Student Research Projects

Research projects require a lot of engagement from students and instructors, and are an intense learning experience that fosters competence development in a selfdirected, reflective, and collaborative environment. Global Classroom students developed projects in transAtlantic teams coached by two instructors of both universities. They strongly connected the two different local urban environments in a shared global research context. The contents here are a small collection of processes, products, and final outcomes from the first to the last module.

Learning through exploring and experiencing is an important factor when students try to understand and localize sustainability problems. Sending them out into the surrounding environment, leaving the classroom and the theoretical learning about things leads to surprising results: How much do you actually know about your urban environment? And what is your personal perspective through which you know what you know? Students in the Global Classroom first mentally mapped their existing knowledge about Phoenix, Hamburg and Lüneburg, reflecting on the physical spaces of their everyday lives and the construction of their perceptions. Then, they walked along transects for several hours, observing the real environment. Finally, they analyzed and compared their field notes between teams and across the Atlantic.

The focus of the students work lies on conceptualizing, planning and conducting their own research. Study trips right before this project work starts and in the end to present the results frame the researchbasedn learning in the Global Classroom. Unique experiences of the different local environments help to frame and understand the sustainability problems, dive into cultural differences, political landscapes, and best practices. Building a team and learning the necessary skills to maintain a longerterm, constructive work environment is an important step before the teams engage in the challenge of doing research as well as virtual team work. Meeting again in the end the teams concentrate on the communication of project results to an interested public and their project partners. Many of the students utilized the second real exchange to adjourn their project team and start a network beyond the Global Classroom.