Established in 2010, 4-VA is making significant headway on improving all Virginians’ access to higher education.
The collaboration among Mason and James Madison University, the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech is advancing several initiatives to increase the number of college graduates, especially in fields that benefit the state’s economic development.
The 4-VA initiative is charged with increasing access to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses. This summer, James Madison University will host a conference for 4-VA biology faculty on course redesign strategies to assist faculty in overcoming bottlenecks that can prevent biology students from continuing their studies into higher-level courses, says Amy Brener, 4-VA deputy director.
“We’re hoping that by working together, faculty from the 4-VA schools can share ideas, create an online library of resources to help convey certain information, and maybe even collaborate on course modules to reduce faculty workload and free up time that can then be spent on higher-level courses,” Brener says.
One idea under discussion is to have each school offer an upper-level undergraduate or graduate-level course to the other schools in an area of expertise that is unique to that school. This would provide biology majors access to courses not available at their home institutions. The Cisco Systems Inc. TelePresence technology available at 4-VA schools can facilitate this course sharing.
Sharing resources among the universities is a major thrust of 4-VA, and TelePresence is currently being used to teach two advanced Chinese classes. Mason instructor Xi Chen conducts the classes in one of Mason’s TelePresence rooms on the Fairfax Campus. One UVa student is enrolled in Chinese 300, and eight students at James Madison University are enrolled in Chinese 305, Chinese for the Business World.
The technology allows for an immersive experience that makes it seem as if everyone is sitting around the same round table. Brener says, “Last week, when I asked about TelePresence, one of the [James] Madison students said, ‘It feels like a regular classroom. It’s good that we’re getting to learn business Chinese, especially because it’s not offered here, so that’s a plus.’”
The language departments at all four universities are working together to determine which courses will be offered in the fall. Twelve courses are currently being considered.
Brener explains that 4-VA was created to a large extent as a vehicle to enhance Virginia’s economic development. “If we start with the assumption that Virginia wants to be the best state in which to do business, reaching that goal requires a highly educated workforce. Since most business is global or going global, a graduate who is bilingual or trilingual will have a competitive edge.”
Mason and James Madison have been working together to design programs for students who have a two-year (associate) degree but are unable to attend a four-year university. The plan is to deliver the upper two years of a four-year degree via distance education. The academic focus is on the needs of rural Virginia, particularly the need for economic and workforce development. Faculty from several academic departments at Mason have participated in the design of the first program, and details about how prospective students can obtain more information will soon be posted on 4-VA.org, Brener says.
Brener and Joy Hughes, Mason’s vice president for information technology and 4-VA’s executive director, shared this information with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia at its March meeting.
For more information on 4-VA initiatives, visit 4-VA.org or contact Brener at 703-993-8988 or abrener@gmu.edu.