Designing a professional learning community to promote campus internationalization through the higher education classroom

Internationalization has become a buzzword in many US higher education circles. Despite the variations in how institutions define this concept, the common denominator seen in all definitions speaks to a simple principle: the inclusion of international perspectives to educate and promote a global sense of being for students. To limit the scope of this vast concept, this study looks at internationalization as the attempt to successfully integrate international students on US campuses to have valuable academic and life experiences. To fulfill this feat, university leaders have utilized a range of administrative designs and programmatic add-ons to ensure a smooth transition for international students coming to the US; however, what seems to most often be a missing from the discussion is the role that the classroom plays in assisting these successful integration and promotion efforts for international students. This study inquires faculty perceptions of the internationalization process occurring at a US university and further looks into the preparedness of faculty as they are at the frontline of encounter for most international students; yet ironically, faculty are most often left out of this component of the internationalization equation. As a result of the inquiry, the study sheds light on how faculty are often deprived of the skills, trainings, or awareness required to promote an inclusive environment to create impactful opportunities that can assist the internationalization efforts being espoused by university leadership. To bridge this gap, the study proposes a professional learning community model that focuses on campus internationalization and puts faculty and the classroom at the forefront of internationalization efforts and discussions.Ed.D.Includes bibliographical reference