Conference focuses on integrating global learning within the curriculum | Inside Higher Ed

I recently had the opportunity to attend the American Association of Colleges and Universities meeting on Global Learning in Providence, RI. The conversation was extremely engaging and frustrating at the same time. Engaging because I love learning about new models of experiential learning at different campuses. But frustrating because I came away with two questions/realizations:

1. How are faculty and universities defining Global Learning within their own contexts?
2. Global learning needs to be intentional across disciplines, departments, units, and structures.

 

Defining Global Learning

Global Learning is not a synonym for "study abroad" or "internationalization."  Global learning can happen without ever stepping foot off a home campus, though I would argue global learning is greatly enhanced with students and faculty leave the confines of campus.

The AAC&U defines a variety of learning outcomes as a starting point for Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education. Outcomes are generally defined as a means to articulate the fundamental criteria for the learning outcome:

Global learning is a critical analysis of and an engagement with complex, interdependent global systems and legacies (such as natural, physical, social, cultural, economic, and political) and their implications for people's lives and the earth's sustainability. Through global learning, students should 1) become informed, open-minded, and responsible people who are attentive to diversity across the spectrum of differences, 2) seek to understand how their actions affect both local and global communities, and 3) address the world's most pressing and enduring issues collaboratively and equitably.

This generalized definition may not apply to any one campus. Faculty and administrators must collectively define what global learning means for their own institution, before it can establish a an integration plan across the university.

 

Intentionality of Global Learning

At my own institution, and I suspect at others, there are pockets of programs, classes, and co-curricular activities that incorporate global learning principles, but no where do I see an integration of those activities. There may be a class that can demonstrate student development along the Global Learning VALUE rubric through readings, discussion and written reports. But are students then translating the academic learning into applied learning through study abroad, internships, service learning, or communicated engaged projects?

Are faculty encouraging students to seek out experiences on and off campus to reinforce the classroom learning? Does the university have administrative policies that not only encourage students to engage in co-curricular learning, but provides access to all students regardless of financial need, first generation status, or academic abilities?

If students are not engaging in subsequent opportunities to reinforce the academic learning, we may be inadvertently stunting the potential for growth in global learning and other identified learning outcomes.

 

Centralized Co-curricular Learning

Over the last four years, my institution has developed a central unit dedicated to the facilitation and integration of co-curricular learning. The collaboration of academic units such as study abroad and academically based internships, and traditionally student affairs programs such as career services and service learning, has opened up the door for structured holistic advising designed to engage students in a progression of experiences over the four year curriculum.

The next step for our university is to continue developing the partnership with the wider faculty and curriculum integration of out-of-the-classroom learning. The foundation of this outreach is being put in place through a realignment of faculty governance committees, enhanced value attached to co-curricular learning through proposed adjustment to faculty hiring and promotions incentives, and development of partnerships with academic departments and specific faculty to encourage their engagement in applied learning models in and outside the classroom.

Each institution will have it's own way forward in developing an integrated global learning program. At the foundation, there must be a willingness to collaborate across academic and non-academic units to define what global learning will look like for their own students and a plan for intentionally integrating the global learning goals in and out of the classroom.

Conference focuses on integrating global learning within the curriculum | Inside Higher Ed