Post-Exchange Growth of ASEAN Educators: A Case at Saint Louis University

Stephenie O. Busbus 1 Philippines , Kyle Zaika V. Dayami 1 Philippines , Chamverlaine Shine M. Domansi 1 Philippines , Ryeven Brix P. Espique 1 Philippines , Reynart H. Fajardo 1 Philippines , Crystal Joy L. Falancy 1 Philippines , Jhaymee G. Gasmeña 1 Philippines , Khloe Peach R. Halagao 1 Philippines , Jerielle Andrew O. Ignacio 1 Philippines , Mariel Cate L. Laigo 1 Philippines , Mary Rose D. Lantano 1 Philippines
1 School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts, Saint Louis University, Baguio City, Philippines
Link Copied!
Published 2026-09-01
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026) PAGES 38-52
DOI 10.51574/ijrer.v6i1.5189
Views / Downloads 55 24

International teacher exchange programs are widely promoted as instruments for enhancing global competence and pedagogical flexibility, yet empirical evidence regarding their long-term impact on pre-service participants as they transition into in-service careers remains scarce. Guided by Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory, this qualitative phenomenological study investigates the post-exchange professional and socio-cultural trajectories of former Southeast Asia (SEA) Teacher Project participants hosted by Saint Louis University, Philippines. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with five in-service teachers (three from Thailand and two from Indonesia) and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis via a two-phase (cool and warm) coding process. Three core themes emerged: (1) a Philosophical Paradigm Shift from a teacher-centered "knowledge-giver" to a student-centered "learning facilitator"; (2) a Professional Identity Transformation, characterized by heightened confidence, adaptability, and professional maturity; and (3) Pedagogical Adaptability, evidenced by the sustained integration of contextualized, learner-centered instructional strategies. Collectively, these findings suggest that short-term international teaching experiences spark a self-reinforcing, long-term cycle of reflective professional growth. Although limited by a small single-institution sample ( ) and potential retrospective recall bias, this study highlights the lasting efficacy of mobility initiatives. Ultimately, the results provide practical insights for host institutions and policymakers to enhance structured mentorship, pre-departure orientations, and post-exchange feedback mechanisms.

Busbus, S. O., Dayami, K. Z. V., Domansi, C. S. M., Espique, R. B. P., Fajardo, R. H., Falancy, C. J. L., … Lantano, M. R. D. (2026). Post-Exchange Growth of ASEAN Educators: A Case at Saint Louis University . ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review , 6(1), 38–52. https://doi.org/10.51574/ijrer.v6i1.5189
More Citation Formats
Download Citation

