In this study I defined the global learning environment (GLE) as it appeared in the Global Seminar Project (GSP) to address the issues of change in higher education under the pressure of globalization. The combination of constructivist theory and a Biggs' (2003) deep learning concept provided a framework for answering the following research questions: (a)what project components make the course global? and (b)in what ways does the Global Seminar contribute to deep learning? For the purposes of this study, I used three forms of data collection, including in-depth, open-ended interviews of 20 GSP's instructors; 11 direct observations of the GSP classroom; and analysis of GSP's written documents and artifacts. I used the open-coding feature of ATLAS.ti software to analyze the interview data and identify the descriptive themes that emerged from the observations and documents. The interview analyses revealed that the GSP's global learning environment included five areas: (a) course structure and academic leadership/management; (b) stakeholder involvement; (c) institutional support; (d) course conducive content; and (e) teaching and learning practices. Within these five major areas I indicated four "global" categories of the learning environment established in the course: innovative, international, interactive, supported by the culture of mutual learning. Evidence of deep learning included observed development of students' generic metacompetencies, identified components of instructors' teaching quality, and recognized value of the relationships among course participants. The research findings brought about two co-dependent understandings of the GLE as a conceptual phenomenon and a practical model. As a conceptual phenomenon, the GLE can be defined as a specific property of an educational structure that occurs when teachers and students are engaged in innovative experiences with the purpose of acquiring understanding of complex global-scale issues by means of cross-cultural interactions and on the basis of mutual learning. Applied to an educational practice, this understanding of the GLE forms a constructive and participatory model that provides possibilities for transforming higher education practices: shifting from mass-production knowledge to genuine quality education based on the values of teachers. These conclusive definitions open a dialogue regarding how the GLE can initiate meaningful changes in educational theory and practices. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between undergraduate student performance on an information literacy assessment activity and their performance in global learning assessment activities for three global learning outcomes: global awareness, global perspective, and global engagement. Global learning is the process whereby people from varied backgrounds collaboratively analyze and seek solutions for complex problems that go beyond borders. Important components of global learning are the acquisition, analysis and use of information, relating to complex problems which may include, but are not limited to, poverty, environmental protection and food security. These components of global learning are analogous to information literacy, which represents skills that students apply to recognize, access, evaluate, and use information for decision making. Students enrolled in global learning courses, at Florida International University, participated in this investigation during the fall of 2016. Data from an 18-question information literacy assessment survey, and results of three global learning assessment activities were collected. Instructors teaching the global learning courses scored the global learning assessment activities. Information literacy and global learning data for 43 students were analyzed using multiple regression correlation methods. Research findings indicate no significant relationship between information literacy and the three global learning outcomes: global awareness, perspective and engagement. Descriptive data analysis show that over 79% (n=34) of participants reported having never received information literacy instruction from a librarian. Curricular implications include exploring opportunities for exposing students in global learning courses to information literacy processes either by adding information literacy to the general education core curriculum or by integrating information literacy into these courses. Recommendations for future research include replicating this study with a larger sample of students and conducting a study involving an information literacy intervention with pre- and post-test components.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction / Thomas Vontz / Motivated by a critical theory of place, this qualitative study sought to explore the experiences of participants in a single embedded case of the Global Opportunities office at Susquehanna University. Through in-depth interviews, document analysis, and participant observation, a thorough exploration of the case was completed over a two year period. This case study explored how 15 students, faculty, and administrators in global learning programs describe their experience across immersive locations—inclusive of locations classified as domestic and international. By using a critical case study methodological framework, this work was framed by equal access to important global learning outcomes by all students—regardless of ability to pay. Global learning programs, traditionally abroad, can be a transformational experience for students able to participate—a steady 2% of university students over the previous few decades (Twombly, Salisbury, Tumanut, & Klute, 2012). As a result, 98% of American university students are not going abroad during their undergraduate experience in an academic context, most not at all. This study explored immersive programs not traditionally thought of as cross-cultural, many considered domestic experiences. Through rigorous qualitative analysis, the data in this study resulted in three themes: i. The domestic/international distinction is insufficient. ii. Civic identity is more salient in domestic and liminal experiences. iii. Location is not enough. Curriculum is essential. Implications of this work could be of interest to students in cross-cultural programs, teaching faculty and staff, student program providers of a variety of types, and university administrators of immersive experiences. Ultimately, this study sought to explore possibilities to broaden access to global learning experiences for all students.

