The Introduction of Global Collaboration to Pre-Service Teachers: Training Future Global Change-Agents

Abstract

By participating in global projects, students learn to communicate, asynchronously or synchronously, through digital tools and media. The project in this article paired pre-service teachers in the United States with primary students, ages 8 to 10, in South Korea. The intent was to expose pre-service teachers to global collaboration projects, and to give them experience with the challenges that come with global collaboration so they can later support their own students in such endeavors. The project was evaluated through an open-ended survey for pre-service teachers (N=19) and results were coded according to the constructs of TPACK (technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge). Results showed that the most impactful aspects of the project were in the pedagogy and technology constructs. Surveys showed mostly positive (n=9) and mixed experiences (n=8) for pre-service teachers. Negative experiences were largely related to challenges with asynchronous collaboration. Future recommendations include developing companion lessons to precede this project, training teachers and students in techniques, expectations, and norms during non-face-to-face collaboration.