Swedish Connections, Collections, and Reflections
A Teacher Professional Development Program from North Carolina State University's College of Education
Sponsored by the Triangle Community Foundation's Borchardt Fund
Sponsored by the Triangle Community Foundation's Borchardt Fund
UPDATE: If you are interested in applying for our summer 2018 program in Prague, Czech Republic, please visit http://czechccr.weebly.com
Applications due by September 30, 2017.
Applications due by September 30, 2017.
This program prepares in-service teachers in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake counties, to adopt technology-enabled strategies for: 1) connecting with other cultures through global collaborative projects, 2) crowd curating cultural media collections, and 3) reflecting on cultural understanding through written and multimodal works. For our 2017 cohort, Swedish culture serves as the focus for this work, with fifteen teachers selected for a two-week immersion in Stockholm, Sweden, framed with technology projects that encourage connections with Swedish educators, collections of Swedish cultural artifacts, and reflections on Swedish culture.
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Who is leading this program?
This program is led by faculty in NC State's College of Education: Dr. Kevin Oliver (Digital Learning), Dr. Ruie Pritchard (English Education), and Dr. Angela Wiseman (Literacy). Additional program leaders include: Dr. Michael Cook of Auburn University (English Education). This program is underwritten by a grant from the Triangle Community Foundation's Borchardt Fund. If you have any questions about applying, you can contact Dr. Oliver ([email protected]). |
Who is eligible for this program?
Any in-service teacher in Chatham, Durham, Orange, or Wake county, in a public or private school, is eligible to apply. While this is a technology-oriented program, teachers need not be experts in technology to apply, as we hope to help develop these skills in participants. However, teachers should be interested in incorporating global perspectives and connections into their classrooms. Unfortunately, teachers who have already traveled with us on previous trips to England are not eligible to apply for this program, to give other teachers a chance to travel internationally and learn technology-enabled strategies for cultural connection, collection, and reflection.
Any in-service teacher in Chatham, Durham, Orange, or Wake county, in a public or private school, is eligible to apply. While this is a technology-oriented program, teachers need not be experts in technology to apply, as we hope to help develop these skills in participants. However, teachers should be interested in incorporating global perspectives and connections into their classrooms. Unfortunately, teachers who have already traveled with us on previous trips to England are not eligible to apply for this program, to give other teachers a chance to travel internationally and learn technology-enabled strategies for cultural connection, collection, and reflection.
How does one apply for this program?
This program is open to in-service teachers working in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake county public and private schools, the target area of the sponsoring Triangle Community Foundation. We have funding to run three summer programs in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Applications are being accepted for our summer 2018 program in the Czech Republic through September 30, 2017. See http://czechccr.weebly.com
This program is open to in-service teachers working in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake county public and private schools, the target area of the sponsoring Triangle Community Foundation. We have funding to run three summer programs in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Applications are being accepted for our summer 2018 program in the Czech Republic through September 30, 2017. See http://czechccr.weebly.com
What are the selection criteria?
To guide selections, program leaders will independently review each applicant’s video and total their separate scores across several factors, including current incorporation of global perspectives, technologies, and literacies (readiness) matched against interest in and described opportunities for incorporating global perspectives, technologies, and literacies (potential). Depending on who applies, we will also attempt to achieve a balance across the foundation's target counties (Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake), across teachers' grade levels (elementary, middle, and high), across teachers' content areas, and across demographics. In the past, we have not received many applications from teachers outside of Wake County, or male teachers, so we do encourage teachers in these demographics to apply. |
What is expected of participants (classes, projects, and travel)?
As this is a professional development program, teachers will be expected to attend four full-day Saturday classes at NC State in advance of travel (2017 class dates are Dec 10, April 22, May 20, and June 17), and three additional full-day classes on-site in Stockholm (2017 travel dates are July 9-23). During class, participants will learn about technology-enabled strategies for connecting with other cultures, curating cultural media collections, and reflecting on culture in written and multimodal works. The desire is for teachers to learn about strategies they can apply in their own classrooms. As part of cultural connecting, teachers will be expected to run one inter-classroom project in the spring prior to travel with their own students, ideally with a Scandinavian teacher partner/classroom. Teachers will be introduced to sample collaborative project structures in December to help with setting up their own project and faculty will be available to help teachers implement their projects. In Sweden, teachers will be expected to participate in scheduled cultural excursions with the group, but will have two free days to travel on their own or in small groups. Teachers will also have a five-day Stockholm Pass providing access to most city attractions, and teachers can choose to visit whichever attractions interest them most.
