The conference at the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod, which brought in recent teacher education graduates, first-year teachers, Philippine education ministry officials, Philippine educators and St. La Salle officials, centered on curriculum design and development, educational leadership and global education.

“This was our first opportunity under the chancellor’s new internationalization initiative for the College of Education to establish experiences for our faculty and potentially our students outside the United States,” said Dr. Lance Tatum, interim dean of the College of Education. “The administration, faculty and staff at St. La Salle University are very interested in American education and we were able to expose them, as well as other local education professionals to the current K-12 education practices in Alabama and the Southeastern United States.”

Tatum said St. La Salle, which operates 13 campuses in the Philippines and some 80 sites worldwide, was interested in providing its teacher education majors with information on what is needed to become certified teachers in the United States and to improve the quality of in-classroom instruction in the island nation of more than 91 million. Conversely, the University is interested in establishing faculty and student exchange programs that would offer Trojans exposure to global education practices.

Troy University’s roots are in teacher education, being first organized as a state normal school in 1887. For the 2005 – 2006 year, the College of Education graduated 734 students from its various certification programs.

Among the topics of discussion were classroom management techniques, corporal punishment, teaching loads and faculty rights.

“Those attending really wanted to know how teachers in the U.S. handled their classrooms and administrative duties,” said Tatum. “They utilize different educational methods than we do in the United States and they were interested in comparing the two approaches to education.”

In addition to the teachers’ conference, TROY officials also met with St. La Salle administrators, Philippines education ministers and accreditation organizations, laying a groundwork that may partner the two universities in the future.

Members of the TROY delegation were Tatum, Dr. Rodney Davis, Chair of Educational Administration and Leadership on TROY’s Dothan Campus, Dr. Michael Rippy, also an assistant professor of education in Dothan, and University College Vice Chancellor Dr. Earl Ingram.

University College is the arm of the University that oversees TROY’s more than 60 campuses outside Alabama in 16 other U.S. states, one U.S. territory and 12 nations. Troy University’s campuses outside Alabama do not receive state appropriations. The University operates campuses in Troy, Montgomery, Dothan and Phenix City.

Tatum said that although no agreements had been struck during the visit, he hoped to meet with La Salle officials next year to move toward a formal exchange program in the future.

“La Salle would be a great gateway for TROY,” he said

Members of the Troy University delegation to Philippines-based University of St. La Salle met with officials of the Commission of Higher Education Department of the Republic of the Philippines. (left to right) Dr. Rodney Davis, chairman of the Department of Educational Administration and Leadership presents a gift to Commission Chairman Dr. Carlito Puno with Dr. Mike Rippy, an associate professor of educational administration and leadership on the University’s Dothan Campus. (TROY photo)