Degree Name

MA in International Education

First Advisor

Dr. Kevin Brennan

Abstract

Today’s teacher education students have more opportunities than ever to incorporate study abroad into their degree and licensure requirements. This Capstone examines the value that public school principals place on internationalization, especially when it comes to hiring teachers. I approached this qualitative study utilizing action research through case studies. Data was gathered by conducting six in-depth interviews. Of these, three are current principals and three have been principals their entire careers and are now retired. The main research question is; what value do principals in Wake County, North Carolina place on global competence of teacher job applicants? The findings answer much more than this question and indicate that there is a growing emphasis on global awareness in public schools. Despite the emphasis on global awareness, there is no common understanding of what that term actually means or what it looks like in the classroom. Regardless of these inconsistencies, principals place a high value on international experiences when it comes to hiring teachers. Implications for professional practice as a result of this research include a demonstrated need for consistency and structure for internationalizing the public school system. Further, this research is useful for teacher candidates and teacher education institutions to gain a deeper understanding of how to gain a competitive edge through impactful global experiences.

Disciplines

Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | International and Comparative Education | Teacher Education and Professional Development

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