The other day I came across the following video interview (via Twitter I think) with Amos Winter, Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at MIT, discussing testing his wheelchair design called the Leveraged Freedom Chair that is specifically designed for use in developing countries during his Fulbright to India.
You can learn more about the Leveraged Freedom Chair and make a donation to the LFC Project at http://mlab.mit.edu/lfc.php.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
What literature is currently on your international education night stand?
I must admit that I'm not a big reader...never have been. There are very few books that I have read for pleasure. It's unfortunate but I move on. I must admit, however, that I do read my fair share of international education literature...always have since I entered the field. I find myself frequently reading international literature for pleasure. It's unfortunate but I move on.
Current international education literature piece on my night stand is:
Lutjens S.L., (2006)." National security, the state, and the politics of U.S.-Cuba educational exchange." Latin American Perspectives, 33 (5), pp. 58-80. Abstract available at: http://lap.sagepub.com/content/33/5/58.a
What international education literature is currently on your international education night stand?
Photo credit: suzettesuzette
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Thanks for your message. I'm pleased to learn of your interest in the Fulbright program…
…is how I have started almost every e-mail message I reply to from a prospective Fulbright U.S. Student Program applicant over the past eleven years. I LOVE working with students on their Fulbright applications and fleshing out their ideas for the program. In talking with students about their plans I get excited for the day my three young children are college-age and I’ll be highlighting this program to them as they will have studied abroad (hopefully a few times and starting as early as high school) and will hopefully want to spend more time abroad on this great program. With this in mind I thought I would jot down this quick note of Fulbright advice to my children as my facilities and memory may not be fully functioning in 21 years or so when my youngest will be graduating from College:Dear kids [names withheld for privacy],
When applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program competition (or any Fulbright competition for that matter) remember that the Fulbright Program came as a result of World War II and its purpose is geared towards mutual understanding among peoples from the United States and other countries. To be sure, the Fulbright program is an academic/scholarly venture but when you are thinking about your time abroad and preparing your proposal remember the underlying mission of the program. This will help you prepare a meaningful and enjoyable experience.
Your mother and I raised you to be thoughtful, caring and respectful citizens of this planet and we know that you will take these values with you everywhere you go. Now, go out and see the world.
Love, Dad
Photo credit: leftymgp
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
International Education and Community Colleges - A Brief List of Resources
The other day a colleague contacted me (via Twitter) looking for information on study abroad and community colleges. Fortunately, I compile lists (many, many lists) and had one going on this topic so I was able to do more of less of a copy and paste job in a message (via LinkedIn) back to her. I thought I would share that list here on IHEC Blog. To be sure, my list is very U.S-centric so, in addition to learning about more resources here in the U.S., I am particularly interested in learning about resources outside of the U.S. If you know of any resources that should be added to this brief list please leave detailed information below as a comment.
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), International Programs and Services at http://bit.ly/bG5gAc
California Community Colleges Community Colleges at http://www.globaled.us/survey/pdf/
Center for Global Advancement of Community Colleges (CGACC) at http://cgacc.org/
Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange – Community College Data Resource at http://bit.ly/bQFsUl
Research on Underrepresentation in Education Abroad: An Annotated Bibliography with section on Community College students at http://davidcomp.wordpress.com/research-projects/
Research on Underrepresentation in Education Abroad: An Annotated Bibliography with section on Community College students at http://davidcomp.wordpress.com/research-projects/
Photo credit: alexandralee
Monday, July 26, 2010
TONIGHT - NYU President John Sexton to discuss NYU's newest campus in Abu Dhabi and the challenges of building an international university in an interview tonight with Charlie Rose on Bloomberg Television
A quick programming note for TONIGHT for you international education types…
regarding the importance of global universities. If you are interested in joining the conversation, please feel free to visit http://www.Facebook.com/BloombergTelevision.
The interview on Bloomberg Television is scheduled at 8pm & 10pm ET (Local listings: http://bloomberg.viewerlink.
107 Books now available in the IHEC Blog Bookstore
Friday, July 23, 2010
IHEC Blog Interview with Gayle Woodruff about the NAFSA Teaching, Learning & Scholarship knowledge community
During the most recent NAFSA annual conference I had the chance to interview my good friend Gayle Woodruff from the University of Minnesota about NAFSA's Teaching, Learning and Scholarship (TLS) knowledge community. Gayle and I have presented and co-authored a chapter together (with two other colleagues) on issues pertaining to diversifying the study abroad student profile and we served on the TLS team together. In this video Gayle, current Chair of TLS, introduces herself and gives a brief overview of what TLS is all about.
