examining jamaican teachers’ global perspectives – part i by sarah mathews, ph.d., flavia iuspa,...

Examining Jamaican Teachers’ Global Perspectives – Part I

By Sarah Mathews, Ph.D., Flavia Iuspa, Ed.D.,

andGeorge Dawkins, Ed.D.

COE Brownbag Research SeminarDecember 10, 2014

Phase One Overview

Vision 2030 Jamaica calls for globalizing Jamaica FIU offers globally-focused Masters in Curriculum and Instruction

degree program in Kingston, Jamaica This study seeks to examine two questions:

1) What is the global perspective profile of the selected in-service Jamaican teachers?

2) Is there a statistically significant difference in teachers’ global perspectives GPI subscales by demographic* characteristics and experiences abroad? Utilizing the Global Perspective Inventory (GPI) survey

Background

The world is becoming increasingly more globally-connected (Castles, 2007; Friedman, 2000; Suarez-Orozco, 2004)

Globalization processes create a need to adjust the education goals of each country to prepare globally competent citizens

Global competency is defined as “the capacity and disposition to understand and act on issues of global significance (Boix-Mansilla & Jackson, 2011, p. xiii).

Vision 2030 Jamaica:

“To contribute national development and compete effectively in the global economy” (Government of Jamaica, 2012).

“Well resourced, internationally recognized, values based system that develops critical thinking, lifelong learners who are productive, successful, and effectively contribute to an improved quality of life at the personal, national, and global levels” (Government of Jamaica, 2012).

Background and Research Purpose

Global education should be infused in all levels of the curriculum (Abdullahi, 2010; Bruce, Podemski, & Anderson, 1991; Zhao, 2009)

Educators must have a well developed global perspective in order to incorporate global education (Merryfield & Wilson, 2005)

Hanvey’s (1976) 5 dimensions of global perspective: 1) Perspective Consciousness, 2) Cross-Cultural Awareness, 3) State of the Planet Awareness, 4) Knowledge of Global Dynamics, 5) Awareness of Human Choices Substantive domain – Mastery of information

Perceptual domain – Disposition or perceptual frameworks impacting how one views the world*

This study explores Jamaican in-service teachers’ global perspectives.

Two research questions:

Q1: What is the global perspective profile of the selected in-service Jamaican teachers?

Q2: Is there a statistically significant difference in teachers’ global perspectives GPI subscales by demographic* characteristics and experiences abroad?

*Demographics= gender, highest level of teaching preparation

Research Questions

GPI Cognitive Dimension, How do I know?

Intrapersonal Dimension, Who am I?

Interpersonal Dimension,How do I relate to others?

Knowledge Intrapersonal Affect

Social Responsibility

Knowing Intrapersonal Identity

Social Interaction

Conceptual Framework:Global Perspective Inventory

• Kegan (1994) outlined three domains of holistic human development: Cognitive, Intrapersonal, and Interpersonal.

•Braskamp, Braskamp, Merril, and Engberg (2013) suggest a holistic approach to global perspective development based on three domains:

◦ Quantitative Study

◦ Instrument: GPI, consist of 76 items, of which 40 close ended questions based on a five-point Likert scale.

Methodology

# of question

Cognitive Domain

Knowledge 5

Knowing 8

Intrapersonal Domain

Intrapersonal Affect 9

Intrapersonal identity 7

Interpersonal Domain

Social Responsibility 5

Social Interaction 7

Curriculum, Co-Curriculum, and Community

23

Methodology Continued

Data Collection GPI was administered by hand in 2 high schools and 1 college located in

Kingston,* Jamaica. Convenience sample, N=280, n=176, response rate of 63%, Spring 2013 Pilot Study** Keyed into Qualtrics to facilitate analysis in SPSS.

Data Analysis Descriptive Statistics – Qualtrics and SPSS – (to answer Q1 of the study) Statistical Analysis – T-tests and Anova – (to answer Q2 of the study)

What is the global perspective profile of the selected in-service Jamaican teachers?

