Treffer: Elements of Globally Competent Teaching in Pre- and In-Service Agricultural Educators After Participation in a Maymester Study Abroad.

This study utilized an ex post facto explanatory sequential mixed methods research design to explore how a short-term study abroad in Jamaica may have influenced participants' empathetic dispositions related to globally competent teaching practices. The study employed Tichnor-Wagner et al.'s (2019) Globally Competent Teaching and Learning Continuum, an independently validated research instrument, to assess participants' self-rated empathy development. Data were collected through an online questionnaire from pre-service, in-service, and other agricultural educators (n = 36), followed by four focus groups. Findings were framed within Mezirow's Transformative Learning Theory (TLT), which emphasizes empathy as a component of transformation and global competency development. Results indicated that study abroad experiences may have contributed to increased empathy and recognition of diverse perspectives, though pre-service teachers reported lower confidence in applying these competencies. Findings highlight the role of transformative experiences in fostering globally competent educators and suggest strategies for enhancing empathy-focused training in teacher preparation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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