The TLS knowledge community consists of the following three networks:
Research and Scholarship network
Intercultural Communication & Training network
Internationalizing Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum
Lot's of really great things are happening in the TLS knowledge community and I encourage all IHEC Blog readers to visit their webpage here, attend TLS related sessions, workshops and seminars at future NAFSA conferences and to get involved with this group!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Links of Interest for International Educators
It's been quite some time since I posted a "Links of Interest" post here on IHEC Blog. This used to be a regular Friday feature but it was a time consuming process sometimes. I have come across several interesting links in my Google Reader that I want to share/comment on here on IHEC Blog and over on Twitter or IHEC Blog's Facebook page.Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy examines evaluation tools (via @AllianceExchnge)
HBCU Study Abroad Program Draws Praise from NC Governor and NC Governor Praises State's SAGE Consortium with its Mission to Boost HBCU Degree Attainment
Call for papers for the 2011 Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) Conference (via @IDPDRIE)
Photo credit: recursivedreamer
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
What does the term “learning community” mean in different cultures?
A very interesting question was posted to IHEC Blog's Facebook page yesterday that I think readers will find of interest and might want to add their thoughts. Lori Jacobs asked followers to share their thoughts on the following question: "What does the term 'learning community' mean in different cultures?"
I think it's a great question and one I had not thought about nor had an answer. My exposure to learning communities is limited to the living learning communities some housing systems have implemented. My wife has worked in undergraduate student housing for nearly 20 years and we lived in the residence halls/dorms for our first nine years of marriage and this is where I was able to observe these types of learning communities in action (as an outside observer). I'm still trying to gather my thoughts on Lori's question.
What are your thoughts?
Please visit IHEC Blog's Facebook page here to leave a comment!
Photo credit: HikingArtist.com
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
International Education and Research at Carnegie Mellon University
While doing some research the other day I came across two videos on YouTube about internationalization efforts at Carnegie Mellon University that I thought I would embed here on IHEC Blog as I think many might find them of interest.
In this first video from 2007, Provost Mark Kamlet and INI Director Dena Tsamitis talk about Carnegie Mellon's global expansion:
In this second video from 2009, Provost Mark Kamlet discusses Carnegie Mellon University's international initiatives:
These two videos do not show up on IHEC Blog's YouTube channel subscription list (currently at 272 subscriptions) as I don't subscribe to channels of individual institutions which is why I prepared this post.
Is your institutions highlighting its international activities via YouTube? If so, please send me a link(s)!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Annotated International Education Bibliographies
For many, many years I have been compiling annotated bibliographies on international education in the United States [primarily on U.S. students abroad but dabbling a little in international students literature]. It has been some time since I made a significant update to any of these bibliographies and I’m slowly working to update these and as soon as I complete my dissertation (hopefully by spring 2011 but possibly autumn 2011) I’ll begin working on these updates on a more frequent basis. In the meantime, you can access all of the annotated bibliographies I have compiled (or have been involved with) at http://davidcomp.wordpress.com/research-projects/ [1]
Education Abroad and It’s Value in the Job Market ©
Faculty Members Abroad ©
Female Students Abroad ©
GLBTQ Students Abroad ©
Heritage Seeking in Education Abroad ©
Research on Underrepresentation in Education Abroad: An Annotated Bibliography ©
Research Bibliographies and Abstracts on Study Abroad ©
Annotated Bibliography of Research on International Students in the U.S. ©
Photo credit: dfulmer
[1] Please note that all of these bibliographies are copyright protected but anyone may use, distribute, manipulate, embed or use any way as long as proper citation is given and as much as possible linked back to http://davidcomp.wordpress.com/research-projects/
Saturday, July 17, 2010
10 Places to Exchange Education Information Online
The web is a great place to collaborate with peers and stay up-to-date on education news and trends. There are dozens of sites committed to connecting students, teachers, administrators, and education activists. The following ten sites provide lively environments and tools that help people freely exchange education information online.
LearnCentral - LearnCentral is an interesting site that works like a social network for education. Members can store, organize, and find educational resources. They can also use the site's tools to hold live, online meetings and collaborate with people around the world.
Partners in Learning Network - This Microsoft site is home to a global community of educators who come together online to share resources and information about learning technologies. The Partners in Learning Network also gives community members access to free learning tools and a database of lesson plans and education-related activities.
Pronetos - Pronetos is known as the Professor Network, but it also welcomes students of every academic discipline. Members can communicate and collaborate online. They can also share papers with colleagues, post course materials, search for research in their field, and read education-related articles.
