ies abroad barcelona program review march 16 -20, 2015 · amy lancaster • dean of international...

IES Abroad Barcelona Program Review March 16 -20, 2015

Contents

IES ABROAD BARCELONA 2015 PROGRAM REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS .............................. 21

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................. 22

REVIEW PROCESS ........................................................................................................................ 22

OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS....................................25

I. Student Learning Environment: Assessment, Academics and Intercultural Development:…..26

Observations of Pre-departure Information, and Recommendations:……………………………………..26

Observations of On-Site Cultural and Academic Orientations, and Recommendations:…………..27

Observations of Instructional Quality, and Recommendations: .................................................28

Observations of Curricular Design, and Recommendations: ......................................................29

Observations of Language Development Opportunities and Communication Skills, and Recommendations:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………30

Observations of Internships and Field Placements, and Recommendations: .............................31

Observations of Field Studies and Trips, and Recommendations: ..............................................33

Observations of Engagement in IES-Sponsored Cultural/Social Activities and Involvement in Other Academic, Political, and Cultural Institutions, and Recommendations: ......................................33

Observations on Re-Entry into Home Culture and Home Institution, and Recommendations:…34

II. Student Learning, Assessment and Intercultural Development:…………………………………….....35

Observations of Intellectual Development, and Recommendations.…..…………………………………..35

Observations of Interpersonal, Intrapersonal and Interc. Growth, and Recommendations:…….35

III. Resources for Academic and Student Support .....................................................................36

Observations of Faculty Qualifications, and Recommendations: ................................................36

Observations of Administrative Staff Qualifications, and Recommendations: ............................37

Observations of Academic Advising and Recommendations: ......................................................38

Observations of IES Abroad Center Staff Size, and Recommendations: ......................................38

Observations of IES Abroad Center Facilities, and Recommendations: .....................................38

Observations of Access to Local Educ. and Cultural Institutions, and Recommendations: ….….40

Observations of Research and Learning Resources, and Recommendations:………………….........40

Observations of Housing Placements, and Recommendations: ................................................40

Observations Regarding Student Qualifications and Recommendations: ………………………………41

Observations of Health, Safety and Risk Management, and Recommendations: .....................41

Observations Regarding Quality of Communications and Recommendations: ……………………...42

Observations Regarding Professional Development and Recommendations: ………………………..43

IES BARCELONA CENTER PROGRAM REVIEW SCHEDULE ..........................................................44

APPENDIX A: PROGRAM REVIEW CHARGES ..............................................................................47

APPENDIX C IES BARCELONA CENTER PROGRAM REVIEW SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................................................................................62

Amy Lancaster • Dean of International Programs• Academic Affairs

429 North Church Street, Spartanburg, South Carolina 29303

864.597.4026 • [email protected]

September 2015

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the 2015 IES Abroad Barcelona Review Committee, I would like to express my deepest

gratitude to the Barcelona staff who made our week-long visit a fruitful and delightful one. Dr. Cèsar

Alegre Alsina, Center Director, Betsey Tufano, General Manager and Director of Administration, Alex

Walker, Director of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, and numerous others arranged and executed

a detailed itinerary which was most helpful in our assessment of the program. They were enthusiastic

and hospitable throughout the entire visit and welcomed our questions and feedback. We also

appreciated the valuable insight of Dr. Adil Qureshi and Dr. Marina Díaz-Cristóbal, on-site faculty

members of the IES Abroad Barcelona Review Committee. We welcomed the opportunity to visit their

classes and learn more about their pedagogy, both in the Spanish and IES Abroad context.

I would like recognize Dr. Lee L’Hote, Committee Secretary and Program Dean, whose organization,

enthusiasm, and patience was instrumental in the review’s success. He and Abe De La Rosa, IES Abroad

Program Associate, always provided prompt responses to our questions and were invaluable in the

compilation and editing of this document.

We value and commend Dr. Mary Dwyer and IES Abroad for the steadfast commitment in assessment of

all IES Abroad programming. IES Abroad continues to be a leader in the field of international education

thanks to Dr. Dwyer’s leadership and the standards outlined by the IES Abroad MAP.

Lastly, we would like to thank the entire IES Abroad organization for inviting us to participate in such a

valuable exercise in assessment and programming. We very much enjoyed learning more about the

program: its challenges, its success, and identifying its potential. We were thoroughly impressed with

the center’s faculty and staff, and look forward to their consideration of this report.

Sincerely,

Amy Lancaster

Dean of International Programs

Committee Members

Amy Lancaster Dean of International Programs: Wofford College

Committee Chair

Peter Sundman IES Abroad Board of Directors Representative

Michael R. Clapper Associate Professor and Department Chair, Art History

Franklin and Marshall College

Julia Cuervo Hewitt Associate Professor, Spanish & Portuguese

Penn State University

Jacqueline Levine Asst. Dean and Director of the Center for Study Abroad

University of Rochester

Kimberly Potowski-Meece Associate Professor, Linguistics University of Illinois – Chicago

Leland L’Hote IES Abroad Program Dean

Committee Secretary

Adil Qureshi IES Abroad Barcelona Faculty, Business & Organizational Behavior

Marina B. Díaz-Cristóbal IES Abroad Barcelona Faculty, History

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This Review was conducted on behalf of the IES Abroad Academic Council. Charges to the Review Committee were drawn from the IES MAP and submitted to and approved by the Academic Council in fall 2014. The Charges addressed all aspects of the Barcelona Program including internships, the quality of area studies offerings, Spanish language learning and immersion, cultural integration, student affairs, housing, partner university relations, extracurricular opportunities and staff. This was the second Program Review for Barcelona and first since 2006.

The IES Abroad Barcelona Center was designed to be a program for students interested in studying in Spain who did not have sufficient Spanish to enroll in the programs in Madrid and Salamanca. It quickly became IES Abroad’s largest Center and remains so today. The program location itself is one of the primary attractions for students, and the curriculum lends itself to a European focus in comparison to other cities. Nonetheless, both the program and the city provide outstanding opportunities to promote language proficiency and cultural literacy.

The review committee recognized quickly the Center’s integral role within the IES Abroad portfolio as well as the challenges created by such a large center with a highly diverse group of students and interests. Thus, the review team has catered its recommendations below to assist the center in better meeting today’s students needs and interests while building on the unique strengths of the city, the IES Abroad Barcelona staff, and the programs offered through the IES Abroad Barcelona Center.

By their nature, external review processes often lead to long lists of recommendations, and the report below contains a diverse group of ideas below. Nonetheless, the committee was quite impressed with the high quality it found in the programs housed at the Center, the well-designed and strong curricular and extracurricular offerings, and especially the strong commitment given by both staff and faculty to support IES Abroad students in a multitude of ways at the IES Barcelona Center.

REVIEW PROCESS

This report documents the Committee’s procedures, findings, and recommendations. Appendix A contains the original charges; Appendix B contains a summary of recommendations. The U.S. members of the Review Committee received the following materials prior to arrival in Barcelona:

Information about the Barcelona Review Process • Review Committee Members and short bios• Program Review Schedule• Barcelona Program Review Charges• IES Abroad Academic Integrity Information

IES Abroad Barcelona Center Information • List of Barcelona Center Staff• List and Résumés of Barcelona Center Faculty• Program Enrollment Data (per term per program) from Fall 2012-Spring 2015• Housing Descriptions and student housing assignment numbers• IES Barcelona Faculty Training Manual

Resources provided to students • Program Calendars for 2014-2015 Academic Year• Student Orientation Handbooks• The Orientation Overviews and Schedules• Emergency Meeting Points• Student Affairs• Safety• Healthcare• Discipline• Housing• Academics• Academic Policy Headlines• IES Abroad Courses• Barcelona Metro Map• Libraries in Barcelona• Internet and Wi-Fi points in Barcelona• Smartphones Information

Manuals and Guides • Filed trips, student activities and course-related excursions (DiscoverIES) for the 2014-2015

Academic Year • Student Advising Process• Student Advisor Handbook

Academics Details and Statistics • IES Abroad Course Syllabi• Student enrollment data for IES Abroad Area Courses (Spring 2012 – Spring 2015)• Student enrollment data for IES Abroad Language Courses (Spring 2012 – Spring 2015)• Partner University Spring 2015 course offerings• Partner University enrollment data (Fall 2013 – Spring 2015)• Student Course Evaluations

Internship and Volunteering • Volunteering process and placements• Internship placement process

• Internship enrollment data• Internship placement sites and descriptions• Materials and forms used for internship program.

Upon arrival in Barcelona, Committee members received the following additional information: • Updated student materials and information not included in the pre-departure binder,

Spring 2015 • PowerPoint overview from each department group

The schedule for the U.S. Committee members was designed to give them a thorough introduction to the program and the IES Abroad Barcelona community—its staff, faculty, and students. The U.S. Committee members were joined in Barcelona by two IES Abroad Barcelona instructors, both of whom also hold appointments with the University of Barcelona. In addition, two Spring Semester students served on the committee. The U.S. Committee members scheduled numerous meetings throughout the week. These meetings were held with IES Abroad Barcelona instructors on the Committee, and IES Abroad Barcelona students. All committee members met to discuss the review charges and observations and then to set preliminary recommendations. A meeting held at the end of the week was held to discuss final recommendations and divide responsibilities, post-review.

Committee members observed language classes and area studies classes; in some cases, more than one member observed a class. Depending on their assignments for the Review, Committee members held individual or group interviews with staff members and met with instructors. Interaction with students, both formally and informally, was central to addressing some of the charges to the Committee. Committee members also participated in several field study opportunities and were hosted one evening by a group excursion to a traditional local restaurant. All committee members had the opportunity to visit at least one internship placement.

