FORGING PARTNERSHIPS AND BUILDING GLOBAL COMPETENCE BETWEEN U.S. & MALIAN FACULTY IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: SERD GRANT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0214230
• Grant No.: 2008-51160-04468
• Proposal No.: 2008-01629
• Project Start Date: Aug 1, 2008
• Project End Date: Jun 30, 2010
• Grant Year: 2008
• Program Code: [AA-N]- International Science & Education/Comp. Pro.

Recipient Organization
SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
HUNTSVILLE,TX 77341

Performing Department
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

Non Technical Summary
This project will better enable SHSU faculty to help their students understand significant agricultural and natural resource issues from an international perspective. Because it will involve a reciprocal exchange, the "global competence" of SHSU faculty and students as well as their Malian colleagues will be enhanced. The likelihood of future professional collaboration also stands to be improved.

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
903	6050	3020	50%
903	6099	3020	50%

Knowledge Area
903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other; 6050 - Communities, areas, and regions;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Keywords

african

hugher education

agriculture

Goals / Objectives
1) Improve the ability of SHSU faculty and graduate students to internationalize their curricula as it relates to the agricultural and natural resources systems (ANRS) of Sub-Saharan Africa, including the West African nation of Mali. Traveling to Mali, seeing its ANRS firsthand, interacting with farmers, technical experts, and educators, will better enable SHSU faculty and graduate students to internationalize their curricula with a sense of authenticity and relevance, especially as it relates to the life sciences, including ANRS issues affecting West Africa with special emphasis on their relationship to the U.S. 2) Surface opportunities and strengthen relationships to support short-term international study tours to Mali for SHSU faculty/students in agricultural science and natural resources education. SHSU faculty and project consultant(s) will examine additional opportunities to work with Malian and U.S. partners while in Mali. 3) Explore opportunities for collaborative research projects involving Malian agricultural/natural resources scientists and scholars at SHSU. Faculty, graduate students, and project consultant(s) will explore opportunities to collaborate with Malian researchers before traveling to Mali, while in country, and thereafter. 4) Assess the feasibility of U.S. agricultural machinery manufacturers meeting the needs of Malian agricultural producers regarding "scale appropriate," sustainable technologies. SHSU faculty and graduate students will interact with researchers at the IER who specialize in agricultural mechanization as well as representatives of Mali's farmers' organizations and staff of the Office Du Niger to better understand on-going research and outreach in the area of "scale appropriate," sustainable technologies, including animal-powered practices. 5) Enhance Malian agricultural educators' understanding and use of advanced teaching and learning methods and delivery systems. SHSU faculty will plan and provide seminars about advanced teaching and learning methods and delivery systems for Malian instructors of agricultural science and natural resources education. 6) Explore opportunities to provide professional development for Mali's higher education leaders on institutional governance, accountability, shared decision-making, and conflict resolution. 7) Sensitize faculty/students and the wider SHSU community about the Islamic traditions and Muslim culture of Mali. SHSU faculty and students will be sensitized through project-related activities in Mali and by their many interactions with Malian colleagues who visit SHSU.

Project Methods
Active, experiential learning holds great potential for creating new perceptions or "personal theories" as well as modifying pre-existing cognitive understanding and affective beliefs. It will be a powerful tool to support the learning and professional development of SHSU faculty/ students and their Malian counterparts who participate in this project. Direct observation, study, and reflection will occur as the result of SHSU faculty and graduate students traveling to Mali for a short-term, focused study tour. Significant aspects of Mali's agricultural and natural resources system (ANRS) will be toured and studied, e.g., portions of the Office Du Niger hydraulic system and related areas of the Segou Region, which is Mali's agricultural "breadbasket." Meetings/briefings will include officials of the Office Du Niger, representatives of the Institut d' Economie Rurale (IER), as well as Mali-USAID. Team members will present seminars in appropriate educational forums, e.g., at the University of Bamako and IER. Special attention will be paid to strengthening relationships with scientists and educators who are charged with a) developing Mali's agricultural and natural resources education system, including the preparation of secondary/post-secondary agriculture teachers and related school/university leaders, b) assisting Malian farmers in adopting and effectively using "scale appropriate," sustainable technologies, c) collaborating with international peers and institutions who work in the agriculture and natural resources sector. Other entities supporting the project's larger aims also will be visited, e.g., the U.S. Embassy, the University of Bamako, and the Mali-Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Additionally, project team members will gain firsthand knowledge of Mali's rich heritage of Islamic tradition and Muslim culture. As a result of the experiences described, SHSU faculty and graduate students will be much better informed and prepared to appropriately internationalize curricula and subsequently deliver relevant course content to their students. Course syllabi and assessment of student learning experiences, including change in student attitudes and knowledge, will provide evidence of this impact. As a reciprocal or "exchange" component of the project, a group of Malian agricultural scientists, educators, and school leaders will travel to SHSU to participate in direct observation, "shadowing," and select experiential learning activities. The Malians will work with SHSU faculty on curriculum issues: developing course syllabi; planning for learner-centered instruction; designing formative, summative, and authentic learning assessments; and, using educational technologies appropriately to enhance student achievement. They will observe university classes, "shadow" faculty, make on-site visits to cooperating schools/systems, and interact with staff members of a regional educational service center. Aspects of educational leadership and administration will be addressed, including issues impacting agricultural and natural resources education. In addition, the Malians will deliver project-related seminars and panels discussions while in the U.S.