Academia.edu - Academia.edu is a good place to follow the latest research and share your own papers. The site's search engine allows members to search for colleagues, university departments, research interests, and more. Members can also be notified when someone searches for them using Google.
Udemy - Udemy is a unique website that allows anyone to teach and learn online. Members can upload presentations, videos, host live classroom sessions, write blog posts, or create their own courses. They can also browse and take courses created by other members.
Connexions - The Connexions site was created by Rice University in 1999 to provide a place for people around the world to publish and freely share scholarly content on the web. Course materials can be found for every age group and academic level--from children to college students to professionals.
Sclipo - Sclipo is a web learning application that is free for K-12 and university teachers. The app can be used to create a web academy for students. Academy features include a course management system, an online library, tools to create online classes and webinars, and communication resources.
Global Education Collaborative - The Global Education Collaborative is a Ning community for students, teachers, parents, and administrators. Members can discuss education-related issues, partner on projects, build professional contacts, and more.
Edutopia - Edutopia was created by the George Lucas Education Foundation to help people create interactive learning environments. The site offers learning and teaching resources, contributions from practitioners, practical advice, education-related documentaries, and a community where members can chat, collaborate, and share additional resources.
WTT - We The Teachers (WTT) is a teacher-focused site that combines a search feature with social community functions. The site can be used to search for lesson plans, share ideas about education, and ask questions. WTT also provides several tools that can be used to create crossword, Sudoku puzzles, and other learning-based games.
Guest post from education writer Karen Schweitzer. Karen is the About.com Guide to Business School. She also writes about pharmacy technician education for PharmacyTechnicianCertificatio
Friday, July 16, 2010
What is the top new media tool you use to keep up to date on the field of international education?
On the top right side of IHEC Blog you will find a brief poll I’m conducting on new media use in international education. Specifically, I want to see which new media tool you feel is the “best” for keeping up to date on the field of international education. I, like many colleagues, find myself utilizing all of the new media tools listed below in the poll (except MySpace as I’m not there ~ should I be?) but there are a few that I turn regularly for information so it is a difficult decision for me (I get to vote in the poll don’t I?). I purposefully set up the survey to allow only one answer per person. I estimate that this survey will take you 17 seconds or less to complete and I thank you in advance for your time!
The poll closes on Friday, June 30th at 11:59 (CST) and the results will be announced Monday, August 2nd on the new International Higher Education Consulting website at http://davidcomp.wordpress.com/
Thursday, July 15, 2010
264 International Education/Exchange Related YouTube Channel Subscriptions
Back in November 2009 I created the IHEC Blog YouTube channel as a way to compile a subscription list of all international education/exchange related channels on YouTube. I posted to IHEC Blog about this new network and in the first week I had 13 subscriptions. As of last night (when I wrote this post), I have compiled a subscription list of 264 channels related to international education and exchange which you can view here.
Do you manage or know of a related YouTube channel that is not on this subscription list? If so please leave a comment below or send me an e-mail at international.ed.consulting@gmail.com with the link (and a brief description of the channel if it is not already on the channel) and I’ll add it.
You may need to pay for Cable or Satellite but you can watch international education/exchange videos on IHEC Blog’s YouTube channel for free! Okay, you can watch most shows for free on the internets these days…
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
International Education: More than an Occupation—a Lifeline
[A] man’s work is one of the more important parts of his
social identity, of his self; of his fate in the one life he has
to live, for there is something almost as irrevocable about
choice of occupation as there is about choice of mate.
While there has been a significant technological and demographic shift in the workplace since Everett C. Hughes wrote those words in 1951, one cannot dispute the accuracy of the above statement. With the passing of the years we have become more imbedded in our work and it is often difficult to separate ourselves from our professional responsibilities.
International Education is a profession that is noble in its aspirations and practical in its applicability to an increasingly globalized society. More importantly, and less recognized, is that it contributes substantially to how we as international educators view ourselves. Sociologist Robin Leidner describes work as “…an arena for self-development, a source of social ties, a determinant of status, and a shaper of consciousness. For all these reasons, people’s relation to work contributes to their sense of self and the sense that others have of them.”
What happens then when an international educator loses his/her job? There are feelings of shock, despair, anger, frustration, etc., which are normal, of course. But the longer the period of unemployment, the more profound the effects are on the displaced individual. Feelings of worthlessness, bitterness, isolation and anger contend with and sometimes overwhelm the individual’s self-esteem. (Note: while I am focusing on international education, the observations and effects extend to displaced individuals from other professions as well). After a certain point of unemployment, the person becomes withdrawn and resigned to the fact that he/she will not find a job, at least not in international education.
