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Global focus on many fronts
ENGAGE YOUR STRENGTHS | COMMUNITY | FUTURE AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
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Greetings!
In addition to the Global Leadership course in the LDRS curriculum and Tomorrow's World Today -- the globally focused first-year seminar, University College continues to enhance its commitment to global learning in a variety of ways. The Center for Student Leadership provides international co-curricular experiences and helps to prepare students for global recognition such as Fulbright scholarships. First-Year Programs hosted global visitors, who spent the day learning more about our award-winning curricular and co-curricular initiatives for incoming students. University Studies connects international students with the campus community through the Conversation Partners Program, and the college continues to prioritize global learning and engagement as resources are allocated. Each of the stories below is a reminder that "Global Learning for Engaged Citizenship" continues to thrive within University College even after the conclusion of the QEP.
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Japanese delegation visits First-Year Programs
 Kansai University of International Studies in Suita, Japan, sent a small delegation -- including President Hamana -- to Kennesaw State in late January to learn more about first-year seminars, learning communities, active learning, and curricular assessment. Coordinated by Stephanie Foote, the visit illustrated KSU's global standing as a leader in the emerging discipline of first-year studies. The Kansai delegation visited Foote's KSU 1111 class, met with faculty members and lunched with college administrators. Kansai University currently offers some programming for first-year students but is interested in increasing its offerings. The delegation visited several institutions recommended by the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition and lauded on the annual U.S. News & World Report listing.
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Conversation Partners Prog links native speakers with students from 40 countries
 Boasting what is now the largest number of participants in an academic year, the Conversation Partners Program continues to enhance learning outside the classroom for both international students and native speakers. This spring, the program has a total of 212 participants, second only to fall 2012's 220 participants. Students from more than 40 countries across the globe -- from Belize to Zambia -- are paired with students, faculty, and staff members to engage in multiple opportunities for dialogue. Participants consistently praise the program as they learn about different cultures, meet new people, and enhance their language skills. CPP is led by David Schmidt, director of the ESL Study & Tutorial Center.
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Faculty enhance technology skills with Sloan
 Deborah Mixson-Brookshire and Brian Wooten have completed all of the courses and requirements for the Sloan Consortium Online Certificate, and five of their colleagues are in the final stages of receiving their certificates. Stephanie Foote and Alison Hedrick will receive their certificates this month; Debbie Geist and Joan Dominick will receive theirs before the end of the semester; and Julia Morrissey expects to receive hers in June.
The certificate program consists of a nine-week foundation course, three additional workshops of the participant's choosing, an e-portfolio, and a final live presentation to a Sloan mentor. The Sloan certificate is recognized nationally given Sloan's standing as a leader in online education. The cost of the workshops for the seven participants was provided by the college's distance learning budget. Faculty and staff who teach hybrid and/or online courses and would like to learn more about the Sloan certificate should contact Mixson-Brookshire, UC's Distance Learning Director.
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University Relations to develop a comprehensive communication plan
One of the priorities of the college, as outlined in the strategic plan, is to continue to enhance communication internally as well as to external audiences. University Relations will be helping the college achieve those objectives by developing a comprehensive communication plan. Representatives from both academic departments, the Center for Student Leadership and the Dean's Office met with David Arnold, assistant vice president for communication and marketing, and his team in January. Carla Barnes is the University Relations' liaison to the college, and she will be meeting with small groups in the college in the coming weeks to learn more about the individual units and their needs. The goal is to have a full plan developed by the end of the fiscal year.
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Faculty co-author study on hybrid seminars
 Stephanie Foote and Deborah Mixson-Brookshire co-authored a study that will appear in the March issue of E-Source for College Transitions, a publication of the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition. "Finding b  alance: Strategies for creating engaging online and classroom content for hybrid first-year seminars" is one of several publications and presentations planned by the two First-Year Programs' faculty, who have collected longitudinal data on hybrid and online seminars. |
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Distance Learning Tip for Presentations
If you're making a conference presentation and don't want to take a laptop, consider using the Slide Shark app. Slide Shark is free and allows users to view and share PowerPoint presentations on the iPad. Animations and slide transitions also appear when presentations are viewed using this app. To get started, simply upload your presentation into Slide Shark when your iPad is connected to Wi-Fi, then view the presentation even when your iPad isn't in Wi-Fi range. For more information on apps to help enhance your personal productivity and teaching, plan to attend the workshop "There's an App for That! Version 2.0" April 22 at 12:30 p.m. in UC 122. Please RSVP to Stephanie Foote by April 17 to reserve your spot at this workshop. The Distance Learning Committee is also offering D2L workshops in March and April. The next mini-session on D2L is March 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in UC 125. RSVP to Debbie Smith before March 1 if you would like to attend. Distance Learning Committee members Debbie Smith and Mike Keleher will be leading the workshop. |
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Global Learning Allocations
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The Institute for Global Initiatives provided University College with $21,000 in FY13 to support global learning. Formerly known as the QEP Funds, this annual allocation began years ago to support each college's efforts to support the Quality Enhancement Plan.
Proposals totaled more than $21,000, so an additional $1,200 was provided by the college to support the following faculty, staff and students.
$8,000 to support Ken Hill and a CSL staff member to accompany PEGS students to Brazil
$5,400 to support 9 students' participation in Soliya (co-taught by Ken Hill, Shannon Ferketish, Maia Hallward, and Ibrahim Elsawy)
$3,000 for Linda Lyons to complete her dissertation study with students in Brazil
$2,700 for Debbie Geist's travel to present at an international conference in Portugal
$2,100 for Stephanie Foote's travel to present at an international conference in Hawaii
$1,000 for Michael Keleher's travel to present his intercultural work at a national conference in Denver
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ADP Hosts Kiva Co- Founder Jessica Jackley
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Close to 300 attendees packed Stillwell Theater Feb. 12 for the 3rd annual Pathways to Peace lecture. This year's speaker was Kiva co-founder Jessica Jackley, who spoke about her own journey to reconceptualize those living in poverty beyond the stereotypes she was taught. Her introduction to microfinance led to a transformative experience in east Africa and the founding of Kiva. To learn more about Pathways to Peace, click here. To learn more about Kiva, click here.
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