Beaver campus to host global delegation and workshop

MONACA, Pa. — Penn State Beaver is going global.

As part of its recently established Experiential Digital Global Engagement (EDGE) program, the campus will host a delegation from the University of Split in Croatia and present a global-learning workshop.

The EDGE program facilitates global thinking and collaboration by linking a Beaver classroom with a classroom abroad through technology. In spring 2018, Instructor Claudia Tanaskovic’s chemistry class will collaborate on industry-based projects with students at the University of Split via web conferencing and — at the end of the semester — a trip to the university.

The collaboration will kick off June 3 with a visit from a Split delegation, including chemistry and technology faculty Dean Igor Jerković and vice deans Nataša Stipanelov Vrandečić and Marina Trgo. Delegation members will visit Penn State Beaver chemistry classes, tour the campus, and experience local culture and industry in the county and the city of Pittsburgh, including stops at Shell, FedEx and the Three Rivers Arts Festival.

But the highlight of the trip is a June 6 EDGE workshop with educators from Penn State’s Pittsburgh-area campuses and University Park. Participants will explore the impact of 21st century technology on global learning while reviewing resources, logistics and examples of successful global-learning efforts.

Beaver Chancellor Jenifer Cushman is a longtime proponent of what is known as “virtual international exchange,” and modeled the EDGE program after the State University of New York’s renowned Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) movement, which involves globally networked collaborative student projects.

“I see vast potential for technologically facilitated global engagement in general and EDGE in particular, especially for lesser-resourced, often place-bound students like those at our Commonwealth Campuses,” she said.

Later this month, Cushman will lead a Beaver delegation to the University of Split. She will be joined by Tanaskovic and Information Sciences and Technology Instructor Ashu Kumar.