(i) Project Title: Russia: Curriculum Infusion

(ii) Project Director Overseas Administrator Country Expert/Facilitator
Theo Sypris, Director Allison York, Dean Olga Petrova
Midwest Institute English Department Dept. of English
P.O. Box 325 Kirkwood Com. College Kirkwood Com. College
Oshtemo, MI 49077 36301 Kirkwood Blvd Kirkwood Blvd
Phone: (269) 488-4283 Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Fax: (269) 488-4458 319-398-4998 319-398-4998
Email: tsypris@kvcc.edu Email: Allison.york@kirkwood.edu Email: olga-petrova@uiowa.edu

The project is designed to assist faculty in a consortium of two-year public colleges in the Midwest region (called the Midwest Institute for IIE) to create curriculum, provide for professional development, and foster institutional collaboration. The selected faculty will educate their students, provide services to local community, and facilitate a better understanding about Russia. 

The participating faculty will become part of a three‑phase project: a) readings, training workshops and pre‑departure orientation; b) overseas lectures/workshops and project development; and c) post‑trip completion of curriculum modules, production of curriculum handbook, a CD-ROM on video and photos from the trip, and implementation of college and community projects.

The faculty selected to participate in the project represent a good mix of disciplines in arts, communications, humanities, and social sciences, as well as, personal and professional background. The study tour will last about five weeks.

There are nine project objectives:
  1. To increase the number of faculty expertise on Russia through readings, lectures, workshops, travel, and interaction with faculty, administrators, community leaders & officials in Russia.
  2. To expand the international content of the colleges’ curricula through the development and the infusion of curriculum modules into selected courses in arts, communications, humanities, and social sciences.
  3. To increase the number of faculty to use on-line software, such as BlackBoard or Web-CT or Educator, as an interactive learning tool to enhance sharing and learning about Russia.
  4. To use the Midwest Institute’s website and individual websites created by the participating faculty to share their curriculum work and photos/video with students, other faculty and colleges in the consortium.
  5. To offer lectures and campus events to the college community regarding economic, political, social and cultural aspects of Russia.
  6. To develop an educational VHS video program and a CD-ROM on Russia based on the trip and the curriculum developed.
  7. To facilitate collaborative projects and exchanges with educational institutions, businesses, government agencies, and civic groups in Russia.
  8. To expand the understanding and knowledge on Russia with the development of a curriculum handbook and disseminate free of charge to interested colleges and schools.
To produce a group journal on the trip to Russia.