Internationalization of teacher training

A group of 16 students from California State University, accompanied by professors Melinda R. Pierson and Janice Myck-Wayne (Department of Special Education), were hosted by the Chair of Elementary Education at the KU in January. They are partners in the International Project (IPC) initiated by Prof. Dr. Klaudia Schultheis in which teaching degree students from Germany, the USA, Japan, Bulgaria, Poland, and Spain work together on school-related projects and compare their results through an online platform.

Schultheis and her guests took advantage of the visit as an opportunity to present the IPC to a wider audience as part of the Didaktische Highlights (didactic highlights) lecture series organized by the Center for Teacher Education and Educational Research. During their stay the American students discussed the topic of how to be a good teacher with their German counterparts.

The aim of the IPC is for students to not only expand their knowledge related to their teaching degree programs but also develop a sensitivity for and awareness of cultural differences and similarities. Participants gain insights into research methods and experience of organizing projects, develop technical skills, and plan teaching projects. In her presentation, Schultheis emphasized that the IPC concept of ‘internationalization at home’ does not just apply to teacher training but could also be transferred to other disciplines.

Further information is available at www.internationalproject-ipc.com/en/.

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