The schedule for the week is included as an appendix to this report.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONAS AND OBSERVATIONS:

Preface: The committee decided to break the program review recommendations into two categories. The first category (directly below) highlight three areas for concentration in order to better focus the suggested areas for improvement at the IES Barcelona Center. The committee found many strengths at the center and wants to reiterate its overall approval of the offerings, structure, and development at the center; at the same time, the committee believes that improvements in the three areas below will take the center to a higher level and greatly benefit students who enroll there.

The second category of recommendations adheres directly to the standards outlined in the IES MAP and makes recommendations based on how well the center meets those standards, thus following closely the format found in previous IES Center Program Reviews.

Category I of Recommendations

CONCENTRATION I: INTEGRATION

• Consider ways to require a variety of cultural integration activities involving ResidentAssistant Volunteers and other peer representatives during the first few weeks. Theseactivities should recognize varied student interests and can be one way to bringtogether like-minded US and local peers.

• Explore ways to explicitly develop the curriculum and extra-curricular activities aroundcultural norms and values to instill a sense of appreciation of and greater investmentinto the local culture and environment. Certain foci may include sustainability, genderand gender identity issues, varied forms of diversity, social justice, etc.

• The concept of interest-based living and learning communities should be piloted to testits feasibility. Centered on apartments and RAV (“tutor cultural”) support, suchcommunities will be able to participate in activities and form local connections based oncommon interests. Some communities may include sustainability, entrepreneurship,social justice, etc. Students living in other IES Abroad housing should be invited to formpart of the cohort and participate in activities as well.

CONCENTRATION II: FACULTY STUDENT INTERACTION

• Faculty should clearly communicate their preferred method of contact outside of classand should be available by appointment, email, or other means for student questions,concerns, and/or advising.

• Faculty should make a concerted effort to develop a personal rapport with theirstudents.

• The Center should continue and enhance its faculty training workshops and resources toprovide additional guidance on the facilitation of student engagement in the classroom.

CONCENTRATION III: FACILITIES

• Faculty should have access to a dedicated space for advising/office hours.• Rearrange classroom furniture to facilitate more active and engaging teaching.• The faculty workspace should be separated from the kitchen/social space and include a

printer and additional space for faculty to store belongings while in class.• Extend Center hours, at least during midterms and final exams.• Update and optimize classroom projection systems.

IES MAP RECOMMENDATIONS GROUP I: STUDENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Observations Regarding Pre-departure Information and Recommendations

Members of the committee conducted a detailed review of pre-departure materials, including the website and other materials delivered to student. Also, the committee conducted several student focus groups. These focus groups centered upon various cohorts: internships, the two semester programs, and housing. References throughout this report refer to these meetings, but for this section in particular we focus upon students’ observations of pre-departure materials.

Students mentioned that on the one hand, they are overwhelmed with pre-departure student communication. On the other, some claimed that they were unaware of key components, such as the fact that outside university courses were an option and that there were many offerings in English. Other students expressed frustration at the number of forms etc., and that often the requests come at times of high workload or while other demands are being placed on them at their home university campuses. In some cases, this caused students to miss DiscoverIES opportunities because they did not sign up on time.

Through the review of the website and other materials, the committee discovered that some information that students claimed as not being delivered was in conspicuous locations. At the same time, the committee recognizes that students are unable to navigate everything as needed. The first two recommendations address those concerns.

The travel culture continues to be a notable component of the student body mentality at the Barcelona Center. The committee recognizes that travel is one of many important aspects of a program, but has recommendations below and elsewhere that may assist student in making balanced goals and also give them time to appreciate other aspects.

Finally, the committee would like to commend the pre-departure advising procedures in place with the onsite Barcelona advising staff and hopes that that structure continues.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS:

● Students are unsure of university options, courses in English, and ETSC. A review ofregistration forms and an advising checklist to make sure information is as clear aspossible.

● A pre-departure communications audit should be conducted to make sure informationis clear, helpful, and thorough. At the same time, the timing of messages and anunderstanding of when students are most likely to pay attention to the materials shouldbe factored in to the timing of communications.

● Encourage current students to create short video clips about “questions they had beforedeparture,” and the ups and downs of life in Barcelona that could be provided toprospective students. Selected versions of these could be delivered in the webinar orthrough other formats.

● A webinar or learning content should be developed to assist students with goal setting,particularly as it relates to travel. Such a webinar would assist students in finding agreater balance among travel, immersion, and academic goals.

Observations Regarding On-Site Cultural and Academic Orientation Due to the large size of the program, IES Abroad staff begins their on-site orientation at the airport upon arrival. Students are given information which will be immediately pertinent to them in the coming days and orientation is continued the following day after students get settled in their specific accommodations. Academics, health and safety, cultural norms, emergency procedures, local laws, and the student code of conduct are all addressed during this time. Each student is also given the Student Agenda which includes important information about all of these topics.

IES Abroad has established the Initiative to Diversify Education Abroad (IDEA) to make study abroad more accessible to diverse populations. In pre-departure materials, the Barcelona staff addresses different kinds of diversity including gender, race, sexual orientation and gender identity, physical disabilities, and religious practice. On-site, students are given information about events or resources that might interest them in these areas. A few students mentioned that there is a sense of segregation between those students who can leave town every weekend vs. those who cannot afford to do so. IES Abroad addresses this via DiscoverIES, which give all students the opportunity to do interesting activities at a subsidized cost. There also is a wealth of opportunities for students on different budgets and of different financial means.


● The committee encourages the Center to explore strategies to separate large cohortsfrom the same university.

● The Student Agenda is an excellent resource that students value. However, it shouldinclude an index to ease student usage and to improve information accessibility. If asmartphone app is not a possibility at this time, a searchable .PDF version could be

made available via Moodle in order for students to have access to the information electronically (like the Predeparture Information).

● Add to the orientation “scripts” that IES Abroad will help them find religious connectionsin Barcelona by request.

● We recommend the Student Agenda be renamed to reflect that it is more than aplanning tool. On-site Student Handbook seems more appropriate.

Observations Regarding Instructional Quality and Recommendations The quality of the teaching that the committee observed was quite high overall. Committee members visited a variety of classes throughout the week, with the US faculty members of the committee paying particular attention to instructional techniques and pedagogical approaches, levels of student interaction and engagement, faculty qualifications, and levels of academic rigor. Most instructors displayed a thorough knowledge of and enthusiasm for their subjects and made an earnest effort to involve their students actively. There were many examples of student-centered teaching techniques, and of class time being used well to prepare students for field studies.

There is still room for improvement in the quality of instruction. In several instances faculty took attendance by calling roll at the beginning of class, and did not refer to students by name during the remainder of the class. Many syllabi list the topics and readings for each class session, but not the dates. In-class discussion of readings was the exception, not the rule. In a few instances, the assigned readings were insufficiently scholarly, or did not meet the rule of thumb articulated in the Faculty Manual that students should be reading a minimum of about twenty to thirty pages per class. In general, though, the positive examples of quality teaching methods at the Center notably outweigh the negative observations outlined here.


● Faculty should learn their students’ names. This will establish a more personal rapportand facilitate more and better interaction with and between students.

● Customize syllabi in Moodle to include current, specific dates for class session topics,assignment deadlines, field trips, exams, etc. The committee understands the virtues ofhaving a standard syllabus template on the website. During the semester when aparticular professor is teaching a particular course, a syllabus with dates will be a morehelpful reference for students.

● To ensure that reading assignments meet current standards for quality and quantity, theacademics team should review evaluations and curriculum committee standards forpotential revisions to syllabi.

● Faculty should incorporate readings and assignments more directly into the classroom,using a variety of strategies. These strategies include discussing the readings online or inclass, seeding that discussion with prompting questions in advance of a readingassignment, and giving quizzes on the content of readings.

● Faculty should ensure there is an appropriate balance of scholarly assignments andagainst non-academic readings (newspaper articles etc.) and film/documentaryviewings.

● The Academics team should enhance their current class observation processes toaddress concerns in course evaluations and continue to offer guidance in meeting meetIES Abroad standards in teaching.

● Offer faculty the opportunity to sit in on each other’s classes in order to share ideas.● Faculty should clearly communicate their preferred method of contact outside of class

and should be available by appointment, email, or other means for student questions,concerns, and/or advising.

Observations Regarding Curricular Design and Recommendations

There is a breadth of course offerings in the LAB Program in English. Many of these courses fall under a broader European context, rather than being specific to Spain. The size of the program is likely due to such broad focus. However, there did seem to be student interest in more coursework in Spanish. Additions in this area will benefit students in both the LAB Program and the Advanced Spanish Studies Program.

In addition, the expansion of course offerings in the business and social sciences fields in recent years is to be commended. There certainly is room for other academic disciplines that would make the IES Barcelona Center a true “mini-campus”, a term used by the Center Director. The organization itself may be best in judging new directions, although some general suggestions for types of courses—particularly as they relate to language studies—are recommended below.

Regarding the design and structure of the courses themselves, students noted that many faculty required group projects as part of their assessment models and that completion of these projects was complicated by schedule conflicts among and a perceived lack of meeting space in the Center. Smaller groups and flexible use of the center could address these student concerns greatly.

Finally, the course syllabi overall for the IES Barcelona Center are well-designed, provide strong detail for external evaluations, and share a number of similarities with typical U.S. course design, structure, and assessment methods. Acknowledging and respecting faculty autonomy and teaching differences, the committee commends the well-designed courses observed at the IES Barcelona Center overall.


