Pre-departure Training in Korea for teachers dispatched to Mongolia, Thailand, and Lao PDR
APCEIU conducted a two-day pre-departure training from 2 to 3 February 2023 for teachers participating in the 2023 Asia-Pacific Teacher Exchange for Global Education(APTE), who will be dispatched to Mongolia, Thailand, and Lao PDR in the first half of this year. It was the first on-site training in three years since the COVID-19 outbreak. The 16 in-service Korean elementary and secondary school teachers who participated in this training had an opportunity to comprehend the APTE Programme, learn about the country to be dispatched to, and improve their local adaptability.
The first day of training started with an ice-breaking session, followed by a guide on Global Citizenship Education(GCED), the APTE Programme, and the role and tasks of dispatched teachers. Several APTE Alumni teachers who had previously been dispatched shared their experiences so that new participants could learn and ask questions.
The next day consisted of a variety of programs to help local adjustment, including tutorials on how to use the online platform for the APTE Programme (NETS: Network for Teachers and Students), sessions on comprehensive sexuality education, health and safety education, reflection and feedback and was wrapped up by a kick-off ceremony. Lim Hyun Mook, Director of APCEIU, emphasized that “Global Citizenship Education begins by listening to the different voices of the dispatched country with a willingness to walk in their shoes.”
As part of this year's APTE Programme, four teachers will be dispatched to each Mongolia and Lao PDR beginning in early March, and eight teachers dispatched to Thailand will leave in mid-May to work at local schools for about three months. The dispatched Korean teachers plan to instruct regular subject classes integrated with GCED, Korean language, and culture classes at local schools.
Hosted by the Ministry of Education of Korea and organized by APCEIU, the APTE Programme has been ongoing every year since 2012 with the aim of fostering mutual understanding between Korea and partner countries and strengthening teachers' global education competencies. Offline exchanges, which had been put on hold due to the global pandemic, will resume for the first time in three years, while online exchanges will also remain to continue. This year marks the 11th anniversary of the APTE Programme.
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