Indonesian Pre–Service Teachers’ Intercultural Awareness in SEA Teacher Project

Abstract

Intercultural awareness in international teaching experience is vital since differences in language, lifestyle, culture, and other factors influence how people act and adapt. The SEA Teacher or "Pre-Service Student Teacher Exchange in Southeast Asia" is a SEAMEO's project designed to offer pre-service teachers from Southeast Asian universities the opportunity to provide teaching experience (practice) in schools in other Southeast Asian countries. This study investigates three Indonesian pre-service teachers' intercultural experiences during the SEA teacher project. Therefore, the research used a qualitative method, particularly a descriptive study. The study's data was drawn from open-ended questionnaires and interviews with participating students. This work was carried out at the 8th batch SEA Teacher Project as participants. The findings indicated there are participants' intercultural experiences such as beliefs and religious dissimilarity, sexual orientation, cultural practice, language barrier, and psychological stress. And the participants have the ability of three levels of intercultural awareness.