Kristi Straus, Wei Zuo
The “international extended flipped classroom” was conceived as part of the University of Washington (UW) Teaching & Learning Initiative. The goal was to increase global engagement for UW students through a two part process: 1) collaborative online international learning between UW and Tsinghua University in China (THU) followed by 2) a short-term study abroad program to THU. This program was designed to be accessible to students unable to participate in a longer study abroad program, promoting access and equity at UW.
In first steps, Dr. Kristi Straus modified her ENVIR 239 (Sustainability: Personal Choices, Broad Impacts) course together with faculty members teaching sustainability at THU to create shared material for our students to complete online. These courses were taught in parallel. Students from THU and UW collaborated online during autumn quarter, interviewing one another about sustainability in their lives, on their campuses, and in their cities. These online connections increased global engagement as students learned course material not only through reading, lecture, and discussion with students at their own university but also through dialogue with students in a very different part of the world.
15 UW students chosen for the program took ENVIR 239 as a prerequisite, then met weekly to learn about sustainability in China, build community, and establish expectations. During the ten-day study abroad program, with the help of Dr. Wei Zuo and Dr. Kristi, students from the two universities who met and collaborated online now met face to face, learning with and from each other. Students worked together, attending lectures and field trips, learning how sustainability is defined in Beijing and how the city meets its energy needs and manages pollution. Student feedback indicated that the study abroad program enhanced the relationships built in the online component of the course and broadened the global perspective of students at both campuses.
