PSO 2: Evaluate and conduct research to improve instructional practices and institutional cultures.
Relevance
To fulfill the requirements of EDU 533 (Intercultural Competence), which I took in Spring 2013, I conducted, filmed, and produced an interview with three Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCKs). The interview took place after I had read the book Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds by Dave Pollock and Ruth Van Reken (2009). The authors are considered the main authorities on the subject of the Third Culture Kid phenomenon, and the book represents the most complete synthesis of research on the matter. I also investigated several online videos that describe the experiences of Third Culture Kids. After completing the interviews and compiling all the footage, a process that include a face-to-face encounter between all three interviewees, I found that my research confirmed the findings of the experts in the field. This confirmation validated my research and gave me deeper insight into the research process, which will serve me immensely as I pursue my academic goals. It has also improved my cultural awareness and sharpened my sensitivity toward multicultural students in my future classrooms.
This interview consisted of questions about each ATCK’s past, present, and future, focusing on how their experiences shaped them as individuals and how they relate to the various cultures they identify with. Though each one had completely unique upbringings, their stories were connected by common threads, such as lacking a sense of belonging to a culture and gratitude for their exposure to the world.
I selected this assignment because it synthesized much of my learning in that course, represented a significant amount of research, and required an enormous amount of effort to compile into a finished product. It was a critical assignment for the course, and it showcases my abilities in the areas of research and media production. I found great joy in creating this artifact, and I believe that joy of learning about cultures and individuals will overflow into my work in my future classrooms.
Link to the YouTube video of the interview
Significance
Producing this video interview enabled me to reflect not only on the themes I had studied throughout the semester, but also on how I relate to people with backgrounds different from my own. The fact that I was already a close friend of each ATCK was advantageous, as high levels of comfort and familiarity existed between us as we spoke. When I encounter students who have unique cultural backgrounds, I will need to forge a relationship with them in which I communicate respect for their culture and sensitivity to their needs, both academic and personal. Asking my good friends questions about their background gave me practice in this area – although I knew them well, and knew the gist of their stories, I did not know all the details or factors contributing to their personalities. This interview was an exercise in cultural awareness and relationship building, both of which are critical for teachers in the diverse educational demographics of the 21st century.
Links to Theory & Worldview
The theory most closely linked to this assignment was social constructivism. Under this umbrella theory, teachers are participants in learning, facilitators of growth, and co-constructors of knowledge (Woolfolk, 2010). My main role as interviewer was to ask questions and to listen to the responses of my interviewees. However, my secondary role was to guide their thinking by sharing my knowledge of the third culture phenomenon, which was previously unknown to each of them. Furthermore, my knowledge of the phenomenon grew as their shared personal experiences and applications. Therefore, I learned more about what it means to be an ATCK as they processed and described their life stories. Social constructivism is present when all involved have gained deeper understanding and have shared responsibility for the learning that takes place, and this interview reflects that clearly.
Because each ATCK is a Christian who has witnessed God’s presence through multiple cultural lenses, their answers to my questions communicated an openness to God’s leadership and faithfulness as they travel the globe. Each understands that their globetrotting has been a result of God’s work in their lives, and that He has shaped them into the men they are through each country and culture they have encountered. Many ATCKs have not known God or experienced His goodness on their journeys, and therefore have not been equipped to discern or expect his faithfulness through their lives’ many changes. ATCKs who know and trust the Lord will seek his kingdom in whichever land they inhabit, remembering that He has called his followers to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey the commands of Jesus (Matt. 28:19).
Professional Actions
This interview reflected my strengths as a researcher, but it also revealed areas in which I must improve. Though my findings were consistent with those detailed in the book, they were taken from a very small sample size: three adult males. Each one came from a different cultural background (Californian, Filipino, Ugandan), so their perspectives were quite varied. However, a viewer commented to me that she was curious to know how this phenomenon affected women. I was aware of a few women who had a third culture experience, but found it most convenient to interview the three men. Fortunately, a large body of research exists that includes the effects of a third culture upbringing on both men and women, so my project is sufficient for what it is. But my research methods would improve with greater variation among my sample population. As I explore more research opportunities in the future, I will be mindful of diversity and the perceptions of my intended audience.
In my personal and professional experience, I have generally been a person who is welcoming of people of diverse backgrounds; however, I know that I have room to improve in this area as a professional educator. As I encounter more students of diverse backgrounds, I will pursue greater cultural awareness and will seek ways to integrate multicultural aspects into my teaching. Learning about my students will be an exercise in research as well, and I intend to develop new strategies for gathering information about my students and for building connections with them. This will help me become a more culturally competent educator who is equipped to teach students of all backgrounds, and who views diversity in the classroom as an opportunity to learn rather than a hurdle to overcome.
