Studying higher education in the Middle East

Katie Hooven on the Persian Gulf

Looking to do something different for her teaching practicum, PhD student Katie Hooven, MSN, RN, MBA decided to act on an offer from adjunct professor Catherine Hill, EdD, who is Dean in the School of Education at the American University in Dubai. Dr. Hill, while teaching the Philosophy of Higher Education course in the College of Nursing’s PhD program, said that her students could come visit or complete a practicum with her. Hooven, who has some knowledge of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Sultanate of Oman from two classmates from the Middle East, was interested. She spent three weeks in the Persian Gulf region in January 2015.  

Hooven is clinical coordinator at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, and teaches a course on professionalism in their RN-BSN program. She was in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for about a week and half. Hooven explains her experience there, “I worked with Dr. Hill, went to some faculty meetings, met and worked with some of her colleagues in the Department of Education and gave a lecture on active learning strategies to the faculty at The American University of Dubai. I also traveled the countries of UAE and Oman learning about their culture and taking in the sights.”

While interacting with the faculty, Hooven notes she “learned about the struggles they face in Dubai and how they relate to the struggles in the U.S. in higher education.” She appreciates the mentorship of Dr. Hill, who was formerly associate dean in Villanova’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, noting, “As an education professor she has a lot to offer in terms of teaching and learning, and I soak up every word when we talk."

In terms of the future, Hooven is ready to pay it forward. “I really love nursing education,” she explains, “and want to impart the knowledge I have gained to my students. I also like research. I hope to begin my career as a full time nursing professor shortly after I finish my PhD.”

Hooven is busy preparing to defend her dissertation proposal –she is studying tool development to measure collaboration in the clinical learning environment—in November. “I really love the program at Villanova, and have met so many great mentors,” says Hooven, “I look forward to joining them in the circle of educators.”