including Australia, Mali, Nigeria, Indonesia, Tanzania, the United States, and Zambia. His research examines educational policies, pedagogical practices, teachers’ lives, and the changing roles of teacher education institutions.