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Internationalizing Teaching and Learning in a Global Context

Conference Program

Co-‐Sponsored by the Centre for Learning and Teaching, Dalhousie Writing Centre, and

International Centre

May 1 and 2, 2013 Rowe Management Building,

Dalhousie University

Conference hashtag: #dcutl

Wednesday, May 1, 2013 Dalhousie Conference on University Teaching and Learning

8:30 to 9:00 am Registration and Continental Breakfast Rowe Atrium 9:00 to 9:15 am Welcome and Opening Remark from Honourary Chair Rowe Atrium 9:15 to 10:30 am Keynote Speaker Potter Auditorium, Room 1028

Dr. Roopa Desai Trilokekar, Faculty of Education, York University What is the student experience of internationalization?

Building principles of good practice in internationalizing higher education. 10: 30 to 10:50 am Networking and Refreshment Break

Room # 1007 1009 1011 1014 1016 10:50 to 11:40 am Shane Theunissen

Saint Mary’s University Ubuntugogy-‐An African Centred Approach to Teaching and Learning

Scott Comber Dalhousie University Conflict Management Skills as a Catalyst for Creating Learning Environments for Students who Will be Living and Working in a Global Context.

Angela Day, Erika Burger, and Shawna O’Hearn, Dalhousie University Can lessons from Global Health Education Enhance Internationalization at the University?

John Cameron Dalhousie University Internationalization and Global Citizenship at Canadian Universities: Complementary or Contradictory Goals?

Howard Donohoe, Saint Mary’s University Providing a Classroom ‘Home’ for International Students – Another Direction in Active Learning

11:50 to 1:20 pm Formal Lunch and Award Recognition and Poster Presentation Dalhousie Faculty Club

Room # 1007 1009 1011 1014 1016 1:30 to 2:20 pm Pam Williams, Qiuling Wu and

Abu Kamara Dalhousie University Exploring Transition and Intrusive Advising Models as Tools for Potentially Improving International Students’ Satisfaction and Retention

David Sable Saint Mary’s University The Power of Reflective Learning

Samie Luc, Melissa Le Geyt and Taylor Luftig, Dalhousie University Perspectives on Dalhousie’s Internationalization Strategy

Kathi Thompson Saint Mary’s University Building Bridges and YOU!

Amy Braye, Dalhousie University Social Media Strategy for International Mobility Programs at Dalhousie: Meeting our Students Where They are to Increase the Potential for Personal Growth From Study Abroad

2:20 to 2:40 pm Networking and Refreshment Break Room # 1007 1009 1011 1014

2:40 to 3:30 pm Choon-‐Hian Chan, Kwantlen Polytechnic University Teaching with Cases: A Global Competency Approach

Rylan Higgins, Saint Mary’s University Thinking Critically about Global Thinking: Interogating the Goals of Study Abroad

Lynsay McGuigan, Brie Rehbein, Said Msabaha, and John LeBlanc, Dalhousie University Building international partnerships that strengthen local universities: The Lesson of Malaysia and Canadians Studying Abroad

Margie Clow Bohan, Dalhousie University Do Teaching Support Units Need to Change to Reflect a Changing Student Body? A Writing Centre Perspective

Room # 1007 1009 1011 1014 3:40 to 4:30 pm Bob Mann and Susan Holmes,

Dalhousie University The Cheating Game: How do we Play our Cards Right?

Linda MacDonald and Binod Sundararajan, Dalhousie University Understanding Expectations of Business Students and Faculty

Gail Wainwright, Heidi Lauckner and Shawna O’Hearn Dalhousie University Partners in Global Health Education – Challenges and Opportunities in Preparing Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Students for Interprofessional Practice

Andrew Hare, Saint Mary’s University Key Words in Mathematical Talk

Thursday, May 2, 2013 Dalhousie Conference on University Teaching and Learning

8:30 to 9:00 am Registration and Continental Breakfast Rowe Atrium

Room # 1007 1009 1011 1016 9:00 to 9:50 am Janice MacDonald Eddington, Christine

Beauchamp and Aaron Paynch, Dalhousie University The Academic Integrity Project

Shana McGuire, Saint Mary’s University Teaching French Cinema: Intercultural Learning and Experiencing "Otherness"

Anne Marie Ryan, Dalhousie University Thinking Through the Global Lens: When the Physical World and Society Collide

Oksana Shkurska, Dalhousie University Stereotypes in Intercultural Communication: Breaking yhe Barriers

9:50 to 10:10 am Networking and Refreshment Break Room # 1007 1009 1011 1014

10:10 to 11:00 am Susan Holmes, Dalhousie University Refining Your Learning Skills: A Second Chance for Academically Dismissed Students

Kathleen Kevany, Dalhousie University Learning from the Field: Harvesting Learning in International Development Projects through Agricultural Innovation and Enterprise

Rohini Bannerjee, Saint Mary’s University Beyond the Text(ing): Celebrating Oral Traditions in the Francophone World

Jennifer MacDonald, Dalhousie University Social Identity and Non-‐native English-‐speaking International Students

Room # 1007 1009 1011 1014 1016 11:10 to 12:00 pm Shazia Nawaz,

Dalhousie University Motivation, Driving Force in Second Language Learning

Abu Kamara, Dalhousie University Internationalization and the ‘Politics of Identity’

Erica Jung, University of Manitoba Simulation Games to Enhance Intercultural Training

Mindy McCarville, Dalhousie University Change One Thing Challenge

Patricia Fitzgerald and Rylan Higgins, Saint Mary’s University Challenges in Increasing University Students’ Participation in Study Abroad Programs

12:00 to 1:00 pm Informal Lunch Technology Showcase

Room # 1007 1009 1011 1014 1016 1:10 to 2:00 pm Zhanna Barchuk, Mary Jane

Harkins and Rupert Collister, Mount Saint Vincent Leveraging Technologies to Support Teaching and Learning in a Global World

Paolo Matteucci, Dalhousie University Internationalize This! Measuring the Students’ Learning Outcomes in a Multi-‐Cultural Context.

Kerrianne Ryan, Dalhousie University Enriching Scientific Dialogue through Global Partnerships

Alexandre Avdulov, Saint Mary’s University Interculturally Yours

Jean-‐Jacques Defert, Dalhousie University Development and Promotion of Intercultural Competence in the Academia. Reflections on Contemporary Practices in Language Departments

Room # 1007 1009 1011 1014 2:10 to 3:00 pm Scott Comber,

Dalhousie University Teaching and Learning in an International Context: How Do We Embed Practical, Applied Values-‐Based Skill Development Within All Curricula?

Richard Devlin, Dalhousie University Change One Thing Challenge: Art, Reflection and Ethics

Marzieh Sadeghpour, Azad University of Takestan The Impact of Congenial and Interesting Topics on Second Language Reading Recall

Rachel Hurst, St. Francis Xavier University Doing Feminist Theory Through Digital Video

Internationalizing Teaching and Learning in a Global Context 1

The Conference Coordinating Committee

Centre for Learning and Teaching Dalhousie University Killam Memorial Library, Suite G90 6225 University Avenue PO Box 15000 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2 Canada

Dr. Suzanne Le-‐May Sheffield Interim Director (Programs) Phone: (902) 494-‐1894 | Email: [email protected]

Dr. Carla DiGiorgio Associate Director (Curriculum Planning) Phone: (902) 494-‐4300 | Email: [email protected]

Michelle Soucy Event Planning and Communications Phone: (902) 494-‐6641 | Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Lilli Cromwell Financials and Reception Phone: (902) 494-‐1622 | Email: [email protected]

Andrea Robinson Undergraduate Student Assistant Phone: (902) 494-‐1622 | Email: [email protected]

Writing Centre Dalhousie University Killam Library, 6225 University Avenue Ground Floor Learning Commons, Room G40C P.O. Box 15000 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2 Canada

Dr. Margie Clow-‐Bohan Manager Phone: (902) 494.3379 | Email: [email protected]

Dalhousie International Centre Dalhousie University 1321 Edward Street, 2nd Floor P.O. Box 15000 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2 Canada

Florencia Berakha Study Abroad & Exchange Advisor (Inbound) Phone: (902) 494-‐1566 | Email: [email protected]


HELPFUL HINTS Twitter Conference hashtag: #dcutl

Taxi Numbers Casino Taxi 902-‐429-‐6666 or 902-‐425-‐6666

Yellow Cab 902-‐420-‐0000

Parking In order to park legally on University property, vehicles must either display a valid permit or use a parking meter. Parking permits for Dalhousie parking lots are available at the daily rate of $11.32. Permits may be purchased from Dalhousie Security Services, located in the parkade level of the McCain Building, 6135 University Avenue. As there are a limited number of parking spaces on University property, purchase of a Parking Permit does not guarantee a place to park.

For more information parking on university property please visit the Facilities Management website. (http://www.dal.ca/dept/facilities/parking-‐at-‐dal.html), located in the parkade level of the McCain Building, 6135 University Avenue.

Kenneth Rowe Management Building Dalhousie University Club


As an alternative, bicycle rack locations are shown on the map below

Photocopying/Printing Services Campus Copy

Located at 6136 University Avenue, in the Student Union building, next door to the Rowe building.

Tel: 902-‐494-‐3781

Monday to Thursday – 8:30am to 7:00pm

Friday – 8:30am to 5:00pm

Kenneth Rowe Management Building

Dalhousie University Club


Keynote Speaker

Dr. Roopa Desai Trilokekar, York University

Wednesday, May 1, 2013 9:15 to 10:30 am, Potter Auditorium, Room 1028

What is the student experience of internationalization? Building principles of good practice in internationalizing higher education.

Our internationalization efforts have resulted in the rise in number of program initiatives across all Canadian universities. Our aim is to develop global citizens for the benefit of the broader society we serve. Hence, we have set ourselves a laudable goal by embarking on a two-‐pronged strategy: recruiting international students to our campuses and sending Canadian students to study abroad. We host a growing number of international students, provide a broader range of international educational experiences for all students and welcome first, second and third generation Canadians.

So, can we say our campuses are now internationalized? That as a community, we share a common understanding of the complex concept of internationalization? That our students are aware of and fully engaged in the process of internationalization? That as faculty and administrators we have a clear understanding of what the internationalization of higher education means to our students? In taking stock of our progress, it is undeniable that we face many challenges to our efforts to internationalize our campuses, and that much progress lies ahead of us. So, what should be our next steps?

Seven principles of good practice in internationalizing higher education will be proposed. These principles will be based on the intrinsic strengths within our institutions: an environment that is fundamentally global; an increase in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches to knowledge creation; increased professionalization of student services; international and intercultural faculty and staff; and perhaps most importantly, a student population that brings a richness of experiences and perspectives to our campuses. At the same time, the principles will challenge us to think in new ways and with new lenses on what good practice in internationalization of higher education means to our inherently diverse and vibrant campuses, reminding us as Leask (2010) cogently states, “It is the extent and depth of the level of engagement with other cultural perspectives as a normal part of life at university which defines the student experience of internationalization” (15).


