Berlin 2015

The Reinvention of Study Abroad

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Speakers

Daniel Libeskind

Polish-American architect, artist, and professor

Libeskind’s big ideas start with a small group of words. His approach to architecture will inspire you to reimagine, rebuild, and reinvent study abroad.

An international figure in architecture and urban design, the architect Daniel Libeskind is renowned for his ability to evoke cultural memory in buildings of equilibrium-defying contemporaneity. Informed by a deep commitment to music, philosophy, and literature, Mr. Libeskind aims to create architecture that is resonant, original, and sustainable. Born in Lód’z, Poland, in 1946, Mr. Libeskind immigrated to the United States as a teenager.

Daniel Libeskind established his architectural studio in Berlin, Germany, in 1989 after winning the competition to build the Jewish Museum in Berlin. In February 2003, Studio Libeskind moved its headquarters from Berlin to New York City when Daniel Libeskind was selected as the master planner for the World Trade Center redevelopment. Daniel Libeskind’s practice is involved in designing and realizing a diverse array of urban, cultural and commercial projects internationally. The Studio has completed buildings that range from museums and concert halls to convention centers, university buildings, hotels, shopping centers and residential towers.

As Principal Design Architect for Studio Libeskind , Mr. Libeskind speaks widely on the art of architecture in universities and professional summits. His architecture and ideas have been the subject of many articles and exhibitions, influencing the field of architecture and the development of cities and culture. Mr. Libeskind lives in New York with his wife and business partner, Nina Libeskind.

Jaime Casap

Chief Education Evangelist, Google, Inc.

Casap will give us a look at the powerful role of technology in revolutionizing education and transforming today’s students into tomorrow’s global citizens.

Jaime Casap is the Chief Education Evangelist at Google, Inc. Jaime evangelizes the power and potential of the web, technology, and Google tools as enabling and supporting capabilities in pursuit of creating powerful learning models. Jaime works with educational organizations around the world, helping them find ways to continuously improve the quality of education by utilizing and enabling technology capabilities. Jaime is a member of the Google for Education Team and works across other Google teams, including, Google Fiber, the Google Policy Team, the YouTube Team, and the Google Capital Team.

In addition to his role at Google, Jaime serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Science Foundation, New Global Citizens, Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, and serves as an advisor to dozens of organizations focused on education and access, including South by Southwest EDU (SXSWedu,) the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and is on the GSV Advisors Advisory Board. Jaime is also an adjunct professor at Arizona State University, where he teaches classes and guest lectures.

Born and raised as a first generation American to a single mother on welfare in Hell’s Kitchen, New York, Jaime understands and appreciates the power education has on changing the destiny of a family in just one generation.

Schedule

Wednesday, November 4

8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Registration Desk


8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

One-Day International Faculty Development Seminar
Smart Cities Smart Citizens: Projects and Initiatives in Berlin and Germany
Seminar Leader: Lukas Kronawitter, Terreform One and CIEE


9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Pre-Conference Workshop 1
Resilience 2020: An Integrated Approach to Wellness, Safety, and Intercultural Learning
Janice Abarbanel, Consultant; Bill Bull, CIEE – Portland, ME; Tara Harvey, CIEE – Portland, ME


9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Pre-Conference Workshop 2
Reinventing for New Realities in Study Abroad: The Personal Leadership Approach
Tina Kirk, Yale University; Heather Robinson, PL Seminars


5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Rainbow SIG Meeting


6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Opening Plenary
Featured Speaker: Daniel Libeskind, Polish-American architect and professor


7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Opening Reception


Thursday, November 5

8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Registration Desk


8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall and Internet Café


Concurrent Sessions (Group 1) | 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Rethinking the International Education Office as a Site of Pedagogy
Campus-based international education offices typically are organized around a series of information-transfer events: from outreach, to predeparture and welcome-back activities. How can models of critical pedagogy and cocurricular learning strengthen the operational programming of study abroad? This panel will offer conceptual foundations and exemplary practices focused on distinct dimensions of student learning associated with international study. Themes of narrative construction, wellness and personal development, peer learning, and the integration of academic goals in predeparture and on-site orientation will be explored. The panel will model reflective-learning approaches in structured dialogue between presenters and the audience.

