CIRTL Program offers new course: Teaching in Science and Engineering: International Faculty, International Students

This spring, Delta, a program of the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning is offering a new course focusing on cross-cultural teaching and learning in international contexts.  Teaching in Science and Engineering: International Faculty, International Students aims to enhance international understanding of future science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty. To do so they will explore global perspectives on culture, communication, and learning, as well as how these pertain to effective and inclusive teaching.  In addition, this course will offer a forum for intellectual conversations about college teaching and provide students with a broader picture of higher education in the United States.  The course is for graduate students, both international and domestic, who want to become effective teachers in the global college classroom.  The course will be co-taught by Shihmei Barger, Associate Researcher Wisconsin Center for Education Research, and Sandy Courter, Director Engineering Learning Center. 

Barger is excited about the new course and feels that it is an important addition to the Delta Program.  According to Barger, “Research has shown that frequent and meaningful interactions with international students—with the exception of having a teaching assistant or lecturer who is an international student—have a positive impact on domestic students’ overall educational experience, international interest, and intercultural sensitivity and competency.  In general, domestic students believe that learning with international students enhances their learning, whereas learning from people with international backgrounds does not.  While we frequently hear complaints from college students about this, research has shown that language proficiency is merely one small barrier to intercultural communication.  At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, approximately 30% of graduate students in STEM fields are from foreign countries.  Many of these will receive their doctoral degrees and then join the faculty of a U.S. institution of higher education.  Thus it is critical that both students and faculty understand how to communicate effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds.”
 
The predecessor to Teaching in Science and Engineering: International Faculty, International Students was a semester-long series of presentations entitled Cultural Connections sponsored by the Engineering Learning Center and International Engineering Studies and Programs, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  To learn more about the Cultural Connections series visit http://mediasite.cae.wisc.edu/Mediasite/Viewer/ and click the Cultural Connections link.

For more information about Teaching in Science and Engineering: International Faculty, International Students and the other Delta courses visit the Delta course webpage at http://www.delta.wisc.edu/courses/grad_courses_main.html.

CIRTL
1025 W. Johnson St.
Madison, WI 53706
ph.: 608.263.0630
fax: 608.265.0538