Define Global Education A new world calls for new visions, a global education ensures our students
will be able to succeed in a world marked by interdependence and diversity. A global education is one that provides knowledge and
understanding of culture, language, international issues and global perspectives.
Most importantly, a global education is one that enables students to
understand their roles in a global community and teaches them how their
actions can affect citizens throughout the world. In my classroom at KTC it's about exposure, engagement, a sense of adventure and a responsibility to make the world a better place in which to live and work. (source: globaleducation.edu)
Digital Learning Environment Inventory |
Create a Digital Learning Environment
There are five digital tools that have had the greatest impact on my student’s learning about the world. First, blogging about images found on the New York Times Learning Network, “What’s going on in this picture?” Students use visual thinking strategies to look closely at a global image, form an interpretation, and share ideas in a post. Second, using YouTube video editor for students to create advertisements that are designed to reach different target markets around the word. Third, using Haiku Deck as a digital method for students to present new product development ideas from global vendors for our online school store. Fourth, using Poll Everywhere to gather live responses from student research on brand awareness in other countries and how markets are developed or untapped based on present conditions. Fifth, using livebinders.com to compare and contrast entrepreneurs around the world. Part I: KTC Digital Learning Environment Inventory 1) What tools, software, operating systems, and equipment are available in your school and classroom? In my classroom I use Google+, two learning management systems: Moodle, Edify, Adobe Class Connect, assistive technology and components of the Microsoft IT Academy. 2) How does KTC make use of school and/or teacher websites? All classes in our building have a Moodle account which students access for lessons and course components. The Kent Intermediate School District has a website for all programs on campus, it links to individual webpages which are built by career cluster areas. 3) How are you currently utilizing technology for learning? I currently use technology for learning with screencasts, assistive technology such as adding closed captioning to online tutorials, forums, chat, wikkis, web research, and digital literacy. This is an ongoing process, one of my teacher goals is to add one or more blended learning components to a lesson posted in Moodle each week, this includes TGC initiatives. 4) From the list of global-eLearning sites which are available, explore sites and process what they have to offer. eLearning Sites: Skype.com, Iearn.org, Connectallschools.org, Peacecorps.gov/wwws/speakersmatch/ Epals.com, Gng.org Service Learning: Ompraksh.org/about, Primarysource.org, Edutopia.org, Outreachworld.org, Un.org/works, Globaleducationconference.com, Onlinenewspapers.com 5) What sites and tools are colleagues in your building using? I am not aware of any colleagues in my building using the sites above. 6) Is there a system for evaluating student technology literacy in your school? There is not an assessment that is used in my building, other programs on campus have assessments. When I worked on a blended learning professional development course this summer I started to develop a student survey for tech literacy, but I am currently not using it. This is a growth area for my building and may be part of the Microsoft IT Academy. 7) Gather suggestions from students on their ideas for integrating technology into their learning. My students would like to connect with other classrooms and be more involved in peer to peer learning, something like connectallschools.org. They would also like to check out laptops and iPads to work on from home with free wireless. 8) What tools that are not presently available, would help to achieve district objectives? Though our district has many tech tools and ideas shared through profession development such as TechKnow, EdCamp, MACUL (Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning), and a talented teaching and learning technology department for educator support. As an instructor I struggle with having time to learn the new technology and collaborative planning time to know how to efficiently use tech tools in classroom, this bridges from the philosophy work smarter not harder. Part II: Globalized Lesson Plan with Technology 1) One paragraph describing your creation and implementation of one change in a globalized lesson plan to use technology. Lesson: Is the Sari Staging a Comeback This lesson looks at the ethnic wear market in India, how the sari market share has changed, and what designers are doing to boost this niche market. Instead of just providing the resources I am having students make a Google Earth Tour video to India, a sari shop, a pavement stall selling garments, and to a place of business using weaving techniques to make a saris. Students need to use information gained from a NPR “Parallels” story: The Quest to Save a South Asian Tradition and a search on ethnic wear at www.indiatimes.com. Students are working in three person teams and compared to pretesting students are using new vocabulary, have more of sense of why the sari market is changing, and will be more prepared to problem solve and make recommendations to sari designers on how to sustain and grow the sari market share. 2) One paragraph evaluation what you learned in the process of creating and implementing one change in a globalized lesson to use technology. In the process of making a Google Earth Tour video students have to understand the material before they start the video and are asking more questions about the content that ultimately they have to research independently, as I am guided their learning but not giving them the answers. Through teacher observations of the teams working in class, the final student products will include more thought and problem solving than last marking period. This is the first time all student in my class are using the Tour Video feature of Google Earth and there is a steep learning curve in terms of the technology piece. |
Global Education Assessment Tools |
There are a number of resources that can enable teachers to assess current levels of global education in curriculum, school and local communities. The tool I rely on the most to promote a global educational pedagogy and ensure it focuses on students' academic success is the Global Competency Matrix from Asia Society. I have used it as resource to share with the KTC Professional Learning Community, while collaborating with co-teachers on industry cross training projects, and presenting to educators about my involvement in TGC.
