Globalizing the Curriculum Tim Wedig, PhD Interim Director LAS Global Studies

Agenda Commercial for Global Studies Connecting to globalization/Globalization™ Identifying priorities as educators Designing a globalized curriculum Making global connections real

About LAS Global Studies Global Studies (International Studies) Interdisciplinary focus Topics of study are global/national/local Emphasis on interconnection Individualized plan of study Structure of the undergraduate program ~250 majors, ~30 minors 2 full-time Lecturers, 1 full-time Academic Advisor, Associate Director, half-time Director, Graduate TAs from core units Core units are ANTH, ECON, GEOG, HIST, PS, SOC Advanced language courses and a semester abroad are required Optional capstones, Distinction projects, Certificates in Development and Global Health, Minor in Global Markets and Society

Philosophically Speaking… The call to globalize the curriculum can be seen as a response to globalization more generally: Interconnection and increased interactions with people, trade, culture, and everything that this entails We want our students to be prepared for this globalized future But what is globalization? What is globalized, what is not?

Globalization is NOT a Given Migration, financial integration and trade openness, 1880-1996 (indexed to 1900 = 100) – Cambridge Economic History Vol. 2

What Does Globalization Mean? What is globalization not? The world is distinctly NOT flat, as Globalization™ fans insist It is neither equal nor inclusive What is globalization, really? Process? Era? Collaboration or conflict? Tools? Social structures? Governance? Economics? Winners and losers? Interconnection of people? Does virtual count? And yet: Over 95% of all people live their lives in their country of birth Majority of Americans live their lives less than 20 miles from their parents and hometowns Globalization in all of its forms is contested terrain

Globalization and the Curriculum Given what we know, what do we seek to accomplish as educators? I would suggest, from basic to complex: Educate our students in our disciplines Prepare students with skills and knowledge relevant to their future career paths Create globally-conscious citizens Empower students to participate in the process of globalization itself And the framing question: Should we prepare students for Globalization™ or should we prepare them for all possible globalizations?

Strategies to Globalize the Curriculum Framing the world as a single unit, with multiple constituent units Identifying inward and outward connections Portability of knowledge Applied/Experiential learning

Framing the World as a Single Unit Students see schools, cities, state, countries as single units – but often struggle to comprehend the whole world as one unit of analysis Multiple case examples across locations and fields tied to your topics Ebola crisis

Identifying Inward and Outward Connections Let students see their own choices and actions impacting global events Systemic thinking focused on interconnections Coltan and the Playstation war

Portability of Knowledge Teach not just for today, but also for tomorrow to create lifelong learners with skills that are always in demand Project-based learning GLBL 100 Comparative Analysis

Applied/Experiential Learning Give students opportunities to apply their knowledge in active ways Emphasizing skill development within curriculum Simulation – Negotiating Humanitarian Aid: Stand-off in Haiti

Connecting Global and Local Beyond the classroom – campus and community opportunities Student groups and organizations Classroom partnerships Campus initiatives Internships and service learning

Wrapping Up Globalization is not set in stone, but is permanently contested – change is the only constant We should seek to prepare students to succeed under any potential conditions The global is not “over there” but all around us in the communities in which we lead our daily lives, look for ways to connect that to your lessons We are all active participants in the global community, students can influence the world by daily actions in their own community

Contact Timothy Wedig, Ph.D. Interim Director, LAS Global Studies University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 616 East Green St., Suite 201, MC-380 Champaign, IL 61820   t: (217) 333-0178 e: twedig@illinois.edu w: http://www.globalstudies.illinois.edu/