To fulfill the requirements of EDU 533 (Intercultural Competence), which I took in Spring 2013, I conducted, filmed, and produced an interview with three Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCKs). The interview took place after I had read the book Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds by Dave Pollock and Ruth Van Reken (2009). The authors are considered the main authorities on the subject of the Third Culture Kid phenomenon, and the book represents the most complete synthesis of research on the matter. I also investigated several online videos that describe the experiences of Third Culture Kids. After completing the interviews and compiling all the footage, a process that include a face-to-face encounter between all three interviewees, I found that my research confirmed the findings of the experts in the field. This confirmation validated my research and gave me deeper insight into the research process, which will serve me immensely as I pursue my academic goals. It has also improved my cultural awareness and sharpened my sensitivity toward multicultural students in my future classrooms.
This interview consisted of questions about each ATCK’s past, present, and future, focusing on how their experiences shaped them as individuals and how they relate to the various cultures they identify with. Though each one had completely unique upbringings, their stories were connected by common threads, such as lacking a sense of belonging to a culture and gratitude for their exposure to the world.
I selected this assignment because it synthesized much of my learning in that course, represented a significant amount of research, and required an enormous amount of effort to compile into a finished product. It was a critical assignment for the course, and it showcases my abilities in the areas of research and media production. I found great joy in creating this artifact, and I believe that joy of learning about cultures and individuals will overflow into my work in my future classrooms.
Link to the YouTube video of the interview
Significance
Producing this video interview enabled me to reflect not only on the themes I had studied throughout the semester, but also on how I relate to people with backgrounds different from my own. The fact that I was already a close friend of each ATCK was advantageous, as high levels of comfort and familiarity existed between us as we spoke. When I encounter students who have unique cultural backgrounds, I will need to forge a relationship with them in which I communicate respect for their culture and sensitivity to their needs, both academic and personal. Asking my good friends questions about their background gave me practice in this area – although I knew them well, and knew the gist of their stories, I did not know all the details or factors contributing to their personalities. This interview was an exercise in cultural awareness and relationship building, both of which are critical for teachers in the diverse educational demographics of the 21st century.
Links to Theory & Worldview
The theory most closely linked to this assignment was social constructivism. Under this umbrella theory, teachers are participants in learning, facilitators of growth, and co-constructors of knowledge (Woolfolk, 2010). My main role as interviewer was to ask questions and to listen to the responses of my interviewees. However, my secondary role was to guide their thinking by sharing my knowledge of the third culture phenomenon, which was previously unknown to each of them. Furthermore, my knowledge of the phenomenon grew as their shared personal experiences and applications. Therefore, I learned more about what it means to be an ATCK as they processed and described their life stories. Social constructivism is present when all involved have gained deeper understanding and have shared responsibility for the learning that takes place, and this interview reflects that clearly.
Because each ATCK is a Christian who has witnessed God’s presence through multiple cultural lenses, their answers to my questions communicated an openness to God’s leadership and faithfulness as they travel the globe. Each understands that their globetrotting has been a result of God’s work in their lives, and that He has shaped them into the men they are through each country and culture they have encountered. Many ATCKs have not known God or experienced His goodness on their journeys, and therefore have not been equipped to discern or expect his faithfulness through their lives’ many changes. ATCKs who know and trust the Lord will seek his kingdom in whichever land they inhabit, remembering that He has called his followers to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey the commands of Jesus (Matt. 28:19).
Professional Actions
This interview reflected my strengths as a researcher, but it also revealed areas in which I must improve. Though my findings were consistent with those detailed in the book, they were taken from a very small sample size: three adult males. Each one came from a different cultural background (Californian, Filipino, Ugandan), so their perspectives were quite varied. However, a viewer commented to me that she was curious to know how this phenomenon affected women. I was aware of a few women who had a third culture experience, but found it most convenient to interview the three men. Fortunately, a large body of research exists that includes the effects of a third culture upbringing on both men and women, so my project is sufficient for what it is. But my research methods would improve with greater variation among my sample population. As I explore more research opportunities in the future, I will be mindful of diversity and the perceptions of my intended audience.
In my personal and professional experience, I have generally been a person who is welcoming of people of diverse backgrounds; however, I know that I have room to improve in this area as a professional educator. As I encounter more students of diverse backgrounds, I will pursue greater cultural awareness and will seek ways to integrate multicultural aspects into my teaching. Learning about my students will be an exercise in research as well, and I intend to develop new strategies for gathering information about my students and for building connections with them. This will help me become a more culturally competent educator who is equipped to teach students of all backgrounds, and who views diversity in the classroom as an opportunity to learn rather than a hurdle to overcome.