Diversity/Global Learning

"Ours is a world of 24-hour news cycles, global markers, and high-speed internet. We need to look no further than our morning paper to see that our future, and the future of our children, is inextricably linked to the complex challenges of the global community. And for our children to be prepared to take their place in that world and rise to those challenges, they must first understand it" (US Secretary of Education, 2003).

What is diversity and global learning?

Many colleges and universities now emphasize courses and programs that help students explore cultures, life experiences, and worldviews different from their own. These studies—which may address U.S. diversity, world cultures, or both—often explore “difficult differences” such as racial, ethnic, and gender inequality, or continuing struggles around the globe for human rights, freedom, and power. Frequently, intercultural studies are augmented by experiential learning in the community and/or by study abroad. (Definition from AAC&U LEAP, 2008).

For resources on one example of global learning, study abroad, visit the Texas A&M Study Abroad Programs Office.

What are the student learning goals of diversity/ global learning?

Listed below are the student learning goals of diversity and global learning (according to the AAC&U presentation by Teraguchi and McTighe, 2004):

• • Understanding diverse cultures

  • Developing intercultural skills

  • Understanding global processes

  • Preparing for citizenship, both local and global

When students interact with people from different cultures and are exposed to global learning, there are many positive implications including their increased ability to function as citizens in a globalized world. Following is a table of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes/ values of global citizens (Gibson, Rimmington, & Landwehr-Brown, 2008).