Adapting Teach For America to Taiwan: A Case Study of Social Entrepreneurship in a Rural Educational Setting
Shen, Yu Chuan
This item is only available for download by members of the University of Illinois community. Students, faculty, and staff at the U of I may log in with your NetID and password to view the item. If you are trying to access an Illinois-restricted dissertation or thesis, you can request a copy through your library's Inter-Library Loan office or purchase a copy directly from ProQuest.
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117672
Description
Title
Adapting Teach For America to Taiwan: A Case Study of Social Entrepreneurship in a Rural Educational Setting
Author(s)
Shen, Yu Chuan
Issue Date
2022-11-30
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Herrera, Linda
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Herrera, Linda
Committee Member(s)
Pak, Yoon
Witt, Allison
Martin, Jeffrey
Department of Study
Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp
Discipline
Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Teach For America, Teach For Taiwan, Social Entrepreneurship, Rural Education
Abstract
This study investigates how the model of Teach For America (TFA) is localized to fit the educational and social context of rural Taiwan. Founded in 1989 using a social entrepreneurship framework, TFA recruits freshly minted college graduates as teachers for underserved communities. This case study of a rural school draws on classroom observations and semi-structured interviews undertaken with Teach For Taiwan (TFT) staff, TFT teachers, and TFT affiliated local school teachers and administrators during the 2019-2020 academic year. The findings are as follows: (1) TFT adjusted to the local context to survive and thrive; (2) the social entrepreneurship model in TFT was flexible and innovative; (3) TFT teachers were passionate and quick learners, albeit with limited experiences; (4) TFT’s five-week teacher training and the following professional development workshops and reunions were helpful, but it was substantially not enough; (5) “Teaching as Leadership” guideline of TFA worked differently in U.S. and Taiwan social contexts; and (6) the life and career trajectory after the TFT teachers’ two-year service term needs more follow-up research. This study offers recommendations on how to improve TFT teachers’ skills by offering more rigorous teacher training practice and mentorship programs, on how to provide more career benefits and career opportunities to attract diverse talents to join the TFT teacher and staff team, and on how to ensure clear communication and mutual transparency when it comes to the interaction with school administration and governmental officials. In sum, TFT helps facilitate the short-term teacher pipeline in rural Taiwan and bring living water and enthusiasm to the local schools and communities, but the issues of TFT teachers with limited experiences and the long-term sustainability are still the major concerns for future research and policy reformation.
Use this login method if you
don't
have an
@illinois.edu
email address.
(Oops, I do have one)
IDEALS migrated to a new platform on June 23, 2022. If you created
your account prior to this date, you will have to reset your password
using the forgot-password link below.
