School of Education recruiting students for study abroad trip to Scotland, reflects on past experiences

School of Education recruiting students for study abroad trip to Scotland, reflects on past experiences

Northwest Missouri State University's School of Education is inviting students in all majors to attend a study abroad experience next spring in Scotland that will help them gain a better understanding of multiculturalism in the classroom.

Students will learn how the Scottish educational system functions and leave with an understanding of how other communities value multiculturalism while gaining hands-on experience in the region.

The faculty-led study abroad experience is May 3-13, 2025. A $500 deposit is due by Friday, Nov. 15.

To participate, students must complete Northwest's multiculturalism in education course, which is required for all students studying education. Non-education majors may also participate after completing the multiculturalism in a pluralistic society course, which fulfills academic credits as a humanities core class.

Interested students are encouraged to attend an informational meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21, in Room 236 of Everett Brown Education Hall.

Last spring, Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Ashley Strickland and Associate Professor of Education Dr. Sarah Taylor led a group of 12 students to a visit of Glasgow.

"Because schools are so universal, that's a really good window into what other cultures are like," Strickland said.

Highlights of the experience included visiting museums, touring castles, interacting with students and staff at Glasgow University, visiting different schools and classrooms and speaking with government officials about Scottish philosophies of education.

"I think it gives students a safe place to experience something they've never experienced before, and it ties back into that hands-on learning experience," Strickland said.

Zayne Cook, a senior social studies history education major from St. Joseph, Missouri, enjoyed the unique opportunity.

"It really broadened my knowledge on what education can look like," Cook said. "It really gave me a new perspective, one that I had already started to kind of form through my time in the education department. This experience of all things really puts it into practice rather than seeing it on paper."

The history of Scotland also proved to be valuable to Cook as he plans to become a social studies history teacher. He enjoyed seeing the highlands as well as the region's small villages and pastures. His favorite thing was seeing Stirling Castle, a significant symbol of Scottish independence and pride.

"For my major specifically, I gained a lot of historical knowledge on the region," Cook said. "It's a very different experience, but also a once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially for people who are going into education."

For more information, contact Dr. Ashley Strickland at 660.562.1838 or [email protected].