Students gather in South Korea for the TESOL Foundation and Teaching English with Technology conference with Ohio University.
By Mary Vandeman
The English Language Improvement Program is collaborating with Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and offering two online CUFS certificates—one in TESOL and Teaching English to Young Learners, and one in Business English.
“This project is exciting—being able to share our expertise internationally and work with such motivated and talented students is very rewarding,” says ELIP director Dr. Dawn Bikowski. “We were able to visit the campus of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul in July and spoke with over 100 students interested in the online certificates focusing on professional communication and teaching in TESOL. What an outstanding partner in online learning.”
Dr. Dawn Bikowski presents to students interested in the collaborative online certificate program.
With Seoul being so well-connected and education being so valued, online instruction is extremely popular in South Korea. Dr. H. Keira Park, the project coordinator and an ELIP Lecturer, knows firsthand how high-quality online instruction works in her homeland.
“When we think of online education, we think of learning whenever you want, wherever you want. It is an efficient and less costly way of getting a good education. However, in the past, online education was considered dull and not interactive. A lecturer talks in the video and students just listen to the lecturer. But things have changed a lot, and we are one of the programs at the forefront of online education,” states Park. “And being a part of this project to bring OHIO to South Korea has been a real dream of mine—particularly, having a partnership with CUFS, which is one of the top universities in language education in South Korea.”
Students working with Ohio University in South Korea are excited to learn the latest theories and practical strategies in this collaborative online CUFS certificate program.
“I loved getting to meet Professors Bikowski and Park in person,” says student Soyun Kim, “and the online OHIO-CUFS course I’m taking is covering many things that I am curious about. I have already been able to apply what I’m learning to my teaching.”
Project Coordinator, Dr. Keira Park, discusses opportunities through online education.
Bikowski said that ELIP is looking forward to future partnerships, learning from each other, and helping students succeed in their career to become great language teachers, and in their professional communication in English.
The online certificate in Business English focuses on professional English in context, offering courses in Business English Conversation and Writing, and Presentations for Global Communication. Teaching English with Technology is a key course in the TESOL and TEYL certificate, in addition to TESOL Foundations and Methods.
“Online education is only growing as a trend,” notes Bikowski. “Working with a partner like CUFS makes the whole process smoother and a real pleasure.” The online certificate courses are projected to enroll hundreds of students annually. In Fall 2017-18 so far, more than 300 students at CUFS are enrolled in two courses of the TESOL and TEYL programs.
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