Chair: Rebecca Hovey, Smith College

Presenters: Janice Abarbanel, Consultant; Linn Friedrichs, New York University Berlin; Joshua Moore, Beloit College


Is Western Europe Even Relevant Anymore?
Is western Europe still relevant as a destination for research, study, and internships, or have American institutions turned their global focus elsewhere? This session will feature participants from three very different institutions: A large, private research university; a small, undergraduate liberal arts college; and a small satellite campus in Europe of a large, public research university. We’ll present academic research and statistics from the field in general, and three case studies showcasing how western Europe is currently “faring” in institutional global strategies. Attendees will be invited to share their strategies and engagement with the region as well.

Chair: Hilary Link, Temple University Rome

Presenters: Janet Alperstein, New York University; Lisa Hollibaugh, Barnard College


Immediacy, Engagement, and Immersion: Critical Pedagogy and the Study Abroad Mission
Intentional, critically informed pedagogies are a means of developing and shaping the kinds of transformative experiences students should have. While much of the work in the field of international education emphasizes formal assessments, we’ll focus on critical pedagogy and how to best shape experiences that promote experiential learning, immediacy, engagement, and immersion that is both self-reflexive and respectful. We’ll consider approaches and methodologies that can be used for specific study abroad programs and the ways in which an ethos of deeply intercultural and experiential learning can inform campus and curriculum internationalization efforts.

Chair: Cari Vanderkar Moore, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Presenters: Roger Adkins, Gustavus Adolphus College; Josh Machamer, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; H. Leslie Steeves University of Oregon


Here’s the T: Trans* Students and Inclusive Practices Abroad
As study abroad opportunities continue to expand, how can international education administrators make the study abroad experience accessible, safe, and meaningful for transgender and gender non-conforming identified students? How does race and sexual identity intersect with a trans* identity? During this session, we’ll explore methods for engaging trans* students seeking to go abroad, with an emphasis on housing accommodations, health/medical needs, and safety. Using theory, case studies, and personal narratives from transgender and gender non-conforming students, we’ll offer inclusive and transferable implementation practices you can use, from marketing/application to pre-departure, exchange, and re-entry.

Chair: John Carrion, New York University

Presenter: Jacquis Watters, Maryland Institute College of Art


10:15 a.m.-10:45 a.m.

Coffee Break and Poster Fair

Increasing Participation Through A Versatile Short-Term Programming Paradigm by Dixee Bartholomew-Feis, Buena Vista University; Wind Goodfriend, Buena Vista University

Women Child Health Initiative: Health Professions Short Term Study Abroad in Italy by Lazelle Benefield, University of Oklahoma

Increasing Male Participation in Study Abroad: What Works, What Doesn’t by Rebecca Bergren, Gettysburg College

Study Abroad: Beyond the Numbers by Kip Brooks, Washington and Lee University

Best Practices for Creating a Regional or School-based Returnee Conference by Sarah Carrier, Virginia Commonwealth University

Identity Exploration as Part of a Short-Term Teacher Education Study Abroad Program by Shane Cavanaugh, Central Michigan University

Storytelling and Study Abroad: Helping Students Reflect and Reframe During Re-Entry by Kelly Chroniger, Virginia Commonwealth University

The Global STEM Virtual Community: Communication Technology for Scholars Before, During and After Research Abroad by Karen Clay, Spelman College

Pre-Trip Planning and Collaboration with International Partners: Improving Business Student Engagement During the Short-Term Study Abroad by Lauren Eder, Rider University and Susan Denbo, Rider University.

STEM students and the Study Abroad Experience at the University of South Carolina by Pearl Fernandes, University of South Carolina; Renee Spruit

Internationalizing STEM Education and Expanding Community College Participation in Study Abroad through the Community College Sustainable Development Network by Tammy Gibbs, Madison Area Technical College

Managing Transformation through Re-Entry: Exploring the Student Experience After Service Abroad by Leah Hetzell, Temple University

Scaffolding the Study-Abroad Experience: A Programmatic Approach by Marc Robinson, St. Olaf College

Art Doesn’t Happen in a Vacuum: How Studying Abroad Influences the Creative Work of Art, Performance and Design Students by Rachel Sherman Johnson, University of Minnesota Doctoral Student and Gustavus Adolphus College

International Engineering Summer School at TU Berlin by Volker Sick, University of Michigan. Additional Presenter: Frank Behrendt, TU Berlin, Germany

