Policy Brief

For those interested in IEDP you probably know that the main culminating project, instead of a Master's thesis, is the policy brief! It has been on everyone's mind since the first day of orientation. It first started becoming a reality in December when we had to turn in our proposed topics. This semester it has been the topic of numerous classes and discussions. And now.... its due in less than two weeks!

The policy brief is a 5,000 word "paper" or document about a necessary policy change in a particular region or country in the developing world. Some students have chosen topics such as ICT, language policy, teacher training, and early childhood programs. My topic is how to decrease teacher attrition in Zambia through a combination of raising teacher salary and incorporating non-monetary incentives.

The policy brief is not something to put off until the last minute so if you know any current IEDP students don't plan on seeing us for the next couple weeks... unless you happen to be in the library.

Master's Preview Day Today!

Today GSE is full of excited (I hope) accepted students. It's Master's preview day here and their chance to come and check out campus and GSE. Something I love about GSE, and you will know this if you've ever attended one of our events, is that GSE goes all out when it comes to making prospective students, applicants, and future students feel welcome and at home.

The day started off with breakfast and a talk from  Dean- Andy Porter and the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs- Lois MacNamara. They talked about what makes GSE special and great things about living in Philly.

If you are an accepted student and were not able to come to the preview day today make sure to check out our other events on the admissions website or sign up to come for a tour. We would love to see you!

As part of the IEDP lecture series Benjamin Piper came and spoke at Penn last week. Ben works for the organization RTI and is based in Kenya. He spoke about the participatory teacher training method used by their organization. Funded by a grant they received from USAID, RTI has been able to expand and modify their trainings each year. They have seen great success in creating long-term change in the methods teachers use in their classroom. The participatory approach gives ample time for the teachers attending the trainings to practice the strategies being introduced. After practicing, other teachers give feedback on how well the strategy was modeled.  Ben was an engaging and thorough speaker and it seems like everyone really enjoyed his talk.

"Real Life" projects

One thing I have really enjoyed about my classes this semester is that I have been able to work on several group projects that not only allow us to practice what we are learning but give us an opportunity to produce something that can actually be used in international education. I am taking a class on curriculum development with Dr. Ghaffar-Kucher. In groups we are working to create a curriculum for various non-profit organizations. My project is for the organization SEEKHO located in Bihar, India and we are creating a resource guide to help teachers incorporate critical thinking into their classrooms. Here are a few pages we have created so far....

CIES Annual Conference

Last week a majority of IEDP students traveled to Toronto for the annual conference of the Comparative International Education Society. The who's who's in international education and development were there. Many IEDP students presented about research they had done. It was a great opportunity for students to network as well as hear about the work various organizations are doing in the field. Several students even had interviews for their summer internships.

 

To and From the Airport

This weekend I went out of town. I have flown in and out of the Philadelphia airport several times now but this time I tried flying out of Newark because the tickets were cheaper. It was quite the experience!

Getting to Newark airport:

Getting to Newark airport is about a 2 1/2 hour train ride from Philadelphia. However, you do need to add extra time for transferring between the trains. There are two trains you will take to get to Newark. The first is from 30th street station to Trenton. The next train is from Trenton to the airport. In total, it took me about 4 hours to get from my house to the airport terminal and honestly I'm not sure it was worth the hassle but for those wishing to save a bit of money it is an option.

Options getting to and from Philadelphia airport:

Lady Liberty shuttle- this shuttle is available to take individuals from their homes to the airport for only $10. If you are going to the airport you just need to call and make a reservation. If you are returning from the airport you do not need a reservation, simply go to the desk near the baggage claim.

Septa Airport Line- there is also a train that runs from 30th Street station to the airport every 30 minutes. This costs $15 round trip.

Taxi- you can take a taxi directly to the airport for a $28 flat fee.