International Studies & Programs

African Futures Fellows Reflect on Higher Education Workshop

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Published: Wednesday, 08 Apr 2020 Author: VIPP

The AAP (Alliance for African Partnership) African Futures Research Leadership Program at Michigan State University is taking a lead in supporting African scholars and bridging the talents and culture between the U.S. and Africa. As Africa continues to shine as one of the most innovative continents for research and social development, AAP is excited to invite more scholars into the program and continue to refine them into field leaders and mentors. Amelia and Ndeye are just two of the ambitious scholars that AAP had the privilege of hosting this semester and their research is paving the way for a brighter future for their homes and for other women like them.

AAP.jpgVIPP had the opportunity to interview Amelia Odo and Ndeye Ndiaye, two AAP (Alliance for African Partnership) African Futures Fellows who participated in a VIPP seminar to bolster their education and experiences abroad. Amelia Odo is a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka specializing in public health education and Ndeye Ndiaye is an animal biology researcher and lecturer from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Senegal. They enrolled in VIPP’s Higher Education Workshop, a six-week program designed to expose international visiting scholars, postdocs, and Ph.D. students to the latest in American higher education and offer a chance to refine their teaching pedagogy and practices which would allow them to create more inclusive, innovative class spaces upon their return.

The Higher Education Teaching & Learning Workshop is a recurring seminar that VIPP offers and we are thrilled that it is met with praise from participants. In Amelia’s own words, the program should be “a compulsory course for other cohorts [of AAP fellows].” Like Amelia, we hope to make opportunities like this more widely available to professionals and scholars across international visiting programs and work more closely with programs like AAP in the future. As always, VIPP is looking for new ways to broaden our reach and invite the best and brightest across the globe into an educational space tailor-made to enhance their learning experiences and professional ambitions.

“Working with my mentor, AAP, and even the VIPP group, has been so wonderful. Doing all my research activities and celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas together with AAP has made me feel like family.” - Amelia Odo 

Amelia, why did you take the VIPP Higher Education class?

Because I am a teacher in higher education. I said, okay, what is American higher education like? What can I take back with me to my university and students?

What stood out to you?

American higher education is very good. Dr. DeZure did a lot with the curriculum design and active learning, mentoring. At my university, we don’t use this backward design of curriculum. But now I’ve learned it. I asked her questions and I was clarified. Since then I’ve learned how to engage my students. The use of D2L and online teaching is also interesting. We do online learning at my university, but we call it “distance learning”, but now I am understanding that there is a difference between the two. We provide distance learning to reach people who want to study some courses but are far away, but I now know that online teaching is for anyone who cannot attend the face-to-face class. It’s good, but might not be so good as well because learning in-person is important for non-verbal cues.

Did any of the information surprise you?

I think the area that surprised me most was tenured and fixed-term positions. It's not like that in my country, we don't use it. It's good in a way, but it gets some people frustrated to work in order to be tenured. I asked what the difference in income is between tenured and fixed-term faculty and it's very wide. 

What have you thought about your experiences so far?

The experience is good, very good. Actually, I am here as a postdoc in the Anthropology Department, but I come from the Public Health Education unit in the Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. My mentor, Dr. Masako Fujita's project is relevant to my field. We are currently looking at how maternal micro-nutrient deficiencies could affect infant's health. 

What kind of research are you doing at home?

We’re now discussing how to use the result of this project to come up with an intervention programme, which will be like an education package on personalized nutritional education. Because we have observed an association between micro-nutritional deficiencies and infant health, we want to teach mothers what to eat and when to eat, so that they and their infants will be healthy. 

What has been your experience with VIPP?

It’s good! I’m happy I had the opportunity to take that class. When I entered, I wasn’t sure that I was in the right class, but then I realized that maybe not many African scholars have worked with VIPP before and now they are reaching out to include more opportunities for us. But it was a great experience, and I am going to recommend that AAP should make this class a compulsory course for other cohort in the future because I think everything I learned is very important. 

What has been your favorite experience so far?

Working with my mentor, AAP and even the VIPP group, has been so wonderful. Doing all my research activities and celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas together with AAP has made me feel like family. VIPP has been also very helpful and accommodating.

“I have a lot of experiences, but so far, the Higher Education workshop was a big experience for me and I learned more beyond my research.” - Ndeye Ndiaye

Ndeye, what have you done so far at MSU?

As a visiting scholar, we have three activities for me. I am learning, researching, and attending workshops about teaching and learning in higher education. I will also join the Academic Writing workshop. I am in the department of Animal Science so I am doing research on livestock genomics to improve the breeding value and predict breeding value to improve agriculture and economic value.

What did you learn in the Higher Education Workshop?

I think in general, when you are learning or teaching as a part-time lecturer, it’s a good thing. Here, you have facilities and materials that we don’t have in Senegal. What I learned here about teaching is that we have to do our best to give students what they need. In my country, I didn’t think we had to stimulate students to achieve their goals, I thought that was only for high school. But in this workshop, I learn more because I am interested and stimulated. I had to give an objective and follow it, which helped me understand the material.

Why did you enroll in the Higher Education workshop?

I like getting new experiences and new skills. As I am a teacher and a researcher, for me, it’s important to learn everything I can to improve my teaching and my research. That’s why this workshop appealed to me.

What’s been exciting for you so far?

In my research, what I am doing isn't a new thing for science, it’s just the first time I’ve come into contact with this technology. I am so excited because I am learning more and more and we’re using new tools to analyze genetic data. It’s not easy because you need a lot of information to understand, and before I didn’t have it, but since I’ve been here I’ve been learning every day and researching so it’s worth the effort. About the workshop, it’s the same. I learn new practices, like how to design curriculum and syllabus, how to assess and assign learning assignments for students, and improve teaching by peer-reviewing colleagues, I think I have more skills and experience that I can apply in my university back home. It will be interesting and useful.

What has been your favorite experience?

I have a lot of experiences, but so far, the Higher Education workshop. It was a big experience for me and I learned more beyond my research. My research is important and I learn new things about what I am doing, but this workshop I learned so much about professionalism and sociology, like how to improve behavior, environments, and your own thinking. Deb is wonderful, she’s excellent, honestly.

What’s the most important skill you’ve picked up?

How to design a curriculum, which is very important for me. And how to do a teaching portfolio, with a statement, objective, defined the materials used, how to do student assignments, show to improve teaching materials, anything you use to work as a teacher. I have some skills with that. And leadership in higher education is very important. It’s not easy to combine all these activities, but we do it because we are leaders. We have to demonstrate that women can achieve high levels in education and every leadership position, in my view, which is what I got from this workshop.

Are you excited about the Writing for Publication workshop?

Yes! I am a French speaker, I am trying to improve my English writing skills. It’s been hard, but I’m getting better. Would you recommend this program? Yes. I will advise AAP to make all their fellows take this workshop, it was very important and useful for me and my colleague Amelia.

Ndeye will be participating in VIPP’s Writing for Publication Workshop looks forward to her continued refinement as a researcher, professional, and teacher. VIPP is grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with these esteemed scholars and we are glad to have aided in their AAP experience, MSU education, and new opportunities they will have once they return home. We hope that they have enjoyed all aspects of their stay in Michigan so far and will continue to take advantage of new and exciting excursions and activities for the rest of their program.