Global Education: Resource Roundup
Looking for ways to help students appreciate cultural diversity, build awareness about global issues, and develop global competence? Explore these resources for ideas on bringing global dimensions into the classroom.
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Go to My Saved Content.Fostering Global Competence
- How Do We Educate Global Problem Solvers? by Zoe Weil (2014)
Weil, co-founder and president of the Institute for Humane Education, offers two strategies to help students become conscientious about and connected to the global problems they'll one day be called upon to solve.
- Five-Minute Film Festival: Developing Global Citizens, by Ashley Cronin (2014)
Looking for resources to foster students’ global competence and develop global citizen leaders? This playlist of videos and other resources provides ideas and inspiration.
- Joining the Global Classroom Community to Instill Global Citizenship, by Adam Carter (2014)
Traveler, teacher, and speaker Carter introduces three web-based platforms for connecting classrooms around the world, which he calls the first step in the hands-on communication and collaboration of global citizenship.
- Five-Minute Film Festival: Teaching Kids about Global Poverty, by Amy Erin Borovoy (2013)
Teaching your students about poverty and hunger can be a powerful experience for them. VideoAmy shares a series of videos that explore the issues encountered by four college students who lived on one dollar per day in Guatemala.
- Teaching Students How to Make Global Impact, by Edutopia Staff (2013)
The John Stanford International School has been a model for developing global-awareness curricula. Now they've expanded their lessons to teach students how to take action to help others. Read all about the research, and explore resources and downloads related to this school’s efforts.
Global Classroom Strategies
- 5 Ways Literature Can Teach Global Lessons in Elementary Classes, by Becky Morales (2014)
Morales, creator of Kid World Citizen, offers five ideas for using literature about children and families in other parts of the world to broaden the minds of U.S. elementary students.
- 3 Great Films for Teaching About Globalization and Modernization, by Eileen Mattingly (2014)
Mattingly, Director of Education for Journeys in Film, discusses methods for teaching about globalization and modernization, including foreign feature films that tell compelling stories of modern life in other parts of the world. For more film suggestions, you may also want to check out Mattingly’s other post on "Summer Learning Through Film" and Homa Tavangar’s post, "A Global View: The Adventure of Kid-Friendly Foreign Films."
- Experiential Learning Journey From the Virtual to the Real, by Homa Tavangar (2014)
Tavangar, Education Advisor to the Pulitzer Center, presents journalist Paul Salopek's 21,000-mile Out of Eden Walk as a goldmine of experiential learning for connected students of every age.
- 5 (Recent) Historical Events You Should Discuss With Your Students, by Josh Work (2014)
Work reminds us that history is alive and unfolding, and that some of our young students now require full explanations of major events that still loom large in our adult memories.
- Make Earth Day a Global Learning Day, by Homa Tavangar (2014)
Tavangar identifies Earth Day as a celebration of global learning and offers collaborative STEM activities relating to water, climate and agriculture from diverse organizations such as NASA, iEARN and the Peace Corps.
- Pen Pals in the 21st Century, by Lisa Mims (2013)
While many consider the pen pal an analog age artifact, teacher Mims demonstrates how this very human form of communication is alive and well in her classroom -- and relevant to her curriculum.
Global Student Leadership and Service
- Students Put Global Skills to Work, by Suzie Boss (2014)
Boss highlights how high school students from 26 U.S. states, 16 cities from across China, plus a smattering of other locations come together to tackle global issues.
- Young Global Leaders Put Innovative Ideas Into Action, by Suzie Boss (2013)
How are you preparing your students to become global leaders who can make good things happen locally? Boss shares reflections from participants in the Global Student Leaders Summit.
- A Teaching Moment: The Peace Corps as a Source of Inspiration, by Maurice Elias (2013)
Elias remembers the origins of the Peace Corps and shares some ideas for related service-learning activities.
- Environmental Education Through Environmental Action, by Philippe Cousteau (2013)
Explorer, social entrepreneur, and environmental advocate Cousteau suggests that, with young people already aware of the environmental crisis, the next step is youth-driven environmental action.
- Stove Project Sparks Global Youth Action, by Suzie Boss (2013)
Boss describes how middle-school students in suburban Massachusetts team up with Brazilian, African, and Indian students to design and build efficient cook stoves.
- 21st-Century Projects Inspire Global Citizenship Plus Creativity, by Suzie Boss (2013)
This post, the second in an Edutopia blog series about developing 21st-century skills through project-based learning, takes a look at a real-world project that has inspired students to think more creatively about their role as global citizens.
Other Resources From Edutopia
- Education Everywhere: School Success Stories From Abroad, by Edutopia Staff (2014)
Edutopia's video series Education Everywhere profiles innovative school systems all around the world. Here you'll find links to the videos and additional resources for learning about education systems in various countries.
- Mix It Up! Authentic Activities for the World Language Classroom, by Sarah Wike Loyola (2014)
Teaching world language through the interpretative, interpersonal, and presentational modes, Sarah Loyola uses edtech and social media to keep it authentic for her students. For more content about the teaching of world languages, visit Edutopia’s World Languages page; be sure to +Follow the page for updates.
- Supporting New Teachers to Make Global Connections, by Lisa Dabbs (2012)
With help from guest blogger Michele L. Haiken, Dabbs looks at ways that teachers can expand their classroom walls using global collaboration projects.
- Five-Minute Film Festival: Travel for Teachers, by Amy Erin Borovoy (2012)
Whether you have the resources to travel internationally or just take a short trip, traveling can be enriching both personally and professionally for educators. Watch the videos in VideoAmy's playlist for some ideas! For more ideas, you may also want to check out Matt Davis’s "Apply for a Teacher Travel Grant This Summer" and "No-Cost Summer Travel for Teachers," by Suzanne Acord.
Additional Resources on the Web
- Asia Society Deeper Learning Series From Teaching Channel (2014)
- "Global Competence: Changing How Students Think About and Value Education," Every Classroom Matters, BAM Radio Network (2014)
- "Four Steps for Jumpstarting Global-Collaboration Projects," by Ben Curran, Education Week Teacher (2014)
- "Where Are You From? Connecting Students to the World," by Lee-Ann Meredith, The Educator’s Room (2014)
- "Going Beyond Your Classroom Walls," by Isaac Pineda, SmartBlog on Education (2014)
- "Empathy and Global Stewardship: The Other 21st Century Skills," by Jackie Gerstein, User Generated Education (2013)
- "5 Ways to Inspire Students Through Global Collaboration," by Katrina Schwartz, KQED’s MindShift (2012)
- Educating for Global Competence: Preparing Our Youth to Engage With the World, Council of Chief State School Officers’ EdSteps Initiative & Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning (2011)
- Classroom Resources From the Peace Corps
- Lesson For All Curriculum, Global Campaign for Education, United States Chapter
- Resources From Journeys In Film
- Resources From TeachUNICEF
- Global Learning & Diplomacy Collection, PBS LearningMedia
- Global Education Conference Network
How do you help students to develop a global perspective? Share tools, experiences, or advice in the comments.