Developing Development The Future of the Development Program at BYU

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Developing DevelopmentThe Future of the
Development Program at BYU

• Students from IAS 420
• Winter 2007
• Dr. Joan Dixon

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Building Bridges

• BYU
• Students with a sense of their future and their
  potential to change the world
• Faculty from many disciplines with knowledge,
  skills and experience

• The world of poverty
• Many kinds of organizations working on poverty.
• Many types of interventions
• Many levels of action

Economic Self-Reliance Center
ESR Internship Program
ESR Practitioner Network
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Purpose of Our Project

• Explore the interdisciplinary range of careers in
  ID
• Learn about the process and methods for doing
  Participatory Action Research (PAR)

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Who We Are

• As a class
• IAS 420 International Development Capstone
• I.D. Minors
• As Individuals
• 16 different majors
• 32 international study program experiences

We have diverse backgrounds but are brought
together by a common interest in International
Development
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Summary of Our Class Career Outlook

• Grad School MPP, PhD, MD, MBA, etc.
• Field Work NGO, internship, etc.
• Full Time Careers
• 141 jobs
• Variety of sectors

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Result of Our Project

• Our Goal Create a network of voluntary
  information resources to help students more
  easily find avenues of exploration into
  development during their time at BYU through
• Faculty
• Available Classes
• Conducted Research
• Related Activities

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Survey of Student Interest

• Purpose To find the level of interest in
  international development among students who came
  to the Hunger Banquet
• Received responses from 813 Students

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Survey Questions

• YES 1. Attend an event sponsored by a club
  focused on issues of
• poverty and development NO
• YES 2. Join a club that looks at issues of
  poverty and development NO
• YES 3. Attend a lecture on issues of poverty
  and development NO
• YES 4. Take a class related to international or
  community
• development in your major NO
• YES 5. Take a class related to international or
  community
• development outside your major NO
• YES 6. Minor in International Development
  NO
• YES 7. Major in International Development
  NO
• YES 8. Perform a local service learning project
  with a class NO
• YES 9. Go on a humanitarian expedition NO
• YES 10. Do an international field study NO
• YES 11. Do an international development
  internship NO
• YES 12. Go to a graduate program in international
  development NO
• YES 13. Seek a career in international
  development NO

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Overall Positive interest in International
Development initiatives
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1. Attend an event sponsored by a club focused on
issues of poverty and development 2. Join a
club that looks at issues of poverty and
development 3. Attend a lecture on issues of
poverty and development
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4. Take a class related to international or
community development in your major 5. Take a
class related to international or community
development outside your major 6. Minor in
International Development
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7. Major in International Development 8.
Perform a local service learning project with a
class 9. Go on a humanitarian expedition
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10. Do an international field study 11. Do
an international development internship 12. Go
to a graduate program in international
development 13. Seek a career in international
development
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Cross Comparisons

• 33.3 of those who were interested in minoring in
  International Development are also interested in
  majoring in it
• 36.9 of those who were interested in going to
  graduate school in ID were also interested in
  majoring in ID
• 29.5 of those who want to pursue a career in ID
  were also interested in majoring in it
• 69.4 of those who were interested in going to
  graduate school in ID were also interested in
  minoring in ID
• 66.0 of those who want to pursue a career in ID
  were also interested in minoring in it

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Focus Group
Purpose Gauge interest of students who are
voluntarily working with development based
extra-curricular activities The focus groups
were conducted by forming discussion groups to
talk about selected questions, we also received
email responses to the questions Information
from the focus groups was compiled and analyzed
for content to understand the general responses
to each question to establish a range of
opinions.
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List of Focus Groups

• IAS 420 Class
• Operation Smile
• Engineers Without Borders
• Amnesty International Eco Response
• Economic Self-Reliance Student Assoc.
• Students for International Development
• Field Study Students
• E-mail Group UNICEF, SALAS, and Progressive
  Student Alliance

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Profile of Focus Group Participants
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Focus Group Questions

• Background
• What is your definition of development?
• What are some of your past experiences with
  development?
• BYU Development
• In the context of international development, what
  do the two BYU mottos (Enter to Learn, Go forth
  to Serve and The World is Our Campus) mean?
• What is unique about studying development at BYU?
• How does/would a development minor complement the
  work you are doing in your major?
• Campus Resources
• What campus resources do you use to find out
  about development-related activities and careers?
  How could they be improved?
• Would you be interested in a comprehensive
  website that had information about campus-based
  resources related to development? What would you
  like to see on that website?

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Definition of Development

• Development is about creating opportunities where
  there was previously a lack of opportunity.
  Viable opportunities expand a persons ability to
  make choices that improve his/her life. These
  opportunities can be economic, social, spiritual,
  educational, etc, depending on a persons
  perceived needs.

