As educators (and parents), we cannot expect our students and graduates to be globally competent if we do not adopt a global mindset ourselves. The appreciation of people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and the extent to which we embrace knowledge, understanding, and problem solving from our international brothers and sisters, starts with us. This mindset is critical for attaining global proficiency. As a matter of fact, the strength of our world depends on it. So how do we embed these same principles in our schools? We can start with the five foundational “I's” of global competence:
1) International Mindedness: It is our job to expose students to global events and prospectives. Since physically traveling to other countries is expensive and not always feasible, figurative means of travel is another option. This includes the Internet (social media, blogs, podcasts, webinars, websites, etc.), articles, research, books, pictures, movies, documentaries, stories, food and music. Students must experience “learning with the world, and not just about it” (iEARN-USA, 2016) if we expect them to connect internationally.
These resources support International Mindedness:
These resources support Interdisciplinary Projects:
These resources support student Inquiry:
These resources support Innovation:
These resources support Integrity:
1) International Mindedness: It is our job to expose students to global events and prospectives. Since physically traveling to other countries is expensive and not always feasible, figurative means of travel is another option. This includes the Internet (social media, blogs, podcasts, webinars, websites, etc.), articles, research, books, pictures, movies, documentaries, stories, food and music. Students must experience “learning with the world, and not just about it” (iEARN-USA, 2016) if we expect them to connect internationally.
These resources support International Mindedness:
- The Global Education Conference Network is a community of teachers/educators, students, and organizations working together for global competence. http://globaleducationconference.com
- iEARN empowers teachers and youth to engage in collaborative projects that are worldwide. https://iearn.org
These resources support Interdisciplinary Projects:
- Facing the Future equips educators with standards-based resources and curriculum on global issues. Students are prompted to think critically as they develop global perspectives and solutions. www.facingthefuture.com
- Project for Awesome inspires community members from around the world to make videos about a charity that is particularly meaningful for them. These are uploaded and shared on the Internet, viewed, discussed, and commented upon by people around the world. www.projectforawesome.com
These resources support student Inquiry:
- Explore the pros and cons of controversial issues that have global relevance. Every issue starts with a core question that generates additional questions for categories related to that issue. For example, “Is drinking milk healthy for humans?” www.milk.procon.org and www.procon.org
- Explore lots of resources pertaining to project-based learning and global inquiry. http://www.pearltrees.com/andreakerr/pbl-global-inquiry/id6756207
These resources support Innovation:
- Learn what 41 of the most innovative K-12 schools in America are doing.
- https://www.noodle.com/articles/innovative-schools-2015
- Learn what 13 of the most innovative schools in the world are doing.
- Make roller coasters, pipe cleaner towers, earthquakes and volcanoes, batteries, ice cream and more, along with 200 other activities through The Engineering Place, a program founded in 1999 by NC State University. https://www.engr.ncsu.edu/theengineeringplace/educators/k8plans.php
These resources support Integrity:
- Marilyn Price-Mitchell’s 5 Ways to Increase Integrity can be found at http://www.edutopia.org/blog/8-pathways-creating-culture-integrity-marilyn-price-mitchell
- Teach students that character counts through the Giraffe Heroes Project, an organization that finds and commends real heroes around the world for “sticking their necks out for the common good.” www.giraffe.org