1. Global Partnerships for Mutual Learning: exploring issues of power and representation in researching teacher development through North- South study visits. Fran Martin & Helen Griffiths, University of Exeter Education and Citizenship in a Globalising World Conference at Institute of Education, London 19-20 November 2010

2. The Project Global Partnerships as Sites of Mutual learning: teacher development through North-South study visits Two Global Educational Partnerships – Tide Global Learning – National Environment Agency of The Gambia – Canterbury Christ Church University & Goodwill Children’s Homes, Tamil Nadu Study visit courses run within the partnerships – Tide-NEA for experienced teachers & other educators – CCCU-GCH for student teachers and teacher educators

3. Theoretical Perspectives Relevance to context Economic and political neo-liberalism Principles underpinning the global partnerships Postcolonial theory Andreotti (2006, 2008), Fiedler (2007), Jefferess (2008), McQuaid (2009) Socio-cultural theory, positioning theory, communities of practice

4. Previous research Study abroad (Zemach-Bersin, 2007) Geography field visits in developing countries (Abbott, 2005) Study visit courses for experienced teachers USA-Costa Rica (Brock et. al. 2006) VSO-NAHT extended CPD for headteachers from UK to sub-Saharan Africa (Hutchings & Smart, 2007)

5. Research methodology Sensitive to: – Partnerships and course methodologies – Theoretical perspectives Interpretative, qualitative Participatory, collaborative – Developing an ‘ethical engagement with the Other’ (Spivak, 1990) – Voice for all actors in the research, right of people being researched to influence how findings are portrayed and the public debate that ensues (Bennett & Roberts, 2004)

6. Mutual, intercultural learning

7. Research tools Strategic, investigation of partnerships: documentation, semi-structured interviews, research diaries, participant observation Pedagogic, investigation of courses and teacher learning: multi-site ethnography, learning journals, research diaries, course artefacts, biographical questionnaires, semi- structured interviews

8. Interim findings Tide-NEA Ecological development – 12+ years, initiated by the North – No formal written, signed partnership agreement – Low expectation, low cost, high outcome – Mutual interests, shared goals (ESD) – Recognition than organisational goals can be enhanced through the partnership – Explicit desire to avoid donor-recipient relationship – Equality does not mean things are same on both sides – Openness to exploring & learning from differences

9. Study visit course Three days preparation in UK – Place, ESD and Global issues, mutual learning – North-South relationships (Adichie, 2009) Week in The Gambia – Informal and formal experiences – Fieldwork with Gambian teachers – Joint day conference Two follow up days in UK

10. Study visit course The case of Nigel – Resistance to challenges to his worldview – Issues of power and representation as evident in inter-cultural and intra-cultural experiences – Influence of Nigel’s prior experiences – Influential factors during the course and study visit

11. Discussion Neo-colonial discourse, frozen narrative Phases of the course, learning to unlearn (Spivak, 1990; Andreotti, 2008) Positioning theory (Harré and van Langenhove, 1999) Ethics of ‘care’ and influence of neoliberalism Power and representation: Nigel-Gambians, Researcher-Nigel

12. Complexity and intercultural learning Indigenous Insider / Outsider in communities being researched (Cotner, 2000) Dual roles of participant and researcher Research conversation, Third Space (Bhabha, 1994) Identity and ‘becoming’ (Deleuze & Guattari, 1983) Focus on exploring difference, pedagogy of dissensus (de Souza, 2008)

13. Next steps Phase three data collection: longitudinal element In-depth data analysis, collaborative analysis Re-focusing on participatory research Interim conference (invitation only) September 1 st 2011, University of Exeter Fran.Martin@exeter.ac.uk H.G.Griffiths@exeter.ac.uk http://education.exeter.ac.uk/gpml/ Fran.Martin@exeter.ac.uk H.G.Griffiths@exeter.ac.uk http://education.exeter.ac.uk/gpml/