Gilbert Ahamer

Web‐based exchange of views enhances “Global Studies”

Purpose – The aim of this article is to present the development‐oriented Masters curriculum “Global Studies” (GS) at the University of Graz, Austria, as an example of interdisciplinary academic training with the purpose of fostering inter‐“cultural” understanding. It aims to show that scientific disciplines can be understood as “cultures of cognition” producing own views of realities.Design/methodology/approach – Based on a decade of previous experiences, the communication and assessment functions of e‐learning platforms and e‐journals are used to facilitate stepwise approximations among the various “cultures of understanding”.Findings – Despite severe financial limitations, peer‐oriented planning and lecturing efforts since 2004 have resulted in a bundle of electives and in a new Masters curriculum elaborated cooperatively by the faculties of the legal, economic, historic, cultural, natural and communication sciences at Karl‐Franzens‐University Graz. Both the bundle of electives and the Masters curric...

Negotiate Your Future: Web-Based Role Play.

An original concept for a Web‐based role play “SurfingGlobalChange” is proposed on the basis of multi‐year interdisciplinary teaching experience and constructivist pedagogy. Underlying didactic orientation is towards self‐guided learning, acquiring socially compatible “competence to act” in a globalised world, self‐optimising social procedures inside teams, process‐orientation and peer‐review instead of teacher’s review. Participating students find themselves in an argumentative battle where they put their marks at stake. A comparison with similar games highlights the increased level of responsibility attributed to and expected from learners using this kind of “digital game‐based learning”.

“Surfing Global Change”: how didactic visions can be implemented

Purpose – Aims to examine a negotiation‐oriented and partly web‐based game “Surfing Global Change” (SGC) invented by the author based on didactics of self‐managed learning and successfully implemented in WebCT.Design/methodology/approach – Along three historic generations of web‐based teaching (WBT), the key functionalities of any platform (content, discussion and evaluation) are perceived to be utilized in a characteristic way depending on the prevalent didactic concepts. The changing roles of teacher and students are highlighted using the example of SGC Level 3, where students assess one anothers competence, each trying to outdo the others in controversial argumentsFindings – The outlay of Surfing Global Change aims at accomplishing sustainable results for complex themes. Thus SGC sets out to weigh out competition vs consensus, self‐study vs team work, emphasizing ones own standpoint vs readiness to compromise, differentiation into details vs integration into a whole. SGC hence wants to mirror profess...

Dialogic Global Studies for multicultural technology assessment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show a practical case of dialogic web‐based learning that has provided a set of questions analysing two complex technological projects in “southern” countries with effects on multicultural equity.Design/methodology/approach – Structured online review processes in multicultural and systems science curricula allow for high density of literature‐based reflection and analysis.Findings – The entirety of the set of over 50 questions developed by the proposed web‐based dialogic procedure represents a starting point for an in‐depth assessment of the effects of deploying “northern” technology in “southern” countries.Research limitations/implications – The present case study concentrates on energy technology, notably on two hydroelectric plants presently under construction in Ilisu, Turkey, and Belo Monte, Brazil.Practical implications – The multitude of questions calls for complex technological construction projects that have to undertake sound interdisciplinary in‐depth a...

The jet principle: technologies provide border conditions for global learning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to first define the “jet principle” of (e‐)learning as providing dynamically suitable framework conditions for enhanced learning procedures that combine views from multiple cultures of science. Second it applies this principle to the case of the “Global Studies” curriculum, a unique interdisciplinary curriculum at Graz University in Austria that is targeted to multicultural and developmental learning among students from diverse ethnic and disciplinary backgrounds.Design/methodology/approach – Social and learning procedures are heuristically analysed based on ten years of interdisciplinary experience in interdisciplinary learning settings in a multicultural environment with critical approach to globalisation, while also diverse scientific disciplines are counted as “cultures of understanding”.Findings – The outcomes of the analysis suggest that the negation‐oriented web‐supported five‐level learning suite “Surfing Global Change” (SGC) is capable of providing helpful f...

