ERIC Number: EJ1122317
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1042-0541
EISSN: N/A
Impacts of a Faculty Abroad Experience on Teaching Style and Technology Use in a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Sandlin, M'Randa R.; Murphrey, Theresa Pesl; Lindner, James R.; Dooley, Kim E.
Journal of Agricultural Education, v54 n3 p186-197 2013
Faculty abroad programs are becoming a popular method to provide faculty in colleges of agriculture with international experiences so they may internationalize their curricula. These programs also serve to provide experiential faculty development opportunities. Eight faculty members from Texas A&M University participated in a faculty abroad experience in Trinidad and Tobago and developed instructional materials using technology. Pre-reflective and reflective interview responses were qualitatively analyzed to determine the impact of this experience on participants' teaching style and technology usage. The comparison of the pre-reflective and reflective data sets indicated participants perceived impact on teaching style, specifically in relation to their curriculum content and use of global connections as it pertained to their discipline and global relationships with native counterparts. Many participants were already using technology in the classroom prior to the international experience. As a result of the experience, the level of their technology usage increased as they incorporated media, such as audio and video, to communicate their experiences and create context for their lessons. It was concluded that teaching style, technology usage, and excitement for teaching were renewed as a result of an international experience. Future studies should be conducted to compare these findings with similar faculty abroad experiences.
Descriptors: Overseas Employment, College Faculty, Agricultural Education, Foreign Countries, Interviews, Teaching Styles, Technology Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Reflection, Program Effectiveness, Global Approach, Technology Integration, Qualitative Research
American Association for Agricultural Education. P.O. Box 7607, Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, Raleigh, NC 27695. Web site: http://www.aaaeonline.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas; Trinidad and Tobago
Grant or Contract Numbers: 00561696