It proves a clear direction for learning targets, provides direction, and aligns with common core technical standards that are key performance indicators in career and technology education, as well as 21st century skills. There are four pillars of global competence: investigating the world, recognizing perspectives, communicating ideas, and taking action, as presented in the book Educating for Global Competence: Preparing Our Youth to Engage the World. This resource goes onto help teachers reflect on their own instruction and incorporate best practices to prepare students to live and work in an interconnected world. |
Duke Global Assessment Tool: Useful for upper levels in assessing global relevance of curriculum materials
Awareness Rubric Profile of a Globally Aware Student:
Globally aware students consider themselves global citizens. As such they use digital-age technologies to learn, think, participate in, and communicate about global issues. Globally aware students:
• are aware of how technology links nations and individuals, as well as how it enables the global economy.
• understand the interconnectedness of the global economy.
• are aware of how the global economy impacts political decision-making – including formal and informal pacts nations enter into.
• are aware of the social, environmental, and micro-economic impacts of global decisions made by both national and international (e.g. the U.N., the I.M.F.) organizations.
• understand how cultural differences (beliefs, traditions, religions) impact personal and national participation at the global level.
• understand the impact of ideology and culture on national decisions about access to and use of technology.
• participate in the global society through interactions with persons in another country or culture.
Continuum of Progress: Indicator, Novice, Basic, Proficient, Advanced
Awareness of technology’s impact on interconnections between nations/individuals, global economy
Student is unaware of the role that technology plays in enabling a global economy. He/she knows at a very superficial level that technology links individuals from different nations.
Student is aware that technology plays an important role in linking nations/individuals and in enabling the global economy. However, this knowledge is general, limited (e.g., student may define technology too narrowly), or includes significant misconceptions.
Student has some understanding of the ways in which technology has been an essential part of the global economy. He/she understands some of the effects technology has had in linking nations /individuals and enabling exchange of goods, services, and information.
Student understands - beyond grade-level expectations -how technology links nations/individuals, how it enables the global economy, and how it changes the nature of the resources (e.g. information vs. goods) that can be traded.
Understanding of the interconnectedness of the global economy
Student does not understand that economies of nations impact one another.
Student is aware that national economies impact one another, but this knowledge is general and sparse.
Student is aware that economic conditions of one nation can impact those of other nations, but he/she is not aware of political/social/ environmental issues raised by economic interdependence.
Student understands – beyond grade-level expectations – how economies impact each other; he/she can think critically about political/ social/ environmental issues raised by economic interdependence.
Understanding of the impact of global economy on political decision making
Student is unaware of the impact of economic considerations on political decision making. He/she may be largely unaware of political events and international economic conditions.
Student is generally aware that political decisions are shaped by economic considerations; however, he/she has little knowledge of specific considerations and national/ international policies.
Student is aware of some of the economic considerations that drive political decisions. However, this knowledge is somewhat limited or tends to cast issues in black and white terms.
Student possesses knowledge – beyond grade level expectations – of economic considerations that drive specific national policies and decisions. He/she can critically evaluate the gains and losses that result from these policies.
Understanding the impact of decisions made by national, international organizations on societies, environment, economies
Student has no knowledge of the impacts of decisions made by national/international organizations. He/she has little knowledge of these organizations or their functions.
Student understands very generally that national and international organizations impact societal, environmental, and micro-economic conditions, but is unaware of specific policies/decisions that impact his/her world.
Student understands how some specific decisions made by national/international organization impact many facets of his/her day-to-day world; however, knowledge is limited or tends to cast issues in black and white.
Student has an excellent understanding of the way specific decisions made by national/international organizations impact his/her day-to-day world. He/she is able to evaluate these issues critically and thoroughly.
Understanding of the impact of culture on political relationships
Student is unaware of the ways in which culture impacts national/personal political decision making.
Student understands that culture impacts national/personal political decision making, but his/her view tends to cast these issues in black and white.
Knowledge is either sparse or includes significant misconceptions.
Student understands some specific ways in which culture impacts national/personal political decision making.
Student has an excellent understanding of the ways in which culture impacts decision-making of specific nations/groups. This understanding is fair and takes into account multiple cultural perspectives.
Understanding of the impact of ideology, culture on decisions related to technology and access
Student is unaware of differences in societies’ access to technology and information; he/she is unaware that political ideologies and culture impact individuals’ access to these resources.
Student understands at a general level that nations differ in the degree to which they allow citizens access to technology/ information. However, this knowledge is sparse.
Student understands some of the ideological and cultural issues that drive national decisions about access to technology and information.
Student has specific and well developed knowledge of ways in which access to technology/information is impacted by culture and political ideology. He/she is able to transfer this knowledge when learning about similar issues with which he/she is unfamiliar.
Participation in the global society
In many cases it has not occurred to the student that persons in other nations directly influence his/her life socially, politically, and economically.
The student has a growing awareness of the global nature of the world. He/she is interested in the study of international policy and affairs— but action is limited to learning and reflection.
The student recognizes his/her own role as an individual in a global society. As such he/she - when guided -participates locally through economic, political, or social means (e.g., donations to relief efforts, contributions to international social, health, or environmental concerns).
The student is aware of how his/her actions and the actions of his/her country exert influence globally. He/she seeks to understand the global impact of personal actions (e.g., consumerism based on company policies, consumption of energy, or recycling), and acts accordingly.