● Develop more courses for intermediate and early advanced language students using ahybrid language/area studies model. While not a principal goal of this recommendation,

offering more area studies courses for students at the intermediate and low advanced levels might also result in growth in the Advanced Spanish Studies program.

● Examine the group projects required and assess for effectiveness. Given students’ busyschedules and the lack of appropriate spaces for group work on evenings and weekends,finding time and place to meet and work together can be difficult. Furthermore,because of varied student motivation (including grade transfer policies at the homeinstitution), abilities, and availability, some group projects may not be as effective aslearning exercises as an individual project or assignment may be. Providing a limitedamount of class time to work on group projects or at least for groups to schedule a timeand place to meet might better assist students in completing such assignments.

Observations Regarding Language Development Opportunities and Recommendations

The IES Barcelona Center does an excellent job with regard to student language development opportunities in the classroom and with structured activities (course-related excursions) it offers beginning, intermediate, advanced, and heritage level language courses suitable for students currently attending the program. Students with advanced level proficiency also increase their knowledge of the Spanish language by taking IES Abroad content courses in Spanish and/or by enrolling in local university courses.

Additional effort should be made to assist students to break “out of the bubble” and engage linguistically and interculturally with the community in a variety of contexts. This may include stronger recommendations for outside university courses and a wider variety of informal activities with locals. Numerous students mentioned that the language partner program could be improved and enhanced. As addressed in other parts of this report, greater and more frequent use of the RAV program as well would help with linguistic immersion as well. A more creative name for these individuals could make the program seem more interesting and less invasive than currently perceived by students.

Regarding the language courses offerings themselves, IES Abroad Barcelona uses an in-house placement exam which the committee examined, and it appears adequate. Staff stated that it places 90% of students accurately. Students are placed into appropriate language and content courses according to the placement exam given during orientation. This exam tests grammar, writing, and oral skills. The committee suggests for consideration that students be given as an exit exam the same placement exam, or a modified version of it, at the end of the semester to monitor and self-assess the IES Abroad language program as well as student proficiency grow

Also of importance, the levels noted during class observations demonstrate that most students seem appropriately placed, but similar to what one would find in the U.S., the committee noted some measureable differences in students’ proficiency levels as well as in such factors as motivation and dedication.

The textbooks examined by the committee are firmly rooted in modern communicative methodology. The faculty we observed used the materials well and supplemented them with additional visual and audio activities including teacher-led explanations, group work, and written and auditory work. The teachers showed excellent activity execution, including timing, sequencing, and circulating around the room to ensure that students remained on task. They also called on students by name and there was excellent rapport.


● Procure ‘tutores culturales’ who meet with students 1-2 required times during the first3 weeks of the semester.

● Continue to develop and provide homestay families with strategies for getting studentsout of their rooms and interacting in Spanish.

● Consider requiring advanced students to sign a language pledge.● Make students aware of language tutoring opportunities provided by IES Abroad faculty.● Make sure that group work activities are well-structured with rigorous expectations and

outcomes. Use such opportunities to encourage participation and contributions from allstudents.

● Offer professional development opportunities for instructors including workshops withlocal language acquisition/teaching experts and attending offerings by CARLA, ACTFL,and ASELE.

● Particularly for the Advanced Studies students: Measure their Spanish with a moresophisticated proficiency measure upon arrival and departure.

● For advanced Spanish students, consider placing them in a homestay with no otherstudents or students with equal to higher proficiency.

● Offer separate buses for the more proficient students during field trips.

Observations Regarding Internships, Field Placements, and Community-Based Learning

The internship experience continues to be a strength of the program. The Review Committee visited several internship sites, including a children´s hospital and a telecommunications start-up. The IES Abroad staff (Ana and María) work with the prospective interns from the point that they begin to apply. Starting with an introductory email, they inform the students of placements, request a CV, assist with identifying goals, conduct mock interviews, and discuss styles of communication. Most of this is handled face-to-face using Skype. They also maintain an impressive selection of placements, creatively using local resources. For example, Ana works with the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) to acquire names of new start-ups and companies.

Also, as outlined by the IES Abroad Academic Policy Guidelines, the center requires that the student take a seminar in conjunction with the internship for which they are enrolled. There are two seminars available to the students. One is taught strictly in Spanish for advanced students, and the other is taught in English. The level of academic credit assigned to the internships is appropriate, and the internship sites are checked for safety and acceptable workplace standards.

Effectively managing internships represents a substantial time commitment on the part of the staff. The Committee was struck by the staff´s knowledge of the internship environment in Barcelona, and their ability to fine-tune the placements. Equally impressive was the students’ ability to articulate the connection between the internship and their successful cultural integration.

Some members of the committee did have the opportunity to discuss the planning and preparation occurring at the time of the review for the Summer Internship Program. The committee recognizes the strengths of this new type of program and also notes that the summer program requires notable work hours from staff during the spring. The organization is aware of this and has provided additional temporary staffing to assist.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS: ● Consider offering more seminars that are thematically based on major categories (e.g.

politics, health, arts, business, etc.) ● Add more internships in public health, business and entrepreneurship.● The Center should consider a range of internship seminars that are better grouped by

sectors & disciplines. The seminars would then have more relevant content bettercatered to each particular cohorts needs. If there is not a critical mass, then separatelearning modules or units could be catered to these sectors.

● The Center should address with students the goals, expectations, and reasoning behindthe academic component of the seminar during the pre-departure stage. This may beassigned as part of the Internship Coordinator’s communications, such as the Skypeinterview process.

● The Center should make sure that its service learning offerings should adhere to theproposed IES Abroad Service Learning Guidelines. A separate Service Learning Seminarshould be developed that adheres to these guidelines. The committee does recognizethat a minimum number of students will be required in order to offer a separateseminar.

● The Center should check in with on-site supervisors regularly to reinforce IES Abroad´sexpectations and standards regarding the student's internship experience.

Observations Regarding Field Study and Trips and Recommendations Field studies are effectively used to reinforce the academic goals of the program. Field studies focus on intercultural development and are well integrated into the academic program, particularly due to the new DiscoverIES initiatives. One Committee member attended four field studies and found that three of them were excellent. On a museum visit, the instructor pulled students aside to a quiet corner, and laid out the goals of the visit. On the other, he found that the instructor was rushed to accomplish the goals in the allotted time, and the students did not receive prior information. As such, faculty who receive strong evaluations and positive learning results through their field studies may want to mentor those who do not.


● Students maintain that DiscoverIES fill too quickly or that they do not rememberreceiving information about these programs during orientation. Students’understanding of these opportunities could be improved by reevaluating the timing ofthis communication.

● Offer more in-language activities to accommodate student requests.

Observations Regarding Engagement in IES-Sponsored Cultural and Social Activities Multiple student focus groups mentioned that they found very few opportunities to interact with local students and noted how difficult it was to make connections. By their own admission extensive travel and large American cohorts reduce their desire to take advantage of integration opportunities provided by center staff. However, they do not perceive these opportunities to be as available or plentiful as described by center staff. Neither the RAV nor the Language Partner programs seem to be utilized effectively and it seems communication or marketing might be the reason for this.


● As such, the Center should develop multiple activities with peer cultural ambassadors.This cohort could be paid or incentivized by being allowed to participate in certainactivities. Involving local students with field studies and DiscoverIES might provide formore organic connections rather than those offered by intercambios. These activitiesshould be weighed heavily toward the front of the semester so that students may buildupon initial interactions more meaningfully throughout the semester.

● While intercambios can provide wonderful opportunities for integration, there is roomfor improvement, especially with regard to marketing. It is recommended that Centerstaff emphasize the value in such activities through a variety of methods and throughoutthe semester (social media, signs in the Center, emails, etc.). It is also possible that theprogram be incentivized, perhaps with certain credit given in the language class.

● Center staff may consider offering purely social opportunities with local students(concerts, soccer games, etc.). This might be happening with DiscoverIES but perhaps itneeds to be presented as an outside opportunity.

● Better logistical coordination/communication regarding these activities is necessary toreduce scheduling conflicts or repeated excursions.

Observations Regarding Involvement in Other Academic, Political, Economic and Cultural Institutions and Recommendations Students are exposed to and involved in these institutions via their coursework and the DiscoverIES organized by IES Abroad staff. Moreover, the Center has numerous university and community partnerships with a plethora of opportunities. Students receive detailed information on some activities through the Student Agenda and through postings in the Center and on Moodle. During our limited meetings with university partners, the university representatives claim that they do the same in their support to international students. Students did not bring up concerns during focus groups, so the committee trusts that this representation is accurate.

It also was clear that only a minority percentage of students take advantage of these opportunities. We discussed adding a recommendation here on how to get students more involved in this category in particular but decided that tone is incorporated in recommendations elsewhere.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS: ● The Committee has no recommendations at this time.

Observations Regarding Re-entry into Home Culture and Home Institution and Recommendations

The committee observed that re-entry orientation currently consists of a 1-hour session built in to the language classes. The activities that faculty have designed appear to be interesting and helpful based on the information shared. However, there are so many important topics that can be covered related to re-entry, and there are other ways that these topics can be conveyed. For example, through Moodle, testimonies from previous students, additional required and options sessions, and a general blending of topics into the language classes overall.


● The Committee recommends that the Center consider enhancing the activities anddiscussion regarding Re-entry. Personal video-recorded testimonial from formerstudents may be an effective tool. These could be from recent returnees but also thosea few years out, especially on how to articulate this career-wise.

● They should build more activities into language classes that have students articulatetheir experience more succinctly and reflectively.

IES MAP RECOMMENDATIONS GROUP II: STUDENT LEARNING, ASSESSMENT, INTERCULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.

