Little Time, Few Resources, Big Expectations:
Making the Most of Collaborative International Student Programming
NAFSA Region XI ConferenceNew Haven, CT
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Continents Exercise
•Draw the continent
•Add major features (mountains, rivers, lakes, deserts)
•Add political features (borders, countries, states)
•You have 5 minutes
•Be as accurate as possible
•Add major features (mountains, rivers, lakes, deserts)
•Add political features (borders, countries, states)
•You have 5 minutes
•Be as accurate as possible
Icebreaker
Continents Exercise
•How many of you have done this before?
•How have you used it?
•Takeaway: Any amount of collaboration will produce a more successful product although not always easy because of:
ØTime constraints (5 minutes to draw a whole continent)
ØLack of resources (no atlas, few “experts” to assist you)
ØBig expectations (completing a picture perfect drawing by an unreasonable deadline)
•How many of you have done this before?
•How have you used it?
•Takeaway: Any amount of collaboration will produce a more successful product although not always easy because of:
ØTime constraints (5 minutes to draw a whole continent)
ØLack of resources (no atlas, few “experts” to assist you)
ØBig expectations (completing a picture perfect drawing by an unreasonable deadline)
Introducing
•Tana Ruegamer – Boston University
•Lynn Walters – Boston University
•Tracey Reza – Babson College
•Margaret Felis – UMass Amherst
Hi!
•Lynn Walters – Boston University
•Tracey Reza – Babson College
•Margaret Felis – UMass Amherst
Hi!
Goals and Expectations
•1st Goal: Discover creative ways to effectively collaborate with other offices
•2nd Goal: Explore intercultural training theory and techniques to make collaboration more attractive and effective for international students
•Our Expectation: Learn together!
–Audience participation encouraged and expected
–On-going conversation (join our blog!)
•2nd Goal: Explore intercultural training theory and techniques to make collaboration more attractive and effective for international students
•Our Expectation: Learn together!
–Audience participation encouraged and expected
–On-going conversation (join our blog!)
Agenda
•The Collaboration Model
•Psychology of Students Today
•Intercultural Training Theory
•Toolkit
•Small Group Case Studies
•Blog
•Psychology of Students Today
•Intercultural Training Theory
•Toolkit
•Small Group Case Studies
•Blog
Breaking Down the Title
•What specific obstacles do you face?
–Time: Academic Cycle, Government Deadlines, Family Commitments, etc.
–Resources: Money, Staff, Division of Labor, etc.
–Expectations: Office Culture, Institutional Philosophy, Unreasonable Deadlines, etc.
…OUTCOME?
–Time: Academic Cycle, Government Deadlines, Family Commitments, etc.
–Resources: Money, Staff, Division of Labor, etc.
–Expectations: Office Culture, Institutional Philosophy, Unreasonable Deadlines, etc.
…OUTCOME?
The Door Slammer
•Great idea, you want to work together and then…Slam!!!!
•NO WAY! Is it really a no?
•Remember, this model goes both ways! Have you ever slammed the door in someone else’s face?
•NO WAY! Is it really a no?
•Remember, this model goes both ways! Have you ever slammed the door in someone else’s face?
The Door Slammer -> The Collaborative Office
•Are you asking the right questions? How do we move them to collaborators?
–Are you asking at the right time of year?
–Does the culture of their office allow for collaboration right now?
–Do you have an established a relationship with their office?
–What do you do? How do you deal with these roadblocks?
–What are you offering them?
–Are you asking at the right time of year?
–Does the culture of their office allow for collaboration right now?
–Do you have an established a relationship with their office?
–What do you do? How do you deal with these roadblocks?
–What are you offering them?
The Dumper
•Type 1: “We’d love to collaborate, now YOU DO IT!”
•Type 2: Good intentions, but in the end everything falls on you.
•Colleagues may not take you seriously “Intercultural training for faculty/staff? Why do we need that? And how are you an expert?!”
•Colleagues may take you too seriously “Wow, you’re an immigration expert, a DSO/(insert your title here) – I/my staff can’t add anything!”
Being dumped on = relationship breakup
•Type 2: Good intentions, but in the end everything falls on you.
•Colleagues may not take you seriously “Intercultural training for faculty/staff? Why do we need that? And how are you an expert?!”
•Colleagues may take you too seriously “Wow, you’re an immigration expert, a DSO/(insert your title here) – I/my staff can’t add anything!”
Being dumped on = relationship breakup
The Dumper -> The Collaborative Office
•How do you turn this into a collaboration?
•If they don’t take you seriously, how do you become credible?
•Use examples of effective collaboration
•Play up your expertise/experience
•Wow them with intercultural training techniques
•If they take you too seriously and/or see you as the sole expert, how do you get them to share responsibility?
•Set up expectations/what you need and expect from them
•Open communication/dialogue
•Be honest
•Divide tasks
•Relinquish some control!
•If they don’t take you seriously, how do you become credible?
•Use examples of effective collaboration
•Play up your expertise/experience
•Wow them with intercultural training techniques
•If they take you too seriously and/or see you as the sole expert, how do you get them to share responsibility?
•Set up expectations/what you need and expect from them
•Open communication/dialogue
•Be honest
•Divide tasks
•Relinquish some control!
The Collaborative Office
•Identify the key players in the office who are best able to reach students.
