University of Wisconsin Superior, U.S.A. Dr. Lynn Amerman Goerdt, Assistant Professor Social Work Social Development 2012 Stockholm, Sweden July 11, 2012

Goals  Share insights gained into use of Skype for exchanges  Share potential impact of pedagogy Background  Facilitated various virtual exchanges for 5 years  Exchanges have been with German colleague and her students

 Internationalizing higher education  A perspective or program that infuses international content into a curriculum  An institutional process  Expanding critical lens of social work education  Decenter and broaden policy perspective as way to address domestic challenges  Broadening professional competence

Poverty and Food Security Educational Disparities Health Outcome Disparities Example U.S. Domestic Issues

Semi- transitive consciousness Naive transitive consciousness Critical consciousness

 All students are studying social work and social welfare policy  Dialogues were strongly encouraged but not mandatory  Prior content was researched and shared  In case study each student created handout on policies to support young children & their families  Handouts were ed approximately 1 week prior to dialogue  In previous dialogues have had less or more content shared

German Participants United States Participants

 17 participants (13 German, 4 United States) – representing approx. ½ of invited students  Shared content prepared by all students & sent prior to the dialogue  Policies to ensure well-being of young children  55-minute exchange  Conducted in English

Planned topics:  Economic assistance  Child support  Family leave  Abortion  Preschool  Childcare Additional topics:  Religion and politics  Social security  Prostitution  Childcare  Homelessness  College tuition

Continuum of Critical Consciousness Development German participants U.S. participants SOCIOPOLITICAL CONTEXT Semi-transitive consciousness Naïve transitive consciousness Critical consciousness Awareness of self or one’s group in relation to others Curiosity for learning with the ability to be self critical Critical thinking regarding socio-political reality Awareness of self or one’s group in relation to others Curiosity for learning with the ability to be self critical Critical thinking regarding socio-political reality Movement of Student Groups along Critical Consciousness Continuum Constructed from (Freire, 1974, 1998)

Interpersonal Connections Various levels of participation Shared content balanced with room for unstructured dialogue Mirror phenomenon Language accessibility Opportunity for reflection and deliberation Ease of access Two countries not often used for sociopolitical comparisons Collaboration format

 Reduce the formality to increase the risk students are willing to take.  Facilitate less so there is more opportunity for students to share and ask each other questions.  Ensure that there is a reciprocal benefit to balance import and export of wisdom.  Use technology that is familiar to instructors and accessible to students to increase potential future use.

Conclusion Internationalized educational pedagogy that is accessible to all students Social workers with heightened critical consciousness Social works as leaders of social welfare innovation Imagine

Lynn Amerman Goerdt, Ed. D., MSW, LGSW Assistant Professor, Social Work Program University of Wisconsin, Superior Superior, Wisconsin Phone: Cell: Skype:lgoerdt