From Proms to Passports: Partnering with your Local High School on Short-Term Study Abroad by Suzanne Solomon, CUNY Queens College

War and Peace and Study Abroad: Challenges and Assets in Making Programs Accessible to Military Students by Chelsea St. Onge-May, Boston University and the United States Navy

Assessing the Outcomes of Overseas Professional Development for University Staff by Katherine Yngve, Purdue University


Concurrent Sessions (Group 2) | 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Invisible Identities: Promoting and Protecting Diverse Identities in Study Abroad
How often have you heard about a student struggling abroad who could have been helped if advised sooner? We’ve seen an increase in the number students exploring study abroad who have “invisible identities” not often discussed. In this session, presenters will discuss the opportunities and challenges in advising, resources, and on-site support for such students with mental-health issues, learning disabilities, dietary restrictions, and allergies. Presenters will discuss the importance of early disclosure, planning, and partnerships for long-term inclusion, from university and provider perspectives.

Chair: Darren Gallant, Brandeis University

Presenters: Brett Chin, Babson University; Paula Hentz, Stetson University; Morgan Reiss, CIEE – Seville, Spain


Washington Update
How are exchange programs faring under a Republican-controlled Congress? During this session, we’ll examine this question from the perspectives of Washington and Berlin. We’ll take a look at key questions, such as: How do key congressional players perceive exchanges? What are the likely outcomes for this year’s funding cycle? How do Washington policy decisions affect on-the-ground operations of a major bilateral institution based in Berlin? We’ll provide insights into both the Washington policy process and the operations of one of the world’s largest Fulbright commissions, and include plenty of time for discussion.

Chair: Michael McCarry, The Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange

Presenters: Rolf Hoffmann, The German-American Fulbright Commission in Berlin; Lonnie Johnson, Austrian-American Education Commission


Establishing a Research Agenda for U.S. Education Abroad
This session begins with a brief overview of the major trends in contemporary education-abroad research and an assessment of the major methodological and design challenges. We’ll briefly look at the major theoretical models that traditionally have informed education-abroad research and conceptual frameworks from related disciplines that may further extend this research. Commonly used instruments are discussed in the context of measuring outcomes. Notable gaps in existing research and needed directions will be discussed. This session will be particularly relevant for both U.S.- and internationally based educators interested in establishing a research agenda for U.S. education abroad.

Worksheet-Post Conference

Chair: Anthony Ogden, University of Kentucky

Presenter: Elizabeth Brewer, Beloit College


Food, Culture, and Study Abroad
American food writer M.F.K. Fisher once wrote, “First we eat, then we do everything else.” In this session, we’ll bring together a panel of scholars who use the study of one of the most basic elements of life – food – to help students grapple with complex issues related to cultural identity, consumption, politics, sustainability, history, and social justice. International education in the 21st century has required us to develop new and engaging ways to provide students with the tools they need to meet the challenges of living in a more interdependent and technologically connected world. Session attendees will learn some of the many ways the study of food and cooking can enrich classroom discussions.

Chair: Joseph Rienti, Fordham University

Presenters: Antonia Ferriol, CIEE – Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Andrea Ciliotta-Rubery, The College at Brockport, SUNY


Concurrent Sessions (Group 3) | 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Mastering a New Language for Student Development: Considering a Broader Theoretical Model and Practical Applications
As educators, we’re aware of the importance of intercultural competency, but how can we better understand other cognitive and adaptive factors at play in Generation Study Abroad? As a necessary step in reinventing study abroad, we’ll reexamine how students construct their experiences, how we can support their development, and the impact of study abroad on “meaning-making.” Through the investigation of Robert Kegan’s “Orders of Mind” and subject/object relationships and interactive discussion of his constructive developmental theory, participants will come away with practical tools to help students broaden their perspective before, during, and after study abroad.

Chair: Mary Ogburn, Boston University

Presenters: Alissa Kramer, Boston University; Craig Rinker, Georgetown University


Increasing STEM Mobility through Study Abroad in Europe: Engineering, Architecture and Design
New questions have arisen in light of today’s demands for innovation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), increasingly global jobs markets, worldwide competition, and imbalanced opportunities for study abroad. One such question: Should the selection of study abroad location be tied to local resources and assets? Using two STEM-focused study abroad programs in Europe as examples, we’ll discuss this question, and bring together innovators in STEM education to identify major challenges and best practices, and develop new roadmaps for creating successful STEM programs.