In their book Coping with Job Loss, Carrie Leana and Daniel Feldman list three factors that influence reactions to job loss: 1) financial circumstances; 2) perceptions of labor market conditions; and 3) job attachment. In the case of displaced international educators, job attachment may be the most prominent contributor to their anxiety. When asked what kind of an impact a layoff would have on her, Fabienne van den Bor, Education Advisor at the Fulbright Center in the Netherlands, replied that, “I would miss the excitement of working with people from all over the globe who share the same passion, who understand the value of
international education, for the individual and our societies.” The longer an international educator is unemployed the more likely he/she will dispense with that aforementioned sentiment and assume the thinking that their field has abandoned them; that there is no possibility for them to return.
international education, for the individual and our societies.” The longer an international educator is unemployed the more likely he/she will dispense with that aforementioned sentiment and assume the thinking that their field has abandoned them; that there is no possibility for them to return.
It is difficult to assess the implications of any significant migration of international educators to other professions (there currently is no mechanism to track international programs that are shut down or international educators who are laid off), but any such movement would not help how international educators and their profession are seen by many senior level higher education administrators. As blogger Anthony Grafton writes, “If you don’t see the point of their work, why not eliminate them? Then you have room for things that pay off immediately.” This, sadly, will be the thinking of many key decision makers during this recession. Money talks and if universities can run an office of international programs on the cheap, then they will do so. Some even consider it fiscally logical to hire an inexperienced individual over a seasoned international educator with the thinking that they can learn on the job. Here they are operating under the assumption that anyone can run an office of international programs; that anyone can learn on the job. But this simply is not true and organizations like NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the Forum on Education Abroad need to do more to show our displaced colleagues that they have not been forgotten and to extend to them a symbolic lifeline demonstrating that they are still valued colleagues with much to contribute to the field. Outcome assessments and cultural competencies are important, to be sure, but NAFSA and the Forum must not forget about the people who make those things happen. It is my hope that both organizations will take the lead in reminding us all that international educators are integral parts of higher education and their displacement is a tragedy not only to their former places of employment but to the profession of international education itself.
I want to thank Tom Millington, Director of Study Abroad and Global Learning at Western Kentucky University for his excellent guest post today! Tom also started and manages the International Educator Circle group on LinkedIn and Facebook. If you are an international educator out of work (or if you know someone in the field out of work) I recommend joining this LinkedIn and Facebook group!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
GLOSSARI - Georgia Learning Outcomes of Students Studying Abroad Research Initiative
Inside Higher Ed published an article today entitled “Academic Outcomes of Study Abroad” that I was very excited to read. The article highlights the ten year GLOSSARI - Georgia Learning Outcomes of Students Studying Abroad Research Initiative and the outcomes that were presented at the NAFSA annual conference held in Kansas City, Missouri this past May. The GLOSSARI project is lead by Don Rubin, professor emeritus of speech communication and language education at the University of Georgia and research director for GLOSSARI and Rick Sutton, director of the GLOSSARI project, executive director of international programs at Western Kentucky University, and formerly assistant vice chancellor for international programs at the University System of Georgia. I met Rick Sutton several years ago at a NAFSA conference (Seatlle in 2005 I believe) and again at the NAFSA conference this year at the Advancing Internationalization on Our Campuses Through Research seminar in which Rick was the featured speaker and I was a late invite to serve as a discussant. I also had the pleasure to meet Don Rubin at this research seminar and it was an absolute treat for me as I’ve been a fan of both Don and Rick’s work on the GLOSSARI project since it launch.
I won’t summarize the Inside Higher Ed article in this post as you can read the article here. I do want to highlight that the GLOSSARI project website has the final report available for download as well as many conference presentations and data sets!
To see the complete chart on the growth of research on U.S. students abroad that was quoted in the Inside Higher Ed “Academic Outcomes of Study Abroad” article see my July 10, 2009 IHEC blog post “Growth of Research on U.S. Students Abroad"
Photo credit: boliston
IHEC Blog in Wordle
I've been wanting to highlight IHEC Blog in Wordle format for some time now and last night after I was done working on my dissertation I finally took a few minutes to play around and came up with this:
It is a bit smaller than I wanted but you can click on the picture to see a larger version!
It is a bit smaller than I wanted but you can click on the picture to see a larger version!
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