IDEV 2500: Introduction to International Development Studies (W11)
I have the great privilege of teaching the wonderful students in the International Development Studies programme at the University of Guelph again in the Winter 2011 semester.
This course examines development processes, interventions, theories, and policies affecting the lives of peoples in different parts of the world. Students will be introduced to a broad range of topics in international development studies viewed from the perspectives of different social-science disciplines and researchers. The course is organized around the seven areas of emphasis of the International Development Studies (IDS) undergraduate program—political economy and administration, environment, history, rural and agricultural studies, economic and business development, women and gender, and Latin American studies—as well as several other areas important to development theory and practice, such as technology and development, EcoHealth and development, and climate change and development. This is a foundation course for students specializing in international development as part of the IDS program.
Teaching the course for a second time provides the wonderful opportunity to make adjustments and changes based on the experiences and feedback with the first course. Hopefully IDEV 2500 W11 will be as good…if not better…than IDEV 2500 W10. IDEV 2500 W11 Course Outline
At the end of the semester, I asked students to reflect on what they felt they had learned about development, and what they would remember five years in the future. I compiled the responses from over 120 students into the following video:
Yet again, I am continually and perpetually inspired by these students, and their insights, ideas, and passions!
IDEV 2500 W11 Community Art Projects
This semester, each seminar was given the opportunity of expressing their ideas, beliefs, hopes, and reflections about International Development through art and multi-media. This was a voluntary activity, aimed at allowing the students the avenue to connect together as a community and create something outside the boundaries of academic papers and assignments. With an over 90% participation rate, the IDEV 2500 W11 students created an amazing diversity of projects.
Many thanks to Teaching Assistants Émanuèle Lapierre-Fortin and Lauren Scannell for their inspiration and support to their seminars during this process! Check out the great article written by Teresa Pitman highlighting these projects in At Guelph.
Seminar 1 (Émanuèle’s seminar): This group of students created a video of spoken word poetry written and recorded by group members, played to a backdrop of music composed and recorded by student Amy Bronson. The original video contained a slide show of images depicting work and volunteer experiences around the world, but due to consent regulations, I can only post the audio portion of this video (coming soon).
Seminar 2 (Ashlee’s seminar): This group created a giant puzzle of the world, and wrote on each puzzle piece their hopes and ideals for development. The students documented the creative process, then filmed themselves putting the puzzle together in the University Centre at the University of Guelph. You can view the video here:
Seminar 3 (Lauren’s seminar): These students wanted to represent the process of globalization in the commodity chain, and chose to create T-shirts. On the front, the T-shirts read: Where does your [insert commodity] come from? On the back, the shirts read: Where does your stuff really come from? Grown in Africa, Processed in Asia, Assembled in South America, Sold in North America, Made in…? (images coming soon)
Seminar 4 (Émanuèle ‘s seminar): Inspired by PostSecret, this group created a mobile to hold postcards with messages to others about international development. You can view a Prezi show of the postcards here or see below for some sample pictures of postcards and the mobile. (more images of the actual mobile are coming soon)
Seminar 5 (Lauren’s seminar): Upholding a long-standing Guelph tradition, this group of students painted the cannon with the slogan, ‘Our world, our change’.
Seminar 6 (Ashlee’s seminar): Last, but not least, the students in seminar 6 choose to make a large mural from chalkboard paint and side-walk chalk depicting the interconnectedness of the world. These students also created a stop-motion video fo the process of this mural creation.
