Selfie with Bob Spires and large number of workshop participants
Spires selfie: With participants in the 21st-Century Teaching & Learning workshop
Photo by Bob Spires

Building lasting partnerships: Education professor's collabs in Cambodia

August 5, 2025

Bob Spires, associate professor of education in the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, spent a portion of this summer leading education workshops and training sessions for students and faculty in Cambodia. He collaborated locally with a long-time colleague, Chhit Liengieng, at the National Institute of Education (NIE), a bachelor’s, master’s and PhD granting university in Phnom Penh. Spires and Chhit developed three workshops offered over six days in July on the NIE campus. Spires also dropped in on a UR alum completing her first year of teaching with the Peace Corps and visited several educational institutions in the region.

21st-Century Teaching & Learning

In the first workshop, Spires facilitated two days of training for students and faculty focused on 21st-Century teaching and learning. The training workshop covered contemporary teaching and learning approaches along with recent findings in educational psychology that are driving innovation in today’s most effective teaching and learning in schools.

21st-Century teaching and learning workshop
  • NIE director overseeing the opening ceremony for the 21st-century teaching and learning workshop
  • NIE students at the 21st-century teaching and learning workshop
  • NIE students at the 21st-century teaching and learning workshop
  • NIE students at the 21st-century teaching and learning workshop
  • Bob Spires presenting with Cambodian translator at the 21st-century teaching and learning workshop

Education Research

In the second workshop, Spires led faculty in a training session focused on education research. Spires worked to demystify the academic publication process and to provide pragmatic approaches to conduct research and publish article-length scholarship. The workshop wrapped up with several collaboration opportunities along with setting in motion plans for a conference next summer on education research in Cambodia.

Educational Research Workshop
  • Faculty participants in the educational research workshop
  • Faculty participants in the educational research workshop
  • Faculty participants in the educational research workshop
  • Faculty participants in the educational research workshop
  • Participants from the educational research workshop standing with Bob Spires in front of the Faculty of Pedagogy building

Secondary Student Assessment

In the third and final workshop, Spires led faculty in a two-day session on secondary student assessment. This workshop focused on the contemporary approaches to assessment beyond high stakes standardized tests.

Secondary Student Assessment Workshop
  • Faculty participants in the Secondary Student Assessment workshop
  • Bob Spires leading the Secondary Student Assessment workshop
  • Faculty participants in the Secondary Student Assessment workshop
  • Faculty participants in the Secondary Student Assessment workshop

Visiting Kat Mazzer, ’24

In addition to leading workshops for NIE students and faculty, Spires visited a UR alum, Kat Mazzer, ’24, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in secondary education along with a Virginia teaching license. Mazzer has nearly completed her first year of teaching high school English with the Peace Corps in Cambodia. Spires and Mazzer visited a secondary arts-integrated school in Cambodia that also offers a circus arts program and student-run circus each week.

Visiting Alum Kat Mazzer, ’24
  • Spires selfie with Mazzer: Visit to Phare Ponleu Selpak Student Circus
    Photo by Bob Spires
  • Spires selfie with Mazzer: Visit to Phare Ponleu Selpak School
    Photo by Bob Spires

Additional Visits

During his trip to Cambodia, Spires visited several other educational institutions, including a preschool teacher training center and some private schools. Among these private schools, Spires visited the Beijing International Academy, which has seven large locations across Phnom Penh. In each of these visits, Spires found multiple opportunities for collaboration for departments across the University.

Additional Locations & Activities
  • Bob Spires with the director of the Beijing International Academy
  • Bob Spires with the leadership of the Beijing International Academy
  • Bob Spires leading a workshop on education in the United States
  • Bob Spires with leaders from the National Institute of Education and the Beijing International Academy
  • Bob Spires with leaders from the National Institute of Education at the entrance to the NIE campus
  • The entrance to the Pre-School Teacher Training Center
  • Bob Spires with leaders from the Pre-School Teacher Training Center
  • Students in the Pre-School Teacher Training Center surrounding the model preschool classroom they’ve constructed
  • Bob Spires with Khan Seth, Rector & Academic Dean, National University of CheaSim Kamchaymear
  • Bob Spires with Khan Seth, Rector & Academic Dean, National University of CheaSim Kamchaymear
    Photo by Khan Seth