International Exchange Program
heads to Japan
UWG faculty members are on an education mission and packing up
for a trip to Japan. One of the many objectives of the delegation
is to visit Kagoshima
University in Kagoshima,
Japan, and continue the university’s
International Exchange Program with Kagoshima faculty and students.
Dr. Bill Schaniel, professor of economics and director of International
Programs, is coordinating the journey.
Dr. Bill Schaniel
“The West Georgia delegation
has three objectives,” said Schaniel. “The
first is to enhance exchange opportunities for College of Ed students
and Kagoshima students. The second is to build on the relations
between the faculty at both universities and develop teaching,
pedagogical and research cooperation, and third, to observe the
Japanese Language Development Program at Kagoshima.”
The trip
takes place May 9 – 17 with a delegation that includes incoming
COE Dean Kim Metcalf; Dr. Walter Todd, physical education and recreation
and intramurals; Dr. Judy Butler, secondary education; Dr. Rosalind
Duplechain, early childhood and elementary education; Dr. Danilo
M. Baylen, media and instructional technology; Dr. Aki Matsushima,
Dr. Jay Alberg and Teresa Orr, Department of Foreign Languages
and Literatures; and Yumi Alberg, library instructor/cataloging.
“We begin our trip with completely open minds,” said
Metcalf. “Our
goal is to further develop a relationship with Kagoshima University
and expand opportunities for both students and faculty members.
It will be very interesting to explore options for sharing areas
of particular expertise across the universities.”
Students
and faculty members from Kagoshima University have visited UWG
as part of the International Exchange Program several times. This
is the first trip for COE faculty members and plans include meeting
the president and vice president of Kagoshima, visiting both Kagoshima
campuses, and visiting middle and high schools in the region.
UWG educators
will also make a presentation to the faculty at the university.
The delegation has packed the trip’s work agenda, but has
also set aside the last day for a little tourism time.
A
successful trip will result in UWG students being eligible to enroll
at Kagoshima to attend Japanese language classes and allow West
Georgia to increase the number of Japanese language courses it
offers to students.
A delegation of Japanese faculty from Kagoshima
will visit Carrollton in June to participate in the Learning Festival
and to continue developing pedagogical, teaching, research and
student exchange possibilities with COE faculty.
The Department
of Curriculum and Instruction will sponsor its second Learning Festival for educators
in P-12 classrooms in Georgia on June 2 – 6.
For more information
on The Learning Festival, call Dr. Rosalind Duplechain at 678-839-6067.
For more information on the trip, contact Bill Schaniel at 678-839-4780.
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