Observations Regarding Intellectual Development and Recommendations

The Center offers the widest range of IES Abroad course offerings of any IES Abroad Center, with even more academic subjects available through partner university course options. Moreover, the extensive DiscoverIES offerings are always academic in nature and benefit both the specialist/major in the focus area of the activity as well as those students with only casual experience in the subject as well as well.

Another area we commend as strong for intellectual development is the use of full time academic advisors. These individuals help students meet their intellectual and academic goals starting weeks before they arrive onsite. They advisor also check in with their onsite students to help provide them additional guidance.

The classes we observed were strong overall and incorporated a wide variety of approaches and methodologies related to effective teaching that challenges and benefits different types of learners. There were exceptions, and of course student motivation was a negative factor observed as well. Additional peer-to-peer training, outlined elsewhere in this report, may help faculty offer more substantial opportunities for intellectual development as well as more productive student engagement and interaction.


Besides the comments above, suggestions are incorporated in key sections below.

Observations Regarding Development of Language and Communication Skills and Recommendations See the section on language study above for observations and recommendations related to language learning. The committee decided its recommendation in these overlapping sections should be grouped together.

Observations Regarding Cognitive Growth, Interpersonal Growth, Intrapersonal Growth and Recommendations By observing classes, speaking with students, with RAs, instructors, and administrators, the Committee observed numerous examples that demonstrate strong efforts to integrate outside activities, in the form of field studies, Discoveries, and class activities. In most cases these activities are integrated with courses, or academic fields that promote students’ knowledge of

the culture, awareness of cultural differences and diversity. In some cases students are able to explore their leadership potentials within the IES Abroad community by helping in different activities of the program as needed. During orientation, the program offers different activities that allow students to acquire skills to adapt to and understand the local culture.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

● Allow students to articulate in written forms how their cultural learning has taken placeand what they have learned in order “enhance” the curriculum. This may take the formof essays after field study tours.

● The program offers multiple activities in and outside classes to offer the students theopportunity to become aware of cultural differences, as well as communication skillsacross cultures. However, for the advance Spanish students, these offerings will beenhanced by having the opportunity of meeting Spanish “cultural tutors” that areuniversity students. These students will offer different levels of cultural exposure andlearning different from the interactions with professors and staff.

● In order to understand the students’ intercultural development, and “self-awareness ina cultural context” there should be a way in classes or general sessions for students tooffer their evaluation of the experiences in field studies, DiscoverIES, and classes, thatallows them to articulate and reflect on their individual experience.

● Have more academically-focused meetings during the semester so that students canvoice their concerns about their courses.

● Allow students more on-site experiences that force students to visit local sites and writeabout their experiences, history, local customs or other pertinent information, andactive experiential knowledge.

IES MAP RECOMMENDATIONS GROUP III: RESOURCES FOR ACADEMIC AND STUDENT SUPPORT

Observations Regarding Faculty Qualifications and Recommendations

The committee reviewed the faculty credentials and CVs, the syllabi for the courses they teach, and had multiple opportunities to meet with faculty. In addition, two members of the IES Barcelona faculty served as valuable members of the committee.

By and large the faculty possess terminal degrees, have extensive experience, and many are engaged in research and scholarship. A number of the faculty have Ph.D.’s from institutions in the United States and from other countries besides Spain. This factor adds to the diversity of experiences and teaching approaches by the faculty. Moreover, it helps facilitate better understanding at the Center of U.S. student learning styles and interests.

The committee did notice that the many faculty do not have full time university appointments, a detail found at some of IES Abroad’s other Centers. Many also are practitioners in the field.

This model seems to work well within the context of the study abroad provider environment in Barcelona, but some of the recommendations below are meant to assist the Center in contracting the best faculty possible.

As mentioned elsewhere, the committee was impressed by the quality of teaching they saw during most classroom observations, but there were examples of passive student engagement, missed learning opportunities, and other minor pedagogical concerns. The Academics staff gave solid examples of the faculty workshops they host as well as online resources they provide to faculty in order to promote quality teaching. The committee hopes that the Center continues and expands upon such programs.


● In hiring decisions, favor potential faculty who are active as scholars or practitioners.● When possible, members of the faculty should participate in the faculty hiring process,

especially when a current faculty member in the same or a similar field is available.Faculty from other Centers in the IES Abroad network could be tapped for comments onapplications in their disciplines. Including faculty in the process may well increase therigor and insightfulness of hiring screening, and brings opportunities for collaboration ordevelopment of new courses. If local faculty are not available to meet or talk withcandidates directly, they can still offer comments on a prospective faculty member’swritten application materials.

Observations Regarding Administrative Staff and Recommendations The IES Barcelona Center has an extensive staff due to its size and, as such, they are trained and cross-trained in specific areas. All members complete annual trainings in health and safety issues on-site and offered by IES Abroad Chicago staff remotely via webinar or other methods. All are well-qualified in their areas of expertise.

Moreover, there has been little turnover in the positions at the Center, which means the entire team benefits from a wealth of experience. Because of the size of the Center and the layout of facilities, the committee did notice that different departments are somewhat isolated from each other. There is not much that can be done about this, and certainly the committee sees the Center space as very sufficient overall. Still, we encourage the staff to find additional opportunities to work together and stay abreast of the issues facing their colleagues, as appropriate.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS The Committee has no recommendations at this time other than the general suggestions above.

Observations Regarding Academic Advising and Recommendations

Due to the size of the Barcelona program, the staff has developed well organized processes for pre-departure academic advising and registration. Several program staff coordinate these efforts in order to address students’ academic concerns before arrival. Faculty and staff serve as advisors and communicate with students via email during this time. During orientation, there are days and times specifically allotted to address any questions about courses before classes begin. This is clearly outlined in the Student Agenda. In addition, academic staff are available on the second floor throughout the semester should students need assistance.

The committee was impressed with the advising structure and hopes that other IES Abroad Centers emulate such a structure. The study abroad professionals on the committee in particular noted the importance of onsite staff involvement in the entire advising process. Given the large number of students onsite during the semester, the committee discussed how difficult it may be to meet with all students and to stay on top of their academic progress. Nonetheless, this is a necessary part of quality advising. As such, the committee commends the structure in place but encourages additional check-ins—perhaps even group academic roundtable discussions—throughout the term.

Finally, the committee recognizes the importance that faculty members themselves play in the advising and development of students enrolled in their classes. A number of the faculty-related recommendations in the previous section are designed to promote additional quality faculty-student interaction. This includes additional dedicated space for faculty-study meeting as well as well-publicized information regarding faculty availability.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS The Recommendations for this section are incorporated into the section entitled “Faculty-Student Interaction” above.

Observations Regarding IES Abroad Academic Center Staff Size and Recommendations Academic staff is appropriate at the IES Abroad Barcelona Center. Given its size, the staff has enlisted the help of faculty in its pre-departure advising efforts which appropriately addresses students’ academic concerns during pre-registration. The roles that each member of the team plays, and the materials given to students seems to make clear to them the appropriate contact person for specific situations.


None at this time.

Observations Regarding IES Abroad Center Facilities and Recommendations The facilities at the Center are generally fine. The central location of the main Center building is excellent, making for easy travel on foot or by public transit. The organization of having one

administrative office on each of the three floors is sensible and helpful, although the staff must keep clear and effective communication across departments in mind.

Relevant technology such as computers, Wi-Fi, and printing is readily available. There is a small library of about two thousand books (and items in other media) suggested by instructors and related to particular IES Abroad courses.

There is currently no dedicated space for faculty to advise students. According to the staff and Program Dean, current space could easily be reconfigured slightly at minimal expense to improve faculty advising and mentoring opportunities.

As touched upon in our classroom observation comments, the classrooms themselves at times inhibited optimal teaching. The reasons for this are multiple and easily correctable. First, classroom layout at times discouraged discussion and engaging faculty-student interaction. Some students were able to fade into the back of the room and not play active roles in class activities. Furniture rearrangement, along with some faculty training, will greatly help overcome this. Second, classroom projection equipment was bulky, insufficient, and often blocked the middle of the room. The recommendations below would help the Center update their classrooms to the most modern equipment.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS: ● Extend Center hours, at least during midterms and final exams.● Update and optimize classroom projection systems. The projection technology should

take into account the faculty’s heavy use of projected images by making them larger andeasier to see. Ideal would be a ceiling-mounted projector far enough back in the roomto project a large image covering most of the front wall. To make this possible,whiteboards would have to be moved to a side wall toward the front of the room, whichis feasible in most cases. Mounting projectors on the ceiling has the additional benefit ofremoving the projector, cart, and cords from the middle of the classroom. Opaqueshades that completely cover the windows and/or dimmable or banked lighting wouldhelp make it possible to darken the classroom at will and thus improve the clarity andvisibility of the images. Implementing this recommendation will require significantfunding, so perhaps start by outfitting a single classroom and/or by making some butnot all of the suggested improvements.

● Rearrange classroom furniture to facilitate more active and engaging teaching. Replacethe current wall-facing desk and desktop computer with a podium at the front of theroom. This will encourage faculty to face students, make eye contact more frequently,stand rather than sit, and walk around the room. Ideally the podium would have all ofthe technology be built in, including a monitor mirroring the projector and touch-screencontrols, and a hand-held remote control and laser pointer.

● Faculty should have access to a dedicated space for advising/office hours.● The faculty workspace should be separated from the kitchen/social space and include a

printer and additional space for faculty to store belongings while in class.

● IES Abroad should negotiate with UB or another local university to provide library accessfor all students.