Lukas Kronawitte
Maria Aiolova
Case Study

Co-Chairs: Sasha Perugini, Syracuse University Florence and Maria Aiolova, CIEE – Portland, ME

Presenter: Lukas Kronawitter, Terreform ONE and CIEE


Tethered Abroad: Technology and Communication with Home During Study Abroad
Technology has transformed the very nature of study abroad. While abroad, students now stay closely connected to their friends and parents at home. This session will explore how digital technology and students’ connectedness with family and friends at home are affecting study abroad experiences and whether digital technology is always an impediment to personal and intercultural growth abroad or could actually help enhance student development. We’ll present findings from our research, which explores the connection between students’ technological contacts with family and friends and variables such as autonomy, self-regulation, and cultural learning. We’ll then discuss how digital technology might be harnessed to help students engage more deeply in their study abroad experiences.

Chair: Sue Robinson, CIEE – Portland, ME

Presenters: Barbara Hofer, Middlebury College; Stacey Thebodo, Middlebury College; Meg Quinn, Quinntercultural Consulting


The New Champions for Inclusion: Paving the Way for Students with Disabilities Abroad
As international educators, we aspire to make going abroad possible for talented students who believe that it’s out of reach. With initiatives like Generation Study Abroad placing emphasis on removing barriers for underrepresented students, it’s a prime time to think about how we can effect change within our own spheres of influence, large or small. In this session, presenters will elaborate on efforts to advance overseas opportunities for students with disabilities at the leadership level, while CIEE alumni with disabilities and resident directors from recent programs will share innovative approaches to breaking down everyday barriers.

Chair: Susan Sygall, Mobility International USA

Presenters: Francisco Diez, CIEE – Alicante, Spain; Antoine Craig, Virginia Commonwealth University (CIEE Alumnus)


Concurrent Sessions (Group 4) | 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Mindful Learning for a Changing World
As we approach 2020, mindfulness programs are becoming increasingly prevalent—from major corporations to the military to education—and research heralds their impact. Educators are recognizing the value of both practicing and teaching mindfulness to enhance their own and others’ intercultural competence.

In this interactive session, we will discuss what mindfulness is, how it relates to intercultural learning and study away, and how practicing mindfulness can benefit you and your students. You will participate in and learn about several activities that you can use to start or further your own and your students’ mindfulness practice.

Article
Resources

Chair: Tara Harvey, CIEE – Portland, ME

Presenters: Catherine Menyhart, CIEE – Portland, ME; Tina Kirk, Higher Education Professional


Translating International Experience in the Global Workplace
International internships are increasing in popularity as an alternative to or extension of study abroad, but what are the true benefits of these experiences to students? Are technical skills acquired abroad valued and implemented by employers back home, or do the “soft skills” acquired provide more relevant professional credentials? This session will examine the secondary skills that are fostered by internships abroad, using data from a study of thousands of returning international interns, and focusing on the impact of those traits on entrepreneurial thinking and professional success in students’ later careers.

Chair: William Maier, Cultural Vistas

Presenter: Linus Dahlander, European School of Management and Technology; Dan J. Wang, Columbia University


Begin in Berlin: Accelerating the Study Abroad Experience
Bard College in Annandale and Berlin blends the first-year experience with elements of a gap-year for qualified students. This program embodies Bard’s commitment to liberal education and global citizenship and references the early-college model to suggest that young students are eager to meet new challenges in their academic lives. The goal of this session is to encourage critical thinking about the first-year experience and to reconsider the traditional study abroad timeline. We’ll explore the premise that a young student, when enrolled in an international location, will cultivate stronger intercultural skills, gain a better sense of self in relation to others, and better discern one’s academic interests.

Chair: Jennifer Murray, Bard College Annanadale

Presenters: Kerry Bystrom, Bard College Berlin; Mary Ann Krisa, Bard College Annandale; Student, Bard College Berlin


Open Dialogue: Towards Organizing Study Abroad Europe-Wide
Many European countries are creating study abroad associations that represent and support their members, serve as a platform for shared information and staff training, and support those who impact the study abroad experience. Today, several of these country-specific organizations are working together to organize study abroad across the region. During this session, we’ll explore the benefits of a comprehensive organization of national associations, including how it can assist with promoting, facilitating, and reinventing study abroad in Europe.

