Global Learning Outcomes

• An institution-wide framework that connects to SDSU’s recently approved ILOs and complements SDSU’s established Degree Learning Outcomes and General Education
• Area Goals as part of SDSU’s Global Strategy
• A set of outcomes aligning programming across all disciplines with President de la Torre’s vision of educating “global citizens, compassionate leaders, ethical innovators”
• A roadmap to guide students’ global learning throughout their entire SDSU experience, toward graduating as more globally conscious citizens, including being able to articulate their global learning in professional as well as academic contexts

Acknowledgement: The proposed GLOs were established in Fall 2020 by a GLOs working group, composed of 19 SDSU faculty representing the various colleges and campuses of San Diego State University, in addition to 4 staff members, and the International Affairs leadership team. The current version has been approved by the International Affairs Council in January 2021.

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Senate Approval (May 2021): The Senate approved the new Global Learning Course designation at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year.

SDSU Global Learning Course

A Global Learning Course (GLC) designation may be approved for an academic course in which all offered sections require student participation in organized learning activities that

• evidence at least one of the SDSU Global Learning Outcomes as integral to the academic focus and objectives of the course,
• include a minimum of 15 hours engaged in global learning experiences that address one of the Global Learning Outcomes, and
• at least 15% of the course grade (and ideally 20% or more) is directly related to the global learning component.

Global Learning Course (GLC) Designation Guidelines

1. Syllabus Language:

   Provide draft syllabus language that explains how at least one of the SDSU Global Learning Outcomes (GLOs) is integral to and supports the academic focus and objectives of the course. This explanation may be presented within the general overview of the course, as a separate description of the global learning component of the course, and/or within the Course Learning Outcomes.

2. Mechanism(s) of Global Learning:

   Describe the mechanism(s) used to introduce the Global Learning component to students. This may be done through various methods including but not limited to: facilitated class discussions, guided readings, guest speakers or panelists (in-person or virtual), experiential class periods, field trips, structured out-of-class engagements such as volunteering as language tutors, or written assignments focusing on critical and cultural reflections. Utilize the Faculty Resources through International Affairs (https://www.sdsu.edu/internationalaffairs/faculty-resources) as a resource.

3. Logistics of Global Learning:

   Address and describe each of the following logistical components for global learning in the space below, breaking out your responses by letters:

   1. location or cultural context where the global learning experience will be completed (e.g., on SDSU campus, in the San Diego local community, across our broader transborder region, location abroad, or virtually);
   2. expected global or intercultural learning skills and goals that speak to and connect with at least one of the Global Learning Outcomes;
   3. course materials and readings that reflect both local and global perspectives;
   4. course activities, assignments, assessments that will meet the learning goals;
   5. a minimum of 15 hours engaged in global learning experiences that address one of the Global Learning Outcomes; and
   6. at least 15% of the course grade (and ideally 20% or more) is directly related to the global learning component.

4. Reflection Assignments:

   Describe the structured student reflection assignments of the course, including mechanisms and opportunities for ongoing student reflection on the integration of the GL component with course content (e.g., class discussions, journals, papers, presentations).

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• Creation of a unified framework to guide campus internationalization
• Alignment of global learning with college, department, and course SLOs
• Development of preferred criteria for program review, exchange agreements, and business partnerships
• Development of preferred criteria to assess student experiences on inbound and outbound exchanges
• Assessment of program quality
• Assessment of equity across global learning opportunities
• Communication to the campus community about how SDSU defines “global learning”
• Communication to students about the importance of global learning
• Establishment of language that helps students set goals for their global learning and ultimately articulate what they learn
• Longitudinal assessment of global learning
• Development of a more bilingual and multilingual environment at SDSU

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The resources below result from collaborations with 19 SDSU faculty members who have led study-abroad programs. All participated in and contributed to a three-part seminar on internationalizing teaching and learning with the SDSU GLOs in spring 2021.

Sample GLOs Rubric

This sample rubric offers one way of operationalizing the Global Learning Outcomes across four competence levels. Faculty members are strongly encouraged to customize the sample rubric for their own courses.

Sample GLOs-integrated syllabus

As a community of practice, SDSU faculty members across colleges and one provider have agreed to share their GLOs-integrated syllabi. Each sample syllabus contains a cover sheet that overviews GLO-related course learning outcome(s), assessment method, and reflections if applicable. Also, numerous sample syllabi speak to two or more GLOs.

GLO 1:
Cultural Identities

• BA 405, Lois Olson, Fowler college of Business
• COMM 371, Michael McHan, College of Professional Studies & Fine Arts
• COMM 462, Tiffany Dykstra-Devette, College of Professional Studies & Fine Arts
• RWS 350/GENS 450, Marla Williams, College of Arts and Letters
• SW 496/GENS 450, Amanda Lee, College of Health and Human Services

GLO 2:
Language, Culture, History & Power

• BA 405, Lois Olson, Fowler college of Business
• COMM 371, Michael McHan, College of Professional Studies & Fine Arts
• COMM 462, Tiffany Dykstra-Devette, College of Professional Studies & Fine Arts
• HHS 450,  Kevin Petti, College of Health and Human Services
• HIST 581/GENS 450, Andrew Wiese, College of Arts and Letters
• RWS 350/GENS 450, Marla Williams, College of Arts and Letters
• SW 496/GENS 450, Amanda Lee, College of Health and Human Services

GLO 3:
Global Issues

• BA 405, Lois Olson, Fowler college of Business
• COMM 462, Tiffany Dykstra-Devette, College of Professional Studies & Fine Arts
• HIST 581/GENS 450, Andrew Wiese, College of Arts and Letters
• PH 604, Zohir Chowdhury, College of Health and Human Services
• PSY, Thierry Devos, College of Sciences
• SIT Provider Syllabus, ITRN 3000, Mundt Memorial Scholarship

GLO 4:
Career Readiness

• Honor 413, Martha Enciso, Faculty Advancement and Student Success
• ISCOR 450, Luca Pubel, College of Arts and Letters
• PSY, Thierry Devos, College of Sciences
• SIT Provider Syllabus, ITRN 3000, Mundt Memorial Scholarship

Reading materials and teaching activities

If you are looking for GLOs-related reading materials and teaching activities, the 10-page GLOs Resources (Spring 21) offers article summaries, sample teaching activities, and citations. Three of the readings mentioned in the GLOs Resources are listed below.

• GLOs Resources (Spring 21)
• Martin and Nakayama (1999) Think dialectically about culture and communication
• Sorrells and Nakagawa (2008) Intercultural communication praxis
• Chen and Lin (2016) Cultural Identities (Oxford Research Encyclopedias)

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