Quality Improvements in Curricula for Global Studies.

Purpose – Based on an in‐depth comparison of 20 multicultural university curricula, this article aims to provide practical and implementable suggestions about how to improve such curricula in order to ensure highest and globally compatible academic quality. The recently founded developmental Masters curriculum “Global Studies” (GS) at the University of Graz, Austria serves as a case study.Design/methodology/approach – Through an academic web‐based process of authoring and reviewing, over a dozen students and practitioners in Global Studies have compiled this analysis. Such an approach shows that education technologies significantly enhance peer‐oriented scientific culture. Further networking among universities from every continent, and their students, is also facilitated.Findings – Analyses conducted by over 50 contributors during 2010‐2013 show first that the Graz‐based curriculum has achieved international quality standards by spanning multiple faculties, disciplines, professional roles, and perspectiv...

Human Geography Trains Diverse Perspectives on Global Development.

Purpose – Education for equity in global development and cultural diversity calls for professional capacity building to perceive diverse perspectives on complex procedures of globalisation. The discipline of human geography is such a “provider of perspectives”. The purpose of this paper is to propose a historic series of how theories of geography and human development have emerged.Design/methodology/approach – This paper contributes to education and training by proposing a historic series of how theories of geography and human development have emerged.Findings – The outcomes of this analysis of geographic paradigms offer options for the management of multicultural education in development. A critical synopsis and a combination of various paradigms on global development seem most promising for a holistic and comprehensive understanding of globalisation.Research limitations/implications – In particular, recent developments in human geography exhibit rapidly changing paradigms (ironically called “the Latin A...

Game, Not Fight: Change Climate Change!

This article argues that in the long run gaming (i.e., managing unstable equilibria while maintaining societal sustainability) serves better as a strategy against the undesired effects of global change (GC) than fighting (i.e., understanding only one’s own standpoint, but not the standpoint of one’s adversaries). GC is believed to be driven by a bundle of drivers, some of which are global long-term trends that are almost impossible to change. Climate change is only one component of this syndrome. GC exerts a bundle of effects on society. Given this interlinked and systemic character of GC, an explorative, reflexive, dialogue-driven strategy allowing for continuous adaptation, rather than a theory-driven predesigned solution, is advocated. Taking roles allows actors to perceive the paradigms and perspectives of adversaries. Hence, game-based (but structured) procedures allow the taking of adversarial positions without being compromised. As an example of such procedural structuration, the negotiation game SURFING GLOBAL CHANGE (SGC,

Technologies and collaborative education strengthen conviviality in rural communities in the Alps and in Senegal

Purpose – The purpose of this publication is to present a didactic concept with the targeted impact of a positive future vision. This paper reflects the effect of local educational action on the development of regionally optimised visions in rural regions of a European industrial state, compared with a rural region in the developing country of Senegal.Design/methodology/approach – An assessment and analysis of two conceptual approaches to education and technology is conducted with a view to participating in a future multicultural participatory design process, and identifying the chances that communities have to build future‐oriented structures that support local roots and development.Findings – In the short‐term, the technological and material results are the targeted localisation of a windmill in the (physical and cultural) countryside. In the long‐term, educative and social results are expected to strengthen local civil society, which is initiated by empowering students through their self‐responsibility...

A Planet-Wide Information System

Purpose – Various economic growth theories propose a view of globalisation resulting in economic convergence. However, others suggest economic divergence (i.e. a widening gap between global rich and poor) and others still, different patterns of development. Hence it is necessary to validate such globalisation hypotheses with sound quantitative data. Design/methodology/approach – The paper proposes the “Global Change Data Base” (GCDB) that includes an analytical tool (AT) providing correlations between primary and secondary data (by country by year) from the fields of population, agriculture, economy, energy and human development. Findings – The AT is able to first test the hypotheses on global development and globalisation and second to suggest new hypotheses on the mechanisms of globalisation. Results can be used in curricula of Global Studies worldwide. Research limitations/implications – These data analysis has still to be complemented by sociological, political and economic theories providing insights...