Higher education institutions across the United States have developed global learning initiatives to support student achievement of global awareness and global perspective, but assessment options for these outcomes are extremely limited. A review of research for a global learning initiative at a large, Hispanic-serving, urban, public, research university in South Florida found a lack of instruments designed to measure global awareness and global perspective in the context of an authentic performance assessment. This quasi-experimental study explored the development of two rubrics for the global learning initiative and the extent to which evidence supported the rubrics’ validity and reliability. One holistic rubric was developed to measure students’ global awareness and the second to measure their global perspective. The study utilized a pretest/posttest nonequivalent group design. Multiple linear regression was used to ascertain the rubrics’ ability to discern and compare average learning gains of undergraduate students enrolled in two global learning courses and students enrolled in two non-global learning courses. Parallel pretest/posttest forms of the performance task required students to respond to two open-ended questions, aligned with the learning outcomes, concerning a complex case narrative. Trained faculty raters read responses and used the rubrics to measure students’ global awareness and perspective. Reliability was tested by calculating the rates of agreement among raters. Evidence supported the finding that the global awareness and global perspective rubrics yielded scores that were highly reliable measures of students’ development of these learning outcomes. Chi-square tests of frequency found significant rates of inter-rater agreement exceeding the study’s .80 minimum requirement. Evidence also supported the finding that the rubrics yielded scores that were valid measures of students’ global awareness and global perspective. Regression analyses found little evidence of main effects; however, post hoc analyses revealed a significant interaction between global awareness pretest scores and the treatment, the global learning course. Significant interaction was also found between global perspective pretest scores and the treatment. These crossover interactions supported the finding that the global awareness and global perspective rubrics could be used to detect learning differences between the treatment and control groups as well as differences within the treatment group.

This thesis is organized in three different parts. In the first part Ericsson’s methods fordeveloping and deploying the existing knowledge are analyzed. In the second part we analyzethe competence build-up for consultants within a technical domain that is constantly evolving.The third part is an evaluation, on an overview level, of a new organizational concept thatEricsson launched. The concept is a way to globally manage knowledge and competencewithin different technical domains. The concept is called Global Competence Center.The method applied was interviews, as a first step to learn about the subject and also forourselves to get to know the organization in which we conducted our research. Interviewswere also used in order to answer our research questions. The employees gave their view onwhat makes learning more efficient. Examples are hands-on, reality based and problemoriented tasks. This was combined with studies of literature and our own experiences oflearning.Our study shows that a combination of different methods for developing and deployingknowledge and building competence seems to be most suitable. This is based on theinterviewees’ experiences and the principles of a theory about adult learning called andragogy.From the interviews, we also received suggestions about work improvements for theconsultants’ work roles. A competence program was developed for the building ofcompetence amongst consultants. The program uses case studies and mentorship as two of themethods, which both apply to the theory of andragogy. / Den här rapporten är uppdelad i tre olika delar. I den första delen analyseras Ericssonsmetoder för att utveckla och sprida existerande kunskap. I den andra delen analyserar vikompetensuppbyggnaden för konsulter inom en teknisk domän som ständigt förändras. Dentredje delen är en utvärdering, på en översiktlig nivå, av ett nytt organisatoriskt koncept somEricsson har startat. Konceptet är ett sätt att hantera kunskap och kompetens inom olikatekniska domäner. Konceptet kallas för Global Competence Center.Metoden vi använde var intervjuer, som ett första steg för att lära oss ämnet men också för attlära oss organisationen som vi utförde vår studie i. Intervjuer användes också för att kunnabesvara våra frågeställningar. De anställda gav sin syn på vad som gör lärande mer effektivt.Exempel är hands-on, verklighetsbaserade och problembaserade uppgifter. Arbetetkombinerades med litteraturstudier och våra egna erfarenheter av lärande.Vår studie visar att en kombination av olika metoder, för att utveckla och sprida kunskap ochbygga kompetens, verkar vara mest lämplig. Detta är baserat på de intervjuades erfarenheteroch principerna av en teori om vuxnas lärande, kallad andragogik. Från intervjuerna fick viockså förslag på förbättringar för konsulternas arbetsroller. Ett kompetensprogramutvecklades för att bygga kompetens bland konsulter. Programmet använder case-studier ochmentorskap som två av metoderna, vilka båda drar nytta av hur teorierna om andragogiktillämpas.

