Brown, LeAnn M

Greenleaf, Justin

Kastle, Seth D

Whitaker, Brett L

English

International partnerships have the potential to benefit state comprehensive universities, which, like other areas of higher education, are experiencing deep and transformative change. George Mehaffy (2010), for one, identifies the changing demographics and desires of students, the increased demand for globalization, and the lack of traditional funding sources as factors threatening the norms of higher education. Brian Denman (2007) describes the rise of world and off -shore universities in response to t he growing competition for providing education in the international market and outlines the variety of arrangements that have been established, including satellite campuses, memorandum of understanding schemes, corporate programs, international consortia and alliances, and distance education programs (p. 11-12). With regard to SCUs, these partnerships off er a mutual benefit, as the domestic institution sees increased enrollment and the associated revenue stream, while the international partners and students are able to access critical curriculum and programs that otherwise would not be offered at their institutions (Altbach and Knight, 2007). At the same time, and especially given the competition, it is important that international partnerships are designed correctly from the beginning. Rovai and Downey (2010) provide several areas where some distance education programs fail and others are successful in this global competition, including planning, faculty development, online course design and pedagogy, and quality assurance

Fort Hays State University

Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive University Volume 5 Article 3 January 2013 A Teaching Model for International Expansion at State Comprehensive Universities Justin Greenleaf Fort Hays State University, jpgreenleaf@fhsu.edu Seth D. Kastle Fort Hays State University, sdkastle@fhsu.edu LeAnn M. Brown Fort Hays State University, lmbrown3@fhsu.edu Brett L. Whitaker Fort Hays State University, blwhitaker@fhsu.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.fhsu.edu/ts Recommended Citation Greenleaf, Justin; Kastle, Seth D.; Brown, LeAnn M.; and Whitaker, Brett L. (2013) "A Teaching Model for International Expansion at State Comprehensive Universities," Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive University: Vol. 5 , Article 3. Available at: https://scholars.fhsu.edu/ts/vol5/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by FHSU Scholars Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive University by an authorized editor of FHSU Scholars Repository. Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive UniversityVolume 5, Number 1 Fall 2013International partnerships have the potential to benefi t state comprehen-sive universities, which, like other areas of higher education, are experiencing deep and transformative change. George Mehaff y (2010), for one, identifi es the changing demographics and desires of students, the increased demand for globalization, and the lack of traditional funding sources as factors threaten-ing the norms of higher education. Brian Denman (2007) describes the rise of world and off -shore universities in response to t he growing competition for providing education in the international market and outlines the variety of arrangements that have been established, including satellite campuses, mem-orandum of understanding schemes, corporate programs, international con-sortia and alliances, and distance education programs (p. 11-12). With regard to SCUs, these partnerships off er a mutual benefi t, as the domestic institution sees increased enrollment and the associated revenue stream, while the inter-national partners and students are able to access critical curriculum and pro-grams that otherwise would not be off ered at their institutions (Altbach and Knight, 2007).  At the same time, and especially given the competition, it is im-portant that international partnerships are designed correctly from the begin-ning.  Rovai and Downey (2010) provide several areas where some distance education programs fail and others are successful in this global competition, including planning, faculty development, online course design and pedagogy, and quality assurance.  Since 2006, the Department of Leadership Studies at Fort Hays State University (FHSU) has off ered its Bachelor of Science degree program in Organizational Leadership internationally through the university’s strategic partnerships with two partner schools in China in addition to the traditional on-campus and domestic online modalities. The partnership created between the Department of Leadership Studies and the Chinese universities is inten-tionally structured to provide an American degree to international students in their country using an innovative curricular model: the cooperating teacher/instructor of record (CT/IR) model.  The CT/IR model consists of a blended learning approach and uses two distinct roles to educate students. The fi rst half of this model refers to the instructor of record (IR). Best understood as the content expert, the IR is typically a faculty member that holds an advanced degree in leadership or a related fi eld.  These individuals are expected to have teaching or course development experience in addition to their qualifi cations in the fi eld.  