Compassionate Connections: Global Competence and Cosmopolitan Practices in a First-Year Composition Writing Unit

This research presents findings from a classroom-based case study to determine how a global competence framework influences first-year composition (FYC) students’ understanding of global competency and cosmopolitanism. Sub-questions included examining how participants demonstrated skills as global and cultural communicators, how their perceptions changed about the audience, and how they believe their global competence and cosmopolitanism practices will transfer to their personal and professional lives. For educators seeking ways to prepare students for an increasingly interconnected global society, Appiah’s new cosmopolitanism theory (2006) proposes moving beyond multiculturalism to global engagement and exchange, creating opportunities for students to engage in literacy practices with a global lens as they build skills in empathy and understanding of other cultures (Hull & Stornaiuolo, 2014). In this five-week writing unit, undergraduate students enrolled in this one-semester composition course at a large U.S. university created multimodal, research-based compositions for a global audience about issues drawn from the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Using the “U.S. Department of Education’s Framework for Developing Global and Cultural Competencies to Advance Equity, Excellence, and Economic Competitiveness,” this study examined participants’ growth in three framework domains: collaboration and communication, diverse perspectives, and civic and global engagement. Qualitative data were collected and analyzed at the completion of the writing unit to assess participants’ growth in global competence: 1) participants’ unit assignments, 2) participants’ reflections, 3) researcher teaching notes and observations, 4) participants’ demographic surveys, and 5) participants’ pre- and post-unit questionnaires. Findings suggest students’ perceived increases in their ability to communicate with diverse audiences through speaking and listening activities completed in the unit. Students’ perceptions of their understanding of audience also increased. Further, students’ understanding of global competence and cosmopolitanism increased which may transfer to their personal and professional lives in the future.