Observations Regarding Access to Local Educational and Cultural Institutions and Recommendations Students have access to local university facilities and activities. However, it was noted that students felt that weekend access was limited. Part of this is because evening and weekend university access and activities occur less frequently on Spanish campuses than on campuses in the United States. These expectations could be set during orientation, and the Center hour recommendation above may assist as well.

Many students also rarely interacted with local students. There are numerous reasons for this, including motivation and the fact that many students only take classes at the IES Center. If the Center could obtain at least local university library access for all IES Abroad students, many students may be more likely to break out of the bubble and interact more with locals. This approach also would alleviate some of the demand for additional hours for access to the IES Barcelona Center.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ● IES Abroad should negotiate with UB or another local university to provide library access

for all students.

Observations Regarding Research and Learning Resources and Recommendations In addition to university and local libraries, students have access to the IES Abroad Barcelona Center library. This library appears to be very well-equipped and staffed. Students are also able to access information online. Classes provide readings and assignments on Moodle. Regarding internet, it was noted by staff that after receiving feedback that the bandwidth was insufficient via a technology audit, measures were taken to improve this. Wi-Fi access appears sufficient following these improvements. While workspace is comfortable, it is limited in terms of being a quiet area in which to work due to current enrollment/size of Center.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ● Evaluate current configuration of study spaces. Currently, tables are placed directly

outside of classrooms which creates noise and distractions during class change. Partitions or other configurations might provide more private spaces for research and study.

Observations Regarding Housing and Home Stays and Recommendations The committee visited examples of all housing options throughout the city and spoke with students and RAVs living in each. The accommodations varied greatly in terms of space and

amenities (especially the two types of Residencias). In general, students seemed pleased with their living arrangements, though they admitted that pairing multiple students together from different language levels in homestays may have hindered their ability to advance in Spanish.

Staff shared that independent housing had declined over recent years, which pleased the committee. However, disciplinary and safety-related incidents still occur in these residences.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS ● IES Advisors/pre-departure literature should actively discourage independent housing

during pre-departure phase to minimize incidents on-site. ● Offer single-student homestay arrangements when feasible for interested students.● Place Advanced Spanish Program students together in homestays with students (similar

language backgrounds/goals).

Observations Regarding Student Qualifications and Recommendations IES Abroad Barcelona applicants must have a 3.0 GPA as a stated requirement. This is a firm policy for admission to local universities. However, exceptions have been made for students intending to only enroll in IES Abroad courses.

The committee recognizes that a student with a wide array of motivations and goals is drawn to the IES Barcelona Center and the city of Barcelona in general. The Center plays a central role in the IES Abroad Center portfolio because it meets the needs of a broad spectrum of students both academically and extra-academically. This also presents challenges, though. The committee heard numerous examples of issues faced in the classroom, in student affairs, in housing etc., as well as strategies used by the various parties to overcome those issues.

Taking this into account, the committee does not recommend limitations to the type of students that the programs target. However, many of the recommendations in this report are meant to empower the center to hold students to high standards and create a rich experience for students of different backgrounds, means, and interest. The minor recommendation below simply suggests that the admissions team take a more qualitative approach in evaluating students with borderline credentials.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS ● Given concerns about student motivation, IES Abroad may wish to take a more strict

approach when considering applicants with below a 3.0 GPA, paying closer attention to the applicants’ academic goals in their statement of purpose.

Observations Regarding Health and Recommendations IES Abroad staff receives regular training for student support in these areas and has established sophisticated procedures for health and safety incidents. Students have access to CISI insurance which includes comprehensive coverage worldwide. IES Abroad Chicago staff begins addressing

health concerns during the pre-departure phase by contacting students directly regarding their needs in order to ensure appropriate accommodations on-site.


● No recommendations at this time.

Observations Regarding Safety and Risk Management and Recommendations IES Abroad Barcelona communicates and implements IES Abroad’s health and safety protocols clearly and regularly. Students are told local safety concerns upon arrival by staff and later by local authorities and consular representatives. In addition, the program requires all students to purchase a cell phone within 5 days of arrival in order to ensure appropriate contact with all students in case of emergency. Staff, local host families, and Resident Assistant Volunteers complete regular safety trainings. There is a 24 hour emergency phone which rotates among staff members throughout the term. Incidents on-site are documented electronically and reported to IES Chicago as needed. The committee would like to note that in previous years, pickpocketing and other petty crimes have been prevalent within the program and due to efforts by law enforcement and targeted orientations by IES Abroad staff, the number of reported incidents has dramatically decreased.


● No recommendations at this time.

Observations Regarding Quality of Communications and Recommendations Chicago and Barcelona staff seem pleased with most inter-departmental communications. IES Barcelona staff members feel knowledgeable of the roles that staff members in Barcelona play and state that they are quick to reach out to the necessary contact person as needed. The Program Dean also noted that Chicago-based staff have commented that the IES Barcelona staff responds quickly, clearly and is overall quite organized with the exchange of necessary information.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ● No recommendations at this time.

Observations Regarding Efficiency of Recruitment and Enrollment Procedures and Recommendations The committee felt that it had little information regarding this area in order to make useful recommendations. These responsibilities are performed primarily by the IES Chicago staff. The Program Dean and Barcelona staff noted that the Enrollment Management staff based in Chicago is quite helpful and productive.

Through the multiple student focus groups the committee was able to observe the wide variety of motivations and interests held by students who attend programs at the Center from many different U.S. universities. A minority of these students come with unrealistic expectations about a typical study abroad experience through IES Abroad, which can lead to issues. Although the committee did not interview recruiting staff, we do encourage the recruiting staff to discuss with students how their goals may and may not meet a typical student experience to help them take advantage better of what the IES Barcelona Center may offer them.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS No recommendations at this time.

Observations Regarding Professional Development and Recommendations The committee recognizes that IES Abroad is not a comprehensive university that can provide the same types of opportunities and that research is not a core part of the mission. At the same time, improvement in faculty teaching is and should be a goal of the organization. Similarly, staff should be well-trained and empowered with opportunities for development in the range of the organization’s mission and goals.

The committee was providing information on workshops and training seminars provided to staff to benefit academics, student affairs, and educational technology. Also, there exist competitive development programs for faculty, such as the CARLA Program and the Newberry Library fellowships. The committee commends the organization for providing such opportunities and suggests that they continue to develop webinars to staff and faculty on new and relevant topics as well as find and promote additional outside opportunities whenever possible.


● Continue the workshops and webinars administered by Chicago-based Academics andEducational Technology Departments. Offer them at better times and with a frequencythat encourages more frequent IES Barcelona faculty participation.

IES Barcelona Program Review Schedule

Sun. March 15 Mon. March 16 Tues. March 17 9:00-10:35 9:00-10:35

5:00-7:00 9:00-10:00 Area class visits Internship student focus group Program

Review Meeting

Facilities Tour

10:35-11:00 7:00-9:00 10:00-10:30 Break 12:00-12:40 Welcome Dinner CITRUS

Coffee Break LaSalle Tour & Visit with Director Chris Kennet

11:00-12:30 10:30-12:30 LAB student focus

group Program Overview w/Center Director

12:40-2:00

1:00-2:30 LaSalle Class Visits 12:30-2:30 Catered Lunch,

DiscoverIES Team Catered lunch, Academics Dept

2:35-3:35 2:00-3:30 2:30-3:00 Spanish class

visits Outside visit Lunch

Break

3:00-5:00 3:35-4:00 Faculty Development

3:40-5:15 Coffee Break Area class visits

3:40-5:15 4:00-5:00 Area class visits

5:30-7:00 Meeting, Internships & Service Learning

Program Review Meeting

8:30 5:00-5:20 Dinner Lang. Faculty - LAIE

Break

5:20-6:30 LAB student focus group

6:30-8:00 Program Review Meeting

8:30 Dinner at a Homestay

Wed. March 18 Thurs. March 19

Fri. March 20

9:00-10:35 9:00-12:00 9:00-10:35 9:15-12:00 Area class visits Service

Learning visit- Hospital Sant Joan de Deu

Area class visits

Internship visit - Wayra incubator

10:00-12:30 DiscoverIES tour

10:35-11:00 10:45-12:20 Break Area class

visits 12:00 13:15 UPF Tour & visit w/Lucia Conte

1:00-2:00 11:00-1:00 Working Lunch -



12:25-1:25 ASP student focus group

1:00-1:30 2:00-5:00 Break 1:30-3:00 1:30-3:00 Final Program

Review Meeting Lunch - MUSSOL Student Services

Outside Visit Lunch 1:30-3:30

Lunch w/Area Faculty - FARGA

5:00-6:30 3:00-6:00 3:00 5:00 Meeting with

the Director Visit Residence Hall & IES Student Apartment

UPF Class Visits 3:40-5:15

Area class visits 8:00

Farewell Dinner - BARCELONETA 6:30-8:00


5:25-7:00

Area class visits 8:00 Dinner w/Ras - TALLER DE TAPAS

7:00-8:00 Program Review Meeting

APPENDIX A: Charges to the IES Abroad Barcelona Program Review Committee

The IES Abroad Barcelona Center was designed at its opening in fall 2002 to be a program for students interested in studying in Spain who did not have sufficient Spanish to enroll in the programs in Madrid and Salamanca. IES Abroad chose Barcelona as a program location for being uniquely European and lending itself to a European focus. The idea was to attract students who had some interest in learning Spanish but were looking for a more general program that focused on the continent. The program from the outset offered a liberal arts curriculum that highlighted Spain and the Mediterranean region, along with excellent opportunities for business and economics students in courses taught in English at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra.