Hiring of these positions is typically very similar to a traditional A Teaching Model for International Expansion at State Comprehensive UniversitiesJustin Greenleaf, Seth D. Kastle, LeAnn M. Brown, Bre   L. WhitakerFort Hays State University26 Teacher-Scholarsearch that might be conducted for an on-campus faculty member. These in-dividuals are responsible for developing the curriculum, assignments, and assessments that will be used to teach the course content to the students in the class. Additionally, the IR is responsible for the majority of the grading throughout the class, and the assignment and assurance of fi nal grades. One important way that the CT/IR model allows for effi  ciency is in the hiring of IRs. Institutions that utilize a similar model are able to select from a much broader pool of qualifi ed applicants by recruiting and hiring faculty to work domestically rather than internationally. Historically within this pro-gram, having domestic appointments for the IR improves retention and re-duces turnover. IRs are typically hired as full time, non-tenure track faculty. These instruc-tors meet the same academic qualifi cations as on-campus faculty of equivalent rank and conduct teaching, research, and service, with their primary respon-sibilities being instruction. IR faculty are generally required to maintain some on-campus presence to participate in active service within the department and the university; however, the nature of the program design allows much fl ex-ibility in the physical location of the faculty member.The other half of the model is the cooperating teacher (CT). The CT works with the Department of Leadership Studies to assist with and improve the de-livery of relevant course content at the partner institutions. These individuals are process experts in that they administer the tests, assignments, and lectures while serving as the “face” of the class to the students. O  en, the CTs do not have prior knowledge of the curriculum; however, they have experience serv-ing in a facilitative role or teacher.  For more information on the roles and responsibilities of the CT/IR see Table 1 below.Table 1Roles and Responsibilities of the CT/IRCooperating Teacher Instructor of RecordInteracts with students on a regular basis. Content expert for the course.Administers tests, assignments, and lectures.Develops curriculum and course content.Serves as the “face” of the class to stu-dents.Completes the majority of grading.Does not have to have prior curricular knowledge.Course liaison between universities.Is always on-site at the partner institu-tion.Not required to be on site. The role of the IR is one that is easy to understand in that it fi ts the tradi-tional model of education. The introduction of the CT, however, is less familiar and o  en raises questions about the need for the CT and their role in the class, 27A Teaching Model for International Expansionthe quality of instruction off ered, and the communication structure between the CT and the IR. These questions o  en arise out of a desire to ensure that quality education still occurs through the interaction between the IR, the CT, and the international students. As the partnership has developed over time, the Depart-ment of Leadership Studies at FHSU has a  empted to address these concerns. The necessity of the CT role originates from the English profi ciency of the international students whose native language is not English, and English may be their second or even third language. The degree being off ered at the partner institutions is delivered in English and students are required to complete a number of assessments (such as the TOEFL) prior to entrance into the degree program. Unfortunately, passing these assessments does not ensure that the students will have the same comprehension of the course content that a native English speaker would. The use of cultural references, idiomatic expressions, and the amount of reading required are examples of challenges facing interna-tional students in these American classes. In many ways, the CT serves as the interpreter between the content provided by the IR and the understanding of the international students. The CT does not build lecture materials or design content; however, they ensure that the content developed by the IR (process described below) is understood by the international students. One important consideration when initiating a new international program is the type of course content delivery model used and its alignment with in-stitutional and program objectives. This program utilizes a hybrid CT/IR ap-proach that allows for face to face interaction in a classroom environment, but with the ability to handle a large volume of students through a division of la-bor between the CT and the IR. Alternatives to this model might include face-to-face direct instruction or purely online instruction with no physical class-room experience. While each model has strengths and weaknesses, the CT/IR model encourages a balanced approach that provides the student-faculty in-teraction of the face-to-face classroom with the effi  ciency of online programs. As an interpreter of the content, it is important to make every eff ort pos-sible to ensure that the meaning being conveyed by the CT is both understood by the international student and that it is communicated in the way the IR intended. The fi rst step to addressing these issues involves the hiring of the CT. Even though the CT is technically employed by the partner university, the CT selection process is carefully overseen by the departmental faculty and the department has fi nal approval. Prior experience in leadership coursework is preferred and English as a fi rst language is required. Once hired, the next step is to train the CT in how to work specifi cally with Chinese students and also how to understand the content provided by the IR. This occurs during an intensive one week training prior to starting work at the partner university. In the fi rst two days of training, CTs are trained to work with Chinese students. They receive specialized instruction from FHSU faculty and staff  on Chinese culture, learning styles, and EFL strategies.  