teaching

10 tools you need to teach a Global Studies class

October 8, 2016 / teaching /

For those of you who are about to teach an “Introduction to Global Studies” or “Introduction to International Studies class, here are some resources that will make teaching the class easier:

  1. A syllabus for a face to face class.
  2. An online syllabus for the introductory course.
  3. This map of U.S. security interests is popular with many instructors who want their students to explore how the U.S. government views the world. In the post, I describe a classroom exercise based on the map.
  4. Instructions for a chocolate tasting class activity.
  5. Instructions for a blog review with a rubric.
  6. Recommended Films and Documentaries for International Studies 101
  7. Learning outcomes for International and Global Studies students.
  8. A short definition of International and Global Studies. You can find a longer discussion of how to define International and Global Studies at this post. This post discusses the difference between International and Global Studies.
  9. A response paper assignment and rubric for an introductory class.
  10. A link to our textbook, which is a relatively inexpensive book and is now in its second edition. The book has an online instructor’s manual, with resources such as exam questions, chapter resources and activities. It’s also one of the most widely used textbooks in the field.

Lastly, you might want to bookmark this blog, for more teaching tips, resources, book reviews and syllabi.

Shawn Smallman, 2016

Have You Ever Thought About Teaching English Overseas?

September 30, 2016 / careers / , ,

Guest blog by Rosa David

If you have an undergraduate degree, are a native or native-like English speaker and have the desire to live abroad, there are countless opportunities to make this dream a reality. With the rise of globalization, English has become a lingua franca. The English language plays a leading role in international business, trade, academics and even is the language of the sky (aviation). Because of this growing need for English speakers, the prospect of teaching English is now better than ever. This article will highlight some possible teaching opportunities.

Many people who are thinking about teaching English overseas often choose to get some kind of teaching certification. Although it is not impossible to find a job as an English teacher without any kind of formal training, your chances of finding secure position with better benefits increases when you have some kind of English teaching certification. There are four certifications that you may consider: TESOL, TESL, TEFL and CELTA. These certificates range in cost, instruction, time commitment, location, curriculum, evaluation and job placement assistance. The British Council has written a nice article about the different certificate (http://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/tesol-tesl-tefl-or-celta-which-is-right-for-you/), though please take into account that the British Council offers the CELTA and therefore paints a better picture of the CELTA. Take the time to think about your personal investment and choose wisely.    …

Have You Ever Thought About Teaching English Overseas?Read More »

Teaching about the Arab World

August 11, 2016 / Arab World, teaching / , ,

After the first edition of our textbook was published in 2011, Kim Brown and I were surprised by how quickly world events required changes to some chapters. For example, when we wrote the first edition, the energy chapter had no mention of fracking. In the space of two years, fracking completely changed energy trends not only within the United States but also globally. In terms of regions, the area in which there has been the greatest change politically and socially over the last fifteen years has been the Arab World, particularly after the invasion of Iraq. The New York Times has a new article, “Fractured Lands: how the Arab World came Apart,” which represents long-form journalism at its best. The work puts the recent political turmoil in the region in a historical context, while using individuals’ stories to convey the experience of nations. It is the kind of writing that takes months of fieldwork to complete, and is all too rare in this age when print journalism is in decline. …

Teaching about the Arab WorldRead More »

The struggle to define Global Studies

June 24, 2017 / teaching /

I think that it’s helpful to have a succinct definition of Global Studies. I’ve discussed possible definitions before in this blog, but my thoughts have evolved with time. I’ve also tried to come up with an answer that’s a single sentence.: “Global Studies is the interdisciplinary exploration of global issues in a way that refers to globalization in all its forms, whether economic, political, cultural, digital or biological.”

I think that to study any major issue entails an interdisciplinary perspective, which is why I’ve placed that term at the forefront of the definition. I also think that it is helpful to use the term “global” rather than “international” for two reasons. First, anything that happens in another country can be conceived of as “international,” no matter how limited in scope. Second, what is distinct in our field is how it looks at processes at a global level, which entails some engagement or relevance beyond any single world region. This approach entails a broader perspective than that entailed by an issue that may cross only a single border.

Shawn Smallman, May 2016

 

GIF of Global Warming

May 12, 2016 / climate change / , ,

Like many people, I came across Edward Tufte’s book the Visual Display of Quantitative Information years ago and was fascinated with the charts and images that it contained. The graph that showed the diminishing size of the French army in Russia, matched against weather conditions, is terrifying in its simplicity. I do think that when people can see data, they can grasp abstract concepts that they might not have the time or patience to engage otherwise. For this reason, I love this new GIF by Ed Hawkins of the University of Reading, which shows the increase in global temperatures between 1850 and 1916. This might be a good tool to embed in a course shell during the “Environment” week of an “Introduction to International and Global Studies” course. On my version you will have to double-click the GIF to activate it; you can also view it here:

Ed Hawkins GIF of global temperatures through time.
Ed Hawkins GIF of global temperatures through time. Please double click to activate.

Global Maps

August 2, 2016 / teaching / ,

A recent article in the Washington Post titled “Six Maps that Will Make You Rethink the World,” has great maps of everything from the Arctic’s geography to global population distribution. I think that the map of what might happen in a world that is four degrees warmer is particularly intriguing. Based on the comments, some people viewing the maps viewed them as a critique of the current Westphalian global order; many people commented that language and religion still matter, and were upset that the maps did not sufficiently reflect this. The fact that many people had this response in itself indicates how maps matter to how people view the world.