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Experiences With Development

• Missionary service
• International Development minor and classes
• On-campus clubs (SID)
• Field studies (including as facilitator),
  internships, international service projects,
  international volunteer
• Sponsored by BYU and/or other org.s

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Meaning of BYU Mottos

• Such mottos empower us, educate us, and encourage
  us to be effective in the application of
  development practices.
• Now is the time for us to learn using the
  resources available at BYU.
• BYUs mottos can be applied literally.
• They address our deep responsibility, obligation,
  and moral call to serve.
• man is not content with just blessing his family
  alone but wanting to bless the entire human
  race. Joseph Smith

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Why Study Development at BYU?

• International Experience
• Strong Programs Study abroad, internships,
  field study
• Large percentage have lived outside of the US
  (47) and speak a second language (75)
• Gospel Framework
• Perspective
• Emphasis on Service

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Value of a Development Minor

• You can take any major and apply it to
  development. Every NGO needs people from all
  different backgrounds. The minor can complement
  anything.
• The minor would motivate us to expand our
  horizon. It would nurture the desire to make a
  difference and give us the opportunity to gain
  the knowledge that would make us more likely to
  help in better ways.
• It would give me a stronger base of knowledge to
  know how to approach my desires to make a
  difference.
• I think it would be helpful by making me aware
  of more issues and problems that can be addressed
  with students help.
• It is good because it gives you the opportunity
  to be part of groups and study groups outside
  your regular classes.
• It provides real life experience.

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Campus Resources

• The main resources about International
  Development-related things SID and other club
  emails and meetings, International Study
  Programs, Kennedy Center
• Problems with resources
• Not nearly enough advertising
• There is no one place with a comprehensive
  calendar/list of events and other resources
• A Website is Needed
• All ID-related events on/off campus
• Job and internship postings
• Links to other related websites, news articles,
  etc.
• A list of development professors with the classes
  they teach

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Faculty Interviews

• Purpose
• to gauge interest of professors in international
  development
• to find faculty willing to assist students in
  their (international) development pursuits
• Who
• Faculty who displayed some sort of interest in
  development
• How
• Students conducted interviews with at least one
  faculty member asking each a series of 11
  predetermined questions
• Results

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Faculty Interview Questions

• In your opinion, what is development?  
• What do you think are the pros cons of having
  some type of a program or process that networks
  people and resources interested in different
  aspects of development at BYU? 
• What fields or aspects of development are you
  interested in?  What fields do you have
  experience in?
• How do you think we could develop a development
  program that would fulfill the motto of BYU
  (enter to learn, go forth to serve and the
  world is our campus?)
• What classes have you taught that relate to
  development?
• How does your speciality contribute to the
  development field?
• What concepts do you think ought to be emphasized
  within a development program?
• If you were able, what would you want to
  contribute to a development program?
• In what ways do you envision BYU students playing
  a role in development after graduating from BYU? 
  What do you think could be done to facilitate
  that?
• Where do you see a development program at BYU
  going in the future?
• What barriers do you face in teaching or
  researching about topics related to international
  development? How can those barriers be overcome?

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1. What is development?

• Development is a combination of many different
  approaches
• There are as many definitions as there are users.
  
• It involves economics, health, gender, human
  rights, agriculture, education, empowerment,
  environment, equality, security.
• Most of the faculty believe that economic growth
  and education are the most important aspects.
• It must go beyond simple economic growth. It is
  about empowering individuals.

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2. What do you think are the pros cons of
having some type of a program or process that
networks people and resources interested in
different aspects of development at BYU?

• Pros
• Allows for collaboration
• Interdisciplinary
• Provides wider focus/big picture
• Connection to jobs/resources
• Lots of student interest
• Pave way for better development
• Draws students from various fields
• Important field of study
• Provides an important lens
• Good graduate school prep
• Meets challenges of globalization
• Deals with poverty/injustice

• Cons
• Deal with interdepartmental conflict
• Program too broad/unfocused
• Would require lots of labor/effort to create
• Distracts students from specific skills
• Better suited for graduate studies
• Ideas and resources are scattered
• Not many jobs available
• Doesnt play to BYUs strengths
• Curriculum is currently too weak

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3. What fields or aspects of development are you
interested in? What fields do you have
experience in?

