International exchange brings new insights to faculty

maastricht small

Students work on a project in a mass communication lab at
Fachhochschule Voralberg in Austria. The applied sciences
university participates in the Magellan Exchange, a foreign
studies program available to Northwest faculty and students.

Northwest's mass communication faculty continues to develop professional relationships through the Magellan Exchange international studies consortium, a process that began several years ago and continues to pay academic dividends for teachers and students alike.

Both Dr. Jody Strauch, chair of the Department of Mass Communication, and Instructor Jacquie Lamer, traveled to Europe over the summer as part of Magellan's faculty exchange program.

Strauch taught during the last two weeks of May at Zuyd University in Maastricht, The Netherlands, and Lamer spent four days touring mass media facilities at Fachhochschule Voralberg, an applied sciences university in Dornbirn, Austria.

Meanwhile, as Strauch met with English-speaking Dutch, German and Belgian students working on video and game-building projects, her media design class at Northwest was taught by Rob Delsing, an instructor at Zuyd.

As for Lamer, who spent time in Maastricht in 2003, her shorter stay did not allow for a true faculty exchange. But she did get to spend time checking out the Fachhochschule's Web design and broadcast facilities, which she said are excellent and in many ways comparable to Northwest's.

Lamer also said she came back with a better understanding of what the Austrian school, as a participant in the Magellan consortium, had to offer Northwest mass communication students interested in studying abroad.

Of particular interest, she said, was a usability lab, a facility where students learn to determine the user-friendliness of Web sites, software, high-tech electronics and other information age paraphernalia.

One part of the lab, for example, contains eye-tracking technology -- software and sensors that determine the way a user's eyes move when viewing a computer screen or other visual environment. The software in the tester also tracks heart rate and muscle tension and determines the level of anxiety experienced by the user.

For her part, Strauch said she was impressed with how much the courses at Zuyd emphasized conceptualization and creativity along with technology.

"They see technology as more of a tool, whereas sometimes our students think that learning the technology is all they need to know," she said.

In some cases, Strauch said, students don't use computers at all while planning tasks and assignments associated with classroom projects.

"It was really a valuable trip for two reasons," she said. "First, I can now tell students that this school offers an international opportunity unique to their major. Second, I brought back lots of ideas about mass-media topics that will freshen up what I teach now."

Two or three Northwest mass communication students travel to Magellan consortium schools each year, Strauch said, and about that many European students, or a few more, spend time at Northwest. The experience has proved valuable for students and faculty alike. Other departments at Northwest participate in the program as well.

"If we're looking at making Northwest more international in outlook, it's important for faculty to have these kinds of experiences because we're the foundation of academia on campus," Strauch said. "I really appreciate that they let me go."

For an online look at Jacquie Lamer's experience at Fachhochschule Voralberg go to www.austrianmediaschool.blogspot.com.

For more information, please contact:

Anthony Brown,
News Bureau Manager
E-Mail: abrown@nwmissouri.edu
Phone (660) 562-1704
Fax (660) 562-1900

Northwest Missouri State University
219 Administration Building,
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468

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