Facilitator: Stephen Robinson, Champlain College – Dublin

Presenter: Pia Schneider, Iowa State University; Kurt Gamerschlag, Association of American Study Abroad Programs in Germany; Mónica Pérez-Bedmar, Association of American Programs in Spain


4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Meet CIEE


7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

CIEE Annual Reception at Hamburger Bahnhof


Friday, November 6

8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Registration Desk


8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall and Internet Café


Concurrent Sessions (Group 5) | 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Snatching Success from the Jaws of Failure
We celebrate our successes in designing programs abroad, but as for our failures – we put them behind us and forget them as soon as possible. And yet, it is the failures that can be most instructive. In this session, we’ll bring a critical but cheerful eye to some of our less successful efforts in study abroad, joint trans-border initiatives, and international internship programs. As we map out the factors that contributed to unsuccessful outcomes, we’ll identify the most important predictors of success for anyone starting the hard work of launching a new international initiative.

Chair: Jane Edwards, Yale University

Presenter: Brent Keever, CIEE – Paris, France; Michael Pippenger, Columbia University


Reinventing the Study Abroad Office – Managing International Education in a Time of Change
In this open forum, we’ll discuss the issues related to managing study abroad offices, including dealing with financial constraints, human resources challenges, building campus support for international education, and managing crises. Panelists will present issues they’re currently dealing with, discuss how they’re approaching the issue, and then open the discussion to session participants. There also will be time for participants to present issues of their own.

Chair: Timothy Elliott, Brigham Young University

Presenters: Victor Betancourt, Marymount University; Kristen Mallory, Claremont McKenna College; Anthony Ogden, University of Kentucky


International Internships and the T-Shaped Professional: Perspectives from Berlin
Successfully preparing students for life after graduation involves a two-pronged approach that entails understanding the needs of employers and creating a comprehensive plan that will help students develop academically and professionally. The concept of the T-shaped professional, subject of growing conversation on college campuses, is particularly relevant to international internships. In this session, we’ll discuss how the academic preparation of a T-shaped professional and international internships better prepare tomorrow’s professionals. We’ll also hear from employers in the Berlin startup sector about how students can best prepare for the workplace.

Chair: Bethany Judge, Michigan State University

Presenters: Jennifer Gansler, Michigan State University; Kate Moore, Academic Internship Council; Martin Ciesielski, MedienMOSAIK; Michael Usher, Co-found Berlin, Stephanie Levy, Academic Internship Council


Re-Visioning the African-American Experience in International Education: Collaborative Approaches and Recommendations
Moving beyond the acknowledgement and concern about the underrepresentation of African Americans and other minorities in study abroad, this session will focus on the actual experiences of minority students while they’re overseas. Within a nuanced framework of race and gender considerations, panelists will highlight the challenges African-American students face as they engage in, or contemplate study abroad. Drawing on student experiences, panelists will present coordinated strategies and recommendations to include these experiences as part of efforts for the recruitment, intercultural skills development, identity formation, and the development of a global mindset of underrepresented minorities in study abroad.

Chair: Joti Sekhon, Winston-Salem State University

Presenter: William Boone, Winston-Salem State University; Uchenna Vasser, Winston-Salem State University; Andrew Gordon, Diversity Abroad


10:15 a.m.-10:45 a.m.

Coffee Break and Poster Fair
Increasing Participation Through A Versatile Short-Term Programming Paradigm by Dixee Bartholomew-Feis, Buena Vista University; Wind Goodfriend, Buena Vista University

Women Child Health Initiative: Health Professions Short Term Study Abroad in Italy by Lazelle Benefield, University of Oklahoma

Increasing Male Participation in Study Abroad: What Works, What Doesn’t by Rebecca Bergren, Gettysburg College

Study Abroad: Beyond the Numbers by Kip Brooks, Washington and Lee University

Best Practices for Creating a Regional or School-based Returnee Conference by Sarah Carrier, Virginia Commonwealth University

Identity Exploration as Part of a Short-Term Teacher Education Study Abroad Program by Shane Cavanaugh, Central Michigan University

Storytelling and Study Abroad: Helping Students Reflect and Reframe During Re-Entry by Kelly Chroniger, Virginia Commonwealth University

The Global STEM Virtual Community: Communication Technology for Scholars Before, During and After Research Abroad by Karen Clay, Spelman College

Pre-Trip Planning and Collaboration with International Partners: Improving Business Student Engagement During the Short-Term Study Abroad by Lauren Eder, Rider University and Susan Denbo, Rider University.

