I recently had the
pleasure of leading a “global hybrid” course to Morocco. The curriculum was experiential, in that we
traveled in country (Ifrane, Fes and Rabat) to attend classes on conflict and development
in Morocco, cross cultural workshops and a series of meetings at schools, youth
development organizations, human rights advocacy organizations and women’s
democratic groups. Of course, we also
made some time for tours of the Old Medina in Fes (which is NOT to be missed),
as well as the shore and the historic section of Rabat, to include some ancient
Phoenician ruins, historic Mosques and the Palace.
Why do such experiential
courses matter? They move students out
of the classroom and into communities, which is where peace building and
conflict resolution happen. They offer
students opportunities to be immersed, even if only for a few weeks, in another
culture and to learn first hand from practitioners in the field. This sort of experiential curriculum facilitates
students making profound connections between the peace building models and
theories they’ve encountered in books and the realities of the field. But perhaps more importantly, the intensity
and unique nature of the experience also encourages reflection on one’s self,
both as a person and as a professional.
This sort of transformative learning, I would argue, cannot happen in a
classroom. Daniel Schön, in his The Reflective Practitioner, began this
conversation decades ago but universities can and must do much more to respond
with innovation to provide our students experiential courses which challenge
them to build community, create new knowledge which they truly own, and form
relationships which can facilitate their conflict resolution careers.
This sort of
innovative, experiential curriculum is especially important for student peace
builders. Lederach has used the metaphor
of “web building” for community peace makers.
Immersed in the field alongside practitioners, students can witness the
web being built. Kolb’s classic
Learning Cycle is a key theoretical underpinning here as well.
Especially at the graduate level, we expect
students to be able to do more than simply recite or describe content. We expect them to be able to apply,
evaluate, synthesize and create. Our
global hybrid courses are a key part of empowering students to meet this
challenge.