Leask, Betty. (2010). ’Beside Me Is an Empty Chair’ The Student Experience of Internationalisation. In Elspeth Jones. Internationalisation and the Student Voice. New York: Routledge Higher Education Perspectives. (pp. 3-‐17).

Biography Roopa Desai Trilokekar is an assistant professor at York University in the Faculty of Education. She has dual research interests in international and intercultural education. She is interested in government policy on higher education and internationalization as well as the student learning experience as it pertains to study abroad and internationalizing teacher education.

Her most recent work has been part of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) General Research Grant, titled, Making Policy in Postsecondary Education. She is co-‐editor of two books, Making Policy in Turbulent Times; Challenge and Prospects for Higher Education (to be published this year with Paul Axelrod) and Canada’s Universities Go Global (2009) with Dr. Adrian Shubert, York University, and Dr. Glen Jones, University of Toronto.

She has written on study abroad and the internationalization of teacher education and is currently engaged in a SHHRC minor research grant on the impact of Ontario’s international education strategy on postsecondary student access to study abroad opportunities, the quality of their learning experiences and outcomes in gaining international perspectives.


Wednesday, May 1, 2013 Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 am to 9:00 am Rowe Atrium

Welcome and Opening Remark from Honourary Chair 9:00 am to 9:15 am Rowe Atrium Dr. John Cameron, International Development Studies

Keynote Speaker 9:15 am to 10:30 am Potter Auditorium, Room 1028 What is the student experience of internationalization? Building principles of good practice in internationalizing higher education. Dr. Roopa Desai Trilokekar, Faculty of Education, York University

Networking and Refreshment Break 10: 30 am to 10:50 am Rowe Atrium

Coffee and a light snack

Session 1 10:50 am to 11:40 am Room 1007 Ubuntugogy -‐ An African Centred Approach to Teaching and Learning Shane Theunissen, Saint Mary’s University

Abstract Ubuntu is a person through other persons -‐ this articulates a basic respect and compassion for others. Ubuntu inspires us to expose ourselves to others, to encounter the differences of their humanness in order to inform and enrich our own. To be human is to affirm one's humanity by recognizing the humanity of others in its infinite variety of content and form.

Through this presentation I intend to outline Ubuntu as a conceptual tool that can help facilitate dialogue within the classroom setting, providing a framework within which students can negotiate with each other, the meanings they confer on class content. If we, as educators, can utilize conceptual tools such as ubuntugogy, and seek to recognize and legitimize learning that occurs, all the time, in varying social, cultural, and political contexts (Hutchins, 1995). Then we can in the context of our classrooms, in terms of cultural capital, create a fiscal equilibrium; allowing individuals within multi-‐centric contexts to define and create knowledge generated through consensus building.

Biography Shane Theunissen was born in South Africa and has, in his adulthood, struggled with the process through which ideologies are imposed upon individuals, and the devious ways through which ideologies can be used to construct a society. Shane sailed to Canada in his late teens aboard his family’s 36-‐foot sailboat. This journey was not only a physical escape but an intellectual one as well. He is a Ph. D. candidate at SMU and has a Master's degree in Education. He has also worked as a school teacher in Attawapiskat, a small reserve on the James Bay Coast for 6 years. He currently lives and works in Dartmouth, NS.


10:50 am to 11:40 am Room 1009 Conflict Management Skills as a Catalyst for Creating Learning Environments for Students who will be Living and Working in a Global Context. Scott Comber, Dalhousie University

Abstract When professors, students and universities grapple with the accelerated rate of change, conflict rises inside and out of the classroom. The effort to remain competitive and achieve sustainability creates a by-‐product across the system. This by-‐product is often conflict, both healthy and unhealthy. The need for individuals and universities to utilize sound conflict management practices has never been greater. Further, it is the approach or nature in which we manage these conflicts in a compassionate, empathic way that will engage a passion for learning. To accomplish this, individuals should be skilled at removing the toxicity that may arise with unhealthy conflict and replace it with the healthier aspects of conflict such as hope, innovation, passion and learning. A primary goal of this workshop will be to apply conflict management skills in ways that use conflict as a catalyst for creating learning environments. One example of this will be for participants to understand how conflict management skills may be applied to create classrooms where conflict is used as a true catalyst for innovation and resolution. Another example will be to understand how the skills of dialogue may be applied to individual and group settings to increase innovation, and create the space for inquiry. A process goal of this workshop will be to present new knowledge or frameworks for 20% of the time and have participants fully engaged in practicing frameworks and skills for 80% of the workshop.

Biography Scott Comber is the Director of the Corporate Residency MBA and other full-‐time MBAs, and holds a faculty appointment in the School of Business Administration. He co-‐created the 22-‐month Personal and Professional Effectiveness (Leadership) curriculum for the Corporate Residency MBA. Scott’s teaching areas of foci are leadership and organizational behaviour. He is also a faculty member with the Canadian Medical Association’s Physician Management Institute. Other academic appointments include Royal Roads University and Simon Fraser University.

10:50 am to 11:40 am Room 1011 Can Lessons From Global Health Education Enhance Internationalization at University? Angela Day, Ericka Burger, and Shawna O’Hearn, Dalhousie University

Abstract Developing and implementing a comprehensive international strategy through the lens of global health is the key to the work within Dalhousie’s Global Health Office. The field and discipline of global health is broader than infectious disease, medical treatments and HIV/AIDs. Global health is an interdisciplinary field that applies education and research to understand and address the various aspects of health inequity, both locally and internationally.

The Global Health Office develops innovative, interprofessional curriculum through competency based frameworks, prepares students to engage ethically with marginalized populations in Canada and abroad, supports international students as they embark on medical education training, promotes sustainable partnership development and community engagement, and creates opportunities to connect the research gaps in global health education.

This panel will present findings from three education programs including local global health education in Halifax and Saint John; a framework for international partnerships; supplementary certificate initiatives that support co-‐curricular records; and the evaluation results of a bridging program for international students.


With increasing numbers of university students engaging in international education activities, lessons from these programs can be replicated across the academic environment to strengthen our vision of internationalization and innovative education at Dalhousie University.

Biographies Angela Day is a Program Manager with the Global Health Office at Dalhousie University. She holds a Master’s degree in International Development Studies from Dalhousie University, and has extensive experience developing innovative education programs with a focus on community and population health.

Erika Burger is a PhD Candidate in the Interdisciplinary PhD Programme at Dalhousie University. She has a MA in International Development Studies and is a licensed and practicing physiotherapist working at the QEII. Her research focus is on global health equity, and obligations toward vulnerable populations. She was the Gender and HIV/AIDS Programme Officer at the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health. She worked in Malawi for two years as a VSO volunteer physiotherapist at an adult rehabilitation centre.

Shawna O’Hearn is the Director of the Global Health Office at Dalhousie University. She has 15 years of experience in policy development, adult education, social justice and engaging stakeholders in programming, strategic planning and evaluation. Shawna is a registered Occupational Therapist with a MA in International Development. She has held leadership positions in government, university and non-‐government organizations in Canada and abroad.

10:50 am to 11:40 am Room 1014 Internationalization and Global Citizenship at Canadian Universities: Complementary or Contradictory Goals? John Cameron, Dalhousie University

Abstract This interactive presentation will encourage participants to contemplate and discuss the potentially competing objectives of internationalization and the promotion of global citizenship at Canadian universities.

The internationalization strategies at many Canadian universities explicitly highlight the goal of promoting global citizenship as part of the ‘internationalization’ agenda. However, the actual meaning of ‘global citizenship’ is very often left vague, which leaves the term open to abuse. This presentation will begin with an effort to re-‐ground the definition of global citizenship in the concept of ‘cosmopolitanism’ (from the Greek kosmopolitês – “world citizen”), which focuses attention on questions about our ethical obligations to the rest of humanity (e.g. Appiah 2006; Brown and Held 2010; Pogge 2007). Following scholars such as Andreotti (2006) and Dobson (2006) the presentation will then examine the argument for “thick” conceptions of global citizenship education that focus attention helping students to grapple with questions about moral obligations to the rest of humanity as well as to develop the skills and dispositions needed to act on those obligations. This portion of the presentation will be approximately 20 minutes.

The second portion of the session (approximately 30 minutes) will focus on interactive discussion among participants in break-‐out groups. Questions for discussion will include:

• Should global citizenship be part of university internationalization strategies? • How should global citizenship be understood in the context of internationalization at

Canadian universities? • How should university curricula be designed to promote global citizenship? • Do Canadian universities themselves have ethical obligations that extend beyond Canadian

borders that should be considered essential components of internationalization strategies? • How to get ‘thick’ conceptions of global citizenship onto the internationalization agenda at

Canadian universities?


The presentation is based on a forthcoming book chapter (John Cameron. “Grounding Experiential Learning in ‘Thick’ Conceptions of Global Citizenship” in Rebecca Tiessen and Robert Huish, (Eds.) Globetrotting or Global Citizenship: Perils and Potential in International Experiential Learning. University of Toronto Press) and was an article in the CLT Newsletter based on the chapter.

Biography John Cameron is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of International Development Studies at Dalhousie University. His research lies in three broad areas: indigenous struggles for self-‐governance in Bolivia; representations of poverty and development by non-‐governmental organizations and the media; and the ethics of global citizenship. He is also the current President of the Canadian Consortium of University Programs in International Development Studies (CCUPIDS) and a member at large of the Executive Council of the Canadian Association for the Study of International Development (CASID).

10:50 am to 11:40 am Room 1016 Providing a Classroom ‘Home’ for International Students – Another Direction in Active Learning Howard Donohoe, Saint Mary’s University

Abstract This interactive session offers the opportunity to discuss the classroom dynamics of a geology course with about 30 to 40% international students. Students from China, India, and other parts of Asia, the Near-‐East, Africa and South America enroll in the course and bring challenges and benefits to instructors. I try to create a ‘home’ in the classroom to make students feel welcome, engaged and comfortable. By establishing permanent working groups of mixed ages, faculties, origins, and experiences, international students meet new people and begin to immerse themselves in working together. Their collaborative work involves them in active learning.

Although critical thinking skills that challenge ‘experts’ in the field and the use of reflection are not generally part of the foreign students’ educational experiences, the group work offers practice and collaboration. Some things work well: ask foreign students to relate their experiences in a subject area, talk to the class about the courage necessary to use English as a second language and show foreign students how to reflect and to think critically. The benefit of having international students goes both ways—foreign students learn more in active ways, and they animate the course topics with their own experiences.

