Institute of Health Sciences Education, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
FAIMER (The Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research), member of Intealth, and Director FAIMER Global Programs, FAIMER Philadelphia, USA.
Perspect Med Educ. 2023 Jan 4;12(1):1-11. doi: 10.5334/pme.31. eCollection 2023.
Research on international faculty development programs (IFDPs) has demonstrated many positive outcomes; however, participants' cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and behaviors have often been overlooked in these investigations. The goal of this study was to explore the influences of culture on teaching and learning in an IFDP.
Using interpretive description as the qualitative methodology, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 Fellows and 5 Faculty of a US-based IFDP. The authors iteratively performed a constant comparative analysis to identify similar patterns and themes. Transformative Learning Theory informed the analysis and interpretation of the results.
This research identified three themes related to the influences of culture on teaching and learning. First, cultural differences were not seen as a barrier to learning; instead, they tended to act as a bridge to cultural awareness and network building. Second, some cultural differences produced a sense of unease and uncertainty, which led to adaptations, modifications, or mediation. Third, context mattered, as participants' perspectives were also influenced by the program culture and their professional backgrounds and experiences.
The cultural diversity of health professions educators in an IFDP did not impede learning. A commitment to future action, together with the ability to reflect critically and engage in dialectical discourse, enabled participants to find constructive solutions to subtle challenges. Implications for faculty development included the value of enhanced cultural awareness and respect, explicit communication about norms and expectations, and building on shared professional goals and experiences.
国际教员发展项目（IFDP）的研究已经证明了许多积极的结果；然而，这些研究往往忽略了参与者的文化背景、信仰和行为。本研究的目的是探讨文化对 IFDP 中教学的影响。
采用解释性描述作为定性方法，作者对 15 名学员和 5 名美国 IFDP 的教师进行了半结构化访谈。作者对相似的模式和主题进行了迭代式的比较分析。转化学习理论为分析和解释结果提供了依据。
这项研究确定了三个与文化对教学影响相关的主题。首先，文化差异并没有被视为学习的障碍；相反，它们往往是文化意识和网络建设的桥梁。其次，一些文化差异产生了不安和不确定感，导致了适应、修改或调解。第三，背景很重要，因为参与者的观点也受到项目文化以及他们的专业背景和经验的影响。
IFDP 中卫生专业教育者的文化多样性并没有阻碍学习。对未来行动的承诺，以及批判性反思和进行辩证对话的能力，使参与者能够找到微妙挑战的建设性解决方案。对教师发展的启示包括增强文化意识和尊重的价值、明确沟通规范和期望，以及在共同的专业目标和经验的基础上进行。