STEM students and the Study Abroad Experience at the University of South Carolina by Pearl Fernandes, University of South Carolina; Renee Spruit

Internationalizing STEM Education and Expanding Community College Participation in Study Abroad through the Community College Sustainable Development Network by Tammy Gibbs, Madison Area Technical College

Managing Transformation through Re-Entry: Exploring the Student Experience After Service Abroad by Leah Hetzell, Temple University

Scaffolding the Study-Abroad Experience: A Programmatic Approach by Marc Robinson, St. Olaf College

Art Doesn’t Happen in a Vacuum: How Studying Abroad Influences the Creative Work of Art, Performance and Design Students by Rachel Sherman Johnson, University of Minnesota Doctoral Student and Gustavus Adolphus College

International Engineering Summer School at TU Berlin by Volker Sick, University of Michigan. Additional Presenter: Frank Behrendt, TU Berlin, Germany

From Proms to Passports: Partnering with your Local High School on Short-Term Study Abroad by Suzanne Solomon, CUNY Queens College

War and Peace and Study Abroad: Challenges and Assets in Making Programs Accessible to Military Students by Chelsea St. Onge-May, Boston University and the United States Navy

Assessing the Outcomes of Overseas Professional Development for University Staff by Katherine Yngve, Purdue University


Concurrent Sessions (Group 6) | 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Service-Learning and Collaborative Engagement Across Borders: Making Short-Term Abroad Impact Last Locally
This session will discuss the value of short-term international service trips when nurtured by local community engagement. We’ll explore topics such as developing community partnerships, fostering dialogue among communities, students as partners, and short-term international service-learning expectations. Co-facilitators will share stories of collaborative engagement across borders and lead a conversation about challenges encountered in sustaining partnerships, ensuring the long-lasting impact of international service-learning, and engaging students in every step of the process. The audience will reflect on how international-local connections can be established within their area of interest and how service-learning could contribute to creating a more vibrant global pedagogical framework.

Co-Chairs: Nuria Alonso García and Nicholas V. Longo, Providence College

Presenter: Periklis Fokaidis, Providence College


Diversity in Context – The Role of the Host Country
As the United States aims to increase and diversify who participates in study abroad, what role can host countries play? This session will look at three innovative German programs that address issues of diversity in the transatlantic exchange arena – both inbound and outbound. Representatives from Germany’s “Go Out” campaign, the Fulbright Diversity Initiative, and the new AICGS Transatlantic Exchange Program for Young Minorities: Giving Voice to Future Leaders, will discuss how these programs are expanding participation in study abroad/exchange for German and U.S. participants and addressing common challenges of access and inclusion.

Chair: Wagaye Johannes, Institute of International Education

Presenter: Rolf Hoffmann, The German-American Fulbright Commission in Berlin; Susanne Dieper, American Institute for Contemporary German Studies


Reinventing Wellness: Strategies to Enhance Students’ Emotional, Academic, and Cultural Learning
This session will focus on the development of wellness practices that strengthen staff, faculty, and student learning. Janice Abarbanel will expand on her idea of an “emotional passport,” a dynamic skill set that can be learned and practiced as one prepares for shifting and settling into new cultures. Cynthia Mitchell will address issues of visibility and invisibility as students from different racial and cultural backgrounds negotiate the ways they’re perceived in new environments. Participants will learn strategies to support students’ emotional engagement, to enhance curiosity, and to help students recognize their accomplishments as they learn abroad.

A Guide for Conversations with Students about Emotional Health
What to Include in a Wellness Orientation:
Meditation for CIEE Berlin

Chair: Cynthia Mitchell, New York University – Paris

Presenter: Janice Abarbanel, Consultant


Transgender Students Abroad: Opportunities and Challenges
How can study abroad professionals best support transgender students? What are the challenges and learning opportunities faced, and what best practices can be identified? After discussing the term “transgender” and related terms, we’ll consider the role of the home-school advisor in cultural preparation and site selection, and best practices from the point of view of on-site staff members, including housing, self-presentation, and risks of transphobia. A transgendered student presenter will present her own experience, discussing the kinds of support that can make study abroad a success for nongender-conforming students. The session will end with a 20-minute discussion period.

