Iranian and U. S. Pre-service Teachers' Philosophical Approaches to Teaching - Enhancing Intercultural Understandings

Q: Which research questions guided the inquiry?

1) How are the two groups’ philosophical approaches similar or different? 2) What can be learned about each culture to promote intercultural understanding?

Oct 15, 2026

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Study of philosophical approaches to teaching among pre-service teachers in Iran and the United States. Participants included 30 Iranian and 30 American pre-service teachers. Data were collected with the 105-item Philosophy of Education Scale covering five philosophical approaches and seven teaching dimensions. Results showed differences in beliefs about the Executive (behaviorist) approach, while similarities emerged for the Citizen Teacher (social responsibility) approach, with implications for intercultural dialogue on cultural values and educational practice.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Educational context and cultural expectations

Limits on intercultural exchange

Teachers' beliefs and instructional application

Research questions and study purpose

Iranian and U. S. Pre-service Teachers' Philosophical Approaches to Teaching: Enhancing Intercultural Understandings Caroline R. Pryor Texas A&M University at College Station Zohreh Eslami-Rasekh Texas A&M University at College Station Abstract This study investigated philosophical approaches to teaching held by pre-service teachers in Iran and the US. The study's participants were 30 pre-service teachers from Iran, a predominantly Muslim country, and 30 American pre-service teachers. Data were collected using the 105-item Philosophy of Education Scale (POES, Author A, 2003) composed of five philosophical approaches and seven teaching dimensions. Scores indicated Iranian-US pre-service teachers differed in their beliefs about the Executive (behaviorist) teaching approach; similarities were found in the Citizen Teacher (socialresponsibility) approach. As researchers, we purport the results to have implications for enhancing conversations about cultural values and applications in educational settings. Introduction The post-September 11 atmosphere has generated a renewed interest in the Islamic world and issues related to education in Muslim countries have become prominent topics of discussion in media and among scholars. Because education encompasses several dimensions (e.g., content, pedagogy, context, policy), each highly related to cultural expectations (Dewey, 1933; Kincheloe, 1999; Wactler, 1990), understanding the foundational assumptions teachers embrace regarding the goal of education and the role of teachers is one way to promote intercultural understanding. Evaluating ideologies that underlie teachers' approaches to teaching and learning (Cochran-Smith & Fries, 2002) about other educational systems through examination of approaches and beliefs may demythologize (Haggerson, 2002) the intercultural expectations educators possess about one another as well as unveil and expand pedagogical knowledge that may enrich our community. The benefits of such exchanges are numerous; they provide for the opportunity to: evaluate ideologies that underlie approaches to teaching (Cochran-Smith & Fries, 2002), learn about the world and the human experience, (Watkins, 2002), encompass diversity, (Compton-Hall, 2003), and connect with research of a non-local nature (Florio-Ruane, 2002) . For Iran, a predominantly Muslim country, and the United States possessing a widely diverse population and history steeped in western European culture, calls for such Author note Caroline R. Pryor, Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture, Texas A&M University, College Station; Zohreh Eslami-Rasekh, Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture, Texas A &M University, College Station. Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to Caroline R. Pryor, Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture, Texas A&M University, 4232 Harrington Towers, College Station, Texas 77843. E-mail: [cpryor@coe.tamu.edu](cpryor@coe.tamu.edu); [carolinepryor@yahoo.com](carolinepryor@yahoo.com) © 2004 Current Issues in Comparative Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 50 December 15, 2004 Iranian and U.S. Pre-service Teachers ' Philosophical Approaches to Teaching: Enhancing Intercultural Understandings exchanges regarding the importance of intercultural philosophical exchange are beginning to emerge in literature (UNESCO, 2003; Alexander, 2001) . Several international events however, have limited opportunities for such exchanges. For example, (a) the American hostage crisis in Tehran has negatively impacted IranianAmerican relations (Trimel, 1998), (b) Iran continues to refuse to hold talks with the U.S. government and most cultural and educational exchange groups have either abandoned or severely curtailed their activities in Iran following the severing of U.S.-Iranian relations in 1979 (Trimel, 1998; Rubin, 2000), and (c) perceived differences in philosophy and theology continue to foster a so-c

FAQs

What was the purpose of the study?

To investigate philosophical approaches to teaching held by pre-service teachers in Iran and the US, and to consider how this knowledge can support intercultural understanding.

How was data collected and what did it measure?

Data were collected using the 105-item Philosophy of Education Scale (POES), which includes five philosophical approaches and seven teaching dimensions.

What differences and similarities did the study find between Iranian and US pre-service teachers?

Iranian and US pre-service teachers differed in beliefs about the Executive (behaviorist) approach, while similarities were found in the Citizen Teacher (social responsibility) approach.

Which research questions guided the inquiry?

How are the two groups’ philosophical approaches similar or different? 2) What can be learned about each culture to promote intercultural understanding?

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by OmBimo