IU gives new meaning to thinking globally

New Web-based minor in international studies launched

By Lisa Denlinger

Thanks to a partnership with the Office of Distributed Education (ODE) and the School of Continuing Studies (SCS), the Center for the Study of Global Change is currently developing six on-line courses leading to the minor.

Ken Steuer, assistant director of the Center for the Study of Global Change, described the international studies minor as an “interdisciplinary program for students who are planning careers in teaching, journalism, business, law or government service, or who want to work for non-governmental organizations that operate internationally. Many of these students spend time abroad while they are in college, making it important to offer courses they can work on regardless of where they are.”

“The on-line minor in international studies represents a bold step forward in IU’s efforts to integrate technology into the mainstream of teaching and learning as outlined in this year’s Strategic Plan for Distributed Education,” explained Erwin Boschmann, IU associate vice president for distributed education. (See the strategic plan Web site at the end of this story.)

Funded in part by the ODE, the center has given grants to faculty members who are developing the content and technical structure for the courses. The SCS has provided workshops to help faculty with instructional design, and it is performing the administrative functions associated with the project.

The first four on-line courses:

Business D301—The International Business Environment

Geography G120—World Regional Geography

Geography G185—Global Environmental Change

Geography G210—Introduction to Political Geography

Political Science Y109— Introduction to International Politics

Sociology S30— Population

Five other courses will be completed this year and eventually, students will be able to complete 18 courses on line. The courses feature a student home page, instructor information, readings and assignments, discussions and interactive self-tests.

http://www.indiana.edu/~global/minorcontstudies.htm

http://www.indiana.edu/~iude/de_plan/index.html