Date of Award

2026

Degree Name

Curriculum and Instruction

College

College of Education and Professional Development

Type of Degree

Ed.D.

Document Type

Dissertation

First Advisor

Dr. Luke Eric Lassiter

Second Advisor

Elizabeth Campbell

Third Advisor

Lisa A. Heaton

Abstract

This qualitative research study examines the impact of travel grants and travel-based learning experiences as professional development for educators. Using autoethnography as a research method, this study is written from the positionality of an elementary art teacher living and teaching in Southern West Virginia and as a doctoral student who was a successful applicant for two travel grant experiences, and a self-funded travel-based learning experience. I reflectively and reflexively to recount my personal and professional travel-based learning experiences, the lifelong and transformative learning that occurred because of them, and the direct and emergent outcomes that were the result of travel-based professional development for educators. Along with examining my own travel-based learning experiences, the narrative includes interviews from participants or “travel fellows” that applied for and were selected for the same types of travel-based or travel grant programs, includes the examination of resources such as print and digital texts, videos, photographs, blogs, and social media posts including my own field notes to gain insight to the importance of these types of programs and experiences for educators. Emergent themes in this research study include experiential and lifelong learning for teachers and students, transformative experiences, the importance of epiphanies and interpretation, Global Education (GE), Global Citizenship Education (GCE), globalization, social justice, the intersection between Art Education and Global Education, from the theories of John Dewey including experiential learning, knowing one’s self and environment, understanding the context in which art is made and interpreted, and the connections between democracy, citizenship and the Liberal Arts, the Humanities, the Arts, Arts Education. The conclusions of this study include the importance of program guided and self-guided learning opportunities for educators, the importance of educators being lifelong learners, the significance of planned and emergent learning opportunities while in the field and examining how these experiences can be integrated into classroom learning, the importance of educators being global citizens to teach students how to be global citizens, and advocating for travel-based learning experiences as professional development for educators on a micro and macro level in the field of education.

Subject(s)

Curriculum planning.

Education.

Teachers.

Career development.

Ethnology.

Experiential learning.

World citizenship -- Study and teaching.

International education.

Education and globalization.

Teachers -- Travel.

Subsidies -- Travel.

West Virginia.

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