Date of Award

1-1-2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

First Advisor

Kristina Hesbol, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Douglas Allen

Third Advisor

Paul Michalec

Fourth Advisor

Susan Korach

Keywords

Curriculum, Global Citizenry, Global Education, Global Educational Leadership, Global Educator, Global Perspective

Abstract

This mixed method study investigated the overarching question "how global education is understood and implemented in an educator preparation program in a Colorado university". The sub-questions used to answer the research question are:

* How is global education/perspective understood and implemented by the faculty?

* How do students perceive global education/perspective to be implemented in the program?

* How are the faculty and student's perspective similar and how are they different?

* How do the documents and artifacts support this?

The faculty members and pre-service teachers in this program were the research participants in the study. This area of research was chosen as a result of the increasing concerns over how the 21st century student is being prepared for global challenges. Alger (2003, p.20) pointed out that "we have not yet fully grasped the educational implications of globalization. How we might help our students to perceive their involvement in globalization, to discern the consequences of their actions, and to ponder on alternative forms of action?" For these reasons, one might agree with Anderson & Landman ( 2003) that it has become crucial to research teacher education programs in order to explore how well global perspectives and individuals' sense of globalization have been and could be incorporated into the program of study.

The mixed method employed cognitive interviews of faculty, survey questionnaires of students, and, document analysis of course requirements, course objectives, syllabi and required texts, to enable the researcher to elicit an in-depth understanding of the extent of global education in the program. This system yielded both quantitative and qualitative data for an evaluative, descriptive and exploratory design. Findings from all three strands were triangulated and integrated for analysis.

Included in the study are the researchers' lived experiences.

Major Findings, significance and conclusion include:

* Global perspective is not implemented to any appreciable extent in the program.

* The program is at the initial level on the global competence continuum because there is evidence indicating the reference to diversity, some aspects of multiculturalism, the implementation of culturally responsive pedagogy but very limited evidence to the reference and implementation of global perspectives.

* Faculty members possess the knowledge and skills to initiate the integration of issues of global significance and concerns into the curriculum.

* Faculty members are willing and interested in teaching with a global perspective.

* Students are very eager to explore their global perceptions so much so that a reference to global education /perspective is regarded as its implementation.

* Students deserve to be exposed to the world of potential outside the US, to develop their learning, global reasoning and sensibilities, and global capabilities through the infusion of issues and concerns of global significance.

* The program document accordingly makes references to diversity, multiculturalism, culturally responsive pedagogy and global perspectives but makes no demands to the enforcement of its implementation within the program.

* The time to institutionalize, operationalize, monitor and evaluate the implementation of global perspective /education is now.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Lydia Valentina Amewu-Sirleaf

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

en

File Size

279 p.

Discipline

Educational Administration, Educational Leadership, Education

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