Looking for ways to integrate experiential learning into your course curriculum?
The Idaho Conference on Refugees, held annually at Boise State University in collaboration with the Idaho Office for Refugees, is February 22-23, 2023. This is an opportunity for faculty from all disciplines to connect their course to global topics and expose students to local solutions and community networks. The conference goal is community building in refugee resettlement to find inspiration and learn about best practices and innovation in the field. As part of The City of Boiseโs certified Welcoming City, the Boise State community has an opportunity to reflect on the cityโs long-standing work to help immigrants and refugees become community members.
Here are a few highlighted conference workshops that could connect with your course and to studentsโ interests:
- Refugee 101
- Panel of college students who arrived as refugees
- Teaching multilingual learners
- And many first-person stories of inspiration.
Think your course has nothing to do with refugees?
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals list the refugee crisis as a global sustainability challenge requiring the work of experts across a wide range of disciplines. The refugee experience is precisely the type of global challenge with local implications we are called upon to bring into our classrooms at Boise State. Whether you teach Sociology or Data Science, the Idaho Conference on Refugees provides you with an opportunity to transcend traditional fields of study, aligning with the Blueprint for Success Strategic Plan Goals 1.) Improve Educational Access and Student Success 4.) Foster Thriving Community and 5.) Trailblaze Programs and Partnerships
Still unsure how to turn the interdisciplinary experience of this conference into course content?
The conference offers a wide range of potential opportunities for student participation. Whether you are looking for a quick extra-credit assignment or material for a longer course project, you can find tips and ideas for integrating the Refugee Conference in your course on the Service-Learning website.
To learn more about the conference and register, visit the Idaho Office of Refugees Conference website. There are limited student, faculty and staff scholarships available upon registration at no cost. More information can be found at the Idaho Refugees Twitter account.