Connecting the Dots of Curriculum Integration

University of MinnesotaEastern Illinois UniversityMurray State UniversityFairfield University

Curriculum Integration at the University of Minnesota

Leigh Neys Program AssociateUniversity of Minnesota Duluth

What is Curriculum Integration?

• Professionals, faculty, and academic advisers collaborating to internationalize the undergraduate experience.

• The “Minnesota Model” is based on partnering with academic units to effectively meet institutional goals to internationalize the curriculum, therefore spreading ownership for international education throughout the institution.

Development of Curriculum Integration (CI) at University of

Minnesota• Grants were awarded by FIPSE and the Bush

Foundation totaling just over $1 million.• Funding allocated to all campuses of the

University of Minnesota system.• Multiple initiatives were established,

including:– Financial Support– Advising Support and Training– Faculty Curriculum Development– Site Visit Opportunities

Finances for Study Abroad

• University of Minnesota offers over $500,00 in scholarships for study abroad.

• Half-time development officer • Designated scholarship money to

incoming freshman for study abroad• Financial awards for study abroad

based on written essay competition, rather than financial need.

Faculty Curriculum Development

• Sponsored workshops and retreats for faculty and advisers throughout the year, with topics focusing on:– Latest developments in CI– Education Abroad advising and

promotion• One visit per year to coordinate

campuses with two meetings per year on Twin Cities campus

International Site Visits• Site visits for faculty and academic

advisers• Generates understanding of and

enthusiasm for study abroad opportunities• Opportunity to gain better understanding

of the design and operation of various programs, and experience academic climate and local culture in which their students are immersed.

• Financial support provided by Office of International Programs and Learning Abroad Center (UMTC), applicants provide partial funding.

Internationalizing On-Campus Curriculum (IOCC)

• In January 2008, eight UM Duluth faculty were chosen to participate in an IOCC workshop sponsored by the Office of International Programs

• IOCC is an intentional approach to course design, development and delivery.

• Goals of workshop were to design and implement a comprehensive faculty development model to internationalize undergraduate curricula.

• Another goal was to have undergraduate students better understand their own cultural perspectives in order to perform more effectively in a global context.

IOCC Continued…

• At the conclusion of the workshop, participants had created a course proposal and syllabus. It is expected that the courses will be taught by Spring 2009.

• Participants also received a stipend to be used for course-related materials.

• Currently, classroom observations and surveys are being completed to measure the outcome of workshop goals.

UM Duluth CI Initiatives

• Course Equivalency Database (http://www.d.umn.edu/ieo/programs/equivalencies.php)

– Database containing over 2000 foreign course approvals

– Course Equivalency process involves CI Coordinator, Department Heads and faculty liaisons

– FST designator assigned to all foreign course approvals

UM Duluth CI Initiatives continued…

• Study Abroad Major Advising Sheets (SAMAS)– SAMAS describe academic considerations and

highlight approved programs– Approved by faculty and academic advisors– Distributed in International Education Office,

department offices and collegiate units– Strong visible communication tool– Distributed during new student orientations,

major declaration meetings and general advising sessions.

Results of CI initiatives• Enrollment in study abroad programs at

the University of Minnesota has increased from 933 students in 1998-1999 to 2,429 students in 2006-2007.

• Increase represents approximately 28% of undergraduate participation in study abroad

• UMN has declared a goal of 50% or its undergraduate population will have a significant educational experience prior to graduation

Questions?Websites:

Curriculum Integration website:http://www.umabroad.umn.edu/ci/index.html

University of Minnesota Office of International Programs:http://www.international.umn.edu/

NAFSA: Association of International Educators:www.nafsa.org

The Forum on Education Abroad:http://www.forumea.org/

Connecting the Dots of Curriculum Integration

On a Shoestring Budget

Wendy Williamson Director, Office of Study AbroadEastern Illinois University

Eastern Illinois University•State University (business, arts, sciences, & humanities)•Baccalaureate & Master's •12,179 students total•300 students/year •2/3 faculty-led•Centralized Approach•Staff: 1 Director, 1 Coordinator

Step 1: Position your Office

Mission Statement: The Office of Study Abroad fosters affordable, high quality, international academic opportunities that enable students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for leadership in an interdependent world.

Dust in the Wind

Mission-Driven Machine

Step 2: Don’t Waste Time

President/Provost Charge: “Increase the portion of students participating in Study Abroad programs with the long-term goal being to have the highest rate of student participation in these programs among the state’s public comprehensive universities.”

Unilateral

Strategic

Step 3: Dodge Distractions

Examples• China in Chinese, with no Chinese

offered on campus• Exchange with an engineering school,

when we don’t have an engineering school, program, or students.

It takes Power (and courage) in Politics to avoid Personal Agendas!

We have no business doing anything that does not line up with our mission (compass/map).

Step 4: Share Responsibility

A.

B.

C.

The Office of Study Abroad is that way…

good luck.

Don’t go there!

When students ask your faculty and staff about study abroad, how do they respond?

