Faculty of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies

Course Description

Global citizenship is the umbrella term for social, political, environmental, and economic actions of globally minded individuals.  Globally minded individuals are able to understand and actively engage with the world for the purpose of creating just and sustainable communities.  From the perspective of education, an educator with a global mindset is able to nurture respect and build classrooms communities that are more peaceful, tolerant, and inclusive.  Unfortunately, our local contexts and mandates become roadblocks and gatekeepers of global mindsets.  As such, intercultural competencies are seldom explored and developed. As a response to the need to develop intercultural competencies and a global mindset, the Department of Childhood- and School Pedagogy at Justus Liebig University (JLU) in Giessen, Germany, and the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Milwaukee-Wisconsin have partnered to offer a summer virtual exchange course. 

This seven-week virtual exchange includes a series of synchronous and asynchronous collaborative opportunities and lectures. Lectures will be taught by faculty and staff from both JLU and UWM and will cover topics such as intercultural communication, inclusion, and diversity.

Online Tool for Teaching

BigBlueButton, Ilias, Stud.IP

Language of Instruction

English

Target Group

Bachelor

Prerequisites

Englisch, (optional German B1)

ECTS

3

Course Description

Due to increasing migration and globalization processes, dealing with (cultural) heterogeneity and preparing for it is a central challenge of primary school teacher education. Intercultural perspectives and international experiences are essential for the professionalization of future (primary school) teachers. VIEW (= Virtual intercultural exchange worldwide) as a digital project-seminar focuses on intercultural perspectives and exchange. There will be a fixed group of international and JLU students. The group will be divided into fixed tandems or small groups of international and JLU students.
The seminar will focus on 3 content modules (topics: M1: Transition to primary school; M2: Inclusion; M3: free topics, choosen by student tandems or groups). Each module will be designed by a flipped classroom-model: In the first module session students get theoretical input via a digital learning environment (e.g. videos, texts…). In the second session the tandems or groups meet virtually and work on a task together. The last session focuses on a joint discussion about the module topic and the students’ experience. Beyond the formal exchange there will be compulsory wrap-up sessions for informal exchange.
Accompanying to the seminar, students will create an e-portfolio to document learning content as well as their personal experiences and reflections. Assessment will focus on the presentations of the tandem-work and on essays.

Online Tool for Teaching

BigBlueButton, Ilias, Stud.IP

Language of Instruction

English

Target Group

Bachelor

Prerequisites

Englisch, (optional German B1)

ECTS

3