Careers for a Global Economy
The IU Global Employability partnership with Ivy Tech Community College has strengthened the quality of global education at both institutions. In June 2024, a professional development workshop was held with Ivy Tech Community College faculty and academic advising staff. Heather Singmaster, Director of Career and Technical Education at the non-profit Digital Promise, integrated tools such as Nearpod, the Question Formulation Technique, UN Sustainable Development Goals and other resources that use diverse teaching approaches to meet academic goals and develop global competence. A Digital Promise definition for global competence is the learner’s ability to investigate the world, recognize perspectives, communicate ideas and take action.
Linda Mann, Heather Singmaster, Audra Peterson, and Eli Konwest celebrate a successful workshop with Career and Technical Education teachers in northwest Indiana.
Dr. Eli Konwest, Director of the Center for the Study of Global Change, presented tangible and online resources that are available to build an internationalized classroom curriculum and engage students. A map of Indiana, designed by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, illustrates Direct Foreign Investment in over 1060 companies. Connection of local and global issues is also recognized through Indiana’s 2023 ranking as ninth largest exporter within the US. Top trading partners are Canada, Mexico, China, Germany and Italy.
The workshop was organized by Ivy Tech Community College Director of Faculty Development, Allison Toren. Presentations from professors Emily Watson and Dr. Gerald Maki detailed Ivy Tech Global Studies courses, the Global Workforce Skills Certificate (21 credits) and opportunities for Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)/virtual exchange, which provides students who are not able or interested in traveling abroad opportunity to explore international experiences. Maki, Coordinator of Global Education at Ivy Tech Community College, offered a summary of their COIL program:
“This past summer, eight faculty from across the state at Ivy Tech Community College joined Indiana University faculty to participate in a month-long ‘COIL Design and Development’ workshop led by Florida International University. As a result, students at Ivy Tech were able to partner with classrooms in Colombia, Spain, and Ukraine this fall to work on collaborative projects centered around themes such as ‘Building Bridges Through Commerce’ and ‘Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.’ In their reflections, students frequently described the experience in personally transformative terms, and faculty expressed eagerness to incorporate international virtual exchanges into future classes. The program has helped grow the foundation for expanded global learning at Ivy Tech Community College who is grateful to partner with Indiana University in providing meaningful educational experiences in an increasingly interconnected world.”
Also in June 2024, another CGC Global Employability workshop brought forty-six northwest Indiana CTE and K-12 teachers together for professional development. Teachers assessed global educational resources that align with PreK-12 Indiana Academic Standards and Employability Skills. Participants designed classroom lesson plans that encourage student practice with forming questions, conducting research, building knowledge and deciding on applications. Teachers presented their lesson designs, received feedback from colleagues and earned Professional Growth Points.
The workshop, entitled Careers for a Global Economy, was organized by Dr. Eli Konwest, and Audra Peterson, Director of Porter County Career and Technical Center (Valparaiso). Peterson developed an interest in providing workshops for northwest Indiana teachers after attending a national conference session with Heather Singmaster. Peterson commented: “It is not often that I have been given the opportunity to bring back a speaker or event from a national conference to the local level. I am truly thankful that you gave us that opportunity. Even as we entered the final days of the first semester, those teachers who attended the workshop continued to apply the information presented throughout the semester.” Looking towards spring semester, teachers have shared additional ways they plan to implement some of the workshop strategies, and other teachers have requested a similar professional development opportunity.