TRU: a Globally Minded Campus – a Resource for Academic Departments

TRU: A GLOBALLY MINDED CAMPUS A RESOURCE FOR Academic DEPARTMENTS This resource was created by TRU World in This is seen as a work in progress; a collaborative order to recognize and support all who work and evolving process. The hope is that it to make TRU a globally minded campus that will enrich the dialogue and debate as well as embraces and encourages diversity. motivate individuals to share their experiences and best practices. The Centre for Teaching and Many individuals have contributed to the Learning will play a key role in facilitating this composition of this document by offering ongoing process. their expertise or simply by asking the necessary questions. We invite feedback and contributions to the upcoming edition. This resource was researched and primarily written by Kyra Garson on behalf of TRU World. February, 2007 Her expertise, talents and dedication were recognized by all involved in this project. KAMLOOPS, BC CANADA © 2007 TRU World ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Message from the President and Vice-Chancellor of TRU Thompson Rivers University is committed to fostering global citizenship. We have positioned ourselves as an international university. Global literacy—developing awareness and understanding in order to interact effectively within and among different cultures—has become an increasingly relevant and important educational goal. Cultural diversity is now a significant feature of university campuses in Canada. At TRU, our academic schools and faculties have played a key role in our ongoing success in internationalization. Students from more than 60 countries come to TRU each year to take advantage of our comprehensive range of programs, our unique combinations of flexible learning options, and our balance of theoretical and applied studies. International students contribute a unique perspective to our university. As visiting students learn about Canada’s languages, customs, and people, Canadian students gain cultural knowledge and forge intercultural friendships through interaction in and out of the classroom with their international peers. This international engagement in turn opens the door to a wide range of economic, cultural, and scholarly exchange—an interchange that only becomes more vibrant and more necessary in our increasingly interconnected global society. Internationalization, therefore, is a pathway to global citizenship for both our university and our students. TRU faculty members are continually seeking ways in which to become more effective at teaching a culturally diverse student body; this resource is designed to support and extend these efforts. International student support services are in place to support international students making cross-cultural transitions. The establishment of the Centre of Teaching and Learning provides us with a new and important opportunity to deepen our dialogue with international students, share our expertise, and further develop our practices. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize departments and individual faculty members for the special efforts they have taken to respond to the needs of our international students over these past two decades. Our success is built on these efforts. In the years to come, I am certain that we will continue to distinguish ourselves as a leading institution for culturally responsive teaching practices. Roger H. Barnsley President and Vice-Chancellor January 2007 preface Dear Colleagues, Thompson Rivers University invites students from all corners of the globe to join our educational community, which now includes over 60 nationalities. As Dr. David Foot, the author of Boom, Bust and Echo suggested during his presentation to TRU in March 2005, demographic trends indicate that Canadian institutions will increasingly need to consider international students as an essential core of their overall student body. This is the case at TRU. With the help and input of many at TRU, TRU World has created this guide for those who teach and support international students. The guide was originally inspired by the insights of the ad hoc International Student Success Interest Group (ISSIG). This informal group comprised Deans, Chairs, faculty members, and staff; all were motivated to examine the realities and implications of the growing cultural diversity in our classrooms. One of the many ideas that arose from ISSIG meetings was the need for tangible supports for faculty members. The notion of a specific resource for faculty members and departments emerged, a resource that would present key information, available resources, current theory, and examples of best practices in multicultural classrooms. Such a resource would contribute to the ongoing dialogue on this important topic. As a result, we decided to create this guide. I would like to acknowledge ISSIG members as early champions for inspiring its development. TRU: A GLOBALLY MINDED CAMPUS - A RESOURCE FOR DEPARTMENTS We had the good fortune to engage Kyra Garson as the main author of the guide. Kyra is an expert in the field of intercultural communications and an experienced teaching professional. She worked with TRU World to create a process for the guide that would speak to the existing realities at TRU. Together, we recognized that much of the direction and content should come from our faculty members, staff, and international and Canadian students – the people living the full experience of internationalization at TRU. The process has been as valuable as the final outcome. We have tried to be inclusive, to draw on both internal and external expertise. In deference to the available time and resources, we focused our attention on divisions with international student populations of greater than 10%. However, we also received input from faculty members from various other sectors who had a special interest in the teaching and support of international students. Our internal process involved faculty focus groups, meetings with Deans and Chairs, interviews with Canadian and international students, and input from several community members. preface We received honest and varied perspectives that revealed an array of issues, needs, and strategies. Most encouraging were the countless expressions of enthusiasm and encouragement, and many thanks go out to those who meticulously reviewed numerous early drafts, provided feedback, and contributed to sections of this resource. From a personal perspective, it has been exceptionally rewarding to have been provided this opportunity to initiate and manage this project. It has inspired constructive dialogue, new strategies, and valuable collaborations. It is difficult to be completely finished with a publication. It can always be improved. We anticipate that as individuals use this resource, additional ideas, examples of best practices and additional perspectives will emerge. We therefore see this first edition as a working copy that will evolve. A web-based version will also be produced. Two other initiatives complement this faculty guide. First, The International Student Life Handbook and student orientation have been enhanced to include sections on key issues pertaining to academic success and Canadian culture. Second, we have developed workshops on intercultural communications to introduce cross-cultural theories and their application to the classroom, student support services, and workplace settings. These are available to faculty members, students, and staff. The Centre for Teaching and Learning will play a key role in the dissemination of this TRU: A GLOBALLY MINDED CAMPUS - A RESOURCE FOR DEPARTMENTS resource and the presentation of the intercultural communication workshops for our faculty. Penny Heaslip’s support and involvement in the development of this resource has been essential. Under Penny’s leadership, the Centre will work to establish a forum for the exchange of ideas and best practices, as well as identify opportunities for ongoing professional development. Vera Wojna Associate Director, International Student Services TRU World, International Education, Training and Development January 2007 preface Dear Colleagues, Thompson Rivers University’s student population has become increasingly diverse and internationalized, and this affects all of us at the university: faculty members, support staff, Canadian students, and international students. As an institution, we must strive to accommodate and honour diversity on our campus, and to provide a culturally appropriate and respectful learning environment that meets the needs of all our students. Multicultural classrooms pose a number of opportunities and challenges for faculty members. International students come to us with different educational backgrounds and learning experiences that stem from their own countries and cultures. They approach their learning at TRU with unique understandings of what it means to be a successful student, and these may not always be the same as those of Canadian students. No longer can we assume that all students experience learning in the classroom in the same manner. It is exciting to see that faculty members are engaged in exploring how to handle students’ increasingly various learning histories and integrate them into a functional classroom. A few years into internationalization at TRU, faculty members have developed practical, concrete approaches for educating international students within a Canadian context. They were generous enough to provide some of their insights for this resource, which represents the beginning of an exploration of how to adapt

Load more