Cultivating a global collaborative classroom experience: An international exploration of homelessness

Catherine Tompkins,Rick Reo,Emily Ihara,Stephanie Hazel,Richena Purnell-Sayle

doi:10.13021/g8r887

Abstract

The main collaborative student project compares and contrasts different aspects of homelessness both in Fairfax and in New Delhi, using Photovoice as the research methodology. Forty-four Mason students enrolled in SOCW 472 RS, Integrative Methods in Social Action and Social Change, and forty Jamia students enrolled in MSW-SII-09 Social Work Research, collaborate together in a primarily asynchronous environment with the opportunity of participating in three synchronous sessions. The Mason/Jamia team created small online groups of two Mason students and two Jamia students in order to facilitate these personal interactions and provided the PB Works and Blackboard platforms as communication tools. As part of the process, students were able to incorporate their favorite communication technologies including Facebook and WhatsApp. In addition to reaching the student outcomes and course objectives, the course design of this GCC involved intensive work and partnership between the Office of Global Strategy, IT Learning Support Services, Instructional Assessment and the classroom faculty. Lessons learned and best practices will be presented.

Highlights

The main collaborative student project compares and contrasts different aspects of homelessness both in Fairfax and in New Delhi, using Photovoice as the research methodology
Forty-four Mason students enrolled in SOCW 472 RS, Integrative Methods in Social Action and Social Change, and forty Jamia students enrolled in MSW-SII-09 Social Work Research, and collaborated together in a primarily asynchronous environment with the opportunity of participating in three synchronous sessions
The Center for Global Studies, in partnership with the Center for Faculty and Teaching Excellence, the Office of Distance Education, and Learning Support Services, funded two rounds of projects from Mason faculty who were interested in organizing a Global Collaborative Classroom (GCC)

Summary

Introduction

The main collaborative student project compares and contrasts different aspects of homelessness both in Fairfax and in New Delhi, using Photovoice as the research methodology. The Center for Global Studies, in partnership with the Center for Faculty and Teaching Excellence, the Office of Distance Education, and Learning Support Services, funded two rounds of projects from Mason faculty who were interested in organizing a Global Collaborative Classroom (GCC). This initiative aimed to support collaborative learning between classrooms in Mason and in universities outside the United States by connecting courses (undergraduate and graduate), through the use of online interactive technologies, with a view to enhancing the global engagement and professional experience of the instructors, and the global engagement and learning outcomes for the students. Required components of a GCC course include: Faculty driven courses (at least six weeks of a course) that will be team taught by a Mason faculty member and a faculty member from a partner institution; created from existing courses; revenue neutral between institutions; students enrolled and receive grades from their respective institutions; courses include Mason’s three Global Learning Understanding Outcomes tied to collaborative activities; partnership with a Mason instructional designer

Methods

Results

Conclusion