Virtual Global Teaching Laboratory: Training Teachers for a Connected World

The Witt Lab strives to advance the frontiers of international education by developing and investigating IGlobal, a virtual international practicum tailored for pre-service teachers. Our research encompasses several focal areas, including cultural competency, community engagement, teacher education, second language education, and global digital inequality. Central to our mission is providing research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, who engage in qualitative and mixed-methods studies within these domains.

Current Research Projects:

Language Education

We aim to explore and advance second language education within virtual environments. Special emphasis is placed on strategies that foster a communicative virtual classroom and apply translanguaging practices. We will also investigate the power dynamics inherent in language learning and teaching by analyzing the factors contributing to the varied proficiency levels and participation desires among students in such programs. Furthermore, we will critically examine the power relations embedded in the role of the language teacher.

Global Digital Inequality

We will investigate the categories, causes, and trends in existing research on global digital inequality, sometimes called “the digital divide,” and its impact on education. We will also examine current adaptations, including our own, for overcoming digital inequality in a virtual setting, along with policy considerations and parallels with other infrastructure issues. With the help of our friends in Angola, we will attempt to understand internet access, use, and usability from the perspective of people living in their part of the Global South.

Teacher Education

We aim to investigate the realm of teacher education and peer mentoring. This involves examining how these experiences influence teaching philosophies and assessing the unique aspects of IGlobal in comparison to other global teaching initiatives. We aim to explore and understand the extent to which participation in an extracurricular teaching club may enhance an individual's teaching abilities or foster a greater passion for the profession. Additionally, we want to investigate if this space is accessible and inclusive to all people in the College of Education. Moreover, we seek to determine if the model of a teaching club should be integrated into the curriculum, assessing whether it fulfills a recognized need within the college community.