Making plans for my residency

People keep asking what will I actually be doing during my residency in Denver. A fair question! And one that I'm still getting my head around.

The  media release (Australian Fulbright Commission) says:

Dr Hilary Hughes ... will spend 4 months, from August – December 2010, at the University of Colorado Denver, Community College of Denver and Metropolitan State College of Denver through a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program. The Scholar-in-Residence Program gives U.S. institutions the opportunity to invite Scholars with special expertise to their campuses for a semester.
While she is on her Fulbright, Hilary will advance a tri-institutional project with a strong community outreach component that aims to improve the academic success of both international students, and traditionally underserved students (domestic students of varied cultural heritage)To this end, she will work with Auraria Library Director Dr Mary M. Somerville and colleagues at her host institutions to develop professional development programs on learning and teaching in culturally diverse contexts.

“This project will develop inclusive informed learning strategies and curriculum resources to enhance the educational outcomes of students of varied cultural and linguistic backgrounds. It will enable students to use information critically, and to develop familiarity with academic language and practices. ,” Hilary said. These initiatives will build on the findings and recommendations of Hilary’s PhD thesis (2009) and Prof Christine Bruce’s (2008) work on informed learning.
“We will look at ways to help university educators and public school teachers provide the support that these students need, whilst promoting collaborative campus relationships among cultural diversity offices, faculty development departments, academic colleges faculty, and academic library professionals.”

Hilary will also participate in a variety of learning, teaching, and research seminars at the host institutions, co-teach a School of Education and Human Development course, and present a paper at the regional NAFSA conference (on international education). During her time in the U.S. she will engage with the Denver community (including public schools, Lions Club, Women’s Press Club.


In reality, the plans are still taking shape. I'm liaising with Dr Mary Somerville and other colleagues in the US to work out the details. It looks like being an exciting, challenging and full program. The main focus will of course be to collaborate with colleagues across the 3 Denver institutions mentioned above,  to develop and implement innovative curriculum, pedagogy,  resources and services to improve the academic success of both international students, and traditionally underserved students.   

I'm coming to see my role as a 'catalyst' for exploring concepts and and developing strategies for learning and teaching in culturally diverse contexts. So I'm not so much going to teach, but rather to share ideas, stimulate discusssion and contribute to collaborative projects - through lectures, seminars, online forums, lunchtime conversations, library program development, community of practice for educators at the China campus, etc.

Professor Christine Bruce (my PhD supervisor) and I are currently working on a journal article that explains concepts of informed learning, describes how they informed my research and then how I applied them to teaching 2 groups of international students last semester. Theory into practice! This will be a foundation for developing activities for Denver. And I'm delighted that Christine will be coming to Denver for a week shortly after I get there, to help 'launch' me into my residency.

Meanwhile in Denver, Dr Mary Sommerville is coordinating a complex schedule for me, which will include conferences and visits to other universities around the US - wonderful opportunities to connect with like-minded researchers and educators. So far, plans include:
NAFSA Bi-regional Conference in Omaha, Nebraska    
I've been in touch with a number of eminent Information Literacy proponents and have received a kind invitation to visit to Purdue University to meet Dr Sharon Weiner, Chair of Information Literacy. I'm also looking forward to meeting Dr Alison Head Co-Director and Co-Principal Investigator of Project Information Literacy  at University of Washington, Seattle. And also I hope to catch up agian with Dr Lana Jackman, President of the National Forum on Information Literacy, who I met at the International Lifelong Learning Conference in 2008 (Rockhampton, Queensland).

And just today, I've received an invitation from Clarence Maybee at Colgate University to share  research findings, perhaps thorough a talk and other activities, such as meeting with student groups, lunch with faculty interested in pedagogy and discussion with librarians. This is a particularly welcome opportunity, as I'm familiar with Clarence's interesting work in information literacy. We have a special connection through Mary Somerville (his Masters supervisor) and Christine Bruce and Mandy Lupton (his current doctoral supervisors).  

.... it's all so exciting - and challenging! - bringing the various threads of the residency together.

Queensland reception and QUT talk

Another amazing event! Last week there was a reception for 2010 Queensland Fulbright scholars, hosted by University of Queensland at Customs House (a glorious heritage building and restaurant on the Bris River). And as a nice touch, pre-2001 Fulbright scholars, including QUT's Vice Chancellor  Prof Peter Coaldrake, were 'pinned' (presented with a Fulbright lapel pin).  It was a welcome opportunity to share some of the Fulbright excitement and dinner afterwards, with my QUT supervisors and mentors: Prof Wendy Patton (Dean of Education), Prof Annette Patterson (Head of School of Cultural and Language Studies), Prof Susan Danby and Dr Michael Middleton (PhD supervisors); and also Dr Polly Bjorn Willen, a visiting scholar and friend of Susan's from Sweden.


Earlier in the day Craig Costello and I spoke at a session for prospective QUT applicants for next year's Fulbrights, led by Dr Joe Hlubucek, Executive Director of the Ausatraliam-American Fulbright Commission. Seemed quite strange to be up there encouraging others before we'd even had our own FB experience!