Shawn Smallman, 2016

Syllabus for an online course on Digital Globalization

June 24, 2017 / cyber, teaching / , , ,

This winter quarter I taught a fully-online class on Digital Globalization, which I greatly enjoyed. I believe that Digital Globalization is a form of globalization that is every bit as powerful as economic, political and cultural globalization. Of course, it is also inextricably linked to all these other forms of globalization. It’s strange, therefore, that has remained largely invisible in the literature in the field.

One point that struck me from the class is that the media gives a great deal of attention to the question of surveillance by governments, but my students are every bit as concerned about surveillance by corporations such as Facebook. I had also assumed that my students would be digital natives. Many of them, however, felt a great digital gap between themselves and younger siblings, who spend a great deal of time on social media, such as Instagram and Snapchat. They appreciated the chance to learn about topics such as Bitcoin that they had heard about in the media, but knew little about. From my students, I learned that there was a Bitcoin ATM in Portland, as well as bars and apartment buildings that accepted Bitcoin.

A few notes about the syllabus that follows. The majority of the content, including almost all of the videos, were obtained from my library’s Streaming Video and Music database. For this reason, I haven’t included the links here, because they would only work for people with accounts at my university. As you can see, I’m also beginning to use modules for online courses. In this particular case, I began with two weeks focusing on the individual (social media, the generation gap, music and art); two weeks focusing on institutions and the economy (Uber, Airbnb, the sharing economy, Bitcoin, 3D printers); and two weeks focused on the nation-state level (surveillance, privacy, encryption). For the fourth module of the course, students do three weeks of independent study on of the topics that they’ve explored in the class, to answer a key question. The goal of this module is to develop learner agency.

The final week of the course content students share a digital artifact, which is typically a Google Slideshow. I’ve done this in previous online classes, and it’s always very popular with the students, who take a great deal of pride in their work. I like the assignment because it in a sense it creates a co-constructed syllabus, in which students are responsible for their own learning. Lastly, for multiple reasons I did not allow students to do any research for this course on the Dark Web; that is, they could not research in areas of the Web that they could only access via a TOR, ITP or Freenet browser.

Shawn Smallman, 2016 …

Syllabus for an online course on Digital GlobalizationRead More »

Rubric for a slideshow

August 2, 2016 / teaching / ,

This quarter I am teaching a fully online class on Digital Globalization. The final assignment in the class is a “digital artifact,” which for most students is a Google Slideshow. The work for this assignment is scaffolded through the class, and includes peer review. These slideshows are the only content for the final week of the course. I have done this before, and the assignment is very popular with students. My intent for the assignment is to develop learner autonomy, by making them responsible for the course content.

My teaching philosophy values explicit instruction, so I am a firm believer in rubrics, which help to convey clear expectations for assignments. Here is a rubric with content that I developed for this particular slideshow assignment. I have adapted the format of another rubric that a colleague shared with me, although I do not know who originally created this format, and so cannot give them credit. I like this format because it provides information based on a visual ranking, rather than assigning numbers.

Shawn Smallman, 2016. …

Rubric for a slideshowRead More »

Online Education and Refugees

August 2, 2016 / technology / ,

I love online teaching, which I believe not only promotes learner autonomy but also helps institutions to fulfill their access mission. Gordon Brown argues in a recent opinion piece that online technology also can be a key tool to allow people in conflict zones to receive education. Of course, this argument presupposes many things, such as participants’ access not only to technology, but even to electricity. It also perhaps assumes that it’s possible to take valuable but small projects and to scale them. Still, at a time when Middle Eastern governments are struggling to offer education to a huge population of Syrian refugees, Brown’s argument is intriguing.

Update: a student in my Digital Globalization recently read this article. They thought that it was hard to believe that there would wifi in the refugee camps, or that migrants would have ready access to mobile phones or tablets. They also thought that most refugees would have more pressing needs, such as access to food. In sum, there are reasons to be skeptical about this idea, until it can be demonstrated at some scale.

Shawn Smallman, 2016

The Top Posts in 2015

December 23, 2015 / blogs / , ,

Every year I look at the most popular posts for the last year. There are a few common features, one of which is that book reviews are always popular, especially if they cover theory or literature. International mysteries also draw readers, as do teaching materials. Finally, although I haven’t posted many maps, they also attract attention on the blog. At the end of 2015 the top ten blog posts were:

  1. A book review of Dipesh Chakrabarty’s Provincializing Europe
  2. Sample exam questions for faculty teaching an introductory course using our textbook.
  3. A book review of Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach. 
  4. A blog post that asked what is International and Global Studies?
  5. A recommended films list for an “Introduction to International Studies” class.
  6. A map of Mexican drug cartels.
  7. The mystery of Witches’ Broom in Brazil.
  8. A global map of U.S. security interests.
  9. A syllabus for an “Introduction to International Studies” course.
  10.  A book review of Dave Zirin’s Dance with the Devil.

You can bookmark the blog here. Happy New Year!

Shawn Smallman

Portland State University, 2016

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