Please Mind the Culture Gap

Problem Statement and Purpose of the Study

The study’s goal and problem statement are clearly stated in the text. This study aimed to investigate the multicultural cultivation of a preservice teacher participating in a semester-long teacher training exchange course in London, England (Marx & Moss, 2011). The authors of this study wanted to gain more knowledge of how global experiences could be part of our attempt to prepare multicultural teachers. Studies on abroad courses for teacher education are few. The premise of this study was that educators need to be aware of any potential cultural gaps that can separate them and their students. At the core of what the author refers to as an ethnic-relative worldview—a necessity for culturally competent teaching—is learning how culture and cultural disparities impact our interpersonal relationships.

Background and study significance

The article uses pertinent citation information to clarify the research problems and questions. The existing literature provides insights on teacher education study abroad programs, the importance of immersion within a foreign cultural context, and cultural reflection during and after the experience as vital to students’ growing cultural awareness (Marx & Moss, 2011). The citations indicate a need for more knowledge and skills in the field. While extant literature on teacher training and study abroad experiences provides valuable insights into the impact of these programs on international advancement, it needs to provide more illumination on how these programs affect student development throughout the trip.

Moreover, enough information is given about the subject of the study. The authors explain the importance of the study in improving understanding of the possible contribution that international experiences may make to the development of culturally sensitive teachers.

Readers are informed about the article’s research topic and questions’ underlying assumptions. In this sense, preservice teachers must develop intercultural awareness and sensitivity before being culturally responsive. The problem statement and research questions are logically established by the study offered in the introduction. The introduction does not mention the research technique.

Research questions

The specific research questions are: How does a preservice teacher’s intercultural development evolve throughout a study abroad semester in London, England, for teacher education? Moreover, (b) What aspects of the experience and study abroad program helped or hampered her ability to grow internationally? The problem statement and the study’s significance are connected to the research questions. The questions are easy to understand because they are concisely described in the introduction and only cover one concept per question. The article refrains from making use of any secondary questions.

Methods and procedures

The research methods provide important information about the research issue, including in-depth interviews. The approach includes enough information on the methods used to obtain the results so that other researchers can duplicate the process. Ana, a preservice teacher participating in a study abroad program for teacher education, was one of the study sample participants. The place was in England’s London. Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were applied in the study. Both main and secondary approaches were used. The data was analyzed using a constant comparative technique and a three-step coding procedure: open, directional, and selective coders. The research integrated secondary sources to supplement the main materials to ensure validity. By analyzing the data—which included IDI results, participant observation, and interviews—the researchers could answer the initial research question and provide details about the participant’s study abroad program while also painting a nuanced picture of her changing multicultural perspective (Marx & Moss, 2011). There are no tables or graphs in the data.

Results

The investigation’s findings are presented in detail by the writers. The findings are organized logically according to the study questions, data gathering, and analysis. The findings address the authors’ presumptions about the research issue and summarize the overall studies. The first and second phases of the research study—the semester-long study abroad program in London—are the subjects of the findings that have been presented. The writers presented the results clearly and concisely, avoiding judgments or inferences that supported by the study. This essay includes a discussion of Ana’s growth as a multicultural person during her coursework abroad term in London.

Conclusion

The research has a direct bearing on the conclusions. The writers provide a summary of the study, suggestions, and analysis of the research questions and audience navigation. As the writers attempt to refute any presumptions on the subject and respond to the paper’s research questions, no new notions are introduced.

Reference

Marx, H., & Moss, D. M. (2011). Please mind the culture gap: Intercultural development during a teacher education study abroad program. Journal of teacher education, 62(1), 35-47.