Center for Active Learning in International Studies
 

Welcome!

CALIS is an outreach project of the School of International Relations dedicated to advancing teaching excellence in international studies.

  • Our mission is to develop programs and materials that directly engage students in high level analysis that prepares them for active citizenship in an increasingly globalized world -- and to make these models and materials available to others who share the goal of advancing the field of teaching international studies.
  • Our focus is on the systematic use of case teaching and analytical tools of international relations, addressing complexity and controversy with depth and accountability.
  • Our process is to bring USC students and faculty together with teachers and their students, working directly in classrooms and involving local students on campus as much as possible.

    In this effort, CALIS has established a set of fully integrated programs:
1) undergraduate outreach to local high schools - approximately 200 USC student volunteers teach a series of 4 class sessions in 75 classrooms each year through TIRP - the Teaching International Relations Program

2) high school student programs - the annual High School Leadership Conference hosts over 200 local students who are mentored by over 50 USC student volunteers.

3) teacher professional development - seminars, workshops, partnership planning

4) curriculum development - lessons, activities, and student materials that apply analytical tools and case teaching, and are available free on our TIRP Activities Database to support our local programs and to promote change in teaching the social sciences

5) a national resource - collaborative support for partner teachers to present strategies and materials from the High School Case Teaching Initiative at state and national conferences; availability to consult and train