Trip progression
What is trip progression?
Planning FSA is often a costly game of trial and error. It can take multiple iterations to get things right. With each trip, you learn more about teaching in naturalistic contexts, expand your social networks, and gain more professional trust from your administration. This allows you to develop programs that are specifically adapted to your context and are best suited to you and your needs.
A part of our research consisted of examining how teachers developed their practices as they moved from novice (0–1 trips), to intermediate (2–8 trips), to experienced (9+ trips) program designers (Fischer & Viens, 2023).
Here are six observations we made:
| Design steps | 0–1 Trips | 2–8 Trips | 9+ Trips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Focus moves from ... | Meeting basic needs (food, lodging, etc.), recruitment, and safety | Pedagogy and maximizing learning | Making meaningful learning partnerships |
| 2. Planning goes from ... | Cognitively overwhelming | Tweaking and adjusting previous models | Welcoming the unexpected |
| 3. Relieving the cognitive load by ... | Partnering with a colleague Using paid services | Partnering with a colleague Mixing paid services and local contacts Delegating to students and allies | Partnering with teachers abroad and at home Relying on an extensive network of contacts Delegating to students and allies |
| 4. Interactions with locals through ... | Morning classes and paid homestay | Morning classes, paid/unpaid homestay, and volunteering or project work | Bilateral exchange with locally guided learning activities |
| 5. Predeparture preparation to ... | Set objectives, including high expectations for language use Lead group bonding activities | Hold rigorous recruitment processes Introduce competencies and meet virtually with overseas partners Test group dynamics | Hold rigorous recruitment processes, including a probationary period Teach and role-play skills that can be used in pre-departure virtual exchanges and in-trip interactions Ensure that behaviours, routines, and dynamics are already in place, to minimize in-trip “policing” |
| 6. Teaching through ... | Language classes Cultural activities Reflective journal writing Final evaluations related to experiences | Language classes Cultural activities Dedicated times for guided reflection Final evaluations based on personal experiences | Guided learning cycles: specific linguistic and cultural preparation for learning activities; engagement in interactive activities with locals; facilitated reflection; incorporation of learning into projects that demonstrate first-hand knowledge |