Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad are short-term study/travel
seminars abroad for American educators in social sciences & humanities
for the purpose of improving their understanding and knowledge of the
people and culture of other countries.
Eligibility
Applications are open to American elementary and secondary school teachers
in the social sciences, humanities, arts, and foreign languages, curriculum
specialists and administrators of state and local education agencies.
Fulbright Hays Seminars Abroad visited New Zealand in 2002, 2003, 2004
and 2009. The most recent Seminar took place in July-August 2009 - participants
visited Mongolia as well as New Zealand. The theme of this seminar was
'A Day in the Life of: Exploring the Origins of Communities'. By visiting
New Zealand and Mongolia, two countries which offer significant areas
of contrast and comparison, participants learned how society is affected
by geography, climate, culture, and history.
2009 Fulbright Hays Seminar Abroad to New Zealand
and Mongolia
"A Day in the Life of: Exploring the Origins of Communities"
The goal of the Seminar was to explore urban and rural, indigenous and
foreign, wealthy and impoverished, and modern and traditional settings
in order to understand how communities develop and sustain themselves
over time. By comparing different socio-economic conditions and studying
their historical roots in two countries with distinct, yet comparable,
characteristics, participants were able to draw out what in the environment
influences communities and how communities influence their environments.
The Seminar combined visits to rural and urban communities, archaeological
sites, schools and museums, with lectures on different topics. The seminar
focused on the past, present, and future of communities in different contexts
and involved examinations of history, culture, peoples and economy. During
the New Zealand portion of the seminar participants studied:
Maori culture and the multicultural societies (mainly Pacific and
Asian) of New Zealand;
The history and settling of New Zealand;
Differences between a developing and developed economy;
New Zealand issues today and in the future.
During the Mongolian portion of the seminar participants studied:
Mongolian history and the numerous civilizations that have occupied
the region, and how Mongolia's history influences current thinking;
The Mongolian transition from Communism to democracy and a free market
economy;
The intersection of urbanization and traditional society in the age
of globalization;
Mongolian development issues today and in the future.
Participants were assisted in identifying resources for their individual
seminar projects, which enabled them to expand and improve their current
teaching or curriculum in the social sciences and humanities.
As a result of the Seminar, the participants prepared a project and acquired
a renewed understanding of universal concepts of society, community, and
daily life and distinctive qualities influenced by geography, climate,
culture, and history in New Zealand and Mongolia. Participants are thereby
prepared to educate others in the complexities of societies, having acquired
an improved level of understanding of what contributes to the distinctiveness
and diversity of communities.
In New Zealand participants visited schools in Rotorua, Wellington and
Christchurch.
Research projects
The programme supports participants' research projects with lectures,
presentations, guided tours and workshops. There are also opportunities
for individual research, including access to resource centres, libraries
and academic and research institutions.
Past curriculum projects
developed by the programme participants as a result of their experience
in New Zealand are available here on our website.
