The University of Jordan is working with USU to build undergraduate education. (Photo courtesy of University of Jordan)

Dr. Vonda Jump and Utah State University’s Early Intervention Research Institute and Center for Persons with Disabilities in the Emma Eccles College of Education and Human Services are currently working on an international research and outreach project that seeks to build undergraduate education capacity at the University of Jordan and Petra University.

This partnership seeks to enhance the educational experience of undergraduate students studying early childhood education. Currently, these students lack appropriate classroom experience prior to graduation. They do not have the opportunity to enter a classroom until their final semester, leaving many students overwhelmed with the responsibilities of handling a classroom with little or no previous experience.

With the help of Utah State University, these universities in Jordan are putting proposals forward to change this policy so that education students can begin classroom observations as early as their second year. This program will help to enhance the undergraduate experience by allowing students to have teaching experiences that applies theory to classroom practices.

View the International Research blog at http://blog.usu.edu/international/2010/04/02/education-partnership-in-jordan/.