Eugene T. Moore School of Education

Welcome to the School of Education

Michael J. Padilla

From Michael J. Padilla, Director of the School of Education and Associate Dean for Educational Collaboration

Thinking Internationally—Critical to Education Majors

International education is a theme close to my heart.    I want to report that the Eugene T. Moore School of Education is meeting and exceeding the challenge of providing internationally focused programs—through study abroad and other initiatives.

In 2007 Vivien Stewart of the Asia Society described how different the world will be to U.S. high school graduates of the future.  They will:

  • Sell to the world.
  • Buy from the world.
  • Work for international companies.
  • Manage employees from other cultures and countries.
  • Collaborate with people all over the world in joint ventures.
  • Compete with people on the other side of the world for jobs and markets.
  • Tackle global problems, such as AIDS, avian flu, pollution, and disaster recovery.

I agree with Vivien’s analysis but would add that we are already there. Today’s high school and Clemson graduates have to do all these things today. Understanding this requires that our faculty have to design programs for the future—those that prepare students to think globally.  In support of this idea, one of the six learner dispositions of the College of Health, Education and Human Development is to “Attain a global perspective and level of knowledge and skill necessary to succeed in a complex global economy.” (See Leadership Dispositions)

The Eugene T. Moore School of Education sponsors several study abroad opportunities including:

  • Early Childhood Education Approach in Reggio Emilia, Italy run by Dee Stegelin.
  • Maymester in Italy taught by Dave Reinking, a Moore Distinguished Professor.
  • Student Affairs/Counselor Education Study Abroad in Ireland and Scotland led by Pam Havice.
  • Maymester in Baku, Azerbaijan taught by Agida Manizade, Mindy Spearman, and Megan Che.
  • Belgium Study Abroad run by Julie McGaha.

(See Study Abroad for details.)

And there is much more.  Last year the School of Education hosted a cadre of international teachers in the International Leaders in Education Program (ILEP) for 4 months and we are negotiating for a new group to come to campus in 2010.  Last year’s group of 14 teachers hailed from 11 countries like Malaysia, Jordan, India and Venezuela.  Having these visitors here is a great way to become international without traveling to another country.  Take some time to meet and interact with those in the new group starting in January 2010.

Another great international event took place last June in Galway, Ireland.  The Second international Conference on Service-Learning in Teacher Education was led by Nancy Dunlap and was sponsored by the School of Education’s International Center for Service-Learning in Teacher Education.  Over a hundred scholars from around the world shared their expertise in service learning through this event.

Lastly, I would like to link a phenomenon happening here in South Carolina to the international theme and that is immigration. You may not know it, but South Carolina’s Latino population growth has grown by 58.4% between 2000-2006 and is the fastest growing immigrant population in the United States.  U.S. law requires states to educate children regardless of their citizenship.  Moreover, children born of illegal immigrants in this country are legal citizens of the U.S.  If we want these children to be productive citizens who contribute to our political and economic well-being, then we must educate them. To educate our immigrant children will require that we (the teachers of this future generation) understand the culture where they come from.  This means that every education graduate must think bigger than South Carolina and even the U.S.

My message to students in the School of Education—Think about your future and that of the children you teach.  Get some international experience, even if it means just going to the South Carolina communities of Walhalla or Greenville to work with immigrant children.


See more information about the School of Education’s Study Abroad programs here.


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