The Center quickly became the largest of all IES Centers and, although its enrollment numbers have decreased slightly in recent semesters, continues to be so. The curriculum has been expanded to also include emphases on business and the social sciences, and key additional university partners include Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and Universitat Ramon Llull. There are currently six different semester and summer program housed at the IES Barcelona Center, the most recent being the Barcelona Summer Internship program. The Advanced Spanish Studies semester program attracts very few students in comparison to the primary Liberal Arts & Business program. The committee may want to review the overall program structure and course balance currently in place to determine if it meets current student needs.

The initial headquarters for the Center were in a University building and students had access to university facilities including the large university library. The current Center occupies nearly all floors of a rehabbed former palace near the Plaza Catalunya in the city center. The space is quite modern and houses the current student population sufficiently, but the committee may also want to focus on its optimization for academic purposes.

From the outset, IES Barcelona has offered a variety of housing opportunities including homestays, student apartments, residence halls, and Colegios Mayores. The Center has recently discontinued use of one residence halls as a result of their lack of student support, and have also changed their management model for apartments which uses resources more efficiently. A committee assessment of these changes may assist the center in optimizing its housing offerings.

The typical student profile at the Barcelona Center is complex. A certain segment of the study body is attracted primarily to Barcelona for its cultural offerings and convenient location for travel. However, other students choose the center for its wide variety of academic and intercultural offerings, which have been enhanced in recent years. The Center also has invested

much effort into making improvements regarding the level of academic rigor it provides. The committee will want to investigate and provide guidance in this area as well.

Regarding intercultural development and extracurricular opportunities for students, the IES Barcelona Center has developed its DiscoverIES plan over the past two years. DiscoverIES are designed to further engage the students in the local culture while providing an academic or informed framework so further introspection and growth, both academic and personal, can be achieved. The committee will have the opportunity to observe some of these activities and assess their impact.

In general, the IES Abroad Barcelona Program Review will provide an excellent opportunity to assess overall strengths and weaknesses as well as recommend directions for future growth.

Charges to the Review Committee

The following charges are taken directly from the IES Abroad Model Assessment Practice (IES MAP) revised in fall 2011. Charges highlighted in italics are areas that are of special consideration to the Barcelona programs.

Guidelines for IES Abroad Standard Programs

I. Student Learning Environment

A. Pre-departure Information

1. Information presented to students includes practical information about academicprogram requirements, living and travel arrangements, safety and health considerations, and expectations about expenses.

2. IES information begins to prepare students for the challenge of crossing cultures.

3. IES information articulates program goals for student learning and development inthe local setting.

B. On-site Cultural and Academic Orientation

1. The IES Abroad Center conducts an extensive initial orientation program on policies andprotocols governing academics, emergencies, health and safety, housing, independenttravel, and the student code of conduct.

2. The IES Abroad Center orientation introduces students to the local culture and local laws.

3. Staff and guest speakers knowledgeable about the locale conduct the orientation.

4. The IES Abroad Center introduces students to a process for reflecting on their experienceabroad through CORE, Comprehensive Orientation and Re-entry.

5. The IES Abroad Center addresses diversity issues including gender, race, and religiouspractice in the host country.

6. Under appropriate supervision, students are given immediate opportunities to exploreand function in the local setting (e.g., using local transportation, eating, attendingcultural events).

C. Instructional Quality

1. Faculty are committed to student-centered pedagogy

2. Faculty use the location as a learning resource through experiential learning such as fieldstudy and student engagement with the community.

3. Faculty communicate high expectations of student performance through student learningoutcomes that are linked to appropriate and rigorous assignments.

4. Faculty use pedagogically sound educational technology both inside and outside theclassroom, when appropriate, to enhance student learning.

5. Faculty integrate the classroom and study outside the classroom by effectivelyemploying the IES Abroad learning management system (MOODLE).

6. Faculty are evaluated by student surveys for each course they teach and Center directorsreview evaluations.

D. Curricular Design

1. Academic programs are designed in keeping with the character of local academicpractice to promote students’ academic cultural integration.

2. Academic programs are designed to encourage independent learning.

3. Academic programs are designed to enhance student engagement in the intellectual,political, cultural, and social institutions of the host country.

4. Curriculum and co-curriculum are integrated to reflect the Center’s mission and goals forstudent learning and development.

5. Curriculum and course content reflect the political, social, and cultural diversity of thehost country.

6. The curriculum identifies research opportunities in the community.

7. Sequence of courses and learning experiences are designed for academic creditprincipally at the undergraduate level in the U.S., with potential application toinstitutions of higher education abroad and at the graduate level.

8. Courses use discipline-specific methodology at the appropriate level.

E. Language Development Opportunities

1. Course content, textbooks, materials, and goals for student learning correspond to theIES language development standards.

2. Language classes articulate goals to advance students’ oral, listening, reading, andwriting skills at the appropriate level.

3. In language courses, students gain a perspective of the host country’s values, history,culture, and contemporary issues.

4. Language instruction, when appropriate, is integrated into all courses and co-curricularactivities.

5. Students are provided out-of-classroom opportunities to develop oral, listening, reading,and writing skills.

6. The IES Abroad Center environment strongly encourages use of host country languagethrough a student pledge.

7. Tutoring and/or other forms of academic assistance are available to students.

F. Internships, Field Placements, and Community-Based Learning

1. Placement sites correspond to the Center goal to build sustainable partnerships in thehost community and contribute to the needs and interests of those partners.

2. Placement sites share Center goals for student learning and development.

3. Placement sites give IES students the opportunity to participate in and to criticallyobserve a work environment in the host country.

4. An academic component supports the practicum and follows IES Abroad guidelines.

5. Internship, field placement, and community-based learning sites meet IES standards ofsafety and risk management.

G. Field Study and Trips

1. Field studies and field trips reinforce the IES Abroad Center’s goals for student learningand intercultural development.

2. Supervised field study and field trips are integrated into the academic program.

3. Qualified guides lead field trips.

4. Field study and field trips meet IES standards of safety and risk management.

5. Guided field trips help students take advantage of the region and result in more learningthan if students attempt to travel on their own.

H. Engagement in IES-Sponsored Cultural and Social Activities

1. The IES Abroad Center organizes activities that facilitate student engagement in the localculture.

2. The IES Abroad Center conducts CORE, Comprehensive Orientation and Re-entry, toguide students’ progress toward personal goals for cultural immersion and interculturallearning.

I. Involvement in Other Academic, Political, Economic and Cultural Institutions

1. The IES Abroad Center offers guidance to students on local opportunities.

2. Representatives of local institutions are members of the faculty.

3. Requirements for minimal student participation are a part of the course work.

J. Re-entry into Home Culture and Home Institution

1. The IES Abroad Center offers a reentry program to students related to the re-adjustmentto their home campus.

2. Students are able to identify academic, career, and personal skills gained in studyingabroad through CORE re-entry programming.

3. The IES Abroad Center informs students about opportunities to return to the hostcountry, post-graduation.

II. Student Learning; Assessment and Intercultural Development

A. Intellectual Development

1. Students demonstrate that they have met learning outcomes in IES courses.

2. Students develop their skills in critical thinking through reflection and research.

3. Students develop different learning strategies necessary to integrate into the academicculture at local universities.

4. Students develop their ability to understand and critique a variety of perspectives.

B. Development of Language and Communication Skills

1. Language instruction follows the guidelines of the IES MAP for Language andIntercultural Communication.

2. Students are engaged in setting goals for their language learning.3. IES sponsors appropriate tests of students’ language skills to document their

achievement.4. IES language faculty prepare students at highest language levels for appropriate in-

country exams that demonstrate mastery.

C. Cognitive Growth

1. Structured opportunities for students to analyze and reflect on their experiencescontribute to their awareness of cultural difference.

2. Academic studies, support services, and integrative activities contribute to students’communication skills across cultures.

3. Assessment of students’ cultural learning is used to enhance the curriculum and co-curriculum.

D. Interpersonal Growth

1. On-site orientation and integrative activities are designed to assist students in adaptingto the culture of the host country and in becoming more comfortable in interacting with

persons of different cultural backgrounds.

2. Integrative activities are designed to assist students in acquiring general adaptive skillsthat prepare them to live in a different culture.

3. Students are offered opportunities to explore their leadership potential in the IES Abroadcommunity.

4. Students’ self-reports on their intercultural development are gathered in end-of-termstudent evaluations.

E. Intrapersonal Growth

1. Curricular and co-curricular activities support students in taking responsibility for theirown decisions.

2. Curricular and co-curricular activities support students in gaining a better understandingof their values and beliefs.

3. Curricular and co-curricular activities support students in developing self-awareness in acultural context.

III. Resources For Academic and Student Support

A. Faculty Qualifications

1. Faculty, including language instructors, have academic credibility and appropriatecredentials in their host country.

2. The scholarly achievements of academic faculty meet local university or equivalentstandards.

3. Academic faculty generally are currently engaged in scholarship.

4. Faculty are selected to teach IES courses based on their ability to teach, their disciplinaryexpertise, and their commitment to the IES goals and standards.

5. Faculty are involved in developing new courses according to the IES Abroad Center’scurriculum design for approval by the Curriculum Committee.

6. Faculty are sensitive to gender and cultural differences among students.

7. New faculty participate in an IES Orientation and existing faculty participate in IEStraining on teaching strategies, innovations, and program learning goals.

8. Professionals who teach a practicum have relevant experience in their field of expertise.

9. Faculty are evaluated by student surveys for each course they teach and Center directoror Academic Director reviews evaluations.

B. Administrative Staff Qualifications

1. The IES Abroad Center director and staff are collaborative and mutually reinforcing inmeeting student needs.

2. Center director and staff are courteous, sensitive, and accommodating to student needsand demonstrate a commitment to student welfare.

