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Education profs to present at world summit
April 13, 2007
Education professors Mike Hillis and Ron Byrnes are among the presenters at the first annual World Affairs Summit hosted by the City of Tacoma from April 19 to 21 in various downtown locations.
Hillis and Byrnes (pictured) will be presenting their proposal to create a new PLU master’s degree program in international education on Friday, April 21 at 10:30 a.m. in room 103 of the West Coast Grocery building on the campus of the University of Washington-Tacoma.
Hillis cautions that the proposal is still in the early phases. At their presentation, the two professors plan to use their time to solicit feedback on the idea from the audience on ways to improve or change to the program.
“We’ll present the proposal as simply the start of a conversation to those who would be most interested in the program,” Hillis said. “We’re taking the time we have to really develop it.”
The program grew from Byrnes and Hillis’ past international educational experiences, Hillis explained. Those experiences include creating a new K-12 curriculum based on the historic Antarctic crossing of Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen; being named Fulbright Scholars; teaching internationally; and serving as site directors for PLU gateway programs.
The talks began with Paula Leitz, director of the Norway-Namibia Project, about developing a student teaching experience connected to the project. During the discussions, the idea grew.
“While talking about it, we thought, ‘Why not offer a master’s degree in international education?’” Hillis said.
Opportunities for using such a degree abound, he explained. Four main types of international schools exist: independent schools for students who are living in a host country; Department of Defense schools located on U.S. bases worldwide; religiously affiliated schools, which tend to cater to children of missionaries; and for-profit schools, which largely teach English.
“It’s really in alignment with what PLU is about and the School of Education and all that we do,” Hillis said of the proposed program.
The nitty-gritty details of the program are still in the works. The coursework will likely include a global education component focused on how to incorporate the global perspective into education, along with specific coursework preparing students for the cultural and legal issues they may encounter.
The program will also include what Hillis called an “extended summer session.” Students will spend four to six weeks at an international location, engulfed in a structured program designed to give them an international experience and see the international structures at work, Hillis said. The international locations will include those that the School of Education has a connection with, including China, Trinidad and Tobago, New Zealand, Mexico and Norway.
Since 9/11, the number of international teachers has declined, Hillis said. There is a real need, and the master’s degree would give students an advantage to get the most coveted positions. On campus, the reaction from students and faculty has been positive, Hillis added.
The World Affairs Summit features a number of presenters who will speak on issues of peace and social justice, the environment and education. Tailored after the annual Conference on World Affairs held in Boulder, Colo., the summit is designed to broaden perspectives about the global community and talk about how that community impacts Tacoma.
The summit was developed by a group of civic leaders, and PLU was approached about nine months ago and asked to be a part of it, according to Susan Mann, director of study away. PLU is one of the founding sponsors of the event and an honorary supporter.
“It certainly complements what we do on campus,” she said. “We are happy to be involved. “
To learn more about the summit, including a schedule of events, visit www.worldaffairssummit.org.
Hillis cautions that the proposal is still in the early phases. At their presentation, the two professors plan to use their time to solicit feedback on the idea from the audience on ways to improve or change to the program.
“We’ll present the proposal as simply the start of a conversation to those who would be most interested in the program,” Hillis said. “We’re taking the time we have to really develop it.”
The program grew from Byrnes and Hillis’ past international educational experiences, Hillis explained. Those experiences include creating a new K-12 curriculum based on the historic Antarctic crossing of Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen; being named Fulbright Scholars; teaching internationally; and serving as site directors for PLU gateway programs.
The talks began with Paula Leitz, director of the Norway-Namibia Project, about developing a student teaching experience connected to the project. During the discussions, the idea grew.
“While talking about it, we thought, ‘Why not offer a master’s degree in international education?’” Hillis said.
Opportunities for using such a degree abound, he explained. Four main types of international schools exist: independent schools for students who are living in a host country; Department of Defense schools located on U.S. bases worldwide; religiously affiliated schools, which tend to cater to children of missionaries; and for-profit schools, which largely teach English.
“It’s really in alignment with what PLU is about and the School of Education and all that we do,” Hillis said of the proposed program.
The nitty-gritty details of the program are still in the works. The coursework will likely include a global education component focused on how to incorporate the global perspective into education, along with specific coursework preparing students for the cultural and legal issues they may encounter.
The program will also include what Hillis called an “extended summer session.” Students will spend four to six weeks at an international location, engulfed in a structured program designed to give them an international experience and see the international structures at work, Hillis said. The international locations will include those that the School of Education has a connection with, including China, Trinidad and Tobago, New Zealand, Mexico and Norway.
Since 9/11, the number of international teachers has declined, Hillis said. There is a real need, and the master’s degree would give students an advantage to get the most coveted positions. On campus, the reaction from students and faculty has been positive, Hillis added.
The World Affairs Summit features a number of presenters who will speak on issues of peace and social justice, the environment and education. Tailored after the annual Conference on World Affairs held in Boulder, Colo., the summit is designed to broaden perspectives about the global community and talk about how that community impacts Tacoma.
The summit was developed by a group of civic leaders, and PLU was approached about nine months ago and asked to be a part of it, according to Susan Mann, director of study away. PLU is one of the founding sponsors of the event and an honorary supporter.
“It certainly complements what we do on campus,” she said. “We are happy to be involved. “
To learn more about the summit, including a schedule of events, visit www.worldaffairssummit.org.