Macedonian and U.S. Students in a Pre-Service Teaching Cultural Exchange: Examining the Formation of Perspective Consciousness

International Journal of Social Education. Ball State University, Department of History, Muncie, IN 47306. Tel: 765-285-8700; Fax: 765-285-5612; Web site: http://ijse.iweb.bsu.edu/

Y

29

Schools of Education; International Educational Exchange; Teacher Exchange Programs; Global Approach; Foreign Countries; Cultural Influences; Preservice Teachers; Preservice Teacher Education; Qualitative Research; Interviews; Reflection; Perspective Taking; Cultural Awareness; Religion; Politics; Consciousness Raising

Macedonia; United States

0889-0293

Through a pre-service teacher cultural exchange, the authors trace the development of a global perspective, working specifically within Hanvey's concept of "perspective consciousness". From qualitative observations, interviews and written reflections, the data of four education students who traveled to Macedonia from the United States and five education students who traveled to the U.S. from their country of Macedonia, the data demonstrate how perspective consciousness emerged across three themes: "resources", "religion", and "political" consciousness. Looking across these themes, the authors present conclusions about the conditions that may foster or hinder perspective consciousness, such as substantive knowledge about a place, seeking common ground (rather than differences), and at times putting one's own deepest beliefs aside. The data hold several implications for fostering a global perspective in colleges of education and especially within their global exchange programs, adding current findings to Hanvey's and Merry Merryfield's claims about attaining a global perspective. (Contains 32 notes.)

As Provided

2011

EJ944025