A key promise of work-integrated learning (WIL) is to produce as Barnett (2012) says ‘ontological changes. This thesis explores the case study of Global Classroom for Democracy Innovation in which motivational (dispositional) changes in the attitudes of the participants to become the sustainability change agents were investigated. Additionally, it explores the degree and nature of these changes among the students. The GCDI is a virtual exchange program that brings students from three continents in a collaborative online five-week session where students work with community partners on real-world design challenges to explore three “wicked problems” such as climate change, racism and democracy.

The study provides a detailed account of the concepts of democratic citizenship, change agency, ontological and epistemological learnings and activism. The study adopted a mixed method approach for data collection including quantitative survey methods and qualitative interview methods. Quantitative data is analysed by using a descriptive approach in the form of charts and tables while qualitative data is analysed by adopting a deductive thematic strategy. Overall findings revealed that iteration of GCDI enhanced participants’ motivation to take action to bring sustainability as change agents at national and international levels, were small but consistent, however, the degree and nature of these motivations were diverse. Moreover, most of the participants didn’t relate these actions with ‘politics’ or ‘activism’ but rather associated them with other deeds like improving the condition of their societies or communities.