Teachers flock to make Galway their base for a month

BY MÓNA WISE

Every Summer, students pursuing an MA in Educational Technology (online) from Michigan State University (MSU) have the option to enrol in an exciting overseas summer cohort programme.

The programme appeals to innovative educators, who thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy collaboration, and crave an exciting professional learning experience for one, two, or three summers in an overseas location.

Leigh Graves Wolf, a professor in Educational Technology at Michigan State University, has been heading up this programme for nine of the 15 years this course has been in place, and has recently made Galway a permanent annual destination for this programme.

“We chose Galway because it is a vibrant city on the edge of Europe with easy access via Dublin and Shannon, and there is no language barrier. For years, we convened in France but decided last year that we needed a change and ended up in Galway.

“Our students are well catered to by the locals and we have comfortable accommodations near NUI Galway, where all the classes occur. We had such a great experience last year, we have decided to make Galway a permanent location for our annual summer programme.”

Teachers from all over the world descended on the city last Sunday and will spend their days in class up-skilling to earn their MA degrees.

Prof Wolf, as the programme coordinator, has a lot of extracurricular activities lined up for the students, like day trips to Connemara and the Burren, a spot of fishing, and plenty of culturally-rich experience for the multi-national group like an Irish lesson from the employees at McCambridge’s followed by a drop of Irish coffee.

And it works – as past visitors intimated.

“After spending last Summer in your wonderful city, all I have to say is that the number one place in the world where I would love to retire is Galway, Ireland,” said Brent D Zeise from Bangkok.

“I feel like I am right at home in Galway. Friendly and social people, green grass and everyone appreciates good food and drink,” added Jillian McSweeney Nicodemus from Istanbul.

Although there are small scholarships available from MSU, the funding comes almost entirely from the teachers’ personal savings.

Some of them do make a vacation of a lifetime out of it and arrange for the rest of their family to join them. Others take the month to work efficiently on their studies before heading back to their day-to-day lives.

“We like to get the group together as quickly as possible to start the bonding,” said Prof Wolf. “Our first outing, a cruise on the Corrib Princess, which gives everyone a chance to get to know, or get reacquainted with, each other.

“As we are here in Galway for the entire Arts Festival, there is no shortage of things to do for the group and this is a huge attraction for us.”

At least half of the overseas students teach at international schools around the world or in US Department of Defence Schools. The teaching practices for this group of students revolves a lot around the Maker-style of education whose mission is to create more opportunities for all students to develop confidence, creativity, and interest in Science and technology, engineering, maths, art and learning as a whole, through making.

Because the student body is global, instruction in the overseas programme focuses on core ideas and research that inform good learning, teaching and technology integration.

Chris Sloan, now a permanent resident of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA and also a UCG alumni explains how he feels about returning to Galway.

“A lot has changed since I went to school at what used to be known as UCG in the ‘80’s; but what has not changed is the vibe of the place. Whether it is the beach at Salthill on a Summer day, the bustle on Shop Street, the music in the pubs – it’s no wonder people flock to this city. Whenever I go back to Galway, it reminds me of what a joy it is to be alive,” he said.

‘Staycation’ has been used so much in recent times that it’s almost clichéd – except that it seems we are all embracing it.

And if a group of 50 international teachers can also decide to make Galway their home for one month every Summer, it can’t be all that bad!