7:30am – 9:00am Registration and Coffee

9:00am – 9:15am Introductions and Welcome

9:15am – 10:00am Development of the New Mindset for Global Education: a Cross-Cultural Perspective
Speaker: Tara Devi S. Ashok, Lecturer II, Department of Biology and Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Boston

I have been educated in India and have taught in different cultural scenarios. Therefore, I will highlight the importance of understanding different cultural traditions for higher learning. This approach will help in blending the best practices to make global education a great experience for both the teacher and the taught.

10:00am – 10:15am  Break

10:15am – 11:00am International Collaboration and Cultural Exchange in a Multi-Nation Cross-Institution Marketing Course
Speakers:
Annamária Sasné Grósz, presenting virtually from Hungary
Edward Romar, Senior Lecturer, University of Massachusetts – Boston
Alan Girelli, Director - Center for Innovation, University of Massachusetts - Boston
Irene Yukhananov, Senior Instructional Designer, University of Massachusetts – Boston

Many online courses reach students around the world. One innovative pedagogical model involves full collaboration by universities in different countries whose students explore cross-cultural differences in business practices through a project-centered course. Designers at UMass Boston have developed a course rich in student engagement. Operating in cooperative instructional modes, faculty members at universities separated by geographic boundaries scaffold real-world experiences in the global business environment. Students collaborate in virtual, cross-cultural teams comprised of learners from the United States, Hungary, and Germany. The model scales well and can adapt to other international, intercultural studies.

11:00am – 11:45am Risks and Opportunities in MOOCs: A Global Perspective
Speakers:
Apostolos Koutropoulos, Online Program Coordinator, University of Massachusetts - Boston

MOOCs have certainly taken the world by storm these last couple of years. Initially it was only a North American phenomenon, but in the recent months more courses are offered in the MOOC format in other languages through providers like coursera. In addition, MOOC software providers are developing additional platforms in other countries like the UK, Germany and Spain. What does this mean for the globalization of education? In this presentation I am to present some potential opportunities for MOOCs on the global stage, as well as provide a critical look by examining some potential risks.

11:45am – 12:45pm Lunch

12:45pm – 1:30pm  Teaching Business Strategy in a Virtual Simulation Environment Across Geographic Borders
Speaker: Bruce Kibler, PhD., Assistant Professor and Management Program Director, Gannon University
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Business and other studies are increasingly turning to virtual platforms to create and/or foster web based collaboration and learning. There is little in today’s world that is not international in nature and therefore, the need for personal agility in international (or merely geographically separated locations) settings, is a prerequisite for future success. The virtual simulation platform is ideal for integrating international experience in the classroom. Not all faculty have the time, ability, contacts or even budget to engage in international cooperative ventures. This presentation demonstrates this type of cooperation between the University of Kassel, Germany and Gannon University in Erie, PA. The capstone course in business policy and strategy is performed using the Business Simulation Game (BSG http://www.bsg-online.com/) and mixed German and US based team members. Preliminary results and future prospects.

1:30pm – 1:45pm  Break

1:45pm – 2:30pm 1-2-1: One Course, Two Modalities, One Course Shell
Speakers:
Apostolos Koutropoulos, Online Program Coordinator, University of Massachusetts Boston
Panayota Gounari, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Applied Linguistics, University of Massachusetts Boston

‪This presentation will discuss findings from an Applied Linguistics course that have been taught concurrently online and on campus. With The student populations distinct in each delivery modality, we explore the pedagogical outcomes of blending local, national and international student populations.‬‬

2:30pm - 3:00pm Wrap up discussion and reflections

3:00pm End