A Japanese group will visit the West Virginia University campus this fall to promote cultural understanding and international learning experiences within the field of physical education teacher education.
The partnership is part of the new Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program designed as a complementary strategy to ongoing study abroad efforts within the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences. While COIL projects typically develop online relationships only, this effort combines an online alliance with a physical, face-to-face meeting component.
A delegation of four students and one professor from Biwako Seikei Sport College, Japan (BSSC) will visit Morgantown, September 16-23, as part of the COIL strategy to expand ongoing CPASS study abroad efforts. Faculty members Emi Tsuda and James Wyant will lead the collaborative effort.
During the visit, the group will participate in several activities including class observation, CPASS student meetings, visits to Monongalia County schools and day trips to cultural and athletic events, both in Morgantown and Pittsburgh.
“The goal is to introduce and acclimate Biwako Seikei Sport College PETE students with our College. We are eager to host the group through on campus activities and field trips. The visit will promote cultural understanding and enhance collaboration for second year CPASS students,” said Tsuda, PETE assistant professor.
“CPASS students are in rural environment, so this experience will stimulate them to broaden their understanding and experiences,” added Wyant, PETE assistant professor.
A student leadership team of 18 CPASS students will participate in the COIL program with the Japanese delegation.
“COIL projects at CPASS represent out of the box initiatives of how to internationalize the curriculum,” said Gonzalo Bravo, associate professor and CPASS International Committee chair.
Based on the concept of virtual mobility, COIL will afford students increased access and lower-cost approaches to global learning, strengthen institutional partnerships and promote study abroad and international recruitment.
CPASS faculty leading the effort are Dr. Scott Barnicle (Halmstad University, Sweden), Drs. Emi Tsuda and James Wyant (Biwako Seikei Sport University, Japan), and Dr. Dana Voelker (Federal University of Paraná, Brazil).
The program is offered in partnership through the CPASS International Committee, Teaching and Learning Commons (TLC), the International Center for Performance Excellence (ICPE), WVU Online and the WVU Office of Global Affairs.