Biography Howard Donohoe immigrated to Atlantic Canada to complete his PhD studies in Geology at UNB. He has taught at many universities and worked for the Provincial Government. Howard has served as President of the Atlantic Geoscience Society and the Mining Society of Nova Scotia. In 2011, he received the Dr. Geraldine Thomas Educational Leadership Award from Saint Mary’s University. He enjoys the challenges of teaching and working with students.

Formal Lunch 11:50 pm to 1:20 pm Dalhousie Faculty Club

11:50 am to 12:10 pm Buffet lunch is served

12:10 to 1:00 pm Dalhousie University-‐Wide Award Recipients and Change One Thing Challenge Recipients recognized

1:00 to 1:20 pm Poster Presentations


1:00 pm to 1:20 pm Poster Presentations How Hypercompetition is Driven by Business Analytics & In-‐Memory Computing; Hands-‐On Learning with SAP HANA to Engage Students in Management Information Systems Michael Bliemel, Dalhousie University Abstract This poster presentation shows how interactive business analytics demos on SAP HANA.com were used to engage Commerce students in the online Management Information Systems class. The activities, surrounding context and process of developing engaging learning activities are explained using this assignment as an example. Overall, the assignment has had great results in engaging both Dalhousie students as well as those of other faculty members in the SAP University Alliances who are now adapting the activity and assignment for their classes. Using class activities which have interactivity with leading edge technology and gamification elements at the beginning of a term can increase student involvement with materials throughout the semester.

Let's Make the Students Apply! Utilizing Art and Technology in Neuroscience Education Wendy Stewart The neuroscience unit in the Med2 year is one of the most challenging with a vast new vocabulary and the need to integrate the neuroanatomy with clinical neurology. Prior to being involved with the Med 1 and 2 years in the new curriculum at Dalhousie University, my only exposure to the medical students was in their clerkship years. Very few of them had any recollection of the neuroanatomy and clinical neurology they learned in the Med 2 year.

I became very interested in developing ways for students to learn neuroanatomy in a fun way and integrate it into clinical scenarios in an interactive format. Last year, I was fortunate to meet and begin collaborating with a medical illustrator and when I shared my ideas with him, he was very interested in working with me on this project. The ability to draw and visualize the anatomic pathways can assist students in their understanding of complex neuroanatomy. From these beginnings, I developed an interactive elective and subsequently an App to supplement students learning in neuroscience. At a time when medical information is growing at an exponential rate and the curriculum is already too full, mobile technology can assist learning by providing students with the opportunity to supplement and reinforce their knowledge even when they are on the road, waiting for something or have a few minutes to spare.

A Role-‐Play Simulation of a Global Environmental Agreement Helps Students to Appreciate the Real-‐World Complexity of International Negotiation Amanda Green, Matthew Schnurr, and Elizabeth De Santo, Dalhousie University

Students in Dalhousie University’s SUST 2001: Environment, Sustainability, and Society: A Global Perspective participated in a multi-‐week role-‐play simulation, modeled on the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Students took on the roles of global stakeholders with the aim of achieving consensus on contentious issues within this multilateral environmental agreement (MEA). Students completed pre-‐ and post-‐surveys that assessed their appreciation of the complexity of MEAs and their perceived skills in areas of international negotiation. Most students agreed with survey statements regarding the difficulty of achieving compromise in MEAs. Students also reported a decrease in their self-‐reported skills of lobbying and mediation, which can be explained by more realistic perceptions of how difficult it is to persuade other stakeholders to agree with their point of view. This new appreciation of the complexity of the issues might also have contributed to the significant decrease in their mean interest in participating in real world MEAs. Together, these results suggest that the role-‐play helped students of SUST 2001 experience the complexity of negotiating solutions to global environmental problems, and to appreciate that the solutions are not as simple as they can sometimes appear in an academic setting.


Problems Faced by International Students in Online Learning Courses Maryanne Fisher, Kimberly Moule, Christopher Moule, Saint Mary’s University

University online courses are an excellent way to meet the needs of students who reside off campus, including those who may be living in another country. They also are an option for students who live locally but who may not wish to attend a lecture course for various reasons, including feeling alienated or being unable to relate to peers. International students are particularly vulnerable, especially if they are new to the university environment, and do not have a peer group or institutionally established support. Although online courses may remove social stressors, they introduce new issues due to the heavy reliance on language (typically written), without nonverbal cues to aid comprehension. As well, online courses rely on the students seeking help from the instructor when needed, as the instructor is unable to visually scan the classroom and assess student understanding. In some cultures, seeking help is discouraged, and hence, this method of practice is not sufficient. Feedback is another area of concern, as communication in the absence of nonverbal cues is easy to misinterpret, particularly if the feedback pertains to poor performance. In this poster, we will review potential problems international students face with online courses, and provide some potential solutions.

Session 2 1:30 pm to 2:20 pm Room 1007 Exploring Transition and Intrusive Advising Models as Tools For Potentially Improving International Students’ Satisfaction and Retention Pam Williams, Qiuling Wu and Abu Kamara, Dalhousie University

Abstract The transition to university is difficult for most students. For international students the normal transition related challenges are exacerbated by the challenge of overcoming barriers that can slow or completely undermine social adjustment and academic success. For this reason, universities must be strategic in administering support services to international students. Given that some international students can be passive when it comes to seeking support services, and because some first year students don’t know how to respond to certain challenges, support infrastructures must be both proactive and developmental. This workshop will present findings from two pilot projects that assessed the effectiveness of proactive and developmental advising models for mitigating international students transition related challenges. Given that most universities today have expressed strong commitments to internationalization, exploring ways to improve support infrastructures to meet the social, cultural, and academic demands of students cannot be overstated.

Biography Pam Williams is the Manager of the International Centre. She has over twenty years of experience advising students, designing courses, teaching, and leading various leadership workshops. She specializes in needs assessment, program evaluation, leadership development and intercultural learning.

Qiuling Wu currently serves as an International Student Advisor at the International Centre and works with a team that administers programs to enhance student engagement and retention. Prior to coming to Dalhousie University, Qiuling worked for the University of Alberta and the Alberta government in various capacities. He has over 12 years of experience in international education, international qualifications assessment and recognition, teacher certification as well as international admissions and recruitment. Qiuling has a Master of Education degree from the University of Alberta.

Abu Kamara recently defended his Ph.D. thesis titled ‘International Students and the Politics of Growth’. His research interests include international education, identity politics, and internationalization. He is a regular contributor and blogger for University World News.


1:30 pm to 2:20 pm Room 1009 The Power of Reflective Learning David Sable, Saint Mary’s University Abstract This session will demonstrate mindfulness-‐based, interactive reflective practices for the classroom. Both Canadian and international students have benefited from these practices over the past three years. Qualitative research results based on Canadian students’ experiences showed increased self-‐confidence, engagement with intercultural points of view, and an unexpected sense of connectedness that was stronger between students who disagreed with each other than between students who found easy agreement. Quantitative results based largely on international students’ experience showed statistically significant gains in indicators for reflective dispositions underlying critical thinking.

The use of reflective practices in the classroom helps introduce international students to the “academic conversation.” This includes close reading of short texts, reflective and critical thinking, and writing to find one’s own voice. Students form an experiential basis for appreciating academic values in western universities. The discussion can be expanded to engage students in the most relevant issues they face: Why are you in university? Is learning only acquiring skills to get a job? Is getting a job only about making money? Is learning more than reiterating information presented by a teacher or a text? What does it mean to be a responsible citizen in a world with so much uncertainty and trouble? Biography David Sable, PhD, is a recent graduate of the Interdisciplinary PhD Program at Dalhousie University. He is currently a part-‐time faculty member at Saint Mary’s University and a Research Associate at the Homburg Centre for Health and Wellness. His thesis, entitled, “The Impacts of Reflective Practices on the Dispositions for Critical Thinking in Undergraduate Courses,” studied Canadian and international student experiences. The thesis was nominated for best thesis in the Social Sciences at Dalhousie University.

1:30 pm to 2:20 pm Room 1011 Perspectives on Dalhousie’s Internationalization Strategy Samie Luc, Melissa Le Geyt and Taylor Luftig, Dalhousie University

Abstract Dalhousie’s proposed new Internationalization Strategy aims to address the benefits and challenges involved in the growth of our international student population, as well as the development of global awareness and action in all of our students. We, as students, feel that it is important to engage the Dalhousie community in this dialogue. Through open space discussion, we will provide a platform for engagement of workshop participants regarding priorities for the Dalhousie Internationalization Strategy. Participants of the workshop will have an opportunity to share their perspectives on where they think Dalhousie should situate itself in the global educational landscape, and how we can work towards this position on campus and in our interactions with local community, as well as internationally. The ideas generated will be used to advise the Strategy steering committee. Biography

Samantha Luc is a third year International Development student with a keen interest in issues of ethics in development, in addition to her research focus on the food-‐water-‐energy security nexus. She has worked with the learning division at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to create and facilitate courses on leadership, youth and generational diversity development. Samie will be facilitating the Internationalization Strategy Workshop. The workshop was designed by Melissa Le Geyt and Taylor Luftig, recent graduates of IDS at Dalhousie University. The document came of interest to them through a class called 'Global Citizenship', taught by the IDS department.


1:30 pm to 2:20 pm Room 1014 Building Bridges and YOU! Kathi Thompson, Saint Mary’s University

Abstract Within a university classroom is a multicultural environment that represents a diversity of languages, cultures, values, and expectations. How does this diversity influence how we design programmes to prepare both international and Canadian students for their future as global citizens? What is the impact on teaching and learning? Questions arise about how faculty can manage this landscape and provide teaching that meets the diverse needs of both groups of students while still covering the course materials they have set out. Using a variety of problem solving interactive discussion activities, this workshop explores the challenges found in diverse classes. By integrating simple adjustments to the delivery of course materials, and developing an awareness of learner-‐centred approaches, an intercultural community can be encouraged. Intercultural classrooms are an opportunity to extend teaching to educate aspiring citizens of the 21st Century.

Biography With over 3 decades of experience in cross-‐cultural settings, Kathi Thompson is uniquely positioned to offer practical approaches to support faculty who work within intercultural classrooms. Kathi has experience in the areas of inter-‐cultural adaptation and language issues in academic cultures, and her 2010 Master’s research comprising narrative study of international EFL students in Nova Scotia. She is currently Coordinator, International Student Success with the Centre for Academic and Instructional Development at Saint Mary's University.

1:30 pm to 2:20 pm Room 1016 Social Media Strategy for International Mobility Programs at Dalhousie: Meeting Our Students Where They are to Increase the Potential for Personal Growth From Study Abroad Amy Braye, Dalhousie University

Abstract Domestic and cross-‐border exchange opportunities for domestic students are becoming a central component of the internationalization strategies of most universities. While such experiences can broaden students’ intercultural perspectives, social, cultural and personal factors sometimes combine to limit students learning and personal growth. Consequently, there is a need for innovative strategies that can help students overcome challenges and encourage personal growth. This interactive discussion will explore the use of social media as a form of support for exchange bound students. The discussion will focus on the common learning challenges domestic students are facing abroad, and suggestions for how virtual communities can help engage students and mitigate those challenges.