Progress 08/01/08 to 06/30/10

Outputs
We have internationalized our curricula as it related to the projects objectives. We have established via a Memorandum of Understanding relationships with the Univeristies of Bamako to engage in an exchange of faculty and students on a regular basis for the study of agricultural science and natural resource education. We have established an online Masters degree program tailored to meet the needs of the Universities of Bamako and Segou - a Masters of Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Agriculture. We have established relationships with Amish equipment manufacturers to provide training for Malian farm equipment manufacturers so that they may learn to produce modernized animal powered equipment that is scale appropriate for Mali. This will involve the Malians training for several weeks in the U. S, and returning to Mali to practice their trades. It is planned for individuals to receive their training over a 3 year period. The Malians will live in the Amish communities during this training period. We have begun professional collaboration with Malian faculty by inviting their participations in our annual educational technology conference. This is part of a larger program here where we anticipate several opportunties for Malian faculty to interact with the faculty and students at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). We will have Malian faculty address classes in Agriculture, History, and Education via SKYPE during the upcoming academic year. PRODUCTS: None OUTCOMES: All faculty members who participated in this program have included their positive impressions of the Malian people, customs, and culture in their curriculum where appropriate for the teacher candidates here at SHSU. Outcomes include the establishment of an online degree program tailored to meet the needs of the Univeristies of Bamako and Segou. The degree is a Masters of Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Agriculture. Opportunties have surfaced for Amish animal powered equipment manufactures to train and eventually transact business with Malian farm equipment manufactures. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Hynes, J. W., Murphey, T. P., & Edwards, M. C., May 2010, International experiences and the power of reciprocity: Bringing the Mali to U. S. academia and an Amish farming community - who was impacted more Paper presented at the International Agricultural and Extension Education Conference in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. FUTURE INITIATIVES: SHSU will seek funding to bring Malians to the U. S. for training programs in selected Amish communities. This training will benefit animal powered equipment manufacturers in the U. S. by opening markets for them in West Africa. It will benefit the Malians by providing food security - the result of developing scale appropriate farm equipment power by animals, Modernized Relic Technology.

Impacts
SHSU faculty experienced an enriched awareness of global interdependencies. The workings of public and higher education in Mali were examined. Research opportunities in international relations, agricultural education, distance learning, curriculum development, and assessment strategies were explored. A strong rapport with colleagues in Mali were established. The opportunity provided exposure for SHSU faculty and students to new philosophies, customs and culture.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 08/01/08 to 07/31/09

Outputs
n.a. PRODUCTS: n.a. OUTCOMES: Outputs from this work include the agricultural/animal powered equipment manufacturing skills acquired by the Malians via their participation in Horse Progress Days in Odon, IN. and web/technical knowledge/experience gained by formal instruction at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). In Odon, the Malians saw a number of pieces of equipment that would enhance food production in Mali. The Amish, in turn, had an opportunity to start interactions between the two peoples. One of the Malian participants, Yaya Traore, has received a 2 year scholarship to study in Belgium. He credits his experiences in Odon and at SHSU as having contributed to earning the scholarship. Additional outputs have been generated by 2 master's degree candidates and SHSU faculty. The two graduate students have used their Malian experience in their work at Houston-area high schools where one is an administrator and the other the head of the art department. The administrator has shared with her colleagues her findings regarding the testing programs the Malians use to advance their students. She has also shared her observations regarding the limited resources that Malians have in their schools. The Malians had a very positive effect on the SHSU faculty. A memorandum of understanding was signed by the presidents of Sam Houston State University and the University of Bamako. Selected survey results from the participating SHSU faculty follow: Did casual conversation produce any surprises Even with their amount of education, tended to view women as subservient. Is there anything else that you would like to share about your experience with the Malians or the project as a whole This project was an opportunity to do something bigger than all of us combined. The Malians made me more aware of the importance of education and how education can help. Anytime we can impact and introduce new things to such a static society, things turn out well. How will you use your newfound knowledge of Mali and Malians in the classroom I would use this experience as an opportunity to compare education systems. I would use the information learned for specific examples for microfinance solutions. I would use this new knowledge to show cultural differences and suggest how to implement technology slowly so as to not destroy a culture. I need to focus more on cultural differences. More aware of diverse situations and diverse learners. Just as an example so that people will be more understanding of other cultures lifestyles. What was the impact of what was done at Sam Houston State University on you I was impressed by how the Malians had to learn the hard way; they are different but so smart. I would go there to teach. I realized how different yet alike we all are. A good personal experience because I got to talk about my interest - micro financing. Excited about their willingness and our willingness to work with each other as institutions. It was a humbling experience and it raises awareness that we as a university need to be more open to international cultural opportunities. It made me more globally aware that third world countries have little know how with respect to technology. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: n.a. FUTURE INITIATIVES: n.a.

Impacts
n.a.

Publications

• Ousmane Djire shared his U.S. experiences and training with his colleagues via a pictorial presentation and written memorandums. August, 2009.
• Hynes, J. W. , Graber, N. , Horse Progress Days & Its Positive Impact on Malian Agriculture The Draft Horse Journal (2009, Autumn).
• Hynes, J. W., Edwards, M. C., & Murphrey, T. P. , Using modernized relic technology to better enable sustainable agricultural practices in developing countries: A philosophical and practical reorientation for Malian farmers. Paper presented at the International Agricultural and Extension Education Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico (2009, May).
• Hynes, J.W., Murphrey, T.P., Edwards, M.C., A pictorial representation of the importance of equality in Malian education. Poster presented at the International Agricultural and Extension Education Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico (2009, May).