Well reader, I know I've been blogging a lot about my trip to
Germany last summer from my personal perspective, but I bet you didn't know
that I was blogging about it for school as well. MSU Mankato’s Technical
Communication program has a blog called Bridges, and
it is supported by one of my favorite professors Dr. Lee Tesdell.
If you remember from my previous posts,
the class was unique and appealing to me because the students met for an entire
semester to prepare for the trip to Germany in the summer. I've done a study
abroad before, as I'm sure you remember dear reader...but this one was special
in that we had the opportunity to bond with our German counterparts beforehand.
All of our research wasn't nearly as meaningful as the trip itself in
understanding how the education systems are different.
My biggest revelation came in my
blog A Case for More Software Application.
But don't worry; I'll paraphrase for you here. I realized that the stress in
Germany, especially at HsKA is on application. They are learning how to use the
software that is currently being used in the field. In my own education at
Minnesota State University, Mankato I was learning more theory. Don't worry it
wasn't as impractical as it sounds....they taught me the basics of how to write
tech docs and what questions to consider for my audience. The idea is that no
matter what tool, I would know how to do my job, even if I had to learn the
actual software.
These two education approaches have their
own benefits and downfalls, and it was a truly neat witness firsthand the way
that their Educational system works. The problem however is that while Dr.
Tesdell did everything he could to encourage the HsKA students to study abroad
with us....the credits just don't translate. Our first Tech Comm. exchange
student Julian Hocker learned that first hand when he did a semester with us,
and received no credit for his degree in Germany. How then can we encourage
this globally networked learning environment with HsKA if it sets back students in
their educational goals? How do we show them that it truly is worth their time
to come and visit us?
I think the answer was in the very trip
that we took just last summer. We were a group of full time workers, husbands
and wives with children, and even grandparents who didn't have time to dedicate
an entire semester to learning abroad. While the students in Germany are much
more traditional 20 year old full time students, this type of summer trip would
be just as beneficial.
We were shown so much hospitality with
amazing industry visits, host families, and the chance to attend a few classes.
In my opinion the best way to keep this relationship alive is to alternate
every summer taking trip to Germany then to Minnesota; playing guest and then
host. In this way we can really start showing students the benefits of learning
abroad, and convince the administrations that there is worth in the type of
learning that comes of such collaboration. Who knows....maybe someday we can
make it so that a full semester abroad will result in credits at both
institutions.
I know that I found so much benefit in my
trip to Germany. I was so impressed with the industry visits and the
hospitality of the German students....I would love to see that continued and
extended to our German friends here in the US.
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