Biography Amy Braye is the Study Abroad and Exchange Advisor for Outgoing Students at Dal. She has worked at the International Centre for 6 years, and has been focusing on international mobility programming since 2009. Previously, Amy worked at King’s doing academic advising and at Queen’s doing student advocacy. Amy received her BA from the UVic and her MA from UofT. Amy is currently working on an MPA part-‐time at Dal.

Networking and Refreshment Break 2:20 pm to 2:40 pm Rowe Atrium



Session 3 2:40 pm to 3:30 pm Room 1007 Teaching With Cases: A Global Competency Approach Choon-‐Hian Chan, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Abstract Case method of teaching to develop students’ conceptual skills and critical thinking has undergone significant changes in recent years. As Canadian universities adapt to the rapid pace of globalization and internationalization of post-‐secondary education, there is a need for instructors to develop and enhance global competencies among students. Internationalization of education is about engaging, developing and shaping students’ global competencies. The purpose of this proposal is to articulate that case method teaching is an effective approach to achieving greater student global competencies by drawing upon the students’ cross-‐cultural knowledge, background and experience as resources to analyze real life business cases in the global context. A cross-‐cultural problem/decision approach to case analysis is used as an illustration to integrate business concepts and theories into the cultural diversity of students. The proposed discussion is based on the author’s personal experience and practice of teaching cases using students’ cultural backgrounds and perspectives to identify critical business problems and make culturally-‐based decisions. A seven-‐step problem/decision approach utilizes and incorporates management tools and student interactions to gain and create students’ confidence in developing broad-‐based global competencies that will foster global citizenship in the business world.

Biography Choon-Hian Chan received his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia in Canada and his Master’s degree (Business Studies) from Massey University in New Zealand. He has over 20 years’ experience teaching in Singapore, New Zealand and Canada. Currently he is a faculty member of the School of Business at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Canada) teaching international business and management courses. When he is not busy teaching, he enjoys travelling to learn other national cultures.

2:40 pm to 3:30 pm Room 1009 Thinking Critically about Global Thinking: Interrogating the Goals of Study Abroad Rylan Higgins, Saint Mary’s University

Abstract University leaders across Canada believe that too few Canadian undergraduates study abroad. They cite a deficit in “thinking globally” as reason to formulate a national strategy to ensure that more students travel internationally. But what does it mean to think globally? More generally, what are the basic outcomes that university educators want from study abroad? Do expectations vary from one institution to the next, or across faculties and disciplines? Though complete uniformity is unlikely, the departure point for this discussion will be to determine the extent of overlap. With some sense of these dynamics, we will proceed to a deeper set of questions. As precisely as possible -‐ and hopefully by way of example -‐ we will look into whether and how various practices that comprise study abroad relate to expected outcomes. If intercultural competence and/or a global mindset are desired, what is the actual nature of these qualities and how are they acquired? How do aspects of study abroad (e.g. type of destination, nature of the program, length of program, language requirements) affect student experience and effect intended outcomes? The goal will be to get beyond buzzwords and interrogate the values and practices associated with study abroad.

Biography Rylan Higgins is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Saint Mary's University. He has lived, taught and conducted research in the United States, Vietnam and Canada. Over the past 7 years, he has run dozens of study abroad programs in Vietnam for US and Canadian students. This has included conceptualizing, designing, planning and overseeing programs intended to enhance


student learning, primarily around liberal arts goals. His current research includes a CIDA funded student researcher component and investigates food systems ethnographically in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. SMU and Vietnamese students work collaboratively throughout the city.

2:40 pm to 3:30 pm Room 1011 Building International Partnerships and Strengthen Local Universities Lynsay McGuigan, Brie Rehbein, and John LeBlanc, Dalhousie University

Abstract The Faculty of Medicine has multiple programs that support international partnerships in education and research. Programs for international students play an important part in strengthening Canadian Universities.

The Global Health Office manages a unique program developed through a partnership with the International Medical University in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia which sees several Malaysian medical students each year complete their undergraduate training in Canada. Over the nearly twenty year partnership, significant lessons have been learned in preparing international students to bridge curriculum in two distinct educational structures.

Visiting elective students in Medicine is another program that receives little attention, yet annually there are almost 260 international students receiving medical education in the Maritimes and through Dalhousie University. There have been significant increases in placements over the last three years. While all students in this program are called "international", there are a large proportion of students who are Canadians studying in foreign medical schools. The story of Canadians studying abroad must be explored and understood as universities expand their internationalization strategies.

This presentation will show the current trends, issues and considerations of visiting medical students in full year programs and on electives in light of internationalization strategies.

Biographies Lynsay McGuigan is the Electives Coordinator within the Global Health Office. In this role, she oversees international student electives for Dalhousie Medicine, as well as manages the Global Health Bursary program. Lynsay works closely with faculty, staff and students within the Faculty of Medicine, both locally and at the distributed sites across the Maritime Provinces.

Lynsay has been with Dalhousie University since 2008, where she first began coordinating pre-‐clerkship and visiting medical electives.

Brie Rehbein is the Program Manager at Dalhousie's Global Health Office with more than eight years' experience working in program development, evaluation, health promotion and public engagement. She has a background in International Development and Communications Studies.

John LeBlanc is a pediatrician at IWK Hospital. He is also a faculty member at Dalhousie Medical School and a Faculty Advisor with the Global Health Office. As an Advisor, Dr. LeBlanc works with international students as they integrate into the Dalhousie Medical School curriculum; guides students doing international electives; participates in micro-‐research training; and supports the growth of partnerships with organizations like the International Medical University (IMU).


2:40 pm to 3:30 pm Room 1014 Do Teaching Support Units Need to Change to Reflect a Changing Student Body? A Writing Centre Perspective Margie Clow Bohan, Dalhousie University

Abstract Objectives of the session: (1) Stimulate a conversation about the role of academic support units in the student-‐instructor relationship, and (2) Understand how that new role might change the theoretical and empirical underpinnings of these units.

Writing centres began in the 1960s in the United States as a response to the influx of the demographic group whose parents had not attended university. These students were assessed as less prepared for academic work, especially writing. A number of academic supports were developed.

• The American university system adopted a mandatory first-‐year composition course. • Writing centres were established. These centres were under the auspicious of English

Departments and were staffed by PhDs in English and peer tutors.

In Canada, students seldom have had the opportunity to take first-‐year writing courses. Most universities established writing centres staffed by English graduates and peer tutors. (The Dalhousie Writing Centre remains an anomaly with its staff and peer tutors drawn from a variety of fields.)

Situation: The demographics have again changed at the Writing Centre. In the last five years, the number of English as a Second Language students (international or recent arrivals) has grown from 20% to 43% of 11,000 yearly appointments.

Discussion:

1. What is the mandate for writing centres? 2. Does that mandate now include teaching language? 3. How does the writing centre need to change? 4. What role does it need to play in the internationalization of the campus?

Biography Margie Clow Bohan has taught writing at a number of universities, in the community college system, and for the Government of Canada. In addition, she has written for a variety of media outlets. Since 2001, Margie has been a faculty member at Dalhousie, first as a lecturer in the School of Business and then as the manager of the Writing Centre. Her research interests include professional writing, inter-‐professional team dynamics (including leadership), and writing centre pedagogy.

Session 4 3:40 pm to 4:30 pm Room 1007 The Cheating Game: How do we Play our Cards Right? Bob Mann and Susan Holmes, Dalhousie University

Abstract Bob Mann, Manager of Discipline and Appeals for Dalhousie University, and Susan Holmes, a member of Senate Discipline hearing panels for several years as well as a faculty member, have unique insights into the issue of academic integrity.


Through the sharing of short sketches of actual academic integrity cases, you will be entertained and enlightened as you learn about the ingenious and sometimes downright idiotic ways in which cheating takes place. Your appreciation for the challenges of enforcement of academic integrity policy with international students will be expanded. In small groups you will explore a short scenario representing both sides of an allegation followed by a guided debrief. We will also provide some suggestions to consider when developing your course and syllabus that might help students to avoid the temptation to plagiarize and cheat, as well as to better prepare you to deal successfully with an allegation. Biographies Bob Mann is the Manager of Discipline and Appeals and a member of the Dalhousie University Secretariat, which provides advice and support to the Dalhousie Senate and Board of Governors. In his current role, Bob is responsible for ensuring that various university judicial bodies, such as the Senate Appeals Committee, Discipline Committee, Tenure Reconsideration and others are carried out in a fair and effective manner. Bob also presents frequently to faculty, students and administrators on procedural fairness and academic integrity. He is a part-‐time faculty member in the Schulich School of Law. Prior to his time with Dalhousie, Bob was engaged in the private practice of law with McInnes Cooper, working primarily in labour, employment, administrative and education law. Bob is a graduate of Dalhousie with a Bachelor of Laws and Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Professor Susan Holmes has been involved in the development of many diverse programs with Dalhousie University College of Continuing Education since 1990. In 2007, as Director of Qada Leadership Development program that brought young male and female Nationals from the United Arab Emirates to Dalhousie, she faced many issues on campus relating to cultural differences. She is currently Director of Refining Your Learning Skills Programs, designed to give a second chance to academically dismissed students. Her work also involves recruiting and training Teaching Assistants with the goal of enhancing retention of international and minority students, particularly in the Faculty of Computer Science. Since 2006, as a hearing panel member for the Senate Discipline Committee, Susan has heard many cases of plagiarism and cheating that have provided insights into this serious issue. 3:40 pm to 4:30 pm Room 1009 Understanding Expectations of Business Students and Faculty Linda MacDonald and Binod Sundararajan, Dalhousie University

Abstract Increasing numbers of international students, particularly students from Asia, are coming to Dalhousie, yet there is a lack of understanding of the effect on domestic students and changes in pedagogy that would enable both groups to succeed. Understanding student expectations will help us assess both domestic and international student needs and contribute to our ability to satisfy these needs. We present the results from two surveys of first year Commerce students, one conducted on the first day of the first term and one conducted within the first week of the second term. We also conducted a survey of faculty members in the Rowe School of Business. Results reveal that a gap between expectations of the students and the educational approaches at the university may lead to attrition. The results also indicate that the gap in expectations between faculty and students is wider than the gap between international and domestic students. Students expect to work hard, to socialize, and to express their cultural heritage. They also expect professors to adjust their pedagogy to suit student needs, but feel that they have adequate skills and language ability to do well in university. However, professors do not feel that the students have adequate skill or language ability to succeed in classes, and not all faculty members feel the need to adjust their pedagogies to the needs of the dynamic student population.


