For Faculty
This page contains links to a range of posts on this blog I wrote since beginning to lead study abroad programs. The posts are aimed at faculty and inidviduals interested in the faculty experience. You will notice I do not talk about or name specific students. My comments are limited to my experience including my working partnerships with my teaching assistant, UIC Study Abroad office colleagues and overseas partners.
My posts try to convey the objectives and processes I used before and during the program. The purpose of this page is to share ideas and ways for reader’s to use my experiences and insights for their own benefit for their future study abroad programs.
Leave a comment or email me at jcoumb1@uic.edu if you would like to follow up with me about something you would like to have a conversation about.
For Faculty: Visualizing the Learning Journey
For the first time since 2012 I decided to visualize the entire learning journey. When I worked as a faculty member with the American Family Physicians, Performance Enhancement Forum (PEF) whose job it was to prepare medical practices engage in quality improvement...
For Faculty: Linking Content, Excursions and Reflections in Study Abroad.
One of the most important learning reflections I had last year was the absence of retention by students beyond the emotional experiences they had following excursions we took that were related to our content. I realized the content links I was hoping would be made...
For Faculty: Professional Development 2017 Style
Every year I decide what kind of professional development I need before I lead my study abroad program. in previous years I have gone to Harvard University to take a course on the teaching case method and Colorado to learn how to do digital storytelling. This year I...
DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia – Day 5 Recap
After the pace of the day before I took it steady this morning. My house mate Jim had grading to do and a bit of student advocacy came up while I was here that required attention. I made my way into town for what I thought was a brief meeting and was met by two...
DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia – Day 4 Recap
Phew what a day! I got a brisk shower at 5:30am and my homestay host drove me and Jim to the airport to arrive at 6:40am. We hurried through check in and off we went for a whirlwind field trip to DIS Stockholm to visit the new program opened in August and the view the...
DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia – Day 3 Recap
Day three started off slowly. I got into bed around 12:30pm after yesterday's post and wok up at 9:00pm to check emails from students and catch up on correspondence. My house mate ran a half marathon (no I am not kidding)....
DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia – Day 2 Recap
The day started with a brief breakfast and brisk communicate to DIS to meet my guide who would lead me to my first session of the day "European storytelling, from Homer to Harry Potter". I arrived to a prepared group of 21 students from schools all over the USA and...
DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia – Day 1 Recap: It Begins!
This is the "no messing around get your butt kicked as a faculty member study abroad week". My host mate Jim and I got off to check in at 7:40am this morning with our host guiding us. It felt like my Dad taking me to school in case I got lost. The transportation in...
Preparing to Learn from the DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia
This week I have the outstanding opportunity to learn during the International Educators Workshop (IES) at the Danish International School (DIS), Copenhagen from some of the leading professionals in study abroad programming in Europe. Since involving myself in the...
Wrapping Up The Barcelona 2016 Study Abroad Program
Accomplishments If anyone questioned the academic integrity of this short term study abroad experiences they should take a few moments to review the content of this blog. Students completed 6 micro projects and 2 extended essays. A total of 144 required project posts...