The goal of this program is to support the connection of two college classes, one from a U.S.-based campus with one from a non-U.S. campus in a way that enriches both courses with an international perspective.
Global Course Connections “connects” a course in one country to a similar course in another country, providing the courses with a multicultural dimension they would not otherwise have. The courses can be tightly coupled, working from a common syllabus with common readings and assignments, or they can be loosely coupled connecting at a set of strategic points in the course where a multicultural perspective would provide the greatest impact. The course could be new or an adaption of an existing course. Connected courses need not be from the same discipline; what matters is that they provide different perspectives on one or more aspects of a theme present in both courses. The instructors collaborate in the design of the course (common readings, viewings, and assignments; co-created lectures, and so on), and students and instructors collaborate in its execution (shared lectures, guest lectures, joint student projects, joint student presentations, and so on).
Courses can use synchronous communication (e.g., shared class sessions, student-student Skype sessions) or asynchronous communication (e.g., through email, forums in a learning management system, Dropbox, Google Drive, or Facebook Group sites). Planned classroom interactions as well as the unplanned, informal exchanges that occur make a difference in how students think about parts of the world that are very different from their own. This can be especially powerful when it leads to insights that challenge the perceptions students develop through movies and television.
A starting point for faculty considering offering a Globally Connected Course is to look at the Faculty Guide developed for this program. A next step is to complete the Global Course Connections Information Table (available in the Faculty Guide for the Global Course Connections PDF), which will give faculty considering connecting their courses insights into logistical issues that need to be considered.
A Faculty Guide for the Global Course Connections (PDF) is available to help faculty plan their courses. This information also will be useful in preparing a proposal. A complete proposal includes the following:
1. the narrative should be no longer than two pages and should address:
2. The theme around which the courses will be developed; this also should make clear the global dimension(s) that will be included in the courses
3. Projected student learning outcomes and learning goals
4. The colleges involved
5. The disciplines involved
6. The courses that will be taught and when they will be offered on each campus
7. A preliminary description of the collaboration to be pursued: that is, the materials that will be collaboratively developed and the nature of the collaboration that will occur during the course.
Questions about the program should be directed to Simon Gray, Global Alliance Program Officer (gray@glca.org).
Each GLCA campus ALSO has an Alliance liaison with responsibility for coordinating the campus’ Alliance efforts and communicating with the Global Alliance Program Officer. the Kenyon Alliance liaison is Irene López.
Global Course Connection faculty are invited to attend a workshop during which they learn about technology issues and work with their course partner on planning.
For more information, contact Simon Gray, Program Officer for the Global Alliance.