Effects of an International Undergraduate Honors Course on Awareness of Global Justice

Ingrid Schutte,Wiel Veugelers,Marca Wolfensberger,Elanor Kamans

doi:10.3390/educsci8020082

Ingrid Schutte, Wiel Veugelers + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8020082

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Abstract

How can undergraduate students be prepared for global citizenship? This question was investigated in a mixed-methods case study of an international, blended one-semester course. Undergraduate honors students (N = 22) from the USA and the Netherlands collaborated to explore what it means to be a member of the global community. Curriculum guidelines from the social justice oriented education for global citizenship were used to analyze the course’s program and focus the case study. The research questions were as follows: 1. How did the course relate to the curriculum guidelines? 2. What and how did students learn from the course? Analyses of the program showed that the course partly reflects the social justice oriented global citizenship education, in particular by addressing intercultural sensitivity and experiential learning. Quantitative measures in a pre-post design with control groups (N = 40) showed some growth in ethical sensitivity and social awareness. Qualitative measures indicated that participants developed a broader view on society and demonstrated a more open and active attitude towards others after the course. Experiential learning was considered a powerful aspect of the pedagogical approach. The results are discussed in relation to a developmental process whereby students gain awareness of global justice issues.

Highlights

Appeals to provide civic education and develop societal commitment in higher education have been made in many parts of the global North [1,2,3]
The second module, “The complexity of globalization”, examined what it means to be a member of the global community, depending on the group to which one belongs and where one lives in the world
The main question of this module was: How does migration affect people’s lives? The second module examined what it means to be a member of the global community, depending on the group to which one belongs and one’s place of residence

Summary

Introduction

Appeals to provide civic education and develop societal commitment in higher education have been made in many parts of the global North [1,2,3]. Preparing students for their future role in society and giving them opportunities to reflect on who they want to be may make them citizens who are socially concerned and engaged (i.e., effective citizens in a diverse democracy) [1]. Their engagement is imperative, given the severity of global issues, such as climate change, racism, and poverty. Few studies have looked into the effects on undergraduates or what works for which students [5]. The present study illustrates how undergraduate honors students can be prepared for global citizenship. The two universities used this opportunity to set up a parallel research project on how such a course would foster students’

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