I share two approaches here, focusing on synchronous and asynchronous classroom meetings. The prompts I provide serve as a starting point, intended to be adapted and refined as needed based on the focus of the class and available resources. The first approach utilizes the combination of learning management systems (LMS) discussion boards and individual assignments to facilitate sequential exploration of bringing various perspectives to the global politics classroom. The second approach utilizes think-pair-share (TPS), which is more hands-on and utilizes structured and timed in-person discussions to learn and explore various perspectives in global politics classrooms.

I utilize Canvas (which could be replicated for any different LMS like Moodle or Blackboard) to facilitate student collaboration and discussion. The platform’s discussion boards are valuable for asynchronous exchanges, allowing thoughtful, diverse contributions. Table 1 below provides a structured four-week iterative instruction set where students start with individual participation, and the instructor collaborates with the students one-on-one through feedback, recommendations, and suggestions on individual week-1 assignments. After receiving individualized feedback and recommendations, the student engages with the class in discussion boards. The whole process is reiterated to ensure that the student explores various perspectives on global politics and effectively and professionally communicate their understanding and reflections with their classmates. The four-week instructions are scalable regarding time, assigned tasks, and deliverables.

The structure of the weekly prompts, outlined in Table 1, is designed to progressively increase the level of involvement and critical thinking required from the students. As they advance through the weeks, their responses become more detailed, reflective, and embedded with various perspectives, incorporating a broader range of sources and deepening their critical analysis. I recommend sharing a brief video message each week with the class explaining the objective and expected outcome of each step of this iterative assignment to ensure that the learners know the assignment’s focus.