As this is a professional development program, teachers will be expected to attend four full-day Saturday classes at NC State in advance of travel (2017 class dates are Dec 10, April 22, May 20, and June 17), and three additional full-day classes on-site in Stockholm (2017 travel dates are July 9-23). During class, participants will learn about technology-enabled strategies for connecting with other cultures, curating cultural media collections, and reflecting on culture in written and multimodal works. The desire is for teachers to learn about strategies they can apply in their own classrooms. As part of cultural connecting, teachers will be expected to run one inter-classroom project in the spring prior to travel with their own students, ideally with a Scandinavian teacher partner/classroom. Teachers will be introduced to sample collaborative project structures in December to help with setting up their own project and faculty will be available to help teachers implement their projects. In Sweden, teachers will be expected to participate in scheduled cultural excursions with the group, but will have two free days to travel on their own or in small groups. Teachers will also have a five-day Stockholm Pass providing access to most city attractions, and teachers can choose to visit whichever attractions interest them most.
What is expected of participants (research)?
Participants are encouraged but not required to participate in research we are conducting on this program to determine how the cultural connection, collection, and reflection activities support greater cultural understanding. Teachers who agree to participate in the research will complete short pre-post surveys on their global competence and program experiences, and help faculty study the impact of their collaborative classroom project on student cultural understanding with further K-12 student surveys. Those participating in the research also agree to have their class projects analyzed for evidence of cultural understanding. |
How are participants exposed to Swedish culture?
This program introduces teachers to the Swedish education system through inter-cultural classroom projects, teacher partners, readings, and arranged school tours in Stockholm. Further, scheduled excursions to cultural sites and follow-up technology projects are purposefully selected to introduce teachers to other aspects of Swedish culture (art/music, craft/design, architecture, literature, popular culture, Viking history, economics, and food) with class time allotted for group discussion and reflection.
This program introduces teachers to the Swedish education system through inter-cultural classroom projects, teacher partners, readings, and arranged school tours in Stockholm. Further, scheduled excursions to cultural sites and follow-up technology projects are purposefully selected to introduce teachers to other aspects of Swedish culture (art/music, craft/design, architecture, literature, popular culture, Viking history, economics, and food) with class time allotted for group discussion and reflection.
What can one earn for participating?
Teachers can earn three continuing education units (CEUs) for their participation (free), and any teacher who is also a graduate student can take an independent study from NC State and receive three graduate credits for participation (tuition payment required). |
What is covered and what costs do participants have to pay?
With foundation funding, the costs of this program are greatly reduced for participants. Participants receive two weeks free lodging in a private studio with kitchenette, $160 allowance for groceries paid after returning from Stockholm (studios come with fully-furnished kitchens, television, and WiFi), airport transfers, a 5-day Stockholm Pass covering admission to tours and major attractions in the city at no cost, two week SL Access Travel Card covering all transit in Stockholm (buses, trams, metro), coach transportation and admission to cultural sites north and west of Stockholm on two day trips, access to the group meeting suite for classes, and free lunch or snacks during classes. The direct foundation benefit per participant is more than $2000 each. Participants are responsible for their own airfare to Stockholm (estimate of $1200-1500) and for eating out (optional).
With foundation funding, the costs of this program are greatly reduced for participants. Participants receive two weeks free lodging in a private studio with kitchenette, $160 allowance for groceries paid after returning from Stockholm (studios come with fully-furnished kitchens, television, and WiFi), airport transfers, a 5-day Stockholm Pass covering admission to tours and major attractions in the city at no cost, two week SL Access Travel Card covering all transit in Stockholm (buses, trams, metro), coach transportation and admission to cultural sites north and west of Stockholm on two day trips, access to the group meeting suite for classes, and free lunch or snacks during classes. The direct foundation benefit per participant is more than $2000 each. Participants are responsible for their own airfare to Stockholm (estimate of $1200-1500) and for eating out (optional).