Intercultural Research in Teacher Education: An Essential Intersection in the Preparation of Globally Competent Teachers

The author argues that a focus solely on social justice in teacher education may be insufficient in bringing about the changes needed in the preparation of teacher candidates to understand and address critically important social issues and to build global competence. Research from the related fields of intercultural research and education suggest that the majority of teachers and teacher education students do not possess the prerequisite attitudes and behaviors required to effect such a change. Contributions from intercultural research in such areas as the formation and reduction of prejudice, acculturation and intergroup interaction, what we know about intercultural sensitivity, the development of intercultural competence, and the process of culture learning are reviewed, suggesting the facilitation of intercultural sensitivity and competence may be an essential precursor to one's understanding that other perspectives, experiences, and histories can and do exist.