Faculty Seminar on Course Internationalization Fall 2024

KU faculty are invited to apply for CTE’s Fall 2024 Faculty Seminar on Course Internationalization. This faculty seminar represents a collaboration between CTE and KU’s Office of International Affairs, and links to a broader university initiative to transform KU into a comprehensive international university and integrate international more thoroughly and seamlessly into every aspect of institutional life.

The seminar aims to help faculty internationalize courses across the curriculum. Your course does not have to focus on international content, the goal here is to develop more courses that intentionally engage with the international in whatever ways make sense within the context of your discipline. This seminar will support KU faculty in incorporating meaningful international engagement into their course. The goal is to increase the number of students in all disciplines who experience meaningful international engagement while at the University of Kansas.

“Internationalization” of a course may involve transforming a course unit by adding international content, examples, or activities (e.g., use international case studies as course illustrations, or develop a collaborative project to try to find solutions to a specific global or international problem). Alternatively, internationalization could involve adding a Virtual Exchange project with an international partner or a COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) project with a faculty member overseas, linking your two classes for a joint project (e.g., a project dealing with the different ways that printers manufactured in the E.U. and in the U.S. are wired). It could even mean building a study abroad component into your course.

What is Faculty Seminar?

CTE’s Faculty Seminar gives faculty members an opportunity to develop teaching innovations and new models of teaching practice in a collegial setting that offers peer review and support. In Fall 2023, participants will attend four 90-minute meetings to explore ideas for internationalizing their classes. Through readings, discussion, and workshopping of ideas, participants will develop plans for a substantial change to acourse and plans to assess the impact on their students’ learning. In Spring 2024, participants will meet for two follow-up sessions, to reflect on progress and discuss implementation and assessment.

 

In summary, participants will be expected to:

  1. Attend in-person seminar meetings at CTE in 135 Budig from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. on September 18, October 9, October 30, and December 11. Attend two follow-up meetings in Spring 2025 at CTE (dates to be determined).
  2. Teach the target course in Spring 2025 or Fall 2025.
  3. Submit a brief final report (~ 2 pages) on their assessment of the course modifications by June 30, 2025 (for spring courses) or January 30, 2026 (for fall courses).  
  4. Share the results of their work in a poster (with support from a CTE graduate student fellow) at the CTE Celebration of Teaching in May 2026. The poster and related materials will also be submitted to KU Scholarworks, or seminar participants can choose to develop a portfolio (again, with support from a CTE graduate student fellow).

 

Who is eligible?

Preference will be given to faculty in STEM disciplines and professional schools, but faculty (including teaching specialists, teaching professors, and multi-term lecturers) from any department or academic program on the KU Lawrence or Edwards Campus can apply. The seminar requires independent work on teaching. It is best suited for teachers who have some experience reflecting on their teaching and improving student learning. Past participants in Faculty Seminar have become campus leaders in teaching innovation.

How will you benefit from participating?

In addition to what you (and your students) will gain from the readings and discussions, you will also:

  • Become part of an intellectual community of colleagues from across campus who are interested in embedding meaningful international engagement in their students’ learning experiences.
  • Develop a strategic plan to improve a course and your students’ learning experiences.
  • Receive a $1500 stipend/professional fund.
  • If your proposed project would benefit from international travel to a particular nation or region, KUIA and KU’s Area Studies Centers may be able to provide additional support of up to $1500.

How do you apply?

Submit an application by September 9 through this this link: https://forms.office.com/r/mxYQZyac33. The application should be 1-2 pages and should address the following:

  1. What course(s) do you propose to focus on, and why?
  2. What are your goals for participating in this program? For your students and their learning?
  3. Describe an example of something you have done in your teaching to improve your students’ learning.
  4. Confirm your availability for Fall 2024 meetings scheduled for September 18, October 9, October 30, and December 11.  All meetings will be at CTE in 135 Budig from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m..
  5. If you believe your project would be improved by your own international travel to meet with potential collaborators, further investigate a specific topic, or for some other reason, add a paragraph that indicates the location and purpose of your proposed travel.

Selection Criteria

Selection will be based on applicants’ openness to teaching innovation and curricular internationalization, interest in engaging with an interdisciplinary faculty community, and ability to commit to meeting attendance and participation. Although not a requirement, there is a preference for proposals to internationalize undergraduate courses.

Participants accepted into the program will be notified by September 11. In the meantime, please hold the seminar times on your calendar.  

Questions?

Contact Judy Eddy at jeddy@ku.edu or Megan Greene at mgreene@ku.edu.

Register By Sept. 9