Den här rapporten är uppdelad i tre olika delar. I den första delen analyseras Ericssonsmetoder för att utveckla och sprida existerande kunskap. I den andra delen analyserar vikompetensuppbyggnaden för konsulter inom en teknisk domän som ständigt förändras. Dentredje delen är en utvärdering, på en översiktlig nivå, av ett nytt organisatoriskt koncept somEricsson har startat. Konceptet är ett sätt att hantera kunskap och kompetens inom olikatekniska domäner. Konceptet kallas för Global Competence Center.Metoden vi använde var intervjuer, som ett första steg för att lära oss ämnet men också för attlära oss organisationen som vi utförde vår studie i. Intervjuer användes också för att kunnabesvara våra frågeställningar. De anställda gav sin syn på vad som gör lärande mer effektivt.Exempel är hands-on, verklighetsbaserade och problembaserade uppgifter. Arbetetkombinerades med litteraturstudier och våra egna erfarenheter av lärande.Vår studie visar att en kombination av olika metoder, för att utveckla och sprida kunskap ochbygga kompetens, verkar vara mest lämplig. Detta är baserat på de intervjuades erfarenheteroch principerna av en teori om vuxnas lärande, kallad andragogik. Från intervjuerna fick viockså förslag på förbättringar för konsulternas arbetsroller. Ett kompetensprogramutvecklades för att bygga kompetens bland konsulter. Programmet använder case-studier ochmentorskap som två av metoderna, vilka båda drar nytta av hur teorierna om andragogiktillämpas. / This thesis is organized in three different parts. In the first part Ericsson’s methods fordeveloping and deploying the existing knowledge are analyzed. In the second part we analyzethe competence build-up for consultants within a technical domain that is constantly evolving.The third part is an evaluation, on an overview level, of a new organizational concept thatEricsson launched. The concept is a way to globally manage knowledge and competencewithin different technical domains. The concept is called Global Competence Center.The method applied was interviews, as a first step to learn about the subject and also forourselves to get to know the organization in which we conducted our research. Interviewswere also used in order to answer our research questions. The employees gave their view onwhat makes learning more efficient. Examples are hands-on, reality based and problemoriented tasks. This was combined with studies of literature and our own experiences oflearning.Our study shows that a combination of different methods for developing and deployingknowledge and building competence seems to be most suitable. This is based on theinterviewees’ experiences and the principles of a theory about adult learning called andragogy.From the interviews, we also received suggestions about work improvements for theconsultants’ work roles. A competence program was developed for the building ofcompetence amongst consultants. The program uses case studies and mentorship as two of themethods, which both apply to the theory of andragogy.

In this case study, The King and Baxter Magolda (2005) Intercultural Maturity Model was utilized as the explanatory framework for the development of intercultural maturity in a globally networked learning environment (GNLE) with college students. Through ethnographic data collection strategies and qualitative analysis of interviews, observations, narrative inquiry, and student artifacts, I explored the developmental stages of the intercultural maturity of study participants in a GNLE with college students from three international universities in South Africa, Europe, and the United States. I sought to determine if any relationship existed between the development of intercultural maturity and the study of jazz. This research inquiry represented a distinct opportunity to examine if student activities in jazz subjects might ground new theories for the attainment of intercultural maturity. A globally networked classroom of jazz students presented a salient opportunity to observe if interactant traits could mature, instigated through jazz curricula, and whether such a model had explanatory potential in a web-based context. The findings were instructive for considerations comparative to traditional developmental models of intercultural maturity, with a particular focus on the efficacy of asynchronous and synchronous student interactions within the activities. The context of a GNLE, an interesting alternative to study abroad when considered as a teaching and learning paradigm instead of just a technology modality, facilitated rich descriptions and data to gauge students’ demonstration of the domains of the King and Baxter Magolda (2005) Intercultural Maturity Model. Adding jazz curricula and pedagogy to the GNLE environment, situated between cohorts geographically apart, allowed for a reimagining of the King and Baxter Magolda Intercultural Maturity Model to A Jazz Orientation of the Three-Dimensional Developmental Trajectory of the Intercultural Maturity Model.

