KAMLOOPS — Despite the ongoing war, Ukrainian secondary and post-secondary teachers and faculty members met their teaching requirements due to an online webinar series hosted by Thompson Rivers University (TRU).
The series was conducted through TRU’s International Training Centre in collaboration with Ukrainian agent Iryna Kobets of the International Cultural Education Agency. It was designed to support faculty members striving to meet their annual professional development requirements amid the war.
“The response from participants in our webinars reflects the significant impact of these educational initiatives. An impressive 76 per cent of participants have expressed their dedication to implementing the newly acquired knowledge and skills, while an even more remarkable 82 per cent have reported the development of higher-order thinking capabilities,” said Kobets.
The initiative began in spring and consisted of four webinars delivered by five faculty and staff from TRU. The training centre started with a goal of connecting with 15 participants, but ended up with more than double that, as 40 eager attendees joined up. Response to the webinars was so positive, Kobets and TRU developed additional webinars in a broader range of topics to begin in January 2024.
“Thompson Rivers University embraces the uniqueness of every educational journey, serving diverse audiences around the world. Through a groundbreaking collaboration, TRU continues to take concrete action in our effort to support Ukraine,” said TRU Vice-President International Baihua Chadwick.
“These webinars demonstrate our commitment to innovation and excellence in international education extends beyond the TRU campus, opening doors to limitless possibilities.”
Topics vary but focus on teaching techniques and systems, digital classroom delivery and faculty development in global engagement and academic integrity. Recruitment has begun for the five webinars in January. Taught by a TRU faculty or staff member, each session is expected to welcome more than 50 participants.
This innovative education initiative has not only expanded TRU’s range of international education offerings but also promoted leadership in developing new online professional development opportunities. TRU believes this trend will continue to grow and the program is being considered for expansion to other countries.
TRU is proud of the success of this initiative and looks forward to further ventures that promote international collaboration.
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Contact:
Baihua Chadwick, TRU vice-president International
bchadwick@tru.ca
