George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology Request for Proposal for Global Hybrid Courses

Goal:

To support the university's mission of transforming students for global citizenship, George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology (The Walker School) Faculty are invited to submit proposals for Global Hybrid Courses in a variety of disciplines going to a variety of US and international locations. We hope to provide opportunities for students to study and experience relevant and current global Business & Technology issues.

Rationale:

Recent student survey data reveals that some non-traditional students are interested in study abroad experiences, but are deterred from participating in traditional study abroad offerings primarily due to cost, full-time jobs, or family obligations. Global Hybrid Courses subsidized by the Walker Travel Fund will provide opportunities for all Walker School students to have an international experience.

Award:

Monetary assistance is available through the Walker Fund to encourage participation in Global Hybrid Courses by qualified students from the George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology. Qualified students will receive up to $1000 as a one-time travel award to defray the cost of traveling abroad to participate in a Walker Global Hybrid Course. Awards will be granted to qualified undergraduate or graduate students who are academically eligible to enroll in the course.

Request for Proposals:

The Walker School invites you to submit proposals for Global Hybrid Course opportunities for our students. These courses will combine 6 weeks of online study with a 1 week international travel component. The courses are geared towards the learning outcomes in the disciplines of business, management, and technology. We encourage proposals for Global Hybrid Courses around the world, including the United States, to allow all Walker School students an opportunity to experience the world. Proposal components include:  Online Global Hybrid Course - Faculty Proposal Form, Syllabus, and Resume.

1. 1. To submit your proposal, please complete the Walker Global Hybrid Course - Faculty Proposal form.
   2. Please submit by May 1, 2012 to be considered for the 2013-2014 academic year.
   3. Decisions will be communicated by June 1, 2012.

Proposal Resources

Please review the above mentioned proposal form prior to submitting your online proposal because it is not possible to save an incomplete online proposal - you can review the proposal form here. For general questions or if you would like to view a sample class or successful proposal document, please contact Anne Browning at 314-246-8236 or annebrowning15@webster.edu.

Approval Process

All Global Hybrid Course proposals will be reviewed by a committee composed of faculty representatives from each department in the Walker School, the Director of Flagship Programs and the Associate Dean. Courses selected will be presented for approval by the Dean of the Walker School, Study Abroad and Academic Affairs in accordance with Webster policy governing short-term faculty led programs.

Deadlines

All proposals for the 2013-2014 Academic year must be submitted by May 1, 2012. Following review and approval, a decision will be communicated to you by June 1, 2012.

Course Stipend

Payment for teaching a Global Hybrid Course will be at the current faculty rate for an online course for the term the course is offered. If faculty opt to co-teach a course, the course stipend will be split equally.

Reasonable Travel expenses including airfare, accommodation, meals, transportation and an international cell phone will be provided for one faculty only. Travel expenses for the second faculty may be covered if the course enrollment covers the cost of the additional expenses.

Course Implementation

As the faculty leader for a Global Hybrid Course, you are responsible for the academic experience of the students online and on location. Upon approval of your course, you will work closely with the flagship office to establish and facilitate a successful Global Hybrid Course Experience. The Flagship office will coordinate the various support resources and will provide a timeline for course implementation efforts. Additional support will be provided as follows:

Risk Management

Webster is dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of its students. As a faculty leader, you will be required to complete a risk assessment and emergency action plan prior to leading the international component of the Global Hybrid Course. The flagship office working with the office of study abroad and risk management will coordinate an orientation and assist you with the creation of these documents.

Through these resources and your own knowledge of the international location, it is expected that you will be familiar with University emergency procedures, local emergency procedures in the course location, department of state warnings and recommendations, University insurance provisions and relevant contact information prior to departure.

Travel Logistics:

Safe, well-organized travel arrangements are an integral part of your Global Hybrid Course. Travel and logistic arrangements will be made in conjunction with the flagship department. Faculty are strongly encouraged to work with a travel logistics provider.

Faculty may opt to make arrangements personally. If a vendor is not used, faculty must be able to provide firm details regarding cost, housing and transportations arrangements, including information regarding the safety and reliability of any resources used, by the course implementation timeline.

Budget:

A course budget will be created for each course to encompass faculty travel expenses and projected student expenses. This will require information and collaboration from faculty, study abroad and the business office and will be coordinated through the flagship office. Details regarding faculty travel requirements must comply with the official university travel policy which can be found here: http://www.webster.edu/about/policy/travel_expenses_policy.pdf.

Online Course Development:

A quality academic experience is crucial to the successful deployment of a Global Hybrid Course. Faculty will work with an Online Course development specialist to construct the online course segment. This must be done according to the timeline provided by your assigned specialist to ensure that the course is complete prior to deployment.

Marketing and Recruitment:

Marketing efforts will be coordinated by the flagship office. Faculty is asked to support the marketing and recruitment efforts to ensure sufficient enrollment in their course through class visits and other special events.

Student Communication:

For each Global Hybrid Course, the flagship office will create an application packet, an FAQ document, a poster, and flyers that can be distributed to students. The FAQ will require collaboration with faculty as it outlines the course details and instructs students on how to enroll, prepare and successfully participate in the course. All documents including the course syllabus and sample itinerary will be posted on the Walker Award website Webster.edu/walkeraward prior to registration open dates for the term your class is offered.

Faculty and Student Orientation:

All faculty must complete a brief orientation with the flagship office and the office of study abroad. The orientation will address health and safety considerations, university incident reporting processes, evacuation procedures and best practices for leading a successful Global Hybrid Course. All students participating in a Global Hybrid Course will also be required to participate in a pre-departure orientation. Faculty will contribute to the content working with the flagship office and study abroad.

If you have any questions about the proposal requirements, please contact Anne Browning at 314-246-8236 or annebrowning15@webster.edu.