Educational Considerations - Vol. 45 - Article 5 - Lessons Learned from the British: The Liverpool Project

Oct 15, 2026

The article examines how a global citizenship perspective strengthens preservice teacher preparation through international education initiatives. It highlights the need for culturally responsive classrooms in multicultural U.S. schools and argues that short-term, experiential study abroad—supported by sound pedagogy—can build cultural acceptance, improve teaching and learning awareness, and shape educator disposition. Using the Liverpool Project in England as a case, it describes immersive, cross-cultural teacher education grounded in reflective writing and qualitative inquiry.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Cultural Acceptance, Teaching and Learning, and Educator Disposition

The Liverpool Project: A Teacher Education Study Abroad in England

Study Abroad as More Than a Trip

Educational Considerations | Volume 45
Number 1 Teaching and Learning in a Global
Community | Article 5 | | --- | --- | | 2019
Lessons Learned from the British: The Liverpool Project
Claudia J. McVicker
William Jewell College, [mcvickerc@william.jewell.edu](mcvickerc@william.jewell.edu)
Follow this and additional works at: [https://newprairiepress.org/edconsiderations](https://newprairiepress.org/edconsiderations)
Part of the Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, International and Comparative Education Commons, Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons | | Recommended Citation McVicker, Claudia J. (2019) "Lessons Learned from the British: The Liverpool Project," Educational Considerations: Vol. 45: No. 1. [https://doi.org/10.4148/0146-9282.2170](https://doi.org/10.4148/0146-9282.2170) This Article is brought to you for free and open access by New Prairie Press. It has been accepted for inclusion in Educational Considerations by an authorized administrator of New Prairie Press. For more information, [please contact](please contact cads@k-state.edu)[ cads@k-state.edu](please contact cads@k-state.edu). McVicker: Lessons Learned from the British Lessons Learned from the British: Stepping Out of the U.S. to Prepare Preservice Teachers Claudia J. McVicker Introduction As higher education embraces themes of global citizenship, it is important to investigate educational initiatives that inspire this kind of thinking in future teachers. A global citizen perspective means acknowledging we are all members ofa world citizenry that is broader and bigger than our own country. This is a critical belief a teacher must adopt. In this multi-cultural country, teachers encounter children who have immigrated to the U.S. in most schools. They will need to welcome them with culturally responsive classrooms from the stance of a global citizen, one who believes in inclusiveness. Taking future teachers to teach and learn in other countries broadens their worldview so they can acknowledge cultural differences and connect empathetically with their students. Universities need to adequately prepare their graduates with the skills and knowledge needed in a global society (Stoner, et al, 2014). Many U.S. universities have prioritized the development of faculty-led or short-term studies abroad to purposefully foster a global mindset in their students. Offering short-term, experiential study abroad programs can provide opportunities to foster global citizenship when coupled with sound pedagogy. A teaching philosophy from a global citizenship stance can benefit a preservice teacher in three distinct ways: Cultural Acceptance, Teaching and Learning, and Educator Disposition. Cultural acceptance can be developed in other countries who have unique global viewpoints that influence how they educate their youth. This will prepare teachers to inspire their students to accept and be inclusive of children from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Being embedded in a foreign school system may help teacher education students see teaching and learning with a different lens. They will learn about what kinds of strategies, resources, and policies other countries employ. And last, students who have studied abroad may develop creativity, persistence, resourcefulness, and cultural awareness that students who are educated solely in this country may not develop. Additionally, studying abroad has a wide appeal to college students. For some it is their first dip in international travel; for others, it is an opportunity to add value to their discipline’s coursework. And for most, it is simply an exciting, adventurous thought to spend some extended time in a foreign country becoming integrated in its communities and way of life. In The Liverpool Project, the subject of this particular study, it was all of the above.

FAQs

Why does the article connect global citizenship with preservice teacher education?

It argues that future teachers must view themselves as part of a broader world community and respond effectively to students from diverse cultural backgrounds, including immigrant children in U.S. schools.

What are the three distinct benefits of a global citizenship teaching philosophy mentioned in the article?

The article identifies Cultural Acceptance, Teaching and Learning, and Educator Disposition as three separate areas of benefit for preservice teachers.

How does the Liverpool Project define “study abroad”?

It explains that study abroad involves independent study, apprenticeships, and fieldwork, combining rigorous academic learning with immersion in another culture.

Oct 15, 2026

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