–Use your existing allies
•What can you offer that office and vice versa?
–Offer your expertise
–Negotiate. How can you meet both your needs?
–Delegate and relinquish some control
•Offer ideas on how to continue programming.
–Use focus groups and evaluations
–Pool resources
•Use individual strengths
–Actively listen
–Use your existing allies
•What can you offer that office and vice versa?
–Offer your expertise
–Negotiate. How can you meet both your needs?
–Delegate and relinquish some control
•Offer ideas on how to continue programming.
–Use focus groups and evaluations
–Pool resources
•Use individual strengths
–Actively listen
A Snapshot of Today's Student Culture
Student Development Theory
•Arthur Chickering’s Vectors of Development – the psychosocial theory that allows us to think about what students may be going through at the moment. (Remember, in order to do anything we really need to know our students)
1. Developing Competence
2. Managing Emotion
3. Moving Through Autonomy Toward Interdependence
4. Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships
5. Establishing Identity
6. Developing Purpose
7. Developing Integrity
Chickering, A.W. (1969)Education and Identity, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
•Arthur Chickering’s Vectors of Development – the psychosocial theory that allows us to think about what students may be going through at the moment. (Remember, in order to do anything we really need to know our students)
1. Developing Competence
2. Managing Emotion
3. Moving Through Autonomy Toward Interdependence
4. Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships
5. Establishing Identity
6. Developing Purpose
7. Developing Integrity
Chickering, A.W. (1969)Education and Identity, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Things To Keep In Mind
–Increased levels stress and anxiety due to current events, social and academic pressures
–Attention Span
–Consumers and Rights
–Ideation and Follow Through
–Specialness and Appreciation
–Failure and Saving Face
–Authority
–Service
–Helicopter Parents
–Communication Styles and Resources (i.e. technology)
–Attention Span
–Consumers and Rights
–Ideation and Follow Through
–Specialness and Appreciation
–Failure and Saving Face
–Authority
–Service
–Helicopter Parents
–Communication Styles and Resources (i.e. technology)
Intercultural Training Theory
Andragogy – the process of how adults learn
Adults Learn Differently than Children
•The Need to Know – the more relevant the information to their lives, the more adults want to learn.
•The Role of the Learners’ Experiences – use life experiences to build knowledge. Use experiential techniques to educate.Orientation to Learning – life centered learning. Greater motivation to learn when adults feel what they’re learning will let them deal with life’s problems or tasks.
REMEMBER: All Adults Learn Differently!
From The Adult Learner by Malcom S.Knowles, 1988
Adults Learn Differently than Children
•The Need to Know – the more relevant the information to their lives, the more adults want to learn.
•The Role of the Learners’ Experiences – use life experiences to build knowledge. Use experiential techniques to educate.Orientation to Learning – life centered learning. Greater motivation to learn when adults feel what they’re learning will let them deal with life’s problems or tasks.
REMEMBER: All Adults Learn Differently!
From The Adult Learner by Malcom S.Knowles, 1988
Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle Model
From The Handbook of Intercultural Training, Edited by Landis, Bennett and Bennett, 2004.
Remember Your Objectives
• Desired outcomes should be stated as behavioral objectives. What will participants be able to DO after the training?
• Desired outcomes will affect the methods / instructional activities you choose. Sample methods include: lecturettes, film, role plays, skits, exercises, small / large group discussion and handouts.
• How do these theories affect you?
Ø Credibility
Ø Effectiveness of training
Ø Creativity
• Desired outcomes will affect the methods / instructional activities you choose. Sample methods include: lecturettes, film, role plays, skits, exercises, small / large group discussion and handouts.
• How do these theories affect you?
Ø Credibility
Ø Effectiveness of training
Ø Creativity
Toolkit
•Reflective Exercise
–Start thinking about what you can do!
•Things to Consider When Planning
–What activities/tools will be most effective?
•Commonly Used Exercises
–Ice breakers
–Technique – creatively modify and execute these tools for different audiences
»Example: Continent Exercise
»Creative ways to modify
•Sample Evaluation
–Paper
–Use electronic surveys, for example: Survey Monkey
–Start thinking about what you can do!
•Things to Consider When Planning
–What activities/tools will be most effective?
•Commonly Used Exercises
–Ice breakers
–Technique – creatively modify and execute these tools for different audiences
»Example: Continent Exercise
»Creative ways to modify
•Sample Evaluation
–Paper
–Use electronic surveys, for example: Survey Monkey
Case Studies
•Break into small groups
•Time to collaborate!
•Case Studies:
1. Admissions
2. Residence Life
3. Career Services
4. Academic Affairs
Rules
•Read your case study thoroughly
•Review and abide by game rules
•Assign a secretary to take notes and report back to large group
•Brainstorm possible answers to questions
•Review and abide by game rules
•Assign a secretary to take notes and report back to large group
•Brainstorm possible answers to questions
Case Studies Debrief
- What did your collaboration look like?
- What are the challenges?
- How did you overcome them?
Blog
•www.littletimefewresources.blogspot.com
•Space to post ideas for collaboration
•Forum to come up with bigger and better ideas
•A place to share concepts and connect with others for ideas
•Space to post ideas for collaboration
•Forum to come up with bigger and better ideas
•A place to share concepts and connect with others for ideas
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