A delegation of five Serbian educators met with Ohio State experts on May 5 to learn about experiential modes of learning, integration of social justice in education, and experimental pedagogy across multiple platforms. Organized jointly by the U.S. Department of State, the International Visitors Council of Columbus, and the Office of International Affairs, the “U.S. Education in the 21st Century: Trying to Create Engaged Learners, Problem Solvers, Innovators, and Good Citizens” themed visit allowed the educators to engage with pedagogical leaders in the College of Education and Human Ecology and the Center for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (CSEEES).
The Serbian delegation conveyed the need for regulation and training for educational leaders, such as principals and superintendents, and their interest in learning about and implementing innovative teaching methods during a meeting with Education and Human Ecology Senior Associate Dean Noelle Arnold, Director of the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Global Engagement Carlotta Penn and Director of English as a Second Language Programs Ivan Stefano. A result of the meeting included the possibility of a collaborating on a virtual language conversation program with the Buckeye Language Education Resource Center.
The delegation also met with CSEEES Director Angela Brintlinger and Alicia Baca, program outreach coordinator, who identified K-12 and community college educational resources, online learning modules, presentations, and professional development programs that CSEEES offers to students and educators. The group discussed the differences between K-12 education in the U.S. and Serbia and the ways in which educators at all levels of education can help students become engaged global citizens.
Vice Provost for Global Strategies and International Affairs Gil Latz, and Palmer McNeal, president of the International Visitors Council of Columbus, hosted the educators for lunch at Ohio State’s Faculty Club.
The delegation also traveled to the Schoenbaum Family Center to learn more about its mission and collaborations within the Weinland Park neighborhood. Jennifer Bostic, project director, Early Learning Ohio, arranged a tour of the facility and a presentation on the critical work done at the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and the A. Sophie Rogers School for Early Learning. As part of the College of Education and Human Ecology, this multidisciplinary research center helps connect leading experts, faculty, researchers, staff, and students in collaborative early childhood research.
The Office of International Affairs appreciated the opportunity to host such a distinguished group of educators and showcase the advanced research and expertise at Ohio State. Partnering with the International Visitors Council and the U.S. Department of State supports Ohio State’s goal to teach the global leaders of tomorrow and advancing knowledge with worldwide impact.