Biographies Linda Macdonald, PhD, currently serves as the Communication Specialist for International Students in the Rowe School of Business and as an instructor of Business Communication. Binod's interests lie in organizational and business communication; computer-‐mediated communication; Computer-‐Supported Collaborative Learning/Cooperative Work (CSCL/CW) and social network analysis. He conducts research in adoption and diffusion of mediated technologies, use of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) in diverse areas as immigrant entrepreneurship, teaching, collaborative work and learning. He also has a parallel stream of research where he has mapped the social structures and networks of actors in the Underground Railroad Movement and networks of Irish immigrants to Halifax, NS.

3:40 pm to 4:30 pm Room 1011 Partners in Global Health Education – Challenges and Opportunities in Preparing Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Students for Interprofessional Practice Gail Wainwright, Heidi Lauckner and Shawna O’Hearn, Dalhousie University

Abstract The international clinical education/fieldwork coordinators of the School of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy and the Global Health Office have collaborated on interprofessional international fieldwork placements since 2009, with a particular focus on developing new sites in low and middle income countries. Since 2010, a total of 60 Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physiotherapy (PT) students have participated in international placements. Of these students, 11 PT and 11 OT were in India, Guyana, Tanzania and Uganda, where interprofessional learning opportunities between OT and PT students were supported. In 2013, 3 OT students and 1 PT student also engaged in “local global” placements in aboriginal communities. Global health experiences in rehabilitation provide valuable learning opportunities for students. From the multiple perspectives of the fieldwork educators, the Global Health Office, and students, this panel will introduce the following key topics in international fieldwork planning and implementation:

• Local and international partnership development • Student educational and cultural preparation • Linking international and local global health with future practice

Through a series of short presentations, salient issues in each of these topics will be presented along with practical examples. Lessons learned and potential resources will be shared. This session will be of interest to educators and students.

Biographies Gail Wainwright is the Academic Clinical Coordinator of Education at the School of Physiotherapy, Dalhousie University. She is responsible for the clinical education of students which involve local, national and international clinical education. From 1996-‐2000 Gail was working in Kuwait on an interprofessional rehabilitation project for Dalhousie University. She has also travelled to Malawi as part of a team to present a workshop on HIV Aids. She is also working to develop and strengthen global health learning opportunities.

Heidi Lauckner is an Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University’s School of Occupational Therapy (OT) where she teaches OT courses, conducts research on interprofessional community practice and coordinates international student placements. In 1999-‐2001, Heidi was a VSO volunteer in Namibia, where she taught rehabilitation workers. Since that time she has completed graduate studies that explored occupational therapists’ role in community development. She is currently working with colleagues locally, nationally & internationally to strengthen global health learning opportunities.


Shawna O’Hearn is the Director of the Global Health Office at Dalhousie University with 15 years of experience in policy development, adult education, social justice and engaging stakeholders in programming, strategic planning and evaluation. Shawna is a registered Occupational Therapist with a MA in International Development. She has held leadership positions in government, university and non-‐government organizations in Canada and abroad.

3:40 pm to 4:30 pm Room 1014 Key Words in Mathematical Talk Andrew Hare, Saint Mary’s University

Abstract Mathematical talk – definitions, explanations, arguments, observations, remarks, reminders, prompts, descriptions, conjectures – can be challenging for undergraduates to follow and take part in. In this talk I will focus on a number of key words from “ordinary language” that play a prominent role in mathematical talk, for example: “actually”, “convention”, “ambiguity”, “generic”, “obviously”, “solution”, “need”, “arbitrary”, “case”, and some others. I share the practical methods I use to help all students understand the functions these non-‐technical words have in the sentences that they appear in. My class is in English. A great deal of scientific communication in the world today is conducted in English. For many of my students English is not their first language. Understanding the meaning of these ordinary words in a mathematical context is essential to being able to communicate mathematical understanding to others. My methods are the same for all of my students – in my experience students whose first language is English require just as much help in appreciating the meaning of some of the key words I consider in this talk. I discuss the choices I make in lectures, small-‐group discussions, and one-‐on-‐one conversations in order to achieve this goal. Speaking mathematically takes practice. Some of these words play similarly important roles in related discourses in other fields, such as the law, sciences, history, philosophy, and medicine.

Biography Andrew Hare is a Lecturer in the Mathematics and Computing Science Department of Saint Mary’s University. He is interested in mathematics education, particularly in the following topics: problem solving, mathematics and reading, mathematics and language, and mathematical exposition.

Thursday, May 2, 2013 Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 am to 9:00 am Rowe Atrium

Session 5 9:00 am to 9:50 am Room 1007 The Academic Integrity Project Janice MacDonald Eddington and Christine Beauchamp, Dalhousie University

Abstract When faced with accusations of plagiarism or other academic integrity violations, students frequently respond that they did not understand ‘the rules’ -‐ the practices of academic integrity (AI). In the Faculty of Science, a disproportionate number of AI cases involve international students, students who make up close to 15% of the student population, yet represent upwards of 50% of these AI cases. In an effort to support both international and domestic student understanding of the expectations of academic integrity, the Faculty of Science approached the Dalhousie Writing Centre to develop an academic integrity online learning module. The module is a case-‐based tool using straight forward language to explain these concepts and expectations using


student narratives based on actual cases here at Dalhousie. A quiz is included to provide immediate feedback to students. Revisions to incorporate elements of universal design are ongoing to improve accessibility for all students. Can a thorough understanding of academic integrity be achieved through the medium of one online module? No. But we see it as part of an ongoing conversation: an opportunity to expose students to the fundamental concepts of AI, freeing valuable face-‐to-‐face time for students to ask questions and discuss discipline-‐specific nuances in class with their professors.

Biographies Janice MacDonald Eddington is a writing advisor at the Dalhousie Writing Centre (WC), which supports a Writing in the Disciplines approach to academic writing instruction. Bringing a background that includes teaching and graduate work in biology along with science journalism, she works with individual students, offers seminars and workshops in writing in science and academic integrity, develops online materials for students, and teaches a WC course supplemental to SCIE 1111 designed for students for whom English is an additional language.

Christine Beauchamp is Assistant Dean (Student Affairs) Faculty of Science. She has had a longtime interest in students, teaching, and effective teaching practices. She has promoted development opportunities for teaching assistants within her home department ─Biology, and has been involved with Dalhousie’s Peer Partnership Program.

9:00 am to 9:50 am Room 1009 Teaching French Cinema: Intercultural Learning and Experiencing "Otherness" Shana McGuire, Saint Mary’s University

Abstract This presentation will focus on my experience of teaching a 4th-‐year undergraduate course on contemporary French cinema and the inspiring and sometimes unexpected ways that students have engaged both with the material and with each other. A core objective of the course is to interrogate the concept of "Otherness" in the films being studied: the ways in which racial, sexual and social "Other" is constructed and represented; notions of marginality, exclusion, ethnicity and identity; the concepts of nation and national cinema; and the impact of multiculturalism and globalization. Several films chosen for analysis examine the ways in which France's colonial past impacts its intercultural, post-‐colonial present -‐ a vision of the country that is often not shared with students studying French language and culture. Students are therefore encouraged to look beyond idealized understandings of France, to critically reflect upon the alternative visions represented on screen and to make connections between the art of cinematic representation and the creation of meaning. Through meaningful intercultural exchanges during our lively class discussions and individual critical responses to the films shared on Blackboard, my students were able to relate the universal concept of otherness to a personal level -‐ an essential life lesson for future success in our increasingly globalized world. As part of my presentation, I will ask participants to reflect and share some ways in which "Otherness" can be explored and shared in the classroom across a variety of disciplines.

Biography Shana McGuire has been teaching French language and culture at Saint Mary's University since 2003 and also taught Film Studies courses at both NSCAD University and Mount Saint Vincent University. Her research on French and Francophone cinema has been funded by both SSHRC and the Killam Foundation; her next manuscript project will explore the work of Acadian filmmaker Rodrigue Jean.


9:00 am to 9:50 am Room 1011 Thinking Through the Global Lens: When the Physical World and Society Collide Anne Marie Ryan, Dalhousie University

Abstract “Issues” courses on the interaction of the physical world and the human world from a variety of local and global contexts provide numerous opportunities to incorporate the roles of narrative, opposing viewpoints and problem-‐solving in helping develop global citizens.

This is particularly important in the context of environmentally-‐focused courses, where the interaction of science and society is paramount. The wide accessibility on the internet of case studies -‐ narratives -‐ from the four corners of the world, as well as the diversity of perspectives on these cases, provide a rich source of material for engaging students in thinking critically and reflectively. This session provides an opportunity to engage first-‐hand in unpacking a controversial issue of international relevance through different lenses. Through discussion, we will address the development of critical thinking and reflection in the global context by using narrative and exploring a diversity of perspectives.

Biography Anne Marie Ryan is a senior instructor in the Earth Sciences, with a cross-‐appointment in Environmental Science at Dalhousie University. Anne Marie is actively engaged in the scholarship of learning and teaching, and is currently involved in a number of projects including the nature of threshold concepts in the natural sciences, ethics in the earth sciences, and the development of a service learning course on communication and leadership in the sciences.

9:00 am to 9:50 am Room 1016 Stereotypes in Intercultural Communication: Breaking the Barriers Oksana Shkurska, Dalhousie University

Abstract As our classrooms have become more globalized and diverse, and the number of cross-‐cultural connections has increased dramatically, it has become vital to facilitate effective communication between cultures. Educators along with learners are striving to overcome barriers of communication in the process of cross-‐cultural interactions. One of the problems associated with these barriers is cultural stereotypes, which prevent effective communication between and among students and educators of different cultural groups. Though the necessity to suppress stereotypes is still controversial, even positive stereotypes can have a negative effect on relationships and cause tension.

This ensuing discussion will focus on recognizing and overcoming stereotypes in multicultural classrooms. The goal of the discussion is to identify and share possible solutions for reducing tension that may be applicable both within and outside the classroom.

Biography Oksana Shkurska is an ESL instructor for Dalhousie’s ESL programs. Holding a Ph.D. in Linguistics, she has been working in multicultural classrooms in Canada and abroad for over 10 years, teaching undergraduate and graduate students the English Language as well as lecturing on Culture Studies of English-‐speaking countries and supervising graduate students writing research papers and theses. She has conducted research on the problems of intercultural communication and barriers of communication, in particular, for the last four years.

Networking and Refreshment Break 9:50 am to 10:10 am Rowe Atrium



Session 6 10:10 am to 11:00 am Room 1007 Refining Your Learning Skills: A Second Chance for Academically Dismissed Students Susan Holmes, Dalhousie University

Abstract The goals of this session are to describe the Refining Your Learning Skills program at Dalhousie, and to share what I have learned that students view as their reasons for academic difficulty.

