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Arts and culture in education abroad: A three-sided view. Akosua Obuo Addo School of Music, University of Minnesota addox002@umn.edu (612) 624-8516
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Arts and culture in education abroad: A three-sided view. Akosua Obuo Addo School of Music, University of Minnesota addox002@umn.edu (612) 624-8516 Quality and Equivalence: Issues in Education Abroad Seminar , Commonwealth Universities Study Abroad Consortium, Kingston Jamaica. June 19-21, 2008
Definitions • Access, what learning abroad students receive, • Equity, what are fair and just expectations of a learning abroad program, and • Quality, the degree of excellence or standards
Purpose • The purpose is • To analyze the design and implementation of two programs and a discussion of the issues that emerge for specific institutions in providing equitable, accessible and quality art and culture educational experiences abroad.
Question • The central question is • How can education abroad experiences provides equitable, accessible and quality educational experiences for students to recognize, and incorporate bi and multi-lateral arts and culture perspectives into their academic programs?
Road map identify varied conceptualizations of arts curricula in education abroad programs, describe the content of an arts and culture curriculum model I have implemented in Ghana and Jamaica, and discuss the challenges and successes of the model
Some figures…. • 600,000 international students from over 200 countries study in the US each year. • 88% of American college students believe international education will give them a competitive edge in the workplace. • International Students contribute more than 12 billion dollars each year to the US economy. • More than 70% Americans believe that US colleges and universities should require students to take a foreign language and study aboard. • Ninety percent of American college students believe that having international students on campus enriches their own learning experience.
What exists for the arts in education abroad? • Group experiences • Professional development • Cultural immersion • Individual experiences • Action Research • Teaching for cultural exchange
Ghana and Jamaica Programs • Designing • Goals of the program • Who were the partners • Implementing • Pre-departure • In Host Country • De-briefing and re-entry
Challenges and successes • Access • Personal and cultural empowerment • Democracy of choice • Diversity of engagement • Accountability in fulfillment • Equity • Finances • Demographic figures • Quality
Short Term Programs • What: One- eight week programs, usually faculty led, sponsored by a consortium. • Possibilities • Create opportunities for a greater range of students to study abroad- access • Grading usually established by sending institutions-equivalence and quality • Adapting the subject matter and pedagogy to the demands and opportunities of the site-equity • Balancing theory with practice! • Fees and budgeting- sending and host institution positions • Constraints • Increasing interest to non-traditional destinations. • Faculty voice in the selection of students.
Equity: The Issues • Financial aid for students • Campus or university fee structure • Central administrative perceptions • Registrar’s office or Credit evaluator • Program or degree design requirements • Student’s attitude ad perceptions of study abroad • Faculty attitude/perceptions of study aboard.
Quality • Led by academic faculty • Depth of presentation • Balance between academic and experiences practices • Expectations- communications with host and sending country • Pre-departure and re-entry experiences • Deans and department heads
So what? • Support for students. • Making complete program costs transparent. • Encourage upper level administrative support for programs, faculty and student • Faculty recognition.- salary /merit and promotion and tenure. • Encourage curricular integration into on campus programs for study abroad.
Thank You! • I also wanted to say Thank You again for such an amazing time and L actually came over to my house today and we exchanged pictures and talked about how much we really miss Jamaica. I'm not so sure what you are going to be doing next week or if you'll even be back but on June 25th (Wednesday) I'm having my concert at Northrop, it's on the Northrop website if you need more info, but L is actually helping me open my concert and she'll be dancing to one of my songs. Isn't that great! But hopefully your stay in Jamaica without us is going well for you and take care! • Thanks again for the trip of a lifetime! • Thank you So Much! I had so much fun in Jamaica! It is certainly the most memorable class I have ever taken at the U! I learned so much from you and Our trip! I really encourage you to keep leading learning abroad after your break. They are most definitely one of your strengths! I will not be around after next year because I will be graduating, but if i end up around here sometime afterwards when you are here I will try to stop in and say hello. good luck in Ghana next year! keep exposing people to other cultures. Thank You! • THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!