"We just have different colors" : Enhancing Student Teachers' Multicultural Sensitivity Through International Field Experience

Abstract

This research investigated the impact of the International Student Teacher Exchange Program (I-STEP) on the enhancement of preservice teachers’ cultural sensitivity. The results of this research are consistent to the findings from previous studies confirming the positive effect of international field experiences. Specifically, the analysis of the quantitative survey showed that the 2008 I-STEP programs were effective in improving participant impressions on the hosts’ ethno-groups. The journal analysis confirmed this result by showing that the preservice teachers reconsidered their beliefs about other ethnic groups through the program participation. Although the participants had possessed a set of biases about the ethnic groups, the participants interacted with host ethnic groups and reconsidered their beliefs about the groups. Through person-to-person interaction, the participants found that human beings share some commonalities in ways of feeling and living. At the same time, they realized that people can be different and that the differences are cultural constructions. As the I-STEP allowed the participants to access to others’ lived worlds, they witnessed other possibilities of being in the world and reflected upon their own ways of living. Thus, this experience of cultural emersion expanded the participants’ worldviews and developed the attitude of active respect. Based on these findings, this paper presents several implications for the future development of international field experience programs for preservice teachers and further of multicultural teacher education curricula in general.