Over three summers, 129 students from Engineering, Management and Commerce have taken the program, with 65% being international students. Students must achieve B-‐ to pass, and 111 applied for readmission in the Fall. These students are facing a crisis, and they are motivated to change their poor study habits. The university recognizes the value of retaining a student rather than expending the dollars and effort to attract a new student. We want our students to succeed.

The curriculum was developed through a process of consultation with students, faculty and universities with similar programs, as well as a review of the literature. New evidence concerning attrition and retention continues to shape the program content.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect for me as Program Director, has been the opportunity to work closely with these students over an extended period of time, to listen to their classroom discussions, and to read and learn from their reflective daily assignments.

This presentation will be interactive, as I would like to learn about the programs and insights of others, while sharing some of what I have learned.

Biography Professor Susan Holmes has been involved in the development of many diverse programs with Dalhousie University College of Continuing Education since 1990. In 2007, as Director of Qada Leadership Development program that brought young male and female Nationals from the United Arab Emirates to Dalhousie, she faced many issues on campus relating to cultural differences. She is currently Director of Refining Your Learning Skills Programs, designed to give a second chance to academically dismissed students. Her work also involves recruiting and training Teaching Assistants with the goal of enhancing retention of international and minority students, particularly in the Faculty of Computer Science. Since 2006, as a hearing panel member for the Senate Discipline Committee, Susan has heard many cases of plagiarism and cheating that have provided insights into this serious issue.

10:10 am to 11:00 am Room 1009 Learning from the Field: Harvesting Learning in International Development Projects through Agricultural Innovation and Enterprise Kathleen Kevany, Dalhousie University

Abstract This is an interactive session that provides a summary of recent projects involving the Faculty of Agriculture in education and innovation. The international development projects offer several benefits to a faculty. Students may be involved through student collaborations, social networking initiatives, and in possible internships. Students also benefit from course content that reflects current issues from the field of colleagues in developing and emerging economics. Students can be exposed to issues, solutions, tools and tactics applied in other jurisdictions. At the core of all the international projects we participate in, are the principles of leadership from the developing country; servant leadership; mutual learning and respect along with all parties adding tremendous value. Staff of the Faculty of Agriculture are encouraged to participate in international development projects, by participating in on-‐campus Project Management Teams as well as being part of a mission, if appropriate. Faculty play significant roles in these exchanges with our teaching


and learning partners from emerging economies. This session will bring recent harvests from two expeditions involving education for employment and ways Dalhousie University extends its reach through these projects and expands opportunities for teaching and learning through dynamic examples of political, economic, cultural, educational theories and practices at work in the field. Participants are invited to share their experience and ideas on how the University can contribute to international development initiatives and to critique the implications.

Biography Dr. Kathleen Kevany is the Director of Extended Learning and a faculty member in the Business and Social Sciences Dept. in the Faculty of Agriculture, Truro. Kathleen teaches Leadership and Social Change and a course on Communications, Interpersonal Relations and Conflict Prevention. Through these courses and other educational events, Kathleen highlights issues of global importance and citizen responsibilities. Part of the role of Faculty of Agriculture is to extend learning across the community, region and the world. Kathleen recently participated in an international development project in the Caribbean around Agricultural Innovations and Business. These experiences have been infused into course work and campus activities and reveal Faculty of Agriculture’s commitment to extended learning.

10:10 am to 11:00 am Room 1011 Beyond the Text(ing): Celebrating Oral Traditions in the Francophone World Rohini Bannerjee, Saint Mary’s University

Abstract In French 2200, a course offered in English, Saint Mary's students are introduced to the oral traditions and literary genres of the Francophone world, in particular, those from Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Caribbean. In this presentation, we will discuss the curriculum design of this course whereby students learn about traditional rituals, music, song styles, contemporary forms of traditional and popular culture, oral traditional narrative, prose, religious texts and poetry all within a globalized Francophone context. In particular, we will examine the final project of this course whereby students were not asked to write a standard essay on a given topic but instead participate in a "Night of Storytelling", sharing their original fable, legend or fairytale with the wider Saint Mary's community. Beyond the text(ing) of their work, students in French 2200 celebrated the oral traditions of the Louisiana Cajuns, the Acadians of PEI, the Arabic-‐inspired ghazals of Tunisia and the Voodoo tales of Haiti, giving each genre their own Canadian twist and interpretation. We will discuss how such global mindsets encouraged in curriculum design permit students to stay engaged throughout the course and participate more actively in their own learning.

Biography Rohini Bannerjee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Modern Languages & Classics at Saint Mary’s University. Born and raised in Dartmouth, NS, she holds a PhD in French Studies from Western University (2006). Rohini is the recipient of the 2012 Saint Mary’s University Student Association Award for Overall Excellence in the Field of Education. Her primary area of research is in Francophone Literatures and Cultures, in particular, the island nations of the Indian Ocean. One of Rohini’s current projects, with co-‐researcher Dr. Alexandre Avdulov, is examining lifelong learning in the multicultural classroom, funded by a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Small Project Award at SMU.


10:10 am to 11:00 am Room 1014 Social Identity and Non-‐Native English-‐Speaking International Students Jennifer MacDonald, Dalhousie University

Abstract The changing landscape of Nova Scotian higher education means that universities that had previously catered to a mainly domestic clientele are now welcoming increasing numbers of non-‐native English-‐speaking (NNES) students. Challenges arise as these NNES students try to mediate entrance into academic and non-‐academic campus communities through the English language; this presentation proposes the framework of social identity as a means of examining and responding to these challenges. In research carried out with Chinese undergraduates at St. Francis Xavier University, small talk encounters between these students and their native English speaking Canadian peers emerged as sites of tension in the emerging social identities of these international students. The research participants were found to adopt different strategies in response to being constrained by the discourse around foreign students, and in light of these findings, this presentation will look at how to incorporate themes of social identity into our university teaching practice.

Biography Jennifer MacDonald is Acting Head Teacher, ESL Programs, at Dalhousie University. She has taught English to adults and youth in secondary, university and corporate environments in Quebec, Argentina, Slovakia and Spain and is also an ESL materials writer. Her research interests include sociocultural approaches to second language acquisition, as well as educational technology. She holds an MA in TESOL from the Institute of Education, University of London.

Session 7 11:10 am-‐to 12:00 pm Room 1007 Motivation, a Driving Force in Second Language Learning Shazia Nawaz, Dalhousie University

Abstract This 50-‐minute interactive presentation will focus on motivational constructs of international learners whose first language is predominantly Arabic, and who are learning English either for job seeking and social integration or for seeking admission in a local university. The presentation will also demonstrate the ways to find out motivational constructs before a term or a course begins, and it will showcase the importance and the impact of getting to know motivational constructs of learners on outlining teaching methodologies and pedagogical techniques.

In 2008, the presenter carried out an active research for her final MA thesis for TESOL at the University of Manchester, with female ESL learners at Halifax Immigrant Learning Centre in Halifax, NS. Currently, she is carrying out observations at Dalhousie University with international EAP students from similar backgrounds. The presentation will relate the background information on motivation through informed literature, especially the work of Abu Rabia on attitudes and cultural background and its relation to language learning, as well as the extensive research done by Dornyei, Gardner and many other educationists on this subject.

This will be an interactive presentation where the presenter hopes to engage the audience in a discussion by taking part in different activities during the presentation. Through these activities, the audience will be able to explore the concept of motivational constructs for language learning, which eventually lead learners to forming higher goals such as studying at a university.


Biography Shazia Nawaz has extensive experience of teaching English internationally and in Canada. When teaching in the Middle East, she decided to specialize in TESOL, and completed her Master’s degree in TESOL from the University of Manchester in 2008. She has been on both sides of the aisle, academic and non-‐academic language teaching. She taught ESL to new immigrants and conducted her research with them.

Shazia is currently working with Dalhousie University ESL program and teaching EAP to university bound students. She has been using blended teaching with both in-‐class and online methods of delivering language learning instructions. She is currently using Blackboard Learn as a learning management system.

11:10 am-‐to 12:00 pm Room 1009 Internationalization and the ‘Politics of Identity’ Abu Kamara, Dalhousie University

Abstract Internationalization offers a vision of higher education that aims to reconstruct the social, and academic environments of higher education to allow for the development of new agendas, the re-‐evaluation of old relationships and the creation of new ones. Beyond simply affirming intellectual commitments to international student recruitment, exchange programs, and to the internationalization of the curriculum, discourses about the internationalization of our campuses must also emphasize the relevance and importance of conditions that nurture self-‐determination. They should encourage inclusive community building teaching practices, and civil faculty/student and student/student relationships. The reality is that students, faculty, and staff sometimes don’t leave their prejudices and biases behind when they enter university communities, as a result it is necessary that discussions about internationalization of our campuses include investigations of how personal and cultural identity impact learning and teaching experiences. This discussion session will explore internationalization of our campuses and its implications for teaching and learning practices.

Biography Abu Kamara recently defended his Ph.D. thesis titled ‘International Students and the Politics of Growth’. His research interests include international education, identity politics, and internationalization. He is a regular contributor and blogger for University World News.

11:10 am-‐to 12:00 pm Room 1011 Simulation Games to Enhance Intercultural Training Erica Jung, University of Manitoba

Abstract International students represent approximately 8% of enrolments in Canadian post-‐secondary institutions. Although the presence of international student is not a new phenomenon, as their numbers continue to increase, it brings attentions to the need to have adequate supports available to them.

How do we as educators equip ourselves and our students to develop intercultural competencies to enhance their teaching and learning experiences and our own practice? It begins with training and professional development. It begins with self-‐reflection and awareness. It begins with simulation games?

Simulation games are a great tool to introduce the concepts that are helpful in developing intercultural communication. What are they? How do we use them? And does it really work?


This workshop will outline a variety of simulation games and provide an opportunity to assess their effectiveness in intercultural training. Participants will be able to actively contribute to this session.

Biography Erica Jung oversees the Certification in Higher Education Teaching program and develops and promotes intercultural aspects of teaching and learning at the University of Manitoba. She facilitates intercultural communication workshops for faculty and graduate students, and has developed a university-‐wide Intercultural Education Grants competition.

