Global learning through the lens of criminal justice

Abstract

My research involves piloting a networked learning pedagogy, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), in an introductory criminal justice course at an urban U.S. community college. COIL involves the collaboration of professors from universities in different countries in creating assignments and projects, which their students collaboratively undertake. The networked learning values that are manifest in COIL are collaboration, group work, discussion, student ownership of learning, and navigating difference. I am partnering with a professor teaching an international criminal justice course at a university in The Hague. Through three assignments, we aim to develop student global learning competencies and increase student awareness of the existence of different criminal justice systems in the world. We are exploring certain aspects of global learning, including global self-awareness, perspective-taking and understanding cultural diversity. The students use "WhatsApp" and Skype technology to collaborate and the technology used to showcase the student work is Padlet, an online virtual bulletin board designed for students and teachers to collaborate and reflect and share videos, photographs, and written material. I will conduct assessment of my students’ development of global knowledge and cognizance of diverse criminal justice systems using a qualitative methodology, administering pre and post-COIL reflective surveys. Data collected in the pre-COIL survey will be compared with the post-COIL survey and analysed using the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ Value Rubric for Global Learning. The pre-COIL questions are designed to explore student expectations of the COIL assignments and collaboration with peers in a university class outside of the United States; and student awareness of differences in how criminal matters are handled and judges in other countries. Student responses will establish the foundation upon which to assess growth and transformation over the course of the semester for the students themselves and the professor. The post-COIL questions are designed to facilitate reflection of discoveries that students make about themselves and about the students abroad and the influence of cultural background on their interaction. Additional questions aim to explore differences and similarities in how students in the U.S. and abroad define justice and how it is applied in different jurisdictions.