• Interests and Experience
• Corporate social responsibility
• Gender Studies
• Environmental Economics
• Agricultural Development
• Micro-credit, Micro-franchise
• International Entrepreneurship
• Non formal Education
• Public Policy
• Foreign Aid
• Health/Nutrition
• Anthropology
• Ethnography
• Cross-Cultural Training
• Literacy

Legislation for childrens rights Human
Rights Systems Ecology, etc. Human
Development Institutional Experience World
Bank, United Nations Agencies, U.S.A.I.D., etc.
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4. How does your specialty contribute to the
development field?
Practical experience
sociology
Area studies
Political science
Environment
We should not only use the brains we have, but
all that we can borrow. - Thomas Woodrow Wilson
Development
Agriculture
Macro Micro
Literature
Economics
Education
Networking
Theory
Health
Anthropology
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5. How do you think we could develop a
development program that would fulfill the motto
of BYU?
You need very grounded degreesStrengthen our
strong programs and get rid or merge the weak
programs. Grad programs are all across the
country.
BYU is a global university. There should be
required core courses for development just like
there are for English, history, science, ect. Why
arent students required to take GEs in global
development that tie into the motto?
The reality is that we cantFive or six years
ago we had 400 students and faculty that sat in
front of the administration, wanting an
international development program. The
administration ignored them.
minor attracts people who want to serve and make
a difference. Some people call it idealism. If
that is so, the Gospel is also based on idealism.
It will be hard to do as there are many different
opinions and divisions among professors. The best
thing to do is to fulfill the motto is to prepare
students for grad school and encourage them to
pick a strong undergrad major ( language,
Economics, Health, ect. )
We should encourage every student to do
development. We need to help students whether
they are engineers or any other profession to
become stewards wanting to serve the world.
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• 6.  What classes have you taught that relate to
  development?

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7. What concepts do you think ought to be
emphasized within a development program?

• Take a holistic approach. Students should
  understand the micro and macro perspectives.
• Students should also have a knowledge of programs
  (such as micro-credit or environmental
  sustainability) and need to understand the
  complexities of WHY these programs or approaches
  are effective (or not).
• Students need practical skills (such as cultural
  sensitivity, data analysis, etc).

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8. If you were able, what would you want to
contribute to a development program?

• Focus on teaching in own area of expertise and
  how it relates to development
• Mentor students in field studies
• Teach introductory development and development
  specific classes
• Share experiences working in development with
  students and provide career and academic advice
• Help with networking between departments as well
  as off-campus and with alumni

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9. In what ways do you envision BYU students
playing a role in development after graduating
from BYU?  What do you think could be done to
facilitate that?

• Development is a lifelong learning process and
  should be a part of a LDS education.  Development
  opportunities are limitless. 
• BYU students will continue to aid in development
  as they continue to learn through volunteer work,
  employment, or other contributions.
• Students have many skills that are essential to
  development, such as language skills,
  international and field experience, broad
  training, and a dedication and desire to serve.
• Their role is building Zion around the globe by
  creating jobs instead of poverty, plenty instead
  of hunger, peace instead of war.
• Students can move on to grad school, study
  development further and enter the work force
•  What do you think could be done to facilitate
  that?
• Help students see what opportunities are
  available after graduation and create an alumni
  network.
• An undergraduate major would help facilitate this
  with added knowledge, research, internships,
  faculty mentoring and lectures and provide a
  strong multidisciplinary foundation.
• A development major would also encourage students
  to become more evolved and seek employment in the
  field, but a specialty is helpful for a career.

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10. Where do you see a development program at BYU
going in the future?

• Most of the faculty interviewed felt that
  international development has a place at BYU only
  as a minor or as a second major.
• Several faculty feel disheartened by the failure
  of an international development program in the
  past. One faculty was quote saying, There is not
  a lot of opportunity for expansion.
• In contrast however, many feel that there is hope
  and room for an international development program
  and look forward to being apart of the change.

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11. What barriers do you face in teaching or
researching about topics related to international
development? How can those barriers be overcome?

• General
• Time, - common teaching/research barriers
• Coordinating with/contacting international
  players in development
• BYU related
• Too few faculty with emphasis in development
• Push to publish juggling responsibilities
• No barriers, and BYU is very supportive

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Purpose for creating a websiteBringing the World
to BYU

• Provided by Website
• World news
• Organizations in development
• Latest research in development
• Collaborative research with faculty
• Links to alumni
• Networking opportunities among undergraduates

• BYU Mission Statement
• Certainly all relationships within the BYU
  community should reflect devout love of God and a
  loving, genuine concern for the welfare of our
  neighbor.
• Students who graduate from BYU should be capable
  of competing with the best in their fields.
  Scholarly research and creative endeavor among
  both faculty and students, including those in
  selected graduate programs of real consequence,
  are essential and will be encouraged.

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We believe the earnest pursuit of this
institutional mission can have a strong effect on
the course of higher education and will greatly
enlarge Brigham Young University's influence in a
world we wish to improve.

• Every student should have the opportunity to
  become involved in the betterment of our global
  society.
• www.theworldisourcampus.net can provide this
  opportunity.

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Suggestions for use of the website

• Create a first rate website showcasing the IT
  department
• Research Database
• Links to more development websites
• Get official approval to be connected to BYU
• Your suggestions?
• Tour of the websiteUnder Construction
  www.theworldisourcampus.net