Pre-Service Teachers’ Changes in Perspective: A Transformative Learning Experience During Teaching Practice in Remote Areas

Abstract

Experiencing unfamiliar environments tends to foster transformative learning. However, limited studies investigate how experiencing contrasting localities fosters transformative learning, such as teaching practice in remote areas by pre-service teachers who are from elsewhere. This study focuses on revealing pre-service teachers’ transformative learning experiences during their teaching practice by investigating the changes associated with their teaching practice and how these changes occur. Using semi-structured interviews, we questioned forty-one pre-service primary teachers about their 1-year teaching experiences in remote areas of Indonesia. The findings show that pre-service teachers undergo changes in perspective, which indicate a transformative learning outcome. Three elements of the transformative learning process—disorientation, exploring new roles, and reflection—are also identified in the data. These three elements of the transformative learning process influence pre-service teachers’ perspectives. This implies that teaching practice in remote areas stimulates pre-service teachers to experience transformative learning.

Transforming Rural Teaching

“…Through social justice, in-service and preservice teachers should understand the realities of teaching in rural schools' contexts (León al., 2024). Teachers should understand how the quality of teaching in rural schools has affected the learning of rural learners and their future lives (Arsen et al, 2022;Center for Public Education, 2023;Brenner et al, 2022;Hartman et al, 2022;Lian et al, 2023;Sari et al, 2023). Teachers need to recognise that they have a primary responsibility and role in transforming the quality of teaching in rural schools (Riddle et al, 2023;Robinson-Pant, 2023;Tran et al, 2020;United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2023;Wang et al, 2023).…”

“…Global and within-country inequalities have affected students' learning, including those in rural schools. Within countries, there is an inequality between urban and rural schools in terms of the quality of education provided (Arsen et al, 2022;Center for Public Education, 2023;Brenner et al, 2022;Hartman et al, 2022;Lian et al, 2023;Sari et al, 2023). Since most of the population, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, is in rural areas (World Bank, 2022a), it is important to examine the transformation of pre-service teachers in teacher education in order to equip them with knowledge and skills for transforming teaching in rural schools (Robinson-Pant, 2023).…”