The Wiley Handbook of Collaborative Online Learning and Global Engagement

1 Connecting Beyond the Classroom: Why You Should Be Globally Connecting Your Courses and How It Benefits You and Your Students

Deirdre Johnston¹ and Irene López²

¹ Hope College, USA

² Kenyon College, USA

There is increasing interest in globalizing the curriculum of colleges and universities. It is important to recognize that the term “global,” as used in reference to global learning and education, is an inclusive term that refers to domestic, intercultural, and international engagement across borders of difference. In nearly every academic discipline, we can recognize either the impact of globalization on our disciplinary knowledge and understanding, and/or the enrichment that multiple cultural perspectives and intercultural contexts bring to our learning. Yet, multiple barriers exist that make it difficult for students to acquire global experiences. The COVID pandemic, beginning in the spring of 2020, has curtailed the experience of studying abroad and made it difficult, if not impossible, to integrate global learning based on in-person exchange of students and faculty. However, the pandemic has also forced us to teach in new and innovative ways. The course accommodations compelled by the pandemic have increased both awareness of the pedagogical benefits, and the recognition of the necessity of integrating online learning opportunities, in conjunction with face-to-face teaching in order to facilitate global learning. We, therefore, need virtual global learning more than ever ...