Internationalizing the Curriculum: Why and How

Michael J. Stevens, PhD, DHC Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA

Invited address delivered at International Education Week, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, November 16, 2010.

Internationalizing the

Curriculum: Why and How

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Mapa Invertido (Torres García)

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Introduction Internationalizing the curriculum: Defining terms Data related to internationalization Why internationalization matters A prescription for change Organizational, institutional, and faculty responses Obstacles to change Overcoming obstacles Strategic recommendations

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Defining Terms Internationalizing the curriculum:!!

The infusion of interdisciplinary, multicultural, and transnational perspectives across academic courses and programs to ensure that students learn about other nations - their cultures, histories, and languages - and about global issues. !

!Part of a comprehensive strategy to internationalize higher education by establishing and connecting campus-wide structures and activities that are globally focused!

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Comprehensive Internationalization

ü  Course offerings - international or global topics!ü  Graduation requirements - courses, distribution, language!ü  Infused content - readings, topics, speakers, technology!ü  Programs abroad - study, internships, service, work!ü  Campus activities - housing, clubs, events, programs!

ü  Institutional structure - position, office, center, department!ü  Administrative commitment - mission, plan, support!!

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Global Awareness Deficits

National Geographic / Roper Survey (2002)

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Global Literacy and Engagement


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Global Preparedness Deficits


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Public Opinion

American Council on Education (2003)

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Undergraduate Opinion


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Undergraduate Involvement


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Faculty Opinion


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Educational Requirements


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Institutional Offerings


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Institutional Support


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Financial Support


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Faculty Involvement


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Five-year Trends Positives: ü  International education as an institutional priority rose from 29% to 34%

ü  Study abroad programs are up from 65% to 91%

ü  More institutions are investing in international opportunities for faculty

ü  Doctorate-granting universities are increasingly committed to internationalization followed by master’s- level, baccalaureate, and community colleges

Negatives:

ü  A required course with an international focus dropped from 41% to 37%

ü  A language requirement fell from 50% to 45%

ü  Student participation in study abroad remains low (31%)

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Summary – The Great Divide 1.  Many U.S. students lack rudimentary knowledge of the world around

them (geography, history, current events)

2.  Many U.S. students are not acquiring the skills needed for educational and professional success in a competitive, globalized world (foreign language)

3.  Almost all Americans and a majority of students and faculty believe

that internationalized education has value

4.  Participation and investment in internationalizing higher education continues to fall short of widespread rhetorical support

“[M]uch of the new effort at internationalization seems more like a mechanical add-on to what already exists than an effort to make international perspectives an integral part of the institution and its curriculum (Green & Shoenberg, 2006, p. 3).

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Why Internationalization Matters

Individually ü  Intellectual stimulation ü  Enhanced awareness of self and others ü  Access to emerging educational opportunities ü  Preparation for new professional roles ü  Increased standard of living ü  More contextually informed choices ü  Increased comfort with novelty, ambiguity,

complexity, and change

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Why Internationalization Matters

Nationally ü  More responsible civic engagement ü  Greater social cohesion given a diverse society ü  Increased productivity ü  Improved efforts at conservation ü  Reduced health risks and costs ü  More effective diplomacy and foreign relations ü  Enhanced security (economic, military)

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A Prescription for Change ü  Value-based fusion of student and discipline ü  Interdisciplinary, multicultural, and transnational in scope ü  Intended to fashion full-capacity global citizens Conceptual core: 3 dimensions

1. Philosophy of education critical consciousness – 3 essential questions (what, why, how)

2. Personal qualities of the student openness, compassion, social responsibility and justice

3. Curriculum and instruction knowledge, competencies, perspectives

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What Students Need to Learn Global learning outcomes of an adaptive education!!Knowledge!ü  Understanding culture within a comparative and global context!ü  Understanding global issues, processes, systems, and trends!ü  Demonstrated knowledge of other cultures!!

Competencies!ü  Critical thinking and problem-solving from diverse perspectives!ü  Communication with other language communities!ü  Use of knowledge and skills to expand understanding!!

Perspectives!ü  Appreciation of the products of diverse cultures!ü  Acceptance of cultural differences, complexity, and interconnections!ü  Openness and engagement in international/intercultural opportunities!

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APA’s Response Outcomes of the 2008 Educational Leadership Conference 1.  Incorporate learning goals and outcomes from the APA’s Working

Group on Internationalizing the Psychology Curriculum (www.apa.org/edu/pcue/International.pdf) into the general Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major (www.apa.org/ed/resources.html)

2.  Top-down and bottom-up strategies for internationalizing psychology education (e.g., key APA groups develop and disseminate strategies; instructors infuse international content into courses)

3.  Recommendations targeting students (e.g., study abroad), instructors (e.g., professional development), programs (e.g., curricular modifications), and organizations (e.g., consolidate curricular and pedagogical resources into a best-practices clearinghouse)

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APS’s Response The David and Carol Myers Foundation pledged $1 million in 2004 to enhance the teaching of psychological science worldwide. This gift supports the Fund for Teaching and Public Understanding of Psychological Science, which provides grants to develop effective psychology instructors, facilitate their collaboration, and publicize the availability of curricular and pedagogical resources (www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/members/teaching/fund-application).