11:10 am-‐to 12:00 pm Room 1014 An Inquiry-‐based Approach to the Lab Component of a Large Cell Biology Class Mindy McCarville, Dalhousie University

Abstract Like many instructors of large science classes, I have struggled with the fact that students often seem to simply go through the motions of lab activities with minimal long term retention or deep appreciation of what is happening. In order to help students develop a greater understanding of why they are doing what they are doing and to gain a more realistic idea of what it means to be a scientist, this past year I launched an inquiry-‐based approach to the Cell Biology labs where, within constraints, students picked their own experimental question and worked on that project throughout the term. The techniques, model organism (Sea Monkeys!), and potential project choices and limitations were outlined and demonstrated in the first lab. At that time, students submitted a proposal that included their experimental question and a description of how they were going to use the lab techniques to test their question. Some of the proposed experiments included testing for proteins in our model organism that had never been documented previously! The weekly lab activities were designed such that each experiment lead directly into the next, with each lab using a slightly different, but related, technique to investigate their experimental question. This mimics the workflow that is found in a real laboratory environment, where it is expected that researchers will approach problems from multiple directions. Students worked on their project throughout the term and wrote a single capstone report. The idea of an inquiry-‐based lab experience is not novel, but I feel that it is unique to undertake this type of project with a group of 240 inexperienced second year undergraduates. During this session I will outline the rationale and logistical considerations of this project, and will facilitate a group discussion regarding the idea of investigative projects in large class sizes.

Biography Mindy McCarville completed her BSc at Mount Allison, and MSc at Dalhousie. She also has a B.Ed. Mindy started working in the Biology department at Dal in 2002, and has worked mostly with the second year Cell Biology class (BIOL 2020) during that time. In addition to teaching the Cell labs, she is the advisor/coordinator for the Biology Co-‐op programme. Mindy was nominated for the 2012-‐13 Faculty of Science Excellence in Teaching Award, and was a Finalist for the 2013 Dalhousie Student Union Teaching Impact Award.

11:10 am-‐to 12:00 pm Room 1016 Challenges in Increasing University Students’ Participation in Study Abroad programs Patricia Fitzgerald and Rylan Higgins, Saint Mary’s University

Abstract The goal of this panel is to share their experiences working with university students on study-‐abroad programs and to learn about the experiences of the audience in this area.

The panelists will direct their discussion toward two topics:

• The first is the expectations and attitudes of undergraduate students toward study-‐abroad programs. Much of this discussion is based on informal class discussions as well as


statistical analysis of data collected from first-‐ and second-‐year Arts and Commerce classes at Saint Mary’s University as well as personal interviews with students who were in the preparation stage of studying abroad. The impetus of collecting this data was a recognition that, though students who study abroad are generally both very enthusiastic about the experience and very positive about it, relatively few students actually participate in the programs offered.

• The second is structural support systems. This discussion will range from relating some of the realities that we face in our present institutions to the fantasies of what we would like to provide to our students.

Biographies Patricia Fitzgerald is a Professor of Management at Saint Mary’s University. She is also the coordinator of Global Business Management in the Sobey School of Business. She has conducted research and taught in Australia, China, Czech Republic, France, Hong Kong, Germany, United States, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. She has also travelled extensively and enjoyed the diversity of experiences these activities have provided. She is interested in ensuring that others have similar opportunities open to them.

Rylan Higgins is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Saint Mary's University. He has lived, taught and conducted research in the United States, Vietnam and Canada. Over the past 7 years, he has run dozens of study abroad programs in Vietnam for US and Canadian students. This has included conceptualizing, designing, planning and overseeing programs intended to enhance student learning, primarily around liberal arts goals. His current research includes a CIDA funded student researcher component and investigates food systems ethnographically in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. SMU and Vietnamese students work collaboratively throughout the city.

Informal Lunch and Technology Showcase 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Room 1020

Technology Showcase Engaging Students with Technology: Using a QR Code Scavenger Hunt for Library Orientation Robin Parker, Jackie Phinney, Melissa Helwig, Dalhousie University

Abstract In the distributed learning context of the Dalhousie Medical School with its undergraduate program based out of both Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Saint John, New Brunswick, access to electronic learning resources is particularly important. The Dalhousie's Health Sciences Library married this need with the ongoing mission of orienting new students to library resources and services by conducting a scavenger hunt library orientation employing QR codes for navigation. The scavenger hunt utilized familiar mobile technology in order to introduce the new medical students to the in-‐person support provided by the library sites in Saint John and Halifax as well as the online resources and products that will assist them in learning and research throughout their medical training, life-‐long learning, and application to clinical practice.

NETCLICK: Engaging Students in the Classroom Darren Abramson, Dalhousie University

Abstract In collaboration with researchers at the Human-‐Computer Interaction Lab, School of Computer Science at Waterloo University, we built a new CRS, NetClick, intended to fit the contemporary


University classroom as it is. Existing slide content is re-‐used in the CRS, and students respond using the devices that over 90% already have: browser enabled smartphones, tablets and laptops.

Since the literature shows clearly that benefits of interactive teaching include improved knowledge retention and increased measures of social support, we define the success of our CRS in two ways: the extent to which educators can use it without adding additional preparation time, and the extent to which students can connect easily without additional resources. We show that on both of these measures our CRS succeeds.

Online, On Track: Blended Learning in Dalhousie University ESL Programs Jennifer MacDonald and Shazia Nawaz, Dalhousie University

Abstract The presenters currently teach English for Academic Purposes (EAP) to incoming international students. Most students have not had any kind of online or blended learning experience prior to beginning their EAP course at Dalhousie. Students not only benefit from the use of Bblearn in their language learning, but also get trained with using the LMS which will benefit them in their future academic endeavours within the university.

The show case will highlight how we are using online technology in our classes, the results of this use, and the findings of a survey administered to our students regarding their experiences with Blackboard Learn.

Engaging Learners Using Bb Collaborate: Creative Uses of Synchronous Communication in Online Social Work Courses Patricia Farry, Dalhousie University

Bb Collaborate enables instructor-‐to-‐student and student-‐to-‐student interaction in real time, adding another level of engagement in online courses. Join us for a "live" demonstration of activities used in online social work courses.

Active Reading: A Web-‐Based Tool to Guide Responsive Lectures and Content Creation Jennifer Van Dommelen, Dalhousie University

Developed for BIOL 1020/21 (Introductory Biology I/II), Active Reading is best described as a web-‐based version of the 'Muddiest Point ‘classroom assessment technique (Angelo and Cross, 1993). Every second week, students report their ideas and questions about the assigned readings (what they find to be relatively straightforward, what they find to be challenging, etc.) via a web-‐based survey. Members of the teaching team then follow up with a web conference during which they present the common themes and questions raised by the students in the survey and discuss them with the students present. The web conferences are optional to attend and are recorded for later viewing.

The original web-‐based survey was developed with a Teaching With Technology Grant from Dalhousie's Centre for Learning and Teaching. The activity is working well conceptually, but requires further development to work as well technically and administratively. Ultimately we hope to have a tool that is customizable, portable, easy to use, and facilitates content creation by students as well as by the instructor and TAs. Technical advice and collaborators are welcome!


Session 8 1:10 pm to 2:00 pm Room 1007 Leveraging Technologies to Support Teaching and Learning in a Global World Zhanna Barchuk, Mary Jane Harkins, and Rupert Collister Mount Saint Vincent University

Abstract Given that information technologies are very popular and ubiquitous, it is advantageous to examine their use in teaching international and global perspectives in universities. This interactive session will draw attention to the rapid changes in education in Canada and around the world as time and distance take on new meanings in our global society. The session will begin with a brief introduction to the presenters’ findings on their study that involved a discussion on technologies with educators from more than ten different countries around the world. A researcher-‐created You Tube video, on educators’ experiences using current technologies to support global perspectives on teaching and learning in higher education, will be viewed. The guiding question for our discussion will be: In what ways do information technologies support international and global perspectives in your teaching and learning? In the final minutes of the session, the presenters will compare and contrast participants’ ideas and experiences with the findings of their study on the opportunities and challenges of information technologies on teaching and learning about global issues.

Biography Zhanna Barchuk is a Ph.D. candidate in Educational Studies with research interests in globalization, teacher education, inclusive education, information technology. She currently lectures at Mount Saint Vincent University in Social Studies. Prior to coming to the Mount, she was an International Baccalaureate (IB) Geography teacher at SEK International School in Quito, Ecuador.

Mary Jane Harkins is the Director of Teacher Education at Mount Saint Vincent University. Her research interests include globalization and teaching, inclusive education, teacher education and Aboriginal Studies. Prior to coming to the Mount, Dr. Harkins was the Coordinator for Student Services for the Tri County Regional School Board, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

Rupert Collister has worked in the post-‐compulsory education sector for over sixteen years and his experience reflects the diversity of the sector in its broadest sense, particularly in the areas of distance, face-‐to-‐face, and blended learning. Rupert holds Bachelor of Adult and Vocational Education; a Master of Education; and a Doctorate of Philosophy degree. His first book, ‘A journey in search of wholeness and meaning’, was published in 2010 by Peter Lang Publishers (Switzerland).

1:10 pm to 2:00 pm Room 1009 Internationalize This! Measuring the Students’ Learning Outomes in a Multi-‐Cultural Context Paolo Matteucci, Dalhousie University

Abstract The increasing internationalization of the student body might translate, inside the classroom, into a dramatic accentuation of the challenges that belong to traditional methods of assessment of the students’ learning. When not accurately tailored upon each student’s cognitive style and background, in fact, conventional practices of evaluation might sometimes end up measuring the students’ communicative skills, or even their pre-‐existing extrapolative abilities, instead of the attainment of a given course’s goals and specific objectives.

In this session, we will explore the difficulties of merging together formative and summative evaluation within an internationalized classroom context. While reaffirming the obligation to fairly and effectively assess each student’s learning outcomes, and while scrutinizing the difficulties


deriving from the need to often reduce these outcomes to a mere numeric value or letter grade, we will discuss the diagnostic potential inscribed in the opportunity to elaborate comprehensive and diversified evaluative methodologies valorizing, and not penalizing, each student’s unique linguistic and educational background.

All colleagues will be invited to share their own critical insights, and some attention will be dedicated to the strategies that the discussion host has adopted in classes featuring large numbers of international students, such as his ‘Modern Italian Culture’ course.

Biography Paolo Matteucci is an Assistant Professor of Italian and European Studies at Dalhousie University, where he also serves as undergraduate adviser and exchange programs (with two Italian universities) coordinator. He holds a BA in foreign languages and a graduate specialization in teaching from the University of Torino, Italy, and a MA and a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Southern California. At Dalhousie, Paolo currently teaches Italian language, literature, cinema and culture.

1:10 pm to 2:00 pm Room 1011 Enriching Scientific Dialogue through Global Partnerships Kerrianne Ryan, Dalhousie University

Abstract The current scientific dialogue is built upon the western scientific process. As a result, the Eurocentric, English scientific literature is the canon from which we draw so-‐called scientific knowledge. Though this formulaic science can be conducted anywhere, familiarity with the local context can contribute to the productivity and authenticity of the science. In fact, in some scientific disciplines, indigenous knowledge has led science to the answers to some of its most evasive questions. While development of strong emerging research programs throughout the world and losses to Western funding for science mean that important and rigorous research can and should be accomplished by scientists native to the local context. These scientists may struggle to convey their research to the global scientific community because of the competition from Western scientists who choose to do their fieldwork in isolation from scientists in these countries, as well as the requirement to publish material in English journals-‐the currency of scientific knowledge. In this session we will consider what our Universities can do to facilitate a more integrative global scientific community. What partnerships can we form to promote the enrichment of scientific thought and advancement of academic dialogue? How can our teaching reflect and promote this global scientific community?

