Niagara College is expanding its global reach and partnerships even further with the use of technology while providing its staff with unique professional development opportunities.
Launched in April, a customized capacity-building program created by NC’s Global Custom Training & Consulting in collaboration with NC’s School of English Language Studies is being delivered virtually to 64 educators at the Chandrakasem Rajabhat University (CRU) in Bangkok, Thailand. The CRU Faculty Development Training for Educators Program aims to strengthen learners’ English language skills and enhance their English pedagogical skills.
Two NC facilitators are delivering live online classes on Zoom to enhance learners’ engagement. There are also asynchronous activities posted on the learning management system Moodle, where learners can access all class information and documents.
Delivering the classes has been an invaluable personal and professional experience for program facilitators
NC EAP professor Rebecca Koop is facilitating the English Skills Renewal classes of the program.
“It is exciting to think that we are connecting and learning across more than 13,000 kilometers,” said Rebecca Koop, English for Academic Preparation (EAP) Professor, who is facilitating the English Skills Renewal classes of the program. “Even before I started teaching professionally, I often worked or volunteered with people from different cultures, which is one of my passions.”
Laura Clemente D’Agostino is one of the program’s facilitators, responsible for the Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century classes.
“What is most exciting for me is working with other educational professionals to give them more tools for their classrooms so they can better reach all their students,” said Program Facilitator, Laura Clemente D’Agostino, who is responsible for the Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century classes of the program. “I studied Education and Psychology to work with all kinds of students and empower them to be the best they could be and help them discover how capable they are.”
The CRU Faculty Development Training for Educators Program is an eight-week program concluding on May 31.