Chair: Hannah Taieb, CIEE – Paris, France

Presenters: Katherine Pazda, University of Tampa; Elena Rodriguez, CIEE – Barcelona, Spain; Emily Taylor, Student, University of Redlands


Annual Luncheon

Featured Speaker: Jaime Casap, Chief Education Evangelist, Google, Inc.


Concurrent Sessions (Group 7) | 3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Going a BIT Farther – Training the Bystander Intervention Trainer
During this session, we’ll explore how to successfully use Bystander Intervention Training (BIT), a powerful tool that can help people make safe and productive interventions in behaviors around them. We’ll train those who will teach BIT by giving them a lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation they can use when conducting their own training sessions. Participants will see how BIT can help change social norms and create a bonded group committed to taking care of each other. Participants will take part in activities and learn how to run BIT sessions at their own institutions.

Chair: Bill Bull, CIEE – Portland, ME

Presenter: Julie Kimkos Santos, Occidental College; Penny Alexander, CIEE – Cape Town, South Africa


Expanding the Freshman Experience
CIEE and Johnson and Wales University have collaborated for the past two years to develop a freshman study abroad program called “Expanding the Freshman Experience.” This session will focus on how they created best practices related to transitioning from the more traditional faculty-led program to a collaborative, non-faculty-led program that serves an underrepresented population. Attendees will learn how to design a program that meets the unique needs of freshman students and encourage them to safely leave their comfort zone. Special consideration during this session is given to the developmental phase of emerging adulthood in the design of program components, overall tone, and expectations.

Chair: Erin Santana, CIEE – Portland, ME

Presenters: Benjamin Lorch, CIEE – Berlin, Germany; Lisa McAdam Donegan, Johnson and Wales University; Shelley Stephenson, Johnson and Wales University


More Than a Profile: The Ethics of Digital Storytelling in Study Abroad
Students post, tweet, and blog about their experiences overseas, and these narratives contribute to the growing popularity of study abroad. We must reinvent our pedagogy to adapt to this changing world and examine the stories that inspire student travel. How might they collide with the expectation of health equity and sustainable service? How can we promote self-reflection and cultural humility? An interdisciplinary panel – representing film studies, anthropology, and public health – will place the current debate in the context of postcolonial narratives, describe the potential for self-reflection, and offer a sample technique for using digital storytelling in trip preparation and in-class learning.

Chair: Lise Saffran, University of Missouri

Presenters: Valerie Kaussen, University of Missouri; Carolyn Orbann, University of Missouri; William Palmieri, University of Missouri


Saturday, November 7

8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Registration Desk


8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall and Internet Café


8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

CIEE Breakfast

Student Presenter – Katarina
Student Presenter – Evan
GAD Program – Berlin


Concurrent Sessions (Group 8) | 10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Creating Learning Communities and Developing Critical Thinking Through Online Discussion Boards
As we seek to reinvent study abroad for the 21st century, a more meaningful use of digital learning, including online courses, is a logical approach. From predeparture to re-entry, online instruction has great potential to deeply inform and even transform the study abroad experience on multiple levels. This session provides a framework for creating online discussion-board activities to encourage learning communities and critical thinking. Optimal instructor engagement also will be addressed. Data from our own courses and a bibliography will be included. Attendees will investigate the implications for their own programs through a guided discussion.

Chair: Jenna Garchar, CIEE – Portland, ME

Presenter: Belinda Clements, University of London


Innovative Programming and Funding Models for Students with Diverse Backgrounds
International education is expanding by increasing programs in a variety of subject areas and to students with diverse backgrounds while also attempting to increase overall numbers. However, the field also needs to address funding constraints, student challenges, and provide even more innovative programming. This session will provide an overview of how three institutions have addressed these areas and created models that can be used to recreate the way we think about study abroad. Join us to learn about expanding STEM education at community colleges, creating financial accessibility at research institutions, and creating new models of short-term programming at state universities.