Biography Kerrianne Ryan is a PhD student studying Neurobiology who has participated in International conferences, workshops and courses in Japan, USA, Panama, and Canada. Through interactions and discussions with international scientists, she developed an interest in the nature of science in a global context. Her work in the Dalhousie Writing Centre informs her awareness of students’ views of science and challenges of expression in non-‐native English speakers. She hopes to build on discussions from this conference in her future work.


1:10 pm to 2:00 pm Room 1014 Interculturally Yours Alexandre Avdulov, Saint Mary’s University

Abstract The multicultural classroom in the Canadian university is now a reality and needs to be examined from a variety of different perspectives. (Cultural competence can be added as the fifth language competence along with reading, writing, hearing and speaking.) Today’s language teacher needs to be able to bridge cultures of the target language and to also take into consideration the existence of the “mini globe” of students in the classroom. There is no GPS to navigate this practically kaleidoscopic reality. It demands new views and innovative approaches in order to deliver what a citizen of the world needs. A global approach and a deep understanding of the intercultural nature of the world today is needed. Today’s teacher has to be not only culturally sensitive but also possess a multicultural awareness. This presentation will highlight successful and innovative teaching and learning methods such as Japanese language speech contests, creative writing in Japanese and Japanese Linguafest in particular. Over the years these tools have proven to be effective for those seeking not only to be fluent in a second language but also fluid in its culture as well as inter-‐culturally competent. They foster active learning, creative student engagement and global thinking.

Biography Alexandre A. Avdulov is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Classics, Saint Mary's University. Born and educated in Moscow, Russia (Moscow State University, specialty: Japanese Language and Culture). He studied and worked in Japan for over ten years, and is presently teaching Japanese language and culture at Saint Mary's University to students from different countries. His interests include intercultural communication, languages, pedagogy, leadership and spirituality, visual anthropology, theatre, Chanoyu, contemplative arts.

1:10 pm to 2:00 pm Room 1016 Development and Promotion of Intercultural Competence in Academia. Reflections on Contemporary Practices in Language Departments Jean-‐Jacques Defert, Dalhousie University

Abstract In order to promote intercultural communication and the acquisition of linguistic and intercultural competencies, many language departments in Canada and elsewhere have developed partnerships abroad with foreign universities hosting courses and programs for which students receive credits in their home institution. Beyond practical considerations on the limited scope of such programs in regards to the number of students who can benefit from them, recent studies have put into question the otherwise unchallenged equation between spending time abroad and the acquisition of the intercultural competence. Such studies have demonstrated for example the best results would be obtained with specific forms of support and mentoring either on site or prior to departure. In the context of the internationalization of the university environment, the labour market and society at large, there is a growing need for the development of educational practices which will help students prepare for their integration into foreign or multicultural environments. I would like to talk about two initiatives which have been conducted in the Department of French to give students a better understanding of cultural differences and to foster the acquisition of intercultural competence: an oral course integrating a service learning component; a language and culture course integrating pairings and group discussions with international students.

Biography Jean-‐Jacques Defert is an Assistant Professor in the Department of French at Dalhousie University. His main research interests are 19th century literature, history of ideas, theories of complexity, contemporary migrant literatures in the francophone world with respect to identity construction and textual dynamics of intercultural dialogism.


Session 9 2:10 pm to 3:00 pm Room 1007 Teaching and Learning in an International Context: How do we Embed Practical, AppliedBvalues-‐Vased Skill Development Within all Curricula? Scott Comber, Dalhousie University

Abstract Within the Master of Business Administration (MBA) curricular, millennial values form the foundation of ethical orientation, a cornerstone of responsible leadership. As such, students need to be aware of, and understand their values. Nowhere is this more evident than in the teaching of high-‐achieving MBA students and the new imperative of linking their education with the tangible values and needs of the business community. However, some of the challenges include removing the concept of “values” from the theoretical abstract of ethics, and teaching practical value-‐based skills in all curricular (accounting, finances, marketing etc.). The globalization and internationalization of Canadian universities also creates complex environments, of which MBA graduates are expected to navigate. The objectives of this paper will be to explore MBA Millennial student values, and how these values are bought into the curricular, and advanced through experimentation exercises to provide students with a sustainable values-‐based set of practical skills. The paper will also highlight some key learning factors that could better prepare both international and Canadian MBA students for a career within a professional field that is highly influenced by global and international factors.

Biography Scott Comber is the Director of the Corporate Residency MBA and other full-‐time MBAs, and holds a faculty appointment in the School of Business Administration. He co-‐created the 22-‐month Personal and Professional Effectiveness (Leadership) curriculum for the Corporate Residency MBA. Scott’s teaching areas of foci are leadership and organizational behaviour. He is also a faculty member with the Canadian Medical Association’s Physician Management Institute. Other academic appointments include Royal Roads University and Simon Fraser University.

2:10 pm to 3:00 pm Room 1009 Change One Thing Challenge: Art Reflection and Ethics Richard Devlin, Dalhousie University

Abstract “The Legal Profession and Professional Responsibility” is a mandatory third year course at the Schulich School of Law. It is the only mandatory course in third year and, as a result, encounters some resistance from students.

I have been teaching one section of this course (approximately fifty-‐five students) for more than a decade. The objectives of this course are radically different from every other course in the law school which tend to focus on either substantive law or lawyering skills. The central message of this course to the students is that the practice of law, if they choose that career, will require them to develop an ethical identity. This is heavy stuff!

As a result, in the last few years, I have developed a very brief exercise for the first class that is designed to encourage students to immediately think about what it means to have an ethical identity. The exercise requires students to draw two images: “My Picture of a Lawyer” and “The Lawyer as Perceived by the General Public.” The exercise has 2 purposes.

The students have a little bit of fun – there is a good deal of laughter as they are drawing the pictures.


On the serious side it provides an immediate introduction to the idea of an ethical identity and the disturbing disjunction between how we lawyers and law students tend to see ourselves and how the public tends to see us.

After this exercise I then proceed to introduce the course objectives and then relate a number of these objectives to the pictures that the students have drawn.

Biography Richard Devlin is a Professor of Law at the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University. In 2005, he was appointed a Dalhousie University Research Professor, and this position was renewed in 2010. His areas of teaching include Contracts, Jurisprudence, Legal Ethics and Graduate Studies. He has published widely in various journals, nationally and internationally. Recent books include editing Critical Disability Theory and Lawyers’ Ethics and Professional Regulation (2nd ed. 2012). In 2003, and again in 2010, he received the Hanna and Harold Barnett Award for Excellence in Teaching First Year. In 2008 he was a recipient of the Canadian Association of Law Teachers Award for Academic Excellence. In 2013 he won Dalhousie University’s Centre for Teaching and Learning “Change One Thing Challenge”. He has been involved in the design, development and delivery of Judicial Education programmes in Canada and abroad for more than 20 years. In 2012 he agreed to serve as the Founding President of the Canadian Association for Legal Ethics.

2:10 pm to 3:00 pm Room 1011 The Impact of Congenial and Interesting Topics on Second Language Reading Recall Marzieh Sadeghpour, Azad University of Takestan

Abstract The present study set out to investigate the impact of congenial and interesting topics on L2 reading comprehension of Iranian advanced-‐level learners. 56 Iranian advanced-‐level students read two texts on a controversial topic, one on the advantages of child gender selection, and the other on disadvantages. Quality analysis of recall tasks, defined as the amount of high and low-‐level information recalled correctly, revealed that topic interest did not affect readers’ recall significantly, but topic congruence affected short-‐term recall of both high and low-‐level information, and also long-‐term recall of low-‐level information. Results revealed that the effect of congenial topics on reading recall was detrimental; participants recalled less information from the passage with congenial topic than a passage with uncongenial topic. Findings suggest that less-‐interesting topics can be used in classroom activities as well as interesting topics, but controversial topics should be selected more cautiously, because they may not truly reflect L2 readers’ reading comprehension.

Biography Marzieh Sadeghpour has a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics (Teaching English to speakers of other languages) and a Bachelor degree in English Literature. She has experience of teaching English as a second language for more than 7 years in Iranian language institutes, and currently she is responsible for English Faculty of Iranian Oil Pipelines and Telecommunications Company.


2:10 pm to 3:00 pm Room 1014 Doing Feminist Theory Through Digital Video Rachel Hurst, St. Francis Xavier University

Abstract This session will present an innovative creative service learning assignment I developed for my third year Feminist Theory course titled “Doing Feminist Theory Through Digital Video.” I developed this assignment to help achieve the major learning objective of my third year feminist theory course, which is for students to understand and explain praxis in order to appreciate that responsible action is informed by theory, and that theory is developed and strengthened through action. Students created a short, non-‐documentary video on a concept relevant to the course (for example, decolonization or sexual violence). Their understanding of the concept was developed through course readings and service to a community organization.

The focus of this session will be on how creative and service learning approaches can contribute to student learning about relationships between the local and the global, as well as the project of decolonizing the academy. In particular, this session will unpack the unquestioned centrality of the seminar paper in upper year university courses. Matthew Oppermann argues that, “the seminar paper might actually work against the principles of ongoing cultural critique in interdisciplinary programmes, because students understand the seminar paper as a rearrangement of the ideas of more ‘advanced’ scholars” (2008, 173). In addition, such approaches privilege a Euro-‐western educational background and epistemological frameworks. Thus, educators must find innovative ways to teach students how to ‘unpack’ various cultural contexts in their lives.

Projects such as Doing Feminist Theory Through Digital Video can decolonize pedagogical approaches and create more inclusive classroom environments through offering students new ways of expressing what they have learned; this is particularly significant for international students, but also other groups of students who are marginalized at university campuses like StFX (Aboriginal, African Nova Scotian, LGBTQ, and students with disabilities), because their perspectives are not adequately represented or recognized. Through the integration of creative expression and community involvement, students are compelled to both engage with community organizations and share their own insights with others creatively, providing a unique learning opportunity that connects the local to the global and appeals to a wider range of learning styles.

Biography Rachel Hurst is an assistant professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Her research focuses on the effects of photography on embodiment and identity in cosmetic surgery and colonial photography, as well as creative and decolonizing feminist pedagogies. Her collection Skin, Culture, and Psychoanalysis (co-‐edited with Angela Failler and Sheila L. Cavanagh) was published in January 2013 by Palgrave Macmillan, and she is author of a monograph titled Surface Imaginations: Cosmetic Surgery, Photography, and Skin, under consideration by McGill-‐Queen’s University Press.

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