Foreign-born Faculty Members’ Teaching Experience in U.S. Mass Communication and Journalism Programs: How They Navigate Challenges

Abstract

This study has explored pedagogical challenges that international faculty confront teaching in U.S. journalism and mass communication programs, the strategies they adopt to address some of those challenges and what roles an institution and campus diversity play as they navigate challenges. By interviewing 12 foreign-born journalism and mass communication faculty, this study has identified prejudices and misperceptions about international faculty, their accent and lack of teaching preparedness can emerge as pedagogical challenges. This research also documents the strategies that international faculty adopt to navigate these pedagogical challenges. Foreign-born faculty members also think that student diversity in the classrooms positively impacts their teaching experience on a campus.

Keywords

• foreign-born faculty
• global diversity
• pedagogy
• communication education
• u.s. universities