Teachers as overseas volunteer teacher educators: a case study of Global Schoolroom as a professional encounter

peer-reviewed
The study sought to address how volunteer teacher educators translate their overseas experience into their understanding of global development and their professional knowledge and practice in the context of a professional collaboration between the University of Limerick and Global Schoolroom. This research involved a case study of Global Schoolroom, an Irish NGO which annually recruits Irish teachers to work as short-term voluntary teacher-educators in North East India. Throughout the programme of learning, the Irish teacher volunteers share educational knowledge and experience with their Indian colleagues and learning occurs for both groups as they work together in a professional network demonstrating collegiality in forming bonds across material and national divides. Previous research on teacher exchanges and study visits questions their impact: Holden and Hicks (2007) say that prior cross-cultural experiences can positively impact on student teachers’ attitudes towards development issues, while Willard-Holt (2001) acknowledges the value of cross-cultural experiences for teachers. The key question is whether or not the experience of being in a new culture engenders change in assumptions about other cultures and developing countries. Some argue that the overseas experience can reinforce existing negative stereotypes: Sin (2009) uncovers a process of ‘othering’ by volunteers which neglects critical engagement with development issues while Merryfield (2000) claims it is unrealistic to expect middle-class white teacher educators to develop perspective consciousness due to their privileged positioning. This study identifies learning from overseas encounters as a professional development activity for teachers, and asks how their experience is translated into professional lives and practices. Qualitative research was deemed the most appropriate methodology for this study and I utilised three data collection methods: observations in North East India in July 2011 and 2012