Cultural Preparedness of Adult Educators: A Changing Dynamic in Higher Education
Date
2024-01-24
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Abstract
Numbers of international undergraduate students enrolled in Canadian universities and colleges have grown from 22,000 in the year 2000 to 2.2 million in 2022. While international students embark on their post-secondary journey of discovery, we as educators also embark on a journey of discovery to explore how prepared we are to meet the international learning community's needs. This research focused on generating understanding around cultural preparedness in learning communities and the tools needed to support the educating community. For this inquiry, I drew from the transformative learning theoretical framework, guided by a qualitative research methodological approach and methods to utilize a three-phased research design of topic-based focus groups and interviews. In this study, I drew from seminal work and insights on culture. I defined a nuanced definition of cultural preparedness in adult learning settings, specifically at a public university in Western Canada. The findings suggest that cultural preparedness is a community-wide endeavour in collaboration with students, administration, educators and begins with understanding one’s positionality. Outcomes from this study may further help educators promote best practices related to internationalization at home in the 21st century. Key words: internationalization at home, educators, students, transformative learning, qualitative, cultural preparedness, global pandemic, COVID-19
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Internationalization, Internationalization at Home, Cultural Preparedness
Citation
McDonald, M. A. (2024). Cultural preparedness of adult educators: a changing dynamic in higher education (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.