Doctoral students see educational innovation

in Europe
On 12/10/2014

Note: This article was originally published by by Janice Ng and Janel Shoun-Smith on 12/4/2014 on
Lipscomb.edu

The Chesterton school in London, with innovative outdoor learning

areas, was one example of the schools doctoral students toured
Walking into a school surrounded by barbed wire and in one of the largest, high-density blocks of
apartment flats in London, the 28 Lipscomb University education doctoral students werent sure what to
expect. What they found inside was a thriving, exciting school they could use as an excellent model to
enhance programs in the education systems in their home towns.

And that was the main point of the annual international trip that Lipscomb University Ed.D. students at
Lipscomb took this past summer to England, Scotland and France.

Since the beginning of the College of Educations Doctorate of Education program in 2010, it has included
an international experience through Studies in International and Comparative Education, a required class
offered either online or as a travel course.

Its important for these educational leaders to see other schooling systems in place and have the
opportunity to explore what is going well, as well as what could be improved, and compare that to whats
going on in the United States, said Deborah Boyd, associate dean and director of graduate studies for
the College of Education.

Among the participants favorite spots on the trip was Chesterton, a London public school surrounded by
a fence of barbed wire with all entrances and doorways well secured.

Click here to see more images from Chesterton.

However, the inside of the compound painted a different picture for the visiting students: classrooms full
of bright colors and murals; bean bags set outside under trees for a relaxed reading environment; and a
xylophone and marimbas decorating the walls of the music room. The unique school is laid out as a
series of buildings and courtyards with an outdoor music room, reading room and garden, an indoor
sandbox play area and a chicken coop.

One of my students told me she will never look at a place with barbed wire fences the same way again.
She was dreading what we might see inside when we saw that fence, but was blown away but what is
inside, Boyd said.

I loved their willingness to explore nontraditional approaches to education; their willingness to utilize
space and make connections for their students is amazing, said Haley Richardson, a doctoral student
from Nashville.

The trip is organized to introduce students to education issues and challenges at the global, national and
local level, Boyd said. Participants were able to observe education in the works in both privileged and
disadvantaged areas of the nations.

The group, which was composed of teachers, administrators, superintendents, directors of schools and
also several individuals in higher education, was able to visit organizations focused on K-12 or higher
education, depending on their interests.

Their first stop was Glasgow, Scotland. Here participants spoke with education faculty at the University of
Glasgow about current situations and standards in Scottish schools. Later, while some students made
their rounds at four K-12 schools, others interested in higher education interviewed administrators from
the university.

In Paris, students visited the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, an international
economic organization promoting economic development and world trade, and the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, a United Nations organization that promotes
international collaboration through education, science and culture, learning about the mission, goals and
activities of those organizations.

The most valuable part of the trip was receiving a more global view of education, said participant Trish
Holliday, chief learning officer for the State of Tennessee. More perspectives add value in crafting
educational strategies over here.

In London, participants visited the British Department for Education, an administrator for Imperial College
of London, and K-12 schools including Chesterton.

While the school is located only three blocks from Chelsea Physic Garden, one of the oldest botanical
gardens in London, Chestertons principal said that most of his students know nothing about the garden
because their parents cannot take the time to take them, Boyd said. The principal has started a life-skills
class series for parents of his students on topics such as hygiene, safety and good nutrition.

Scotland and England are particularly good countries for the doctoral students to visit as their nations
face similar educational challenges as the U.S., Boyd said, and participants can directly interact with
teacher and administrators due to the lack of a language barrier.

Having the opportunity to look beyond our borders at the practices and methods used in other nations
helped broaden my international perspective of schooling, said Rick West, dean of the lower school at
Franklin Road Academy. We must know what schools in other countries are doing so that we can stay
competitive and relevant in a changing and complex global society.

Boyd said she wants students to bring back both an understanding of what goes on in the world and how
they can always continue to learn.

With these countries, we have an opportunity to really think about what theyre doing thats working, what
were doing thats working, and how to make education better. Its a good interchange, she said.

It created the opportunity for our cohort to build lifelong relationships, Holliday said This program has
changed my life Lipscomb walks its talk and I am extremely proud to be a part of a faith-based

community of learning where I am growing as an educator and I can contribute my talents to the
university.