The rest of the week is spent work-ing closely with the IR reviewing course curriculum and objectives, meeting with the IR to answer questions, and observing classes taught by on campus 28 Teacher-Scholarfaculty to ensure that the IR and CT have a similar understanding of what is expected in the course. At the end of the intensive training the CT and the IR both travel to China to begin the school year. The fi rst week of the Fall semester at both universities are team taught by the CT and the IR. This is done, in large part, to ensure the quality of the education being received by the international students. Through this process the IR has the opportunity to demonstrate the way that the con-tent should be delivered. The IR also has the chance to observe the CT inter-pret the content and then to provide feedback as to how they might improve. A  er the classes have started, the IR returns to America and works with the CT and the international students at a distance through the Blackboard Course Management System (CMS). The delivery of the course content at FHSU is facilitated through the Black-board CMS. The IR records the lectures that will be given in the class using lecture capture so  ware (e.g. Articulate or Prezi). Those lectures are then up-loaded to the course shell and supplementary materials such as assignments, quizzes, or reading materials are added to the learning modules. Once the course shell is complete and the content is ready for delivery, the international students and CTs are added to the course. Each user has an individual login with either student level access, teaching assistant level access (CT), or instruc-tor level access (IR). To this point, the classes are similar to a traditional distance education class. The diff erence, however, is the hybrid approach provided by the face-to-face classes that meet twice a week at the partner institutions. The students in China meet in mediated classrooms and the content is delivered during a scheduled class time with the CT and students in a  endance. The class begins by viewing the learning module and, once complete, the rest of the time is reserved for discussion and clarifi cation of the content led by the CT. The IR and the CT communicate on a daily basis via email and/or Skype. This allows the CT to ask questions and get clarifi cation from the IR. It also allows the IR to get feedback from the CT on how the class is going and gauge the level of understanding of the students before assignments are submi  ed. One experienced CT at a partner institution provided the following remarks regarding her experience with the CT/IR model, “What I fi nd most exciting about the CT/IR model is the team eff ort between the IR and CT wherein we work together to produce a unifi ed delivery method for coursework through communication and classroom activities. The students benefi t because they have the strengths of both the CT and IR promoting their educational achieve-ment.”   The CT and the international students meet in the same way that a traditional instructor would in a face-to-face class. Classes are held twice a week and the CT holds scheduled offi  ce hours for students to visit and ask questions about the class. If the CT does not have the answer, they have easy access to the IR for clarifi cation. The model described above faces several unique challenges. In the his-tory of this particular program, the hiring of CTs has been an obstacle. CTs are selected and employed by the partner institutions, in consultation with 29A Teaching Model for International Expansionrepresentatives from the domestic institution. Ideally, the partner institution would identify a broad pool of candidates, but in practice this is o  en not the case. Identifi cation and recruiting strategies for hiring qualifi ed CTs has been an ongoing challenge of the program. Low salaries from the partner institu-tions for CTs has exacerbated the problem by creating high turnover and low retention of CTs over time.One major consideration faced in an international cross-border program such as this is the cultural diff erences facing the institutions in the partner-ships. Specifi cally within the fi eld of Leadership, House et al. (2004) describes the various ways in which leadership is perceived, understood, and practiced in diff erent parts of the world. However, these diff erences are not limited to the leadership content. They also include the way in which students learn and interact with the CT and IR (e.g. memorization vs. critical thinking). These cultural diff erences and others have been diffi  cult throughout