Global Partnerships as Sites for Mutual Learning Dr. Lynne Wyness

Phase III report: UK findings  Longitudinal focus with past participants of GSVC and ISV ( )  Length of time to process learning (Phase II)  Extended scope of research  Research methods – questionnaire (78 respondents); interviews (12); focus groups (4)

Key areas of learning  Impact that study visits/courses has had over time  The nature of the learning process  The impact of the partnership or relationship between the UK and Southern organisations

Professional and personal impact and change over time All participants refuted criticisms that study visit/courses only lead to superficial learning [...] if you’re going to try and make an argument for international professional visits, or study visits, facilitated study visits, the funder has to understand that it’s not something that fits a funding cycle. It’s much, much more complex. [...] I think what funders look for is, you know, you’ve taken them on this trip, what’s the breadth of outcomes? They want immediate outcomes, but actually it’s about depth, it’s about deep, deep learning. (Ranjini, GSVC, 2005)

It’s really hard to tease that out....I mean the thing that I came back from [The Gambia] was, even more of a sense of urgency about particularly climate change. Just being....yes, experiencing it really first hand. Now, has that changed my behaviour or whether that’s just another thing that’s added to my... the way I try and live, I don’t know. It probably did add to it. [...] it’s difficult to tease it out and separate it from other influences. I think it’s just...it’s just part of that journey. Lots of different experiences have happened and it probably....it may well be quite a big part, but I can’t...it’s difficult to tease that out. (Jeff, GSVC, 2002) it’s hard to disentangle it from other things that were going on, and other opportunities that I had....(Bella, GSVC, 2005)

Blurring of boundary between professional and personal learning Because personal is our professional. Personal is, you know, you’re a teacher. [...] It’s your life. [...] I’m a teacher whether I’m deputy, whatever I’m doing, that is my role. You have to be a role model. That’s it. There’s no distinction really. Motivations for taking part in study visit/ courses – often professional initially

Informing professional practice I feel that the course has impacted on everything I do in class and in school. Global education and Global citizenship is at the heart of my teaching and embedded in everything I do. (female, GSVC, 2005) It has affected almost every aspect of my professional work - too many examples to mention. (female, GSVC, 2002)

Teaching about distant places Enhanced understanding of the places visited – practical implications on teaching and curriculum Embodied experience of being there changed teaching I think it’s just helpful to have an understanding rather than having not been there and doing kind of research about it and using the internet for resources and things (Susie, ISV, 2008) When teaching about development issues, and issues of sustaining tourism, it gives you real kind of firsthand experience and using the pictures, but I think you can talk about it in a different way having been there and having experienced it firsthand. (Gordon, GSVC, 2007) ‘Portfolio’ of global learning

Stereotypes Disposition for steering teaching or practice away from stereotypes....like what’s the point in doing a culture week or anything like that if you’re not going to teach them something real. You’re only going to reinforce stereotypes and children will come out of school thinking, oh OK all people in India are poor and they live in shacks or whatever. You need people to pull out those stereotypes and not just ignore them, but actually figure out why children think those things and where they’ve heard that and teach them the correct way of thinking. (Susie, ISV, 2008)

Not that I’ve got it all right and that’s what...when I’m teaching something else, somewhere I’ve not been, I really want to make sure I do my homework on it. Not just understand what it is I’m teaching them about but understand everything around it. (Susie, ISV, 2008) I think what Gambia did for me and it was really useful in roles I went on to have professionally afterwards, is just to ask that question, what assumptions are thinking, are you drawing on stereotypes, where’s the evidence, where’s the counter? I think it’s something you need to keep reminding yourself of, isn’t it? (Ranjini, GSVC, 2005) I feel this allows them to express themselves and gives them more of an opportunity to be confident when they have a new idea. (female, ISV, 2009)

Informing whole-institution practice I am curriculum development coordinator and presently am leading whole school change to embed the global curriculum throughout our practise and ethos. (female, GSVC, 2005) Teachers are looking at exploring places in Africa beyond the poverty stricken model and exploring the rich cultural history and current practices instead.(female, GSVC, 2003) I can see that’s where it kind of started for me, in that organising, getting things together, getting things done, taking risks, moving a group of people with you, seeing an outcome and really feeling a sense of achievement really.

Personal learning and change Appreciation of study visits as more than professional development –....while [the study visit] inevitably changed and influenced […] my professional practice with other teachers and with students, actually it’s about my own learning. It’s about that being an explicit and important part of the experience. It’s about my personal learning. Of valuing me as a learner, as a teacher (Ranjini, GSVC, 2005) Influenced personal behaviour Gaining confidence Family life Life trajectory