SWU prof. named Fulbright Specialist
Feb. 21—CENTRAL — Southern Wesleyan University's Tyler Watts, program coordinator for the Master of Education in Instructional Design and eLearning, has been named a Fulbright Specialist for a project taking place in Vietnam this July. Watts will work with An Giang University, located in the Mekong Delta region, to help assess its curriculum and ensure alignment with national standards.
"Southern Wesleyan University is very proud of Dr. Watts and his contributions to the field of academia," said William Barker, SWU president. "The awarding of this Fulbright is a hallmark of the type of excellence SWU seeks as one of our four key outcomes; a high level of academic rigor. We congratulate Dr. Watts and commend him that this achievement serves as an indicator that SWU is succeeding in the area of rigorous academics and in this way contributing to the wider community."
Watts will conduct this project following An Giang University's recent affiliation with the larger Vietnam National University, in Ho Chi Minh City. Watts previously taught at the An Giang University's School of Education during volunteer teaching experience from 2005 to 2007.
This Fulbright Specialist project include two specific initiatives. First, Watts will facilitate workshops around constructive alignment for program and course level outcomes. Second, because An Giang University serves as the province's primary teacher training institute, he will evaluate current practices and develop a strategic plan for future offerings that will help the university to remain engaged with student teachers and local high schools across the province through online and blended learning opportunities for local high school personnel.
With over 15 years of experience in online learning, educational technology, and faculty development, Watts is passionate about promoting authentic learning experiences in online and blended environments. In addition to his work in instructional design, Dr. Watts also teaches and advises students in the online Doctor of Education program with a focus on research design and qualitative methodology.
The competitive Fulbright Specialist program, which is part of the larger Fulbright Program, "pairs highly qualified U.S. academics and professionals with host institutions abroad to share their expertise, strengthen institutional linkages, hone their skills, gain international experience, and learn about other cultures while building capacity at their overseas host institutions," according to Fulbright.
