Abstract:

Open Society University Network (OSUN) is a global partnership of educational institutions providing students from different geographies with opportunities to participate in a global learning experience. Central to the network’s activities are the OSUN Network Collaborative Courses that are co-designed and taught in person simultaneously across partner institutions. This presentation will showcase a case study of one networked course, entitled Visual Storytelling for Civic Engagement, in which students learn essential filmmaking skills and create documentaries on issues that impact their communities.

Objectives:
The objectives of the Visual Storytelling for Civic Engagement course are to provide a learning environment where students directly engage with their own communities, and indirectly engage with communities across the globe through the production of short documentaries about civic issues. Students are expected to learn the basics of documentary film techniques through this project-based course.

Methodology:
The course involves several institutions across the globe, as well as students living in a refugee camp. Students meet in person with their instructors throughout the semester, learn production skills, and conduct research. They work with local communities to identify community stakeholders and people impacted by local issues to produce their documentaries. Throughout the semester video conferencing sessions and online assignments enable students from across the network to share ideas and provide feedback.

Results:
By the end of the course, roughly 30 documentaries are produced on topics ranging from homelessness and healthcare to women in STEM fields. The students gain a deeper understanding of their communities and the issues at stake, and use their films to promote awareness and social action. These films are added to a larger repository of materials accessible to OSUN partner institutions for teaching and learning, and will be made publicly available.

Conclusion:
Students learn from each other about local issues of global significance and reflect on their interconnectedness. They are better prepared to recognize how their local actions impact global communities and how global issues impact their own choices. Overall, students learn the power of visual storytelling and their ability to effect change.

Keywords:

Collaboration, civic engagement, intercultural competencies, global learning, pedagogy, cross-network collaboration, experiential learning, visual storytelling.