ECI 524 - Theory & Research in Global Learning
In order for our students to be successful both now and in the future, we as teachers need to get them to realize and appreciate the differences that make up our classrooms, schools, cities, country and world. In our Theory and Research in Global Learning class, we found ways to lead our students, and provide them opportunities to make this realization in a creative and meaningful way. Through the completion of several different assignments throughout the semester, such as our personal philosophy of global learning, our depiction of a cosmopolitan and our comparative study of educational systems, I have been able to gain a better understanding of what global literacy is and how to illustrate it in my classroom.
The first assignment we worked on in this course was our personal philosophy of global learning. Global learning was a term I had heard, and probably used, but never truly knew what exactly it all entailed. In creating my philosophy, I was able to determine where I stood in regards to being a global educator, and how to recognize where my students were on this spectrum. The use of technology and the many different tools that are available for teachers to use to access schools and classrooms around the world proved to be a magnificent resource for my students. I was able to SKYPE with a former student who currently lives in Saudi Arabia and her classmates, to show my students what life is like in a school completely different from theirs. The insights and background knowledge they received from this was worth way more than any textbook could ever teach them. In doing this, I showed my students the value of the education they are receiving here, and exposed them to the possibilities technology provides for us in connecting with the world. This preparation is a vital tool to learn now, so in high school, college and beyond, they are able to make even more lasting connections and understand the importance of these global connections.
The first assignment we worked on in this course was our personal philosophy of global learning. Global learning was a term I had heard, and probably used, but never truly knew what exactly it all entailed. In creating my philosophy, I was able to determine where I stood in regards to being a global educator, and how to recognize where my students were on this spectrum. The use of technology and the many different tools that are available for teachers to use to access schools and classrooms around the world proved to be a magnificent resource for my students. I was able to SKYPE with a former student who currently lives in Saudi Arabia and her classmates, to show my students what life is like in a school completely different from theirs. The insights and background knowledge they received from this was worth way more than any textbook could ever teach them. In doing this, I showed my students the value of the education they are receiving here, and exposed them to the possibilities technology provides for us in connecting with the world. This preparation is a vital tool to learn now, so in high school, college and beyond, they are able to make even more lasting connections and understand the importance of these global connections.
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File Size: | 25 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Our next assignment had us reflecting on what it means to be a cosmopolitan. Cosmopolitanism, as Dr. Less puts it, is the “idea that seemingly different people can have enough in common to find themselves more alike than different; more human than not, even in the most different of situations.” With this understanding, we had to create an audio or visual representation of either a real or fictional character that displayed the cosmopolitan ideals. For my project I chose Barton Brooks, the founder of Global Colors. Barton was a lifelong volunteer and created Global Colors while traveling in Cambodia to help people who lacked education and basic necessities. From donating clothes to orphanages, helping agricultural projects, donating instructional materials for schools and funding a literacy program, Brooks has truly developed himself into what people consider to be a modern day cosmopolitan. In showing my students my project (http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/11290678/interview-with-barton-brooks) and more about Barton Brooks, I was able to demonstrate to them that what they have every day and often take for granted, can make a huge impact in other developing countries. We then discussed ways we could help locally to try to make an impact in our own country first, and then possible ideas for how we could help globally. We began a “Toys for Tots” gift drive in conglomeration with my basketball team and our student council as well as organizing a St. Baldrick’s fundraiser. This allowed my students to see that the world is bigger than the little corner with which they live in. Even if I exposed them to ways to help locally and not globally, I planted the seed to hopefully encourage them to work towards future projects such as the ones we completed and maybe even on a bigger scale.
The final assignment we had for our class was to complete an educational comparative study with the United States and two other countries around the world. This allowed me to see and gauge where we stood globally with our educational system, and what we could possibly do to improve. In looking at how we matched up to Slovakia and Australia, I was able to see what types of skills our students were lacking in, and then try to make some kind of progress with my students in those areas. I tried to zone in on key factors like literacy and practical applications that my students would need to be successful in high school and life. I pushed my students to read and began incorporating historical fiction novels into my curriculum. We began writing more and set up a pen pal system with students in Saudi Arabia via email. We also began critically thinking about global issues through current events and how these impacted us here in our country, as well as in global terms. With the knowledge I took away from this course and the applications I brought into my classroom, my students began to view their education on a more global scale and began to think in terms of more than just what is happening in our small town.
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File Size: | 24 kb |
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“Teaching students about the world is not a subject in itself, separate from other content areas, but should be an integral part of all subjects taught. We need to open global gateways and inspire students to explore beyond their national borders.” Vivien Stewart, Becoming Citizens of the World, Educational Leadership