3. Center director and staff are committed to study abroad and the development ofintercultural knowledge and skills.

4. Center director and staff are interested in and able to work with undergraduates fromthe U.S. and are committed to IES Abroad goals and standards.

5. Center director and staff members participate in annual performance evaluations.

6. Center director has appropriate administrative experience and appropriate academicexperience.

7. Center director represents the IES Abroad mission and student interests creditably atlocal universities.

8. Center director is proficient in the English language and the language of the hostcountry.

9. Center director has an appropriate knowledge of the academic expectations of Americancolleges and universities and plans and administers the IES Abroad Center program inthat context.

10. Persons under contract who are responsible for accounting, legal counsel, internshipsupervision, and/or housing arrangements are qualified to work in the local venue.

11. Center director and staff participate in training and development sponsored by IES

Abroad to assist students in their overall success in IES Abroad programs.

C. Academic Advising

1. The IES Abroad Center advisors to students on registration requirements have thenecessary training.

2. Advisors to students are knowledgeable about IES courses and requirements.

3. Advisors to students are knowledgeable about local university rules, requirements andthe local academic culture.

4. Advisors follow the IES Academic Policy Guidelines.

5. Advisors are readily available to students.

D. IES Academic Center Staff Size

1. The size of the staff is appropriate for the types of programs offered (e.g., internships,mobile learning).

E. IES Abroad Center Facilities

1. A private office is available to the IES Abroad Center director and staff for consultationand advising students.

2. Faculty have access to a private room for advising students.

3. Students have a place where they can gather and meet informally.

4. Classrooms are adequate for IES courses.

5. The IES Abroad Center is well located for student access to the local culture.

6. Center follows a written plan for routine, preventative, and deferred maintenance offacilities, equipment, and grounds.

7. Center facilities meet IES safety standards.

8. Reasonable accommodation is attempted to meet the needs of students with learning

and physical disabilities.

9. IES Abroad Center facilities are operated according to environmentally responsible andsustainable practices.

F Access to Local Educational and Cultural Institutions

1. The IES Abroad Center has agreements, preferably written, with universities forregistration, course enrollment, grading, and credit equivalencies.

2. Center has agreements, preferably written, with universities for access to sponsoredactivities and student clubs.

3. Center has agreements, preferably written, with universities or other agencies for accessto sponsored sports activities.

4. Center provides information regarding cultural opportunities.

G. Research and Learning Resources

1. Resource Center contains up-to-date references.

2. Students have access to one or more libraries at local universities and relevant researchcenters.

3. Students have access to specific collections including on-line and digital resources, andaudio and video materials to complete class assignments.

4. Students are adequately informed and encouraged by IES to take advantage of researchresources available to them.

5. Resource Center hours are convenient for students, within bounds of building security.

6. Students have access to a reliable high-speed Internet network and a comfortable and aquiet area in which to work.

7. Learning resources are made available to students according to best practices insustainability.

H. Housing and Home Stays

1. Students have a place to live that meets the IES standards of health and safety.

2. Public transportation is readily available near the housing unit.

3. Housing arrangements are based on the opportunity for a high level of interaction withthe host culture.

4. Contracts with housing providers adhere to laws of host country.

5. Housing is well located for student access to local culture.

6. Housing provides students with sleep and study space.

7. Housing is evaluated and inspected regularly.

8. Host families and roommates meet IES criteria.

9. IES staff are trained to manage conflicts between a student and home stay host orstudent residence manager that may arise.

10. IES staff educate students on energy conservations methods in their housing unit.

I. Student Qualifications

1. Students meet admission requirements for language.

2. Students meet minimum GPA and student conduct requirements as specified by IES.

3. Students meet requirements for academic standing as specified by certain IES programs.

4. Admissions process follows the IES policy of non-discrimination on the basis of race, sex,sexual orientation, religion, or national and ethnic origin.

J. Health

1. Students have appropriate health insurance for the country in which they are studying.

2. IES Abroad Center staff provides students with appropriate access to high quality carefor accidents, illness and mental health.

3. IES Abroad Center staff is sufficiently trained to determine when students require

professional assistance for mental health issues, drug use and alcohol abuse.

4. Students with individual health concerns are provided pre-departure guidance andassistance.

5. IES Abroad Center staff follows IES and in-country guidelines on providing assistance tostudent health issues.

K. Safety and Risk Management

1. IES Abroad Center staff enforces IES Code of Student Responsibility

2. An IES Harassment Policy exists for students, faculty and staff and all parties areeducated on the policy.

3. IES Abroad provides 24-hour response coverage to crises at all Centers when programsare in session.

4. Safety and risk management issues are reviewed and evaluated regularly by appropriateadministrative staff and local legal counsel.

5. Safety and risk management standards are in place for insurance and indemnification,local educational and cultural institutions with which the IES Center holds agreements,outside service providers, emergencies, staff training, facilities, events and activities,field trips, housing and accommodation, workplace environment, student and staffbehavior, and information technology.

6. IES Abroad Center administrative and teaching staff members are informed of safety andemergency procedures.

7. IES Abroad Center administrative staff members inform students about local safetyconcerns.

8. IES Abroad Center administrative and teaching staff members follow IES safety guidelinesand emergency procedures.

9. Each IES Abroad Center assigns responsibility for safety issues to appropriate staff.

IV. Program Administration and Development

A. Quality of Communications

1. IES Abroad Chicago Office and IES Abroad Center staff share timely information onresource demands and allocation.

2. IES Abroad Chicago Office facilitates interaction and sharing of information among theIES Centers.

3. IES Abroad Center Director and IES Abroad Chicago Office collaborate on reaching timelydecisions regarding staff and faculty employment.

4. Both IES Chicago and Center staff participate in short and long-term planning.

B. Involvement and Recommended Responsibilities of Members and Affiliate Members

1. IES Abroad Academic Council is consulted and votes on issues of governance and policy.

2. IES Abroad Curriculum Committee is consulted and asked to approve initiatives forcurriculum development and syllabi for IES-taught courses.

3. Study abroad advisors and faculty are eligible to serve on the Academic Council,Curriculum Committee, Program Review Teams, and Advisory Committees for newprograms.

4. IES Abroad Chicago works with campus study abroad offices to provide information andcounseling to help students select programs.

5. IES Abroad Chicago works with campus study abroad offices to organize pre-departureorientation meetings that include appropriate information on the process of culturaladaptation as well as general cultural background.

6. IES Abroad Chicago works with campus study abroad offices to provide informationabout the academic culture, including pedagogical methods, of the host country.

7. Members and affiliate members are encouraged to share with IES any findings onassessment of Study Abroad outcomes.

8. Members and affiliate members have access to the information gathered by IESregarding the language assessment studies conducted at certain IES centers.

9. Members and affiliate members are encouraged to provide re-entry programs.

C. Efficiency of Recruitment and Enrollment Procedures

1. IES Abroad Chicago accurately informs the students and member institutions of IESrequirements, costs, and opportunities.

D. Professional Development

1. The IES Abroad Center director builds and maintains relationships with local academiccommunity.

2. IES faculty are involved in developing new courses according to the IES Abroad Center’scurriculum design for approval by the Curriculum Committee.

3. IES Abroad Chicago Office promotes relationships between IES Centers and U.S. collegeand university faculty (e.g. Teaching assistants, faculty seminars).

4. IES Abroad Chicago sponsors workshops for staff and faculty training between IESAcademic Centers.

5. IES faculty and staff stay abreast of issues facing college students in the U.S.

IES Barcelona Program Review Summary of Recommendations

The Committee’s report highlighted recommendations directly below fall into three general categories:

CONCENTRATION I: INTEGRATION

• Design and develop ways to require a variety of cultural integration activities involvingResident Assistant Volunteers and other peer representatives during the first fewweeks. These activities should recognize varied student interests and can be one way tobring together like-minded US and local peers.

• Explore ways to explicitly develop the curriculum and extra-curricular activities aroundcultural norms and values to instill a sense of appreciation of and greater investmentinto the local culture and environment. Certain foci may include sustainability, genderand gender identity issues, varied forms of diversity, social justice, etc.

• The concept of interest-based living and learning communities should be piloted to testits feasibility. Centered on apartments and RAV (“tutor cultural”) support, suchcommunities will be able to participate in activities and form local connections based oncommon interests. Some communities may include sustainability, entrepreneurship,social justice, etc. Students living in other IES Abroad housing should be invited to formpart of the cohort and participate in activities as well.

CONCENTRATION II: FACULTY STUDENT INTERACTION • Faculty should clearly communicate their preferred method of contact outside of class

and should be available by appointment, email, or other means for student questions, concerns, and/or advising.

• Faculty should make a concerted effort to develop a personal rapport with theirstudents.

• The Center should continue and enhance its faculty training workshops and resources toprovide additional guidance on the facilitation of student engagement in the classroom.

CONCENTRATION III: FACILITIES • Faculty should have access to a dedicated space for advising/office hours.• Rearrange classroom furniture to facilitate more active and engaging teaching.• The faculty workspace should be separated from the kitchen/social space and include a

printer and additional space for faculty to store belongings while in class.• Extend Center hours, at least during midterms and final exams.• Update and optimize classroom projection systems.

Additional committee recommendations based on the IES Abroad MAP for Study Abroad Programs:

Recommendations Regarding Pre-departure information:

• Students are unsure of university options, courses in English, and ETSC. A review ofregistration forms and an advising checklist to make sure information is as clear aspossible.

• A pre-departure communications audit should be conducted to make sure informationis clear, helpful, and thorough. At the same time, the timing of messages and anunderstanding of when students are most likely to pay attention to the materials shouldbe factored in to the timing of communications.

