Enhancing the Teaching and Learning of International Political Economy for International Students and International Classrooms.

An increasing trend in international studies education is the ever-growing numbers of non-western students studying using English as the language of instruction. Part of this increase is accounted for by the growing number of students studying abroad for varying lengths of time in countries where English is the primary language of instruction. A second factor is the increasing number of institutions in non-western countries offering programs of study using English as the language of instruction, even when a different language is primarily spoken in the institution's host country. This can present a challenge to many western instructors both home and abroad, who are charged with covering sophisticated course content for students with a different cultural background and a more limited vocabulary than the students they are accustomed to teaching. This presentation focuses on the use of techniques such as scaffolding, multimedia usage, peer learning, and active learning strategies that enhance student retention and comprehension; as well as help close any comprehension gaps between non-western students and their more-fluent classmates. These techniques have been proven effective for instructors of western students of international studies and they are doubly effective in supporting the needs of non-western students. This presentation will draw on one professor's experience teaching at a Japanese university in three innovative programs that offer course content in international political economy using English as the language of instruction. ..PAT.-Conference Proceeding [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]