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This case study addresses gaps in the global learning, transformational learning, and professional development literature. Research is lacking on the questions of if and how university faculty members view global learning curricula as transformational learning as a result of professional development and how this transformational learning applies to their teaching of global learning curricula. This study’s purpose is to explore whether university faculty members who have attended global learning professional development workshops perceive global learning as transformational learning and if they do, how they see global learning as transformational, and how this transformational learning informs their teaching. Research questions were answered by using a survey and interview guide developed by the researcher. All faculty members at FIU who have attended a global learning professional development workshop were invited to take the survey to identify faculty members who have had a transformational learning experience related to global learning. Thematic analysis of the survey and interview questions helped describe how faculty members perceived global learning as transformational learning and how faculty members applied this transformational learning to their teaching of global learning curricula. The study found that many university faculty members who have attended a global learning professional development workshop report a resulting transformational learning experience. These university faculty members perceive global learning as individual and collective opportunities and challenges. They apply this transformation to their teaching of global learning curricula through conceptual and individual instructional changes that facilitate and inform systematic awareness and systematic change. This study is significant because how a global learning curricula is viewed by a faculty member affects how it manifests in the curricula, how it is taught, and what students glean from it. How FIU explores this topic could be adopted by other institutions. This study also builds on the work of Dr. Jack Mezirow in transformational learning.

Die zunehmend komplexer werdende Welt und die mit dem Klimawandel einhergehenden Problemlagen erfordern ein komplexes Verständnis für ein aktives Handeln. Die Schule als Bildungsinstitution trägt daher eine besondere Verantwortung, an der Lernende neben dem Wissenserwerb Selbstwirksamkeit erfahren können. Zugrunde liegen bildungstheoretische Ansätze der Kulturhistorischen Schule, die auf die Sinnbildung abzielen. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Staatsexamensarbeit ist es, zu klären, durch welche Faktoren Lernende Sinn in einer Tätigkeit während des Lernprozesses erkennen. Dazu wird die folgende Forschungsfrage gestellt: Inwiefern ermöglichen digital gestützte Projektumgebungen Sinnbildungsprozesse bei Lernenden? Zur Beantwortung wurde ein mehrtägiges projekt- und gruppenbasiertes, sowie digital gestütztes Unterrichtskonzept zum Thema ‚Globales Lernen‘ entwickelt und mit 24 Schüler*innen einer zehnten Klasse an einer Oberschule in Sachsen durchgeführt. Als Methodik wurde eine Einzelfallanalyse gewählt. Einerseits dienten Fragebögen mit Freitextfragen vor und nach dem Projekt und andererseits Protokolle mit teilnehmender Beobachtung als Datengrundlage. Die Auswertung erfolgte über eine Inhaltsanalyse. Ein allgemeingültiges Ergebnis konnte nicht festgestellt werden. Die Lernenden haben nicht primär durch die nutzbaren digitalen Anwendungen Sinn in der Lerntätigkeit erfahren, vielmehr konnten vielschichtige förderliche Faktoren, wie Kooperation, eine positive Lernumgebung, Anleitung durch Lehrende und adäquates Vorwissen der Lernenden festgestellt werden. / The world is becoming increasingly complex, and climate change presents significant challenges that require a nuanced understanding to take effective action. As educational institutions, schools have a unique responsibility to not only impart knowledge but also to foster self-efficacy in learners. This is in line with the educational theory of the cultural-historical school, which seeks to create meaning. The purpose of this state examination thesis is to investigate the factors that contribute to learners' recognition of meaning during the learning process. The research question posed is: To what extent do digitally supported project environments facilitate meaning-making processes in learners? A multi-day project and group-based, digitally supported teaching concept on the topic of 'global learning' was developed and implemented with 24 pupils in tenth grade at a secondary school in Saxony. The methodology chosen was an individual case analysis, using questionnaires with free text questions before and after the project, as well as protocols with participant observation. The evaluation was conducted using content analysis. A definitive conclusion could not be reached. The learners did not primarily derive meaning from their learning activities through the use of digital applications. Instead, several contributing factors were identified, including cooperation, a positive learning environment, guidance from teachers, and a positive learning experience.