Rowan Professors Travel to Bejing For Inclusion Workshop

Dr. Peter Rattigan, Associate Dean in the College of Science & Mathematics and School of Health Professions, and Dr. Richard Fopeano, Professor Emeritus of the Health & Exercise Science Department, presented a three-day workshop in Beijing, China in July. The workshop titled, “Inclusive Collaborative and Cooperative Activities: Adventure & Experiential Learning for Students with Disabilities”, was conducted for undergraduate and graduate students at Beijing Sport University. The was the fourth of a total of nine workshops that are part of the Beijing Sport University Inclusive Physical Education/Physical Activity Online Project. The project, which is a three-year collaboration that started in 2017, is directed by Professor Lu Yan, Director of the China Research Center on Sports for Persons with Disabilities, Dr. Glenn Roswal, Jacksonville State University Professor Emeritus, and Dr. Stephen L. Cone, Rowan University Professor Emeritus.

This initiative is designed to help Chinese Physical Educators develop skills and strategies for inclusion and teaching students with disabilities in their classes. The workshops are a combination of lecture, active learning, and activities. Drs. Rattigan and Fopeano worked with their Chinese counterparts so that all materials were translated ahead of time, and worked with translators in presenting the workshop. All of the workshop activities were recorded, allowing more teachers to learn from their American counterparts in the future.