The Classroom As A Global Community

The Classroom as a Global Community
Introduction
We live in a mutually dependent and mutually supporting global society by way of the
economic, environmental, communication, political and social systems we normally use in
everyday life.
In an inter-related society like ours, the responsibility to prepare the learners to live
productively within this natural environment falls on the teachers and the schools.
Globalization has many different meanings, in this special topic, globalization means
enthusiastically initiating students to learn about people and ideas from all over the world,
leading students to learn to reflect about things and ideas as an entire and total system
(economic, environmental, communication, political and social) and familiarizing learners with
global matters that undoubtedly will have bearing on their everyday lives.
Globalization ought to facilitate learners from different parts of the world to involve
themselves in activities where their intercultural competence may be developed beyond social
as well as geographical boundaries.
Discussions
 Increase in the scope and magnitude of human contact with its subsequent escalation of
interaction and interdependence
 Recent advances in the communication and transportation technologies have resulted in
a rapidly shrinking world and forced contact among people from diverse cultures
 Globe develop understanding of and sensitivity to the views of others as well as a sense
of connectedness that taps into common values and goals
 Communicate and collaborate with those whose attitudes, values, knowledge and ways
of doing things differ significantly from their own
 High degree of flexibility, a tolerance for ambiguity, and an understanding of the role
culture plays in shaping thinking and behavior
Educational Implications:
A healthy, well-functioning global society demands that individuals have the ability to
think, perceive, communicate and behave in new and different ways with people from many
different backgrounds.
The National Council for the Social Studies defines a global perspective as the
development of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to live effectively in a world possessing
limited natural resources and characterized by ethnic diversity, cultural pluralism, and
increasing interdependence.
Teaching toward a global perspective emphasizes the following ideas:
Characteristics of a Global Classroom:
 The human experience is an increasingly global phenomenon in which people are

constantly being influenced by transnational, cross-cultural, and multicultural and
multiethnic interaction.
 Humankind is highly interdependent with the state of the global environment.
 The goods we buy, the work we do, the cross-cultural links we have in our own
communities and outside them, and increased worldwide communication capabilities all
contribute to an imperative that responsible citizens understand global and
international issues.
 There is a wide variety of actors on the world stage, including states, multinational
corporations, and numerous voluntary nongovernmental organizations, as well as
individuals.
 Citizen participation is critical at both local and international levels.
Characteristics of a Global Classroom
Long Term Goals of Schools Methods of Implementing Goals
1- To appreciate people from other 1- Help students learn firsthand about

cultures cultures of other countries
2- To develop sensitivity to the needs 2- Share what they are learning
of people
locally and globally with others
3- To increase knowledge about
people around the world 3- Collaborate on common projects
across national boundaries
Concepts that develop a global perspective 4- Study and live in other countries
woven throughout curriculum with students from other countries.
5- Welcome global career
1- Help students develop cognitive opportunities
skills and attitudes such as
6- Develop capacities for success in a
empathy, interconnectedness,
perspective taking, cross-cultural global village
understanding, action orientation,
and prejudice reduction.
Requirements of teaching a Globally Oriented Curriculum
Global perspective is International focus courses Internationalizing

integrated throughout the are develop in area such as instructional method and
school curriculum not just in anthropology, regional materials emphasize
social studies. history, geography, global or intercultural interaction and
world studies, foreign culturally appropriate
Encