Teachers intercultural competences as keystones for learning in Europe : cultural diversity as a generic part of teaching profession

The aim of the project is to study teacher trainees, teacher trainers and teachers intercultural competence. Cultural diversities are of manifest relevance for teachers in teaching and learning processes at schools. Gender, power and intercultural relations are in focus. An important issue is to discuss how the professional community can be educating towards cultural diversity as a generic part of the teaching profession in terms of growing, connecting and maintaining traditions through education. Northern educators and students continue the work to reshape their educational systems, especially the postsecondary educational institutions. In Northern contexts Indigenous knowledge can be an example of how culture continues to play a significant role in educating the next generation in living a good life. In northern college and university classrooms traditional teachings and languages are playing an increasing role in existing and emerging educational approaches. The goal is use participatory action research to analyze intercultural competence might be developed, how northern Indigenous values and cultures are respectfully and responsibly included in postsecondary education and to learn in developing teachers' intercultural competence in general. How malleable are postsecondary institutions to inter cultural and inter contextual knowledge?Godkänd; 2009; 20090108 (biem)