Session moderated by Rachel Gioannini

Presentation 1 - Charting Change: Exploring the Changes in Global Perceptions in an Embedded Program    
Carson Letot    
Pennsylvania State University    

Global competence is becoming an essential element for the next generation to be career ready in a globalized workspace. Recent studies have indicated the critical role teachers play in fostering opportunities to increase global competence. Questions remain on best methods for integrating global competency training into teacher education programs, but immersion courses have emerged as a possible conduit for global learning needed to increase competency. Immersion courses offer an opportunity to pair curriculum with a short-term study abroad component that yields transformational learning. The conceptual framework for Studying Globally uses learner attributes and personal variables as a starting point to begin a cycle through: globally integrated education activity, reflection, and making of meaning to foster critical thinking for global competence. Previous work in Belize with in-country reflection showed improvement in cultural awareness and a better understanding of issues through review of journal entries. Rather than focus on the reflection in-country to study changes in dispositions, the study team sought to explore the shoulder components of the framework through pre and post immersion observations as a cohort. Using the agenda for a trip to Belize taken with agricultural and extension education students (n=7), a set of conversation topics were developed that paired itinerary points with indicators from the appropriate United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) to guide focus groups with the class roster pre-trip and immediately post trip. A qualitative review of the transcripts from both focus group sessions were analyzed for changes in themes from pre to post-trip. Results indicated that priorities shifted with primary themes in the pre-trip; Excitement, Food, and Heat, changing post trip; Relationships, Confidence, and Ways of Knowing. Results will inform future pre-departure curriculum for groups traveling to Belize from our department to build pre-trip curriculum that increases capacity for relationship building and global competence.

Presentation 2 - Exploring Perceptions of Global Issues in Pre-Service Educators in the GOALS Program    
Carson Letot    
Pennsylvania State University    

The United Nations (UN) has called for the systematic education for sustainable development to be integrated at all levels of education to assist with the achieving the international development targets known as the Sustainable Development Goal (UNSDGs). Studies suggest potential for the UNSDGs to serve as a resource to guide instruction. Previous work exploring the use of the UNSDGs commented on the effectiveness of the UNSDGs as a component of pedagogical design capacity, but studies focused on the adoption of the UNSDGs as a tool for the advancement of agriculture education are sparse. A baseline description of perceptions and confidence of pre-service agricultural educators regarding the UNSDGs can help guide conversations on best practices in professional development programs and agricultural teacher education curriculum. Building upon a pilot program funded by the USDA Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants (SEPCA), a study was conducted with the second cohort (n=16) of pre-service agricultural education students from two land-grant universities. Survey research was utilized to address three objectives: (a) identify awareness, importance, and implementation of global issues framed by the UNSDGS, (b) measure mean discrepancies between importance and implementation of specific UNSDGs, and (c) identify levels of confidence participants have in their ability to teach global issues. Our research team found highest awareness, importance, and implementation of global issues related to UNSDG (4): Quality Education. Most study participants indicated a desire to integrate the UNSDGs into their instruction, but discrepancies were present between importance and implementation were found in three UNSDGs including: (2) Zero Hunger, (3) Good Health and (6) Clean Water. These results will lead to a discussion on UNSDG integration in post-secondary settings and help inform future efforts of agricultural teacher education.
 

Presentation 3 - Global Background: Describing the Role of Universities in Preparing Pre-Service Educators to Teach Globally    
Carson Letot    
Pennsylvania State University    

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been cited as conduits for preparing students to think globally, thus assisting in the achievement of international development targets like United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). Recent studies have asked if HEIs in the US are appropriately equipping the next generation of graduates to address sustainability challenges and global issues through evolving curriculum and programs. Despite sporadic exploration of curriculum at HEI's, there has not been documented holistic integration of global learning in the specific area of agricultural teacher education. The research team surveyed pre-service university students in US agricultural education programs to explore the effectiveness of university programming in: (a) increasing awareness of the UNSDGs, (b) increasing integration of the UNSDGs in instructional design, and (c) increasing confidence in pre-service teacher candidates in teaching with the UNSDGs. Results showed a moderate awareness of the UNSDGs and a majority of the population willing to integrate global issues into their instruction. Significant differences were present in the study population based on the demographic variable of those who enrolled in a university course focused on international topics versus those who did not. Pre-service candidates may not necessarily become more aware of the UNSDGs because of enrollment in a course, but pre-service candidates may be more likely to integrate the UNSDGs into their instructional design and may be more confident delivering content related to global issues. Future work exploring this line of inquiry is encouraged to describe the differences in abilities and integration of the UNSDGs because of participating in global learning curriculum. Impacts from similar studies will offer better insight into best practices for encouraging global learning as well as means for providing professional development for current in-service educators who seek to cultivate global competency in themselves and in their learners.
 

Presentation 4 - Faculty Development for the Internationalization of On-Campus Courses    
Maria Navarro    
University of Georgia    

Faculty with international experience are not necessarily successful translating their experience into their courses. We explored the types of knowledge and professional development that are necessary to support faculty interested in integrating global dimensions, content, and perspectives into their on-campus courses, and what would be some of the fundamental student learning outcomes to consider that an on-campus course has been "successfully internationalized."
The Global Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework (GPACK), based on the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge model (TPCK/TPACK) purports that acquisition of different types of knowledge is critical for successful internationalization of the curriculum and delves into the relationship among three knowledge dimensions: disciplinary content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and global knowledge.

In this presentation, we first propose fundamental student learning outcomes for on-campus internationalized courses, and discuss in-depth the GPACK framework, particularly the Global Knowledge dimension, and its application in faculty development efforts. We then examine the fitness of the GPACK model with programs for faculty development intended to support the internationalization of the on-campus agricultural and environmental sciences curriculum in higher education institutions across the United States, and present the critical elements of each example and their potential impact on curriculum internationalization.

Some of the programs addressed all three knowledge dimensions (content, pedagogical, and global-context), and the intersections between them, while other programs focused only in one of the dimensions of the GPACK model, or did not address the connections between them. Programs chosen for review range from series of 1-2-hour content-focused workshops to year-long faculty learning communities, group international/travel experiences, or teaching-oriented sabbatical opportunities.
In summary, we recommend using the GPACK framework to guide faculty development programs for the internationalization of on-campus curriculum, and propose strategies to address the integration, intersections, and acquisition of the three knowledge dimensions: content, pedagogical, and global knowledge.