Chair: Tammy Gibbs, Madison College

Presenters: Bradley J. Titus, University of Minnesota; Caryn Lindsay, Minnesota State Univ. Mankato


Religion Matters: Religion, Diversity, and Study Abroad
Although many study abroad programs focus on diversity, religion is often neglected in discussions. Religion is an important signifier of social dynamics at many study abroad sites and an integral part of culture. Session participants will hear about the role of religion in study abroad from the perspective of faculty members leading programs, an administrator managing programs, and an international education organization. Presentations will address why religion matters to study abroad and what faculty and administrators can do to better integrate religion into study abroad experiences.

Chair: William Hyndman III, Florida A&M University

Presenters: Michael Woolf, CAPA International Education; Jennifer Feenstra, Northwestern College; Cheryl Feenstra, Calvin College


From Research to Reinvention: Using Assessment to Design and Refine Study Abroad Learning Experiences
Time-consuming and resource-intensive, assessment-based research can seem incompatible with the rapid changes, tight budgets, and increasingly competitive landscape that characterize study abroad. However, research is essential to making informed decisions about new program design – even small-scale studies can help us to improve existing programs. This session will demonstrate these points by comparing a recent survey of more than 100 University of Washington students who demonstrated gains in intercultural competence after studying abroad, and CIEE’s approach to measuring language learning abroad. This hands-on and interactive session will include small-group work, discuss benefits of mixed-methods research, and address challenges associated with assessment strategies.

Chair: Alexandra Wood, CIEE – Portland, ME

Presenters: Karleigh Koster, University of Washington


Concurrent Sessions (Group 9) | 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Stimulating Intergenerationality: Millennials in Europe
Studying abroad in Europe offers significant opportunities for intergenerational contact, but how do students react to these opportunities? How can programs abroad encourage millenials to embrace the benefits of intergenerationality? Homestays, internships, community service, and social settings will be used to identify the resistance to and benefits of cross-generational interactions. Using case studies from the field, we’ll show how intergenerational contact provides challenges and opportunities for education abroad in Europe. After a presentation to set the theoretical framework and field approach, the rest of the session will be used for small group discussions about how intergenerational issues can be used in the field to maximize our students’ experiences, given them life skills and better integrate them in the host culture.

Worksheet

Chair: Lisa Fleury, Vassar Wesleyan Program in Paris

Presenter: Laura Raynaud, Dickinson en France


Bridging the Gap: Building Effective, Problem-Based, Interprofessional Study Abroad Teams
Developing interprofessional study abroad programs is challenging. Breaking down silos, developing trust, and arranging meeting times is difficult. Developing coursework meeting the needs of diverse students requires creativity and innovation. This interactive session will describe several projects that included disciplines such as nursing, health services administration, engineering, and business. Presenters will discuss aspects of planning and implementing highly effective interprofessional study abroad courses, including: identifying and collaborating with global business partners; creating highly successful, interprofessional teams; addressing implementation concerns, including assuring hands-on experiences in countries (e.g., Dominican Republic, Guatemala and China); evaluating learning outcomes; and discussing best practices and lessons learned.

Chair: Amy Hall, University of Evansville

Presenters: Jill Griffin, University of Evansville; Wesley Milner, University of Evansville; William B. Stroube, University of Evansville


Ten Ways You Can Support Undergraduate Research in STEM and Beyond
This session will focus on steps study abroad professionals can implement before, during, and after a student’s study abroad experience to support undergraduate research abroad. Panelists will provide an overview of the state of support for undergraduate research, and, based on the strengths and weaknesses of current practice, make 10 suggestions to improve the research experience for students studying abroad. Attendees will be able to understand current successes and challenges in supporting students as they conduct research during study abroad and identify ways study abroad professionals can help.

Chair: Erica Haas-Gallo, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Presenters: Alan Masters, CIEE – Monteverde, Costa Rica; Janelle Papay, Elon College


Education Abroad and Formative Outcomes Assessment: What Professors Think They’re Teaching and What Students Think They’re Learning
Students who define specific learning goals before studying abroad are more likely to learn deeply. Formative assessment, based on clearly defined shared learning goals, enhances both buy-in and learning. A brief review of recent research projects will be followed by a guided small-group practicum about defining objectives and choosing appropriate instruments.

Chair: Katherine Yngve, Yngve Associates

Presenter: Elizabeth Brewer, Beloit College


1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Berlin Tour – City of Change


2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

CIEE Global Institute – Berlin Open House