Intercultural praxis: Australian diploma of early childhood education preservice teacher visual literacy comparisons between Australia and Vietnam

ABSTRACT

This research investigates an intercultural praxis approach to using visual research methods, in Australia and Vietnam, with preservice teachers in a Diploma of Early Childhood (DEC) course. The paper results from limited research with DEC preservice teachers exploring the development of intercultural praxis and limited research in teaching whilst using visual images (photos). The methodology is supported by using Bennett’s developmental continuum for intercultural sensitivity and draws on sociocultural theories to consider how these DEC preservice teachers’ histories and situational contexts are relevant in understanding the development of intercultural communication. Mixed methods include a comparative analysis of student-produced visual multiliteracy images (photographs) generated in Australia and Vietnam, during 2015 and 2016, annotations on those photos and interviews with two cohorts of students (n = 27) six months after their experiences in Vietnam. Analysis is reinforced with Sorrells’ intercultural praxis framework to understand students’ capacity to use inquiry, framing, positioning, and dialogue processes as a result of their study tour to Vietnam. The paper outlines and reinforces the importance of being explicit in developing intercultural sensitivity in dynamic teaching contexts and illustrates the increasing awareness of intercultural communication with these DEC students.

KEYWORDS:

• Intercultural praxis
• diploma of early childhood preservice teachers
• visual images
• multiliteracy
• intercultural contexts

Acknowledgments

I wish to acknowledge the contribution of the Australian Government Endeavour Awards programme in making these study tour exchanges possible and the students for their excitement, energy and thoughtfulness. I would also acknowledge the contributions of the staff, particularly Michelle Reilly, in the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care course in Australia and Vietnam for their expertise in the Early Childhood field, patience and trust that this project will have a lasting impact on teaching and learning in intercultural contexts. Annie Truong you made a real difference for all of us in this tour with your first-hand knowledge of the people and places. Thanks, to Scott Welsh and Michael Hallpike their comments and suggestions on an earlier version of this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Course detail is contained under this link https://www.vu.edu.au/victoriapolytechnic/courses/area/early-childhood-education-support.

2. There may be further nuances in this thread that are beyond the scope of this paper. For example, Phuong may well have found conversations in Vietnamese challenging if she did not regularly use Vietnamese at home and there were intracultural sensitivities that were not teased out in this reflective conversation.

3. The total number of images analysed in Table 3 does not add up to 10 images per student. This may have been a result of the assignment and research request wording that requested the uploading of up to 10 images and annotations in both years. This issue was also similar in the 2015 Swedish and New Zealand study (Mellgren and Margrain 2015).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gwen Gilmore

Gwen Gilmore has a long-standing interest in inclusion and inclusive education, developing strength based approaches to systems leadership, relational resilience, intercultural education, transnational education, visual methodologies and the student voice in research and research design.