This trip is part of a two-year exchange program agreement between Shanghai Normal University, Tianhua College and the College of Human Environmental Sciences. This agreement has allowed the Department of Human Development of Family Studies to train educators from China in early childhood development and research. The department has hosted a summer institute for 25 teachers and administrators from Shanghai and our faculty have mentored these teachers during the academic year for the last four semesters. HDFS faculty who travel to China present classes in early childhood development, research in the discipline, early childhood curricula, and program administration and evaluation.
This relationship has been valuable to both institutions, providing opportunities for cultural enhancement, international friendships, and research collaborations. Dr. Komara is the second of our faculty to make the trip. Dr. April Kendrick traveled there in March of this year.