The Diversity Abroad Network
I began my International Education Management practicum remotely with the Diversity Abroad Network in June 2017, and am continuing with them through December 2017. Diversity Abroad is the leading professional consortium of educational institutions, nonprofits, government agencies, and private companies that work towards advancing inclusive excellence in the international education field. One essential component of that mission is providing professional development opportunities for professionals with all levels of experience. Diversity Abroad believes that if institutions and policies are going to move the needle towards holistic and supportive access and inclusion of diverse students, professionals need to be prepared to advise, structure programs, conduct outreach, and promote practices that support that goal. All of my practicum deliverables work towards that end, and include a facilitator guide, webinar development, taskforce committee work, a conference workshop, and a published blog.
My first practicum deliverable began as a project to address a gap in available materials for facilitators who implement Diversity Abroad’s professional development workshops. My aim with the guide was to create a succinct, informative, theory-based guide that would provide both the essential knowledge and reflection questions for the future facilitator to dig-deeper into their own learning. I wrote a 25 page guide for the internal staff at Diversity Abroad and then presented information about the process and procedures to the Fostering Diversity and Inclusion within Student Services class here at MIIS on October 4th, 2017.
When I set out to articulate my deliverable projects, I had two major goals. The first – to create high-quality, useful content for my practicum supervisor. The second – to showcase my professional interests and talents through targeted selection of topics and methods. The facilitator guide specifically reflects my academic and professional interest in developing my own workshop design and facilitation skills. It was an opportunity to do more research on adult learning and inclusive practices in professional development and then try them out with fellow graduate students. I have certainly made a shift in the breadth and depth of my knowledge, the types of skills I possess, and my attitudes towards project based work. I have learned the reality of project management on the ground, flexing my work style to that of my supervisor, feedback loops for iterative content creation, and the importance of reflective critical thinking. I also gained skills by working through several challenges: working remotely without a team, shifting and ephemeral expectations, and creating content while learning about the subject.
Ultimately, I have applied new knowledge throughout the lifecycle of a workshop. It was fascinating to think about the concepts behind the design of the program activities while running them, and then to take the time to reflect on the ways to improve process and participant learning in the future. From designing learning outcomes and goals, to planning the training, to writing the facilitator guide, and implementing good practices as the facilitator of my own training program – my International Education Practicum opportunity has opened doors in my professional competencies.
When future International Education Management students begin their practicum search, I think the ability to select projects that work towards professional goals is essential. I did not see the work on the facilitator guide as a deliverable only, rather an opportunity to push myself professionally and showcase my learning from the graduate program as a whole. Whatever direction a student may chose, finding an organization that is willing to mentor, support, and inspire their practicum student is essential. The Immersive Professional Learning funding made this unpaid opportunity possible, and I am already seeing the benefits come to fruition.
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