Graduation Year
2026
Date of Defense
2-25-2026
Degree Name
Doctorate in Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership
Department
School of Education and Human Development
Document Type
Dissertation
First Advisor
Kathy Nantz
Abstract
This study was conducted to determine if there are high-impact practices that can be used in undergraduate classrooms to promote a global consciousness and a sense of global responsibility among undergraduate students. The literature review informed the research by exploring the conceptual history of global consciousness and its intersection with transformative learning theory and high-impact pedagogies (HIP). The research employed a mixed-method approach that triangulated data and findings from different data streams to capture the impact of specific course assignments and pedagogies. It focused on two fundamental questions: 1. Are there “catalysts for transformative learning”—activities, pedagogies, or something that students learned, did, or cared about in classes or co-curricular activities that sparked a global consciousness and a sense of responsibility to the world community? and 2. How did alumni of the HA program describe the ways their global consciousness and sense of responsibility were integrated into their post-graduate life or profession?
The results of this study are important for educators to steward a global consciousness and sense of responsibility in university students, especially during a time of increased nationalism and isolationism and a growing global cynicism towards multilateralism. As the international studies and humanitarian action fields confront this new reality, it is more important than ever to discern which pedagogies or transformative classroom experiences will encourage a student to embrace a global consciousness and to transform this consciousness into action. This study provides a pathway for educators to implement the identified transformative practices with their students and to continue to explore ways to instill college students with a sense of global awareness and responsibility.