Abstract

The discipline of international studies has undergone significant change in recent years confronting both internal and external pressures, and in terms of pedagogies being developed to enhance the student learning experience. The knowledge, skills and values that international studies graduates gain need now more than ever to reflect understanding of social responsibility and cultural inclusivity, embodied in the concept of global citizenship. Related to this there has been an increasing emphasis away from teacher centred to student centred learning, or learning that is more interactive and self directed. This paper looks at an analysis of a curriculum renewal project undertaken to review the curriculum so that students would be actively engaged in evaluating and understanding the key concepts covered by the course, and in so doing establish global citizenship in action. The course being discussed in this paper is a second year university course in an International Studies program sitting in a university environment that is moving towards a more student centred and flexibly delivered teaching and learning framework. The curriculum renewal project for the human rights course resulted in a review of the existing approach to e-learning in the course being undertaken, as well as an attempt to enhance student learning and embed the notion of global citizenship via an active learning approach with an online ethnic conflict / human rights role play. With a growing emphasis on online delivery, the technology should not be viewed as an end in itself in relation to learning outcomes, but rather it should be seen as a support to enhance existing pedagogies.