This Is Auburn Office of International Programs Service to the World
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The Traditional Classroom

 

A stack of books
International Textbooks
Internet assignments across countries and cultures

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International lecture content
Textbooks, writing, documents, newspapers, and images
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Curricular redesign
incorporating global learning outcomes

International cases
problems and examples

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International courses
that may lead to or include an embedded study abroad program

 

 

 

 

 

Success Stories of The Traditional Classroom

Global Learning Outcomes

Including global learning outcomes in a course syllabus indicates to students the importance of the international topics covered in the course. Examples include:

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INTL 3930, Directed International Study

  1. Students will understand monetary exchange and be able to calculate costs of common items in foreign and US currency.
  2. Students will understand and be able to practice common interpersonal interaction within a different culture, understanding large and subtle differences.
  3. Students will be able to describe the social, physical, and economic components of a modern non-US culture and how its development impacts components of social, physical, and economic sustainability.
  4. Students will be able to describe the history and governmental structure of a foreign country and compare it to the US.

FLGC 1150, Global Fluency and Awareness
Through cross-cultural comparison, each student will:

  1. Develop a broad understanding and appreciation of global diversity, while developing an understanding for his/her own culture.
  2. Value the relationship between culture and language.
  3. Recognize and evaluate the "do’s and don’ts" in diverse parts of the world, in professional and personal realms.
  4. Demonstrate ability to work in pairs and teams, within and outside campus.
  5. Demonstrate critical thinking skills developed through a variety of reading, writing, film screening and case study assignments.
  6. Analyze how global communication systems transform, connect and express the lifestyles of diverse communities.
  7. Demonstrate application of knowledge to practical multicultural scenarios in their professional and personal future.

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International Courses

NURS 4240, Cultural Expeditions in Health Care – Kathy Jo Ellison, DSN, RN, CIP

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A hands-on course experience with different aspects of culture including an overnight stay in a replica of a developing global village. The course seeks to:

  1. Explore cross-cultural communication as the foundation for the provision of culturally competent health care.
  2. Identify bio-cultural variations in health and illness for individuals, families and groups from diverse cultures.
  3. Describe the major cultural belief systems of people from diverse cultures.
  4. Critically analyze the cultural origins of conflict in the health care workforce.

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International Course Materials and Activities

Daniel Butler, Assistant Dean for International Programs, Harbert College of Business

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"The most efficient way to internationalize any curriculum is to make it real and relevant to students," Danny said. Professors need to find a link to a student’s everyday life and the world around them. Danny has found that demonstrating to students that they are actively engaged in the global environment every day is helpful. Most students do not realize how engaged they are. Some of the activities Danny uses in his own classes include:

Labels

Each student looks at the label in back of the shirt or garment of the person next to her/him (shoes if they prefer). Everyone stands up, if the class is in person. Asking each student, the country of origin of the garment, everyone with that country sits down. If made in the US, they remain standing. Rarely will there be more than 5 percent of the entire class that has a garment or shoes made in the United States. RARELY!

Almost every person has imported, indirectly, a product made by someone outside the US.

Current Events

Students are required to look up news for a city outside the United States, then share in class what is happening abroad on any topic from weather to politics to health care to sports and beyond.

Products

Follow a product like chocolate from the farm offshore to the store. Look at where beers, wines, spirits come from, why? How are they made? Who grows, processes, works in the factory? How big are the cities where they are located, population, density, wage rate, types of roads, types of transportation, etc. to move from one location to another. What components are used in the brewing, packaging, moving.

Services

Look at any service company in the U.S. Then look up that same service in another country. Compare and contrast. Jobs, salaries and cost of living.

Look up cost of living in a U.S. city. Compare that with the cost of living in a city outside the U.S. Students must talk about what factors (economic, culture, geographic, education, population density, etc.) impact salaries and the cost of living in an area.

Geographic

Ask students to compare the land mass / geographic factors, crops, diets of the population, locations with that of U.S. with external countries.

Company and Country Issues

Have students read BBC World Service Online. Have students share what they learn about any company or economic event mentioned on the main page. This opens up the world every day. Alternative is to read / review the Economist. It covers everything that hits on the international environment.

Last Updated: March 21, 2022