Kit — The EIESL Project

Download the Kit here:

Welcome to the Global Praxis: Exploring the Ethics of Engagement Abroad educational resource kit!

The intention of this kit is to provide practical tools to further establish and maintain a practical and sustainable ethical platform for international engagement at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Through critical discussion and innovative learning activities, this kit provides opportunities for deep personal reflection, capacity building and ethically engaged action. We hope the culture of International Engagement and Service-Learning at UBC will be transformed by this collective capacity and that UBC may act as a catalyst for change within the larger academic community.

This kit was developed collectively by students, staff, faculty and community partners who are passionate about engaging dialogue around ethical approaches to International Engagement and Service-Learning. The EIESL team solicited the UBC community to submit engaging, interactive and creative learning activities drawing from case studies, arts-based learning, discussion, and critical reflection. The team also offered skill development workshops to support students in contributing to the kit. We invite students, international community partners, and UBC staff and faculty to contribute over time to the ongoing co-construction of this vital resource.

Who is the Kit for?

This kit is for individuals from any discipline who are interested in volunteering, working or researching abroad. The kit is also designed as a resource for faculty and instructors who are supporting students to engage in critical examination of international development and other global issues. We hope that this resource will be used in many different contexts and that you’ll let us know how you’re using it! Let us know at ethicsofisl@gmail.com.

Where can I use the EIESL kit?

This kit was designed to be used in a variety of environments including classrooms, student groups, departments and individually. Below are a few suggestions for how you could incorporate the different material into each of these contexts:

Using the EIESL Kit in the Classroom

Integrate a framing activity into your course material to stimulate discussion on global issues.
Engage your students in critical discussions using the themed discussion questions.
Work through one of the case studies with your class.
Incorporate a learning activity into your class to complement your lecture.
Integrate one of the assignments into your syllabus.
Include some of the reference material in your reading lists.
Create a new course in your department modeled from one of the example syllabi.

Using the EIESL Kit in Your Student Group

Lead a framing activity at one of your student group meetings to stimulate discussion on global issues and build your team.
Facilitate a discussion with your student group using the themed discussion questions.
Work through one of the case studies with your student group.
Build a workshop around one of the EIESL themes and offer it to your student group.
Host a book club meeting to discuss one of the resources relevant to your student group’s area of focus.

Using the EIESL Kit in Your Department

Use the discussion questions or case studies to facilitate a discussion on how faculty and staff can best support students going abroad on international placements.
Incorporate a learning activity into a departmental meeting to build capacity among staff and faculty to support students.
Host a capacity building seminar for your colleagues to explore ways to build ISL experiences into their classes.

Using the EIESL Kit Independently

Reflect on some of your personal experiences abroad using one of the discussion questions.
Read through a case study and consider what you would do in that situation.
Reflect on the short essays included as learning activities.
Consider some of the questions posed in the learning activities.
Refer to the resource lists for academic and non-academic resources.
Engage your family and friends in discussions around ethics.

Using the Kit in combination with the EIESL Blog and Web-based Guidebook

The EIESL Kit was designed to be a hands-on accompaniment to the EIESL Web-based Guidebook (WBGB). While much of the material on the WBGB is similar to that in the Kit, the WBGB offers a series of theoretical lenses from which you can view ethical issues presented in the kit. We strongly encourage you to consider what theoretical lens you view life through while you are engaging with the material in the kit. If you are not sure about your theoretical lens, consider looking through one of the theoretical frameworks offered on the WBGB.

The EIESL Kit can also be used in tandem with the EIESL Blog: www.blogs.ubc.ca/ethicsofisl. Where the kit offers practical activities, the blog offers an interactive environment to engage in discussions with people all over the world who are interested in examining ethics in international engagement. We encourage you to consider writing a blog post for EIESL on ethical issues that are important to you.