The American Space at the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB) hosted a panel discussion organized by AUIB’s College of Education and Human Development, bringing together Vanderbilt University academic leaders, Dr. Ellen Goldring, Dr. Xiu Cravens, and Dr. Nancy Dickson with AUIB faculty members and also students.
Under the title, “Bridging Cultures: Exploring American-Style Education in Iraq,” the seminar discussed adapting to the Iraqi cultural and educational context the liberal-arts-based curriculum and the learner-centered approach, the two characteristics that are together distinctive of an American-style education. The focus of the discussion between the panelists and the audience soon shifted to the issue of how Artificial Intelligence is transforming education, its processes and methods.
An American-style education, from students’ perspective, is “about discovery” of various topics and of students’ personal interests, where undergraduates actually make choices in shaping their curriculum, highlighted Dr. Goldring. Furthermore, this model of education assigns great importance to students’ overall experience, as in addressing their “needs beyond the classroom,” such as in their engagement with their “living and learning community” in a healthy and productive manner, noted Dr. Dickson.