Global Classroom for Democracy Innovation: Climate Change Design Jam

The Global Classroom brings together students from around the world in a collaborative online format for cross cultural engagement and learning, rooted in design thinking. This series explores how citizens, activists, NGOs and governments respond to climate change issues in innovative and democratic ways. 

Emerging from a partnership between Stellenbosch University and the University of Toronto, the Global Classroom for Democracy Innovation expanded to include University West, Sweden, and co-curricular partners through Hart House at the University of Toronto and Vancouver Design Nerds.

For this event, we partner with the global activist network 350.org to frame design challenges around specific climate campaigns, offering pathways to collaborative design and action for student participants. The design jam process introduces design tools and frameworks while facilitating space for students to build trust, bring their own passion and skills to the conversation, and work together to design action plans.   

The series takes place over four weeks in March 2022, and consists of three facilitated workshops held on Saturdays in order to accommodate a variety of student schedules. Between workshops, students work together in teams to expand on and test their design ideas. We offer optional “office hours” in order to provide guidance and feedback, and help students prepare to present their work.   

What students are saying about the GCDI, in their words:

“The Global Classroom is the literal definition of learning made fun!” 

“I can clearly see the value of multi-continental collaboration and engagement, particularly in terms of a crisis that is so global.”

“I believe that the design thinking process is a great tool for the collaborative projects.”

“Collaborating with people from different parts of the world taught me how to collectively solve a problem and make progress towards a common goal.”