Cross-Cultural Connections
Last year, Associate Professor David Webb traveled to the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Czech Republic, through a Fulbright Specialist Award to enhance his math education work grounded in students’ real-world experiences. In this Q&A, Webb discusses how a personal connection—thanks to colleague Erin Furtak’s introduction to Professor Roman Hašek—has grown into an international partnership rooted in shared curiosity and a passion for meaningful STEM education.
Q What can you share about your visit and learnings?
My recent visit to the University of South Bohemia was successful and rewarding. With Prof. Hašek as my host, our goal was to integrate research-based approaches to STEM education, including active learning and other student-centered pedagogies. We learn about ourselves and the systems we work in when visiting other countries and experiencing what they value and prioritize. Our institutions share similar goals for STEM education, yet I was struck by how their secondary schools exemplify a broader view of student success. I observed a stronger commitment to career pathways and explicit connections between coursework and local industries. At one middle school, students engaged in mathematics directly related to tasks in a nearby manufacturing plant. In this and other cases, I found greater interaction with industry partners, leading to a clearer understanding of innovation and educational needs within their economy. Building partnerships outside academia is something I’m taking forward.
Q What are examples of the ideas you exchanged?
During my visit, I worked with Associate Professor Libuše Samková, who leads mathematics teacher training. I observed her lessons and co-taught sessions using contextual problems and 91Ҹ to support student reasoning. We introduced CU 91Ҹ’s Iceberg Model and discussed learning progressions to strengthen formative assessment.
I also met with faculty from mathematics, natural sciences and economics to explore expanding active learning in undergraduate courses. I shared lessons from a U.S. NSF-funded project that catalyzed change across more than 20 math departments. Faculty showed strong interest in adapting similar practices for courses with high attrition rates.
The visit concluded with my plenary lecture, “Active Learning in STEM Education: Principles and Practices for Student-Centered Classrooms,” at the university’s STEM Education Conference. By the end of my stay, we discussed our near-term intentions for further collaboration to share innovative resources going forward that support professional learning experiences for instructors and future teachers.
Q What would you want others to know about the value of programs like Fulbright?
Unfortunately, the future of the Fulbright Program is uncertain given recent shifts in federal funding, but its mission feels more important than ever. We deepen our understanding of cultural norms and traditions when we initiate, experience and sustain cross-cultural exchanges of ideas, resources and expertise. These exchanges do not require travel abroad, but different countries’ histories, traditions and education systems vividly show how our status quo practices merit further examination. Some of my most rewarding experiences included observing teachers in classrooms and talking with students. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of seeing the joy of learning and the ways teachers create these moments.
I’ve found that the different perspectives and experiences we bring to these collaborations are always mutually beneficial. These are not one-way exchanges—we learn from each other and identify issues we want to tackle together. Working collaboratively on similar challenges helps us make sense of our own practices. These partnerships motivate me to make changes, try new approaches and keep learning alongside others.