BGSU Faculty visit Ukraine Schools

Bowling Green, OH – April 8, 2004 – Bowling Green State University Associate Professor and Director of CIVITAS Exchange Program, Dr. Alden W. Craddock and Graduate Associate Zebulun Kellough visited schools and universities in Ukraine to discuss issues of civics and active “hands-on” teaching methods. The Program CIVITAS: An International Civic Education Exchange allows for educators from the US and Ukraine to collaborate in democratic and civic reforms. The representatives from the Ukrainian civic education program Nova Doba, Dr. Craddock, and Mr. Kellough discussed the possibility of future university courses that would focus on civics and active teaching methods. Visits were held with university administrators from Kharkiv University, Zhytomyr Pedagogical University, and National University of Lviv. The visited universities are very interested in creating courses that will focus on democratic practices, active teaching methods, and citizenship.

Many lyceums, high schools specializing in college preparation, were visited as part of this cross-country journey, and civic education and active teaching methods were discussed. Students at Kharkiv lyceum shared information about common classroom practices and the lack of discussions about democracy and civics. While the focus of the visit at Kyiv Lyceum 205 was centered on classes and teachers using the Nova Doba civic education curriculum “We are

Citizens of Ukraine.” The visit consisted of observing a teacher using the civic curriculum developed by Nova Doba and active teaching methods she learned in an in-service teacher workshop. The school in Zapolitzca Dr. Craddock and Mr. Kellough met with students who participated in Project Citizen. Project Citizen was developed by Center for Civic Education (CCE) to help students take an active role in their community. The meeting in the small village school Zapolitzca focused on students successful efforts at cleaning and developing the river that runs through their village.

The CIVITAS Exchange Program in Ohio is directed by Dr. Alden Craddock of Bowling Green State University. In addition to coordinating the visit to Ukraine, the program also takes teachers and educators from Ukraine, works with educators in Poland and South Africa and develops teaching materials for use in the US classroom. Dr. Alden Craddock is the director for the delegations with Ukraine, Dr. John Fischer is the director for the delegations for Poland and Sharon Subreeduth is the director for the delegations for South Africa arriving later this month. The CIVITAS Exchange program provides educators from both countries the opportunity to examine the best practices for teaching democratic citizenship and the ideas associated with it.

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