Global citizenship will include learning goals and objectives that target students’ knowledge, skills and dispositions. The key elements on pp. 8-9 form a valuable resource to guide the creation of goals and objectives that foster global citizenship. 3 In
a
co-taught
course
in
the
Resources,
Management and Environmental Studies program
to 20 graduate students, the instructor explains
that students come from a wide variety of
backgrounds, but with interests in resources and
the environment, from technical, social science or
anthropological perspectives. “The goal of the
course,
in
some
senses,
is
how
to
do
interdisciplinary and trans-academic research on
sustainability issues.” Within that goal, the
instructors have developed learning objectives for
the course that include:
In their own words Overarching concept Key elements of global citizenship (from pp. 8-9) Structuring large,
unstructured problems
Framing how a
student's disciplinary
background as well as
the particular context
will impact how the
student approaches a
problem
Working together as a
group
Translating complex
issues for multiple,
broad audiences
“It's a messy world out there, and
students have to be able to take those
problems and structure them. We give
them a case, we give them tons of material
to go through, and they have to make
sense of it.”
“We do this a few different ways. In the
case study, students are divided into three
groups. Each group receives the same
materials but with different cover letters
from different clients. One client is a large
environmental organization, another is a
national government agency, and another
a municipality. Students learn how not
only their academic background impacts
what they think is important to analyze
and how to analyze it, but also how who
their client is affects what they look at and
what they don't.”
Same as above
“Students take one of the projects they're
working on, and as individuals they have
to write an opinion piece that would be
appropriate for a major newspaper.”
Determine key elements in complex issues, problems and questions (Cognitive skill: critical thinking) • Identify tension and consonance in complex issues, problems and questions • Evaluate information/data from relevant sources • Associate perspectives and predicaments (Cognitive skills: critical and analytical thinking, and Dispositions: empathy and respect) All of the Participation skills, especially being an Active
