Local and Global – Conflicting Perspectives? The Place of Overseas Practicum in Preservice Teacher Education

Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, Volume 41, Issue 1, 2013, pages 55-68.

This study explores the teaching development of a group of 24 preservice teachers from a regional university on a placement in Beijing.
The study also examines the ways they make explicit connections between their learning on overseas practicum and their teaching in Australia.

The findings indicate that it is precisely the difference in teaching contexts that enables professional development in key areas of professional standards.

This study challenges perceptions of overseas practicum as ‘cultural tourism’ and also the presumption of conflict between preparing teachers for both global and local contexts.