Teachers can apply to study in Turkey, Georgia
January 19, 2007
KOKOMO, Ind.—Two Indiana University Kokomo professors are recruiting educators to join them for a proposed summer study tour of Turkey and the Republic of Georgia. Participants would observe and work with teachers in those countries to develop cross-cultural curricula and lessons related to Indiana curriculum standards for social studies, language arts, history, and arts. They would earn three graduate credits in education.
Professor of Education Margo Sorgman, Ed.D., and Professor of Economics Kathy Parkison, Ph.D., would lead the June 10–July 9 study tour. “This course is primarily aimed at teachers for grades 3–12, but educators such as curriculum coordinators or area studies supervisors, are encouraged to apply,” said Parkison. “This tour would give participants a chance to visit cities where traditional European and Asian cultures stand at true crossroads. The teachers of Turkey and Georgia are eager to learn best practices from U.S. educators, and the tour participants will bring back tremendous first-hand knowledge that will enrich their classrooms.”
The trip is pending funding by the U.S. Department of Education through its Fulbright Hays Study Tour Abroad Program, Parkison said. “We are hopeful of grant notification by mid-spring.” Applications, costs, a tentative itinerary, and the course syllabus are available at www.iuk.edu/education/fulbright.shtml or www.iuk.edu/~buskp.
Application deadline is March 1, 2007. Parkison and Sorgman will select participants from the pool of applicants. Interested parties can direct questions to Parkison at kparkiso@iuk.edu.
Parkison spent fall 2005 in the Republic of Georgia, working with educational ministers and universities as a Fulbright Scholar in Economics.
She and Sorgman co-direct the IU Kokomo Center for Economic Education, which offers continuing education opportunities to regional teachers. They have conducted joint research on education in Eastern European countries and on incorporating economic principles into classroom teaching.
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