• Encourage current students to create short video clips about “questions they had beforedeparture,” and the ups and downs of life in Barcelona that could be provided toprospective students. Selected versions of these could be delivered in the webinar orthrough other formats.

• A webinar or learning content should be developed to assist students with goal setting,particularly as it relates to travel. Such a webinar would assist students in finding agreater balance among travel, immersion, and academic goals.

Recommendations regarding Onsite Cultural and Academic Orientation:

• The committee encourages the Center to explore strategies to separate large cohortsfrom the same university.

• The Student Agenda is a great resource that students seem to use frequently. However,it should include an index to ease student usage and to improve informationaccessibility. A searchable version .pdf also could be made available via Moodle.

• Add to the orientation “scripts” that, if students request it, IES Abroad will help themfind religious connections in Barcelona.

Recommendations regarding Instructional Quality:

• Faculty should implement strategies to learn students’ names and foster betterengagement. This will establish a more personal rapport and facilitate more and betterinteraction with and between students.

• Customize syllabi in Moodle to include current, specific dates for class session topics,assignment deadlines, field trips, exams, etc. The committee understands the virtues ofhaving a standard syllabus template on the website. During the semester when aparticular professor is teaching a particular course, a syllabus with dates will be a morehelpful reference for students.

• To ensure that reading assignments meet current standards for quality and quantity, theacademics team should review evaluations and curriculum committee standards forpotential revisions to syllabi.

• Faculty should incorporate readings and assignments more directly into the classroom,using a variety of strategies. These strategies include discussing the readings online or inclass, seeding that discussion with prompting questions in advance of a readingassignment, and giving quizzes on the content of readings.

• Faculty should ensure there is an appropriate balance of scholarly assignments andmore popular readings and film/documentary viewings.

• The Academics team should enhance their current class observation processes toaddress concerns in course evaluations and continue to offer guidance in meeting IESAbroad standards in teaching.

• Offer faculty the opportunity to sit in on each other’s classes, not to evaluate each otherbut to learn from the strengths and weaknesses of peers.

• Faculty should clearly communicate their preferred method of contact outside of classand should be available by appointment, email, or other means for student questions,concerns, and/or advising.

Recommendations regarding Curricular Design:

• Examine the group projects required and evaluate their effectiveness. Given students’busy schedules and the lack of appropriate spaces for group work on evenings andweekends, finding time and place to meet and work together can be difficult.Furthermore, because of varied student motivations (including grade transfer policies atthe home institution), abilities, and availability, some group projects may not be aseffective as learning exercises as an individual project or assignment may be. Providing alimited amount of class time to work on group projects or at least for groups to schedulea time and place to meet might help.

• Develop more courses for intermediate and early advanced language students using ahybrid language/area studies model.

Recommendations regarding Language Development Opportunities:

• Procure ‘tutores culturales’ who meet with students 1-2 required times during the first3 weeks of the semester.

• Continue to develop and provide homestay families with strategies for getting studentsout of their rooms and interacting in Spanish.

• Consider having advanced students sign a language pledge.• Make students aware of language tutoring opportunities provided by IES Abroad faculty.• When putting students in groups to discuss a topic and then share their answers with

the class, in Spanish or English, require that they write down their answers. This givesthem greater confidence in their answers and makes them more willing to offer ananswer, increasing class participation.

• Offer professional development opportunities for instructors including workshops withlocal language acquisition/teaching experts and attending offerings by CARLA, ACTFL,and ASELE.

• Particularly for the Advanced Studies students: Measure their Spanish with a moresophisticated proficiency measure upon arrival and departure.

• For advanced Spanish students, consider placing them in a homestay with no otherstudents or students with equal to higher proficiency.

• Offer separate buses for the more proficient students during field trips.

Recommendations regarding Internships, Field Placements, and Community-Based Learning

• Consider offering more seminars that are thematically based on major categories (e.g.politics, health, arts, business, etc.)

• Add more internships in public health, business and entrepreneurship.• The Center should consider a range of internship seminars that are better grouped by

sectors & disciplines. The seminars would then have more relevant content bettercatered to each particular cohorts needs. If there is not a critical mass, then separatelearning modules or units could be catered to these sectors.

• The Center should address with students the goals, expectations, and reasoning behindthe academic component of the seminar during the pre-departure stage. This may beassigned as part of the Internship Coordinator’s communications, such as the Skypeinterview process.

• The Center should make sure that its service learning offerings should adhere to theproposed IES Service Learning guidelines. A separate Service Learning Seminar should bedeveloped that adheres to these guidelines. The committee does recognize that aminimum number of students will be required in order to offer a separate seminar.

• The Center should check in with on-site supervisors regularly to reinforce IES Abroad´sexpectations and standards regarding the student's internship experience.

Recommendations Regarding Field Study and Trips

• Students maintain that DiscoverIES fill too quickly or that they do not rememberreceiving information about these programs during orientation. Students’understanding of these opportunities could be improved by reevaluating the timing ofthis communication.

• Offer more in-language activities to accommodate student requests.

Recommendations Regarding Engagement in IES-Sponsored Cultural and Social Activities

• The center should develop multiple activities with peer cultural ambassadors. Thiscohort could be paid or incentivized by being allowed to participate in certain activitiessuch as field studies or/and DiscoverIES. These activities should be weighed heavilytoward the front of the semester.

• The language partner program needs to be improved and publicized better. Theprogram can be incentivized, perhaps with certain credit given in the language class.

• There should be organized social activities for locals.• There should be logistics and coordination of these activities to reduced overlap and

conflicts.

Recommendations Regarding Re-entry into Home Culture and Home Institution

• Re-entry currently consists of a 1 hour session built into the language classes. TheCommittee recommends that the Center consider enhancing the activities anddiscussion regarding Re-entry. Personal video-recorded testimonial from formerstudents may be an effective tool. These could be from recent returnees but also thosea few years out, especially on how to articulate this career-wise.

• They should build more activities into language classes that have students articulatetheir experience more succinctly and reflectively.

Recommendations Regarding Intellectual Development, Communications Skills, Cognitive Growth, Interpersonal Growth, and Intrapersonal Growth

• Allow students to articulate in written forms how their cultural learning has taken placeand what they have learned in order to “enhance” the curriculum. This may take theform of essays after field study tours.

• The program offers multiple activities in and outside classes to offer the students theopportunity to become aware of cultural differences, as well as communication skillsacross cultures. However, for the advance Spanish students, these offerings will beenhanced by having the opportunity of meeting Spanish “cultural tutors” that areuniversity students. These students will offer different levels of cultural exposure andlearning different from the interactions with professors and staff.

• In order to understand the students’ intercultural development, and “self-awareness ina cultural context” there should be a way in classes or general sessions for students tooffer their evaluation of the experiences in field studies, DiscoverIES, and classes, thatallows them to articulate and reflect on their individual experience.

• Have more academically-focused meetings during the semester so that students canvoice their concerns about their courses.

• Allow students more on-site experiences that force students to visit local sites and writeabout their experiences, history, local customs or other pertinent information, andactive experiential knowledge.

Recommendations Regarding Faculty Qualifications:

• In hiring decisions, favor potential faculty who are active as scholars or practitioners.

• When possible, members of the faculty should participate in the faculty hiring process,especially when a current faculty member in the same or a similar field is available.Faculty from other centers in the IES Abroad network could be tapped for comments onapplications in their disciplines. Including faculty in the process may well increase therigor and insightfulness of hiring screening, and brings opportunities for collaboration ordevelopment of new courses. If local faculty are not available to meet or talk withcandidates directly, they can still offer comments on a prospective faculty member’swritten application materials.

Recommendations Regarding IES Abroad Center Facilities

• Extend Center hours, at least during midterms and final exams.• Update and optimize classroom projection systems. The projection technology should

take into account the faculty’s heavy use of projected images by making them larger andeasier to see. The ideal would be a ceiling-mounted projector far enough back in theroom to project a large image covering most of the front wall. To make this possible,whiteboards would have to be moved to a side wall toward the front of the room, whichis feasible in most cases. Mounting projectors on the ceiling has the additional benefit ofremoving the projector, cart, and cords from the middle of the classroom. Opaqueshades that completely cover the windows and/or dimmable or banked lighting wouldhelp make it possible to darken the classroom at will and thus improve the clarity andvisibility of the images. Implementing this recommendation will require significantfunding, so perhaps start by outfitting a single classroom and/or by making some butnot all of the suggested improvements.

• Rearrange classroom furniture to facilitate more active and engaging teaching. Replacethe current wall-facing desk and desktop computer with a podium at the front of theroom. This will encourage faculty to face students, make eye contact more frequently,stand rather than sit, and walk around the room. Ideally the podium would have all ofthe technology be built in, including a monitor mirroring the projector and touch-screencontrols, and a hand-held remote control and laser pointer.

• Faculty should have access to a dedicated space for advising/office hours.• The faculty workspace should be separated from the kitchen/social space and include a

printer and additional space for faculty to store belongings while in class.• IES Abroad should negotiate with UB or another local university to provide library access

for all students.

Recommendations Regarding Housing and Homestays

• IES Program Advisors should clearly explain the benefits of IES Abroad housing overindependent housing options. This step would help minimize the number of incidentsrelated to independent housing.

• Offer the possibility of single-student homestay arrangements when feasible forinterested students.

• Advanced Spanish Program students should be placed in homestays with students fromthe ASSP program only since likely they share similar language backgrounds/goals.

ies abroad barcelona program review march 16 -20, 2015 · amy lancaster • dean of international...

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