the partnership and have required a great deal of time and a  ention through the evolution of the program. Another major challenge is the language barrier. While students in the international program are admi  ed based on their ability to speak and write in English, there are still challenges. While this model was designed to ad-dress the gap in understanding by providing the CT for assistance, students still struggle with some of the more abstract concepts presented in the lectures and text. For example, when the IR or the CT use an idiom or make reference to a past or current event in American history, that information may not be widely known or understood in China. It is then the role of the CT to explain the concept or reference. One positive outcome from this interaction is that students tend to develop improved English competency alongside their aca-demic content expertise. In addition to cultural diff erences and language barriers, the logistics of facilitating classes halfway around the world also bring a new set of challeng-es. While the content can be delivered in an asynchronous environment, there are times when synchronous communication is required. A 13-hour time dif-ference between the two institutions dictates that there is only a small window of time for convenient synchronous communication between the CT and the IR. Unfortunately, these times are o  en not when classes are being off ered so issues or problems that arise in class relating to content o  en have to be tabled until the next class.ConclusionThe CT/IR model has provided many benefi ts for both the state compre-hensive university and partner institutions.  The two international partner-ships have grown to represent nearly one-fourth of the total enrollment for FHSU.  This initiative has also increased the internationalization eff orts for both FHSU and partner institutions allowing international opportunities, and programs for faculty, staff , and students.  Working with international partners breeds both cultural awareness and an international thought process for both 30 Teacher-Scholarfaculty and students involved.  The Department of Leadership Studies has doubled its FTE (teaching faculty) since 2008 to support this endeavor. This teaching model has been positively described by several stakeholders.  One administrator associated with the program stated that “The use of the CT/IR model has proven to be an excellent model for delivery for both the Depart-ment of Leadership Studies and our international partners.  From a learning perspective, this model provides an opportunity for our students, faculty, and cooperating teachers to exist in a cohesive cross-cultural learning environ-ment, focused on leadership education and development.”Increased globalization, the use of technology throughout the world, and the changing dynamics of funding sources for higher education have forced SCUs to reexamine their traditional model of education.  One strategy to ad-dress these needs is the use of international strategic partnerships with other institutions of higher education.  If implemented correctly, these partnerships can provide support for the international institution and the state-comprehen-sive university. The CT/IR model discussed in this article provides an oppor-tunity for SCUs to off er curriculum to other parts of the world utilizing an ef-fi cient and aff ordable design.  While not without challenges, the CT/IR model has demonstrated the ability to maintain quality of education and learning through the knowledge, skills, and a  itude assessments used throughout the program.  This proposed teaching model could be adopted by SCUs to inform and improve other distance education programs and partnerships domesti-cally and abroad.  This model could also be used to expand internationaliza-tion eff orts of SCUs throughout the United States.ReferencesAdministrator. (2013, May 06).  Email interview.Altbach, P.G. & Knight, J. (2007). The internationalization of higher education: Motivations and realities. Journal of Studies in International Education 11(3/4).Bowen, J.A. (2012).  Teaching naked: How moving technology out of your college classroom will improve student learning.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Cooperating Teacher. (2013, April 14).  Email interview.Denman, B. (2007). The Emergence of world and off -shore universities and other cross-border higher education. International Education Journal: Com-parative Perspectives 8(3), 3-18. House, R.J., Hanges, P.J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P.W., & Gupta, V. (2004). Lead-ership, culture, and organizations: The GLOBE study of 62 societies. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.Instructor of Record. (2013, May 05).  Email interview.Mehaff y, G.L. (2010).  Medieval models, agrarian calendars, and 21st-century imperatives.  Teacher Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive Univer-sity, 2(1), 4-20.Rovai, A.P. & Downey, J.R. (2010). Why some distance education programs fail while others succeed in a global environment. Internet and Higher Educa-tion, 13(3), 141-147.

A Teaching Model for International Expansion at State Comprehensive Universities

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A Teaching Model for International Expansion at State Comprehensive Universities

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