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
  1. Arias-Cifuentes, S., & Solano-Cahuana, I. L. (2025). Assessing the impact of language virtual exchange approaches on intercultural competence development among university students. Íkala, Revista de Lenguaje y Cultura, 30(2). https://doi.org/10.17533/UDEA.IKALA.355699
  2. Arquillano, N., Jarin, S., Pacaul, O., & Arquillano, M. (2022). Influence of international pre-service teacher training on Southeast Asian Teacher (SEA Teachers) project completers’ personal qualities and teaching competencies. Southeast Asian Journal of Science and Technology, 7(1), 21-30. https://sajournal.pti.edu.ph/index.php/sajst/article/view/270
  3. Atay, F. (2022). Perceptions of in-service English language teachers involved in Erasmus exchange programs on culture and teacher identity. International Journal of Educational Spectrum, 4(2), 30-39. https://doi.org/10.47806/IJESACADEMIC.1135674
  4. Auni, L., Zulfikar, T., Akmal, S., Alfiatunnur, A., & Dina, F. (2022). International teaching internship: Development of pre-service teachers’ competences. The Qualitative Report, 27(12), 2761-2779. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5457
  5. Birt, L., Scott, S., Cavers, D., Campbell, C., & Walter, F. (2016). Member checking: a tool to enhance trustworthiness or merely a nod to validation?. Qualitative health research, 26(13), 1802-1811. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732316654870
  6. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative research in sport, exercise and health, 11(4), 589-597. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628806
  7. Carter, P. L., & Nicolaides, A. (2023). Transformative learning: An emotional (r) evolution. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2023(177), 25-36. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20476
  8. Cuadra, I. C., & Bacud, M. M. B. (2024). Issues and Challenges Faced by Pre-Service Teacher-Participants of the SEA Teacher Project of SEAMEO. Mountain Journal of Science and Interdisciplinary Research (formerly Benguet State University Research Journal), 84(2), 103-119. https://doi.org/10.70884/MJSIR.V84I2.427
  9. Dechavez, J. (2024). # FamilyisLove: understanding extreme life experiences and psychological profile of pre-service teachers in the Philippines. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1320406. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1320406
  10. Diem, H. T. T., Thinh, M. P., & Mung, T. T. (2023). An investigation into the benefits and challenges of international student exchange programs: Perspectives from student teachers. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 22(7), 258-280. https://doi.org/10.26803/IJLTER.22.7.14
  11. Du Plessis, A., & Razmjoee, M. (2026). The promise of a strong beginning and the reality of pre-service teachers’ professional experience learning: Understanding the lived experiences of pre-service teachers preparing for teaching. Teachers and Teaching, 32(3), 373-392. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2025.2512101
  12. Fleming, T. (2018). Mezirow and the theory of transformative learning. In Critical theory and transformative learning (pp. 120-136). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-6086-9.CH009
  13. Goldstein, S. B. (2022). A systematic review of short-term study abroad research methodology and intercultural competence outcomes. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 87, 26-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJINTREL.2022.01.001
  14. Hadiyanto, H. (2024). Application of student-centered learning in improving teaching English as a foreign language students’ 21st-century skills performance. Education Sciences, 14(9), 938. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090938
  15. Hallinger, P., & Walker, A. (2017). Leading learning in Asia–emerging empirical insights from five societies. Journal of Educational Administration, 55(2), 130-146. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-02-2017-0015
  16. Hana, L., Ardini, S. N., & Widiyanto, M. W. (2025). Pre-service Teachers’ Intercultural Learning through the SEA Teacher Program: A Qualitative Study in Vietnam. Langkawi: Journal of The Association for Arabic and English, 11(1), 129-145. https://doi.org/10.31332/LKW.V11I1.11304
  17. Hidayat, F., Febriyanti, E. R., & Fadilla, R. (2025). Strategies And Challenges Of Pre-Service Teachers In The Sea-Teacher Program: A Case Study In Indonesia-Philippine. Journal of English Teaching, Applied Linguistics and Literatures (JETALL), 8(3), 261-269. https://doi.org/10.20527/JETALL.V8I3.24830
  18. Jaramillo Cherrez, N., & Gleason, B. (2022). A virtual exchange experience: Preparing pre-service teachers for cultural diversity. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 38(3), 126-138. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2022.2083732
  19. Kurnia, R. P. (2021). A case for Mezirow’s transformative learning. Diligentia: Journal of Theology and Christian Education, 3(1), 73-82. https://doi.org/10.19166/dil.v3i1.2945
  20. Milazzo, L., & Soulard, J. (2024). Bridging disciplinary perspectives on transformation: Epistemologically evaluating liminality and transformative learning. Annals of Tourism Research, 104, 103710. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2023.103710
  21. Moorhouse, B. L., & Harfitt, G. J. (2021). Pre-service and in-service teachers’ professional learning through the pedagogical exchange of ideas during a teaching abroad experience. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 49(2), 230-244. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2019.1694634
  22. Naeem, M., Ozuem, W., Howell, K., & Ranfagni, S. (2023). A step-by-step process of thematic analysis to develop a conceptual model in qualitative research. International journal of qualitative methods, 22, 16094069231205789. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231205789
  23. Nyimbili, F., & Nyimbili, L. (2024). Types of purposive sampling techniques with their examples and application in qualitative research studies. British Journal of Multidisciplinary and Advanced Studies, 5(1), 90–99. https://doi.org/10.37745/bjmas.2022.0419
  24. Oubit, S. M., & El Farahi, A. (2024). The impacts of international exchange programs on Moroccan teachers’ professional development: the case of in-presence programs. Frontiers in Education (Vol. 9, p. 1476997). Frontiers Media SA. https://doi.org/10.3389/FEDUC.2024.1476997
  25. Rostamian, A. (2024). A Canadian Case of Experiential Learning and Capital Acquisition through a Domestic Student Exchange Program (Doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto (Canada)).
  26. Susanti, A., Pratolo, B. W., & Khusnawati, K. (2024). Exploring undergraduate student perception of international student mobility program. English Language Teaching Educational Journal, 7(3), 164-176. https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v7i3.6794
  27. Tulgar, A. T. (2018). The effects of a study-abroad experience on pre-service foreign language teachers’ teaching philosophies. Darnioji daugiakalbystė, (12), 62-87. https://doi.org/10.2478/SM-2018-0003
  28. Valenzuela, E. A., Sriboonruang, O., Su-angavatin, P., Wahyudi, & Theeroungchaisri, W. (2024). SEAMEO’s Journey to Promote Education for Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia. In Science Education for Sustainable Development in Asia (pp. 107-117). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-8711-5_7
  29. Villarama, J. A., Quilang, E. J., Dabu, K. C., Tomas, M., & Bustos, R. F. (2024). Navigating Cultural Waters: Intercultural Competence and Experiences of SEA Teachers in Laboratory High School. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 20(1), 1-1. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.11217719
  30. Yao, K. C., Tseng, F. L., & Chan, C. C. (2025). Transforming education: The impact of integrating international education into school curricula on international literacy and learning attitudes. Sustainability, 17(10), 4462. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU17104462
  31. Werner, S., & O’Dowd, R. (2025). “The Learning Process Is Mutual”: Connecting Student Teachers and In-Service Teachers in Intercultural Virtual Exchange. Social Sciences, 14(4), 242. https://doi.org/10.3390/SOCSCI14040242

Copyright (c) 2026 Stephenie O. Busbus, Kyle Zaika V. Dayami, Chamverlaine Shine M. Domansi, Ryeven Brix P. Espique, Reynart H. Fajardo, Crystal Joy L. Falancy, Jhaymee G. Gasmeña, Khloe Peach R. Halagao, Jerielle Andrew O. Ignacio, Mariel Cate L. Laigo, Mary Rose D. Lantano

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Similar Articles

<< < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

Dimension Badge

Downloads

Downloads
Crossmark Badge
Crossmark Badge
Section
Articles
Keywords
International Teacher Pedagogical Competency Professional Identity SEA Teacher Project Transformative Learning Theory