university of wisconsin superior, u.s.a. dr. lynn amerman goerdt, assistant professor...
TRANSCRIPT
Transformative Cross National Dialogues:
Connecting Social Work Students through Skype
University of Wisconsin Superior, U.S.A.Dr. Lynn Amerman Goerdt, Assistant
Professor
Social Work Social Development 2012Stockholm, Sweden
July 11, 2012
Goals and Background
GoalsShare insights gained into use of
Skype for exchangesShare potential impact of pedagogy
BackgroundFacilitated various virtual exchanges
for 5 yearsExchanges have been with German
colleague and her students
Dialogue Exists at the Intersection of Converging Trends in U.S.
Internationalizing higher education A perspective or program that infuses
international content into a curriculum An institutional process
Expanding critical lens of social work education Decenter and broaden policy perspective as
way to address domestic challenges Broadening professional competence
Poverty and Food Security
Educational Disparities
Health
Outcome
Disparities
Example U.S.
Domestic Issues
Critical Consciousness as framework to counter myopic perspective
Freire (1974, 1998)
Semi-transitive
consciousness
Naive transitive
consciousness
Critical consciousn
ess
Dialogue Preparation
All students are studying social work and social welfare policy
Dialogues were strongly encouraged but not mandatory
Prior content was researched and shared In case study each student created
handout on policies to support young children & their families
Handouts were emailed approximately 1 week prior to dialogue
In previous dialogues have had less or more content shared
Dialogue Structure
German Participants United States Participants
Dialogue
17 participants (13 German, 4 United States) – representing approx. ½ of invited students
Shared content prepared by all students & sent prior to the dialogue Policies to ensure well-being of young children
55-minute exchange Conducted in English
Topics Discussed
Planned topics: Economic
assistance Child support Family leave Abortion Preschool Childcare
Additional topics: Religion and
politics Social security Prostitution Childcare Homelessness College tuition
Results of Case Study: Both groups moved toward critical
consciousness
Continuum of Critical Consciousness Development
German participants
U.S. participants
SOCIOPOLITICAL CONTEXT
Semi-transitive consciousness
Naïve transitive
consciousness
Critical consciousness
Awareness of self or one’s group in relation to othersCuriosity for learning with the ability to be self critical
Critical thinking regarding socio-political reality
Awareness of self or one’s group in relation to othersCuriosity for learning with the ability to be self critical
Critical thinking regarding socio-political reality
Movement of Student Groups along Critical Consciousness Continuum
Constructed from (Freire, 1974, 1998)
Factors relevant to Success and Critical Consciousness Development
Interpersonal
Connections Various levels of
participation
Shared content
balanced with room
for unstructured
dialogue
Mirror phenomen
on
Language accessibilit
y
Opportunity for reflection
and deliberation
Ease of access
Two countries not often used for
sociopolitical
comparisons
Collaboration format
Other Lessons Learned
Reduce the formality to increase the risk students are willing to take.
Facilitate less so there is more opportunity for students to share and ask each other questions.
Ensure that there is a reciprocal benefit to balance import and export of wisdom.
Use technology that is familiar to instructors and accessible to students to increase potential future use.
Conclusion
Internationalized educational pedagogy that is accessible to all students
Social workers with heightened critical consciousness
Social works as leaders of social welfare innovation
Imagine
For more information or to discuss a potential collaboration:
Lynn Amerman Goerdt, Ed. D., MSW, LGSW
Assistant Professor, Social Work Program
University of Wisconsin, SuperiorSuperior, Wisconsin 54880
Phone: 715-394-8158 Cell: 218-343-8717Email: [email protected]: lgoerdt