Faculty members from UIC and US colleges discussed innovative liberal arts teaching and learning at the MPCC-UIC Faculty Development Institute held at UIC from 14 to 18 July.
The 2014 MPCC-UIC Faculty Development Institute was founded by UIC and partner institutions of the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC).
Over 20 faculty members from UIC and eight MPCC colleges attended the institute. The participating MPCC colleges were Augsburg College, Gustavus Adolphus College, Bethany Lutheran College, Concordia University St Paul, Hamline University, Concordia College Moorhead, the College of St Scholastica and St Catherine University.
According to Dr Katharina Yu, Director of UIC’s International Development Office, the Faculty Development Institute was set up to generate a mechanism for developing teaching and learning effectiveness at UIC via a strategic collaboration with the MPCC colleagues, allowing UIC to further strengthen its position in China in innovative pedagogy.
Dr Guo Haipeng, Director of Whole Person Education Office, spoke of one of UIC’s most important educational concepts – Whole Person Education – and its development to the participants.
Presentations and group discussions were held among all the participants on how to design and conduct interdisciplinary courses with an intercultural competence focus. Topics involved syllabus development, learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities, and assessment tasks.
Concordia College Moorhead’s Dr Karla Knutson presented her experience with international programmes. Also, a workshop on preparing students for intercultural exposure was led by UIC’s Associate Vice President Prof Lilian Kwan and Augsburg College’s Dr Peter Stark.
Dr Peter Stark believed the institute was a success. He said he was impressed by UIC’s liberal arts education, and praised its strong curriculum and teaching quality.
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| US visitors experience UIC’s Whole Person Education by learning the guqin and calligraphy |
Reporter: Deen He
Photographers: Jack Xiao and Simon Liu
(from MPRO, with special thanks to the ELC)