Priorities:

Internationalization of teaching in psychology Development of innovative teaching conferences Creation of websites with accessible instructional resources Provision of a venue for psychology educators to network

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Higher Education’s Response

Boston University - 2009 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization (NAFSA: Association of International Educators) "

Conscious integration of international dimensions into the ethos and outcomes of higher education ü  Strategic plan identifies internationalization as a key value ü  Administrative responsiveness to faculty initiatives ü  Input/feedback via the President’s Council for a Global University ü  Study abroad integrated into the curriculum of disciplines ü  Interdisciplinary initiatives to redress global concerns ü  International relations major that is academic and practical ü  Strategic growth in languages to bolster intellectual capacity

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Higher Education’s Response

Elon University - 2007 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization (NAFSA: Association of International Educators) " ü  Courses with increased international content ü  Opportunities for direct contact with other cultures ü  Faculty and student support for international activities Semester-abroad coursework at affiliate institutions

Chile (e.g., The Chilean Adolescent) China (e.g., Mental Health in China) Ghana (e.g., Psychology of Religion) Sweden (e.g., Work Psychology: Swedish Research Contribution)

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Faculty’s Response

Curriculum & Training Committee, Division of International Psychology (2010)

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Faculty’s Response

ü  Establish whether courses are internationalized ü  Determine the degree of course internationalization ü  Infuse an international focus into courses Internationalized course content should include

ü  Specified international competencies ü  Leaning activities that have an international focus ü  Resources that promote an international focus ü  Assessment activities for international competencies

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Levels of Strategic Analysis

Agents - people who perceive, decide, and act

ü  Instructors, students, alumni ü  Administrators, board members ü  Policy-makers, funding sources, general public

Structures - constraining and empowering conditions

ü  Class, course, field, discipline ü  Department, college, university ü  Academia, society, culture

System - the totality of interactive dynamics

ü  Within level, between levels

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Obstacles to Internationalization

Agents - agreement in principle, but

ü  Time constraints and level of difficulty ü  Competing commitments and demands

Structure - rhetorical multi-sectoral support, but

ü  Scarcity of funds and conflicting agendas ü  Inertia and low incentives

System - general idea taking hold, but

ü  Underdeveloped expertise and involvement ü  Impeded horizontal and vertical connectivity

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Decision-tree for Change Internationalization

í î Unimportant Important

í î Well enough Not well enough í î Cannot do more Can do more

í î Reject doing more Prefer doing more ê What should be done?

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Overcoming Obstacles Unimportant

Underscore growing rewards from international competence and involvement

Well enough Draw on evidence to expose this fallacy (e.g., U.S. students’ lack of preparedness)

Cannot do more Offer support, including funding for courses, workshops, travel, language study, and faculty development

Reject doing more Modify financial and professional incentive structure, including criteria for promotion and tenure

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Strategic Planning Pointers Plans of action designed to accomplish specific objectives and implemented in a manner suited to a given system Strategic outcomes hinge on the interplay of agents, structures, and system connectivity and dynamism; strategic recommendations, therefore, should target powerful agents and structures, enhance their connectivity, and energize the system Caveats:

ü  Anticipate unintended effects (e.g., “butterfly”, “blowback”) ü  Tailor subsequent interactions to emergent conditions

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Strategic Recommendations – Top Down

1.  Revise mission and goal statements of U.S. professional organizations to prioritize the internationalization of higher education

2.  Appoint expert administrators to coordinate and evaluate the range and type of efforts within U.S. professional organizations to internationalize higher education

3.  Co-sponsor summits of leaders from U.S. professional organizations and prominent U.S. educators and university administrators that focus on challenges in developing, implementing, and evaluating an internationalized curriculum (i.e., best practices and their impact)

4.  Design, fund, and evaluate projects that mentor globally competent faculty leaders who can advance the internationalization of higher education (e.g., faculty development and renewal, forging multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary coalitions, advocating for changes in hiring, promotion, and tenure criteria)

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Strategic Recommendations - Middle Out

1. Campus-wide:

Sustained commitment by university administration, an international dimension to the mission statement and strategic plan, a central international office with a senior administrator and core budget, local and national information and publicity about internationalization (e.g., front page web portal), student and faculty international exchanges, certificate and degree programs with an international focus, goals for international experiences and the funding of international programs, awards that recognize international accomplishments

2. Department-wide:

Faculty position announcements that seek and encourage international involvement, study abroad and/or a foreign language requirement, international teaching, research, and service partnerships, publicity and invitations to engage international alums

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Strategic Recommendations – Bottom Up

1. Conceptualize, develop, and overcome resistance to a model core curriculum of required and elective coursework, supervised field experience, and extracurricular opportunities

Intradisciplinary utilization (multiculturalism) Extradisciplinary borrowing (research methodologies) Innovative additions (advocacy) Infusion of international content (ethics, neglected specialties) Nontraditional pedagogies (Internet-based technologies)

2. Design and apply methodologies to evaluate the goals and outcomes of an internationalized curriculum

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Questions for Discussion

How are agents, structures, and systems at your university working toward internationalization of the curriculum? What more can be done to internationalize the curriculum and how?

Internationalizing the Curriculum: Why and How

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