Let’s take a look at what might work for you.

Office/Department to Campus Community

Step 5: Articulate Courses“Key” to shared responsibility…more next

slide

AT EIU• Student workers compile data,

and organize by department.• Data sent in packets to each department chair for articulation.• Department Chairs return packets

with articulations and signature.

Step 6: Articulate to Educate

At EIU• Our Center for Advanced

Technology helped us develop an online database.

• Process took about 1 year to complete first database and 2 years to refine.

Study Abroad Course Finder

Organization and dissemination of articulation information for our office advising process, academic department advising sheets, program finder by major, general academic advisors, admissions recruiters, etc.

Step 7: Grow Pro-actively

Curriculum Integration: Incorporating course work taken abroad into the academic context of the home campus.

– From Curriculum Integration to Curricular Study Abroad

– From “After-thought” to “Before-Thought”

Curricular Study Abroad: Identifying and/or developing course work abroad (from the academic context of the home campus), creating international opportunities for education. This may require special course articulation and must be incorporated into the academic advising, department informational materials, and degree electives/requirements.

Step 8. Tame your Programs• Course Articulation should be part of program development• Faculty > Academic Departments > Program Development• Departments integrate those programs into their curriculum

and advising processes, and market those programs to their students

• New programs MUST line up with our mission statement and must work for our students, or internationalize our campus community.– Ex. Faculty-led Programs

• May or may not serve our students. We help students find their best fit academically, whether our options or another university.

• These specialized, rigorous travel courses attract students from around the US (augmenting the credibility of EIU). Recruit via www.facultyled.com, listservs, faculty contacts, etc.

• Establish Partnership Guidelines for institution

-Taming program development is key to growing pro-actively.

Step 9: Marketing/Advising

• Peer Advisor hiring & training• 5-minute Presentations

– Classrooms, Organizations, Events, etc.• Customized Presentations• Study Abroad Fair• Tables & Campus Events• Information Sessions

20-30 minutes, to provide information• Peer Advising• Professional Advising• First Step Form (Intake) • Program Planning Worksheet• Program Selection

Direct the process

Step 10. Don’t be Wasteful Maximize every opportunity to educate.• Academic Advising• Financial Aid• Admissions/Records• Career Services• Health Services• Continuing Education• Academic Departments

EIU places older study abroad magazines, etc. on the end tables of various offices on campus (i.e. Admissions). Parents and students often come through waiting.

EIU also has a checkbox on it’s general admissions application for study abroad. Our office gets this info and is able to contact students and follow up very early on in their college career.

Curriculum Integration at Murray State University

Melanie McCallonAssociate Director for Education AbroadMurray State University

Year One

International Studies Advisory Committee• International Professional

Development• International Student

Recruitment and Retention

• Global Campus• International Study

Programs

5/5/50 Initiative

• 5% student body international students– Currently at 4%

• 5% student body studied abroad– Currently at 2.8%

• 50% faculty have an international experience

Study Abroad Ambassadors

• Faculty member in each of 39 academic departments

• Duties and involvement vary wildly

• Assigned by department Chair, no compensation or release time

Curriculum Integration Step 1

• Study Abroad Ambassadors arrange meeting with department

• Introduce study abroad opportunities for students

• Introduce student funding for study abroad

• Introduce international faculty development opportunities

Where are we now?• Increase of:

– faculty involvement with course approval

– faculty support for student participation in study abroad

– study abroad scholarship funding provided through departments

– faculty proposals for courses abroad– faculty participation in international

professional development programs• No Advising sheets completed

Curriculum Integration at Fairfield University

Christopher JohnsonAssistant Dean, International EducationFairfield University

Study Abroad at Fairfield University• 31 years old• 6 Fairfield University

administered programs• 60+ affiliated programs• 40% of graduates have

an international experience

Fairfield students

• Predominantly drawn from NY and Boston suburbs

• Mostly upper middle-class

• Approximately 16% students of color +first-generation

• Well-traveled• Relatively inexperienced

Extant International Experience• Western-Europe Focused• Emphasis on social

rather than academics• Study abroad as

separate and apart from Fairfield experience

Jesuit Educational Model

• Engagement• Reflection• Service

Strategic plan

• Integrating the core• Linking academic and

co-curricular experiences• Expanding service-

learning opportunities

Fairfield Core

• 50% of the degree• 5 classes in religion and

philosophy• Broad-based, liberal arts

driven

Integrating International Education with Core• “Upfronting” advising• Disseminating course

and academic information

• Major+Language+Location=Ideal

• Increasing standards• Diversifying destinations

Challenges

• Changing mind-sets• Cultivating faculty• Moving away from tourist

“mentality”• Helicopter parents• Anticipating and

adapting to changing global currents

Contact Us

• Leigh Neys– lneys@d.umn.edu

• Wendy Williamson– wswilliamson@eiu.edu

• Melanie McCallon– Melanie.mccallon@murraystate.edu

• Christopher Johnson– cjohnson@mail.fairfield.edu