Demographics: 89% were females,

59% full-time teachers,

42% hold a bachelors degree in education

Field of study: 24% reported Education and Social Education, 18% Arts and Humanities

91% of the participants reported not having participated in study abroad.

Question 1 -Results

Cognitive Dimension Descriptive Statistics

Knowledge Items (understanding/awareness of cultures and current issues)

Percentage

I can discuss cultural differences from an informed perspective

• 64% SA or A• 27% Neutral• 9 % SD or D

I know how to analyze the basic characteristics of a culture

• 60% SA or A• 29% Neutral• 11% SD or D

I am informed of a current issues that impact international relations.


Knowing Items (recognizing the importance of cultural context/impact)

Percentages

I take into account different perspectives before drawing conclusions about the world around me.

• 82 % SA o A• 12% Neutral• 5% D

In different settings what is right and wrong is simple to determine.*

• 59 % SA or A• 17% Neutral• 24% SD or D

When I noticed cultural differences, my culture tends to have a better approach.*


Cultural Differences makes me question what is really true


I rarely question what I have been taught about the world around me.*

• 45% SA or D• 25% Neutral• 31% SD or D

Intrapersonal Descriptive Statistics

Intrapersonal identity (awareness of how gender, ethnicity, and race impact one’s identity)

Percentages

I have definite goals for my life

99% SA or A

I know who I am as a person

92% SA or A

I put my beliefs into action by standing up for my principles

91% SA or A

I am willing to defend my own views when they differ from others

86% SA or A

Intrapersonal Affect (Respect and Acceptance of other culture)

Percentages

I am sensitive to those who are discriminated against

82% SA or A

I am accepting people with different religious and spiritual traditions

72% SA or A

I constantly need affirmative confirmation about myself from others*

• 71% SD or D• 18% Neutral• 11% SA or A

I feel threatened around people from backgrounds different from my own*


I get offended often by people who do not understand my point-of-view.*

• 43% SD or D• 33% SA or A• 25% Neutral

Interpersonal Descriptive Statistic

Interpersonal Social Responsibility (social concern for others and interdependencies)

Percentages

I consciously behave in terms of making a difference

• 89% SA or A• 9% Neutral• 1% D

I think of my life in terms of giving back to society


Volunteering is not an important priority in my life.*


I work for the rights of others

• 55% SA or A• 35% Neutral• 10% SA or A

Interpersonal Social Interaction (interaction with other cultures and cultural sensitivity)

Percentages

Most of my friends are from my own ethnic background.*

• 82% SA or A• 8% Neutral• 10% SD o D

I enjoy when my friends from other cultures teach me about our cultural differences.

• 68% SA or A• 24%Neutral• 8% SD or D

I am open to people who strive to live lives very different from my own life style.


I am able to take on various roles as appropriate in different cultures and ethnic settings


I intentionally involve people from many cultural backgrounds in my life.


Curricular ScoresCurricular Items Numbers of Courses

0 1 2 3 4 5 +Mean

Multicultural course addressing issues of race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion, or sexual orientation.

12% 43% 25% 6% 5% 8% 3

Foreign language course 44% 41% 6% 3% 1% 5% 2

World history course 45% 26% 17% 6% 2% 4% 2Course focused on significant global/international issues and problems

44% 29% 12% 11% 2% 4% 2

Course that includes opportunities for intensive dialogue among students with different backgrounds and beliefs

30% 35% 11% 9% 4% 12% 3

Co-Curricular and Community ScoresCo- Curricular Items

Percent of RespondentsN (0) R (1) S (2) O (3) VO (4)

Mean

Attended a lecture/workshop/campus discussion on international/global issues

29% 31% 26% 11% 2% 2.28

Followed an international event/crisis (e.g., through newspaper, social media, or other media source)

2% 10% 37% 22% 29% 3.65

Interacted with people from a country different from your own.

4% 25% 38% 22% 10% 3.09

Interacted with people from a race/ethnic group different than your own

2% 31% 42% 20% 4% 2.93

Participated in events or activities sponsored groups reflecting your own cultural heritage

15% 23% 43% 11% 5% 2.68

Participated in leadership programs that stress collaboration and team work

3% 11% 36% 40% 18% 3.47

Community Items

Percent of RespondentsSA (5) A (4) N (3) D (2) SD (1)

Mean

I have a strong sense of affiliation with the school I work in.

43% 40% 11% 4% 2% 1.83

I feel that my school community honors diversity and internationalism.

17% 47% 28% 6% 2% 2.28

I feel I am a part of a close community of colleagues and friends.

26% 46% 21% 5% 2% 2.10

Question 2- Is there a statistically significant difference in teachers’ global perspectives sub-scales by …?

(a) Gender

An independent-samples t-test

There was a statistically significant difference Cognitive Knowledge Scale

Men: (M=10.52, SD=1.93)

Female: (M=11.79, SD=2.83)

Conditions; t(172)=-1.899, p=0.0295*

There was no statistical significance on any other GPI subscale

(b) Experiences Abroad

An independent-samples t-test

There was a statistically significant difference Cognitive Knowing Scale

Ex. Abroad: (M=25.13, SD=3.46), No. Ex. Abroad: (M=21.55. SD=4.54),

Conditions; t(171)=2.97, p=0.003*

There was a statistically significant difference in the Interpersonal Social Interaction Scale

Ex. Abroad: (M=14.50, SD=21.63), No. Ex. Abroad: (M=17.66, SD=3.68),

Conditions; t(171)=2.97, p=0.1014*

(c) Teachers’ Education Level

An Anova test

Overall, there was no statistically significant effect on teachers’ education level and the GPI subscales

Statistically significant difference

Intrapersonal Identity subscale

Conditions [F(6,142)=1.960, p=0.0375*)

Intrapersonal Affect

Conditions [F(6,142)=2.068, p=0.045*)

*p<0.05

Summary of the Findings – GPI Results

How do I know?

Knowing Dimension – Participants report a neutral scores toward the importance of cultural content.

Knowledge Dimension - Participants report a high level of awareness of cultures and current issues.

Who am I?

Intrapersonal Identity – Participants report a high level of awareness of who they are (identity).

Intrapersonal Affect – Participants report a high affect towards respect and acceptance of other culture.

How do I relate to others?

Interpersonal Social Responsibility – Participants report a high level of concern for others (attribute for global citizenship).

Interpersonal Social Interaction – Participants report a mix tendency toward interaction with other cultures and cultural sensitivity.

Summary of the Findings Continued

Curricular Results Overall participants reported taken 1 or less courses in areas such as foreign language, world

history, global education, and conflict resolution.

Co-Curricular Results Overall participants reported the lack access to workshop and/ campus discussion on

international/global issues.

Respondents reported a slightly higher level of engagement in activities that promote professional development than global development.

Community Results Participants reported a positive perceptions of their communities on their own professional

development.

GPI subscales and gender: females scored higher in the cognitive knowledge score.

GPI subscales: experience abroad demonstrated significantly higher cognitive knowing and social responsibility subscale scores.

• Convenient sampling (non-probability)

• Lack of generalization

• Larger number of participants were women than men

Limitations

Implications

Include more courses that promote self-reflection

Create cross-cultural and intercultural opportunities within the community setting

Developing a global perspective course in our program and other professional development opportunities

Facilitate study abroad opportunities

Explicitly embed three domains of global perspective into the curriculum

Limited research on Jamaican teachers’ levels of global perspective

Inform our program as well as any teacher education program interested in aligning curricula to prepare for Vision 2030

Pose recommendations for global education in Jamaica

Significance of the Study

Further Research – Phase Two

Coming Spring 2015 Mixed Methods (Phase Two Began Fall 2014)

Distributed GPI in every parish on the island

Semi-structured Interviews with 20 teachers (representative of the 14 parishes)

ObjectivesExamine nuances of some questions based on socio-cultural context

Examine statistical significance of different demographic characteristics

Examine teachers perspectives of additional aspects of global education (e.g. global awareness, global engagement, teacher efficacy)

Questions/Comments

examining jamaican teachers’ global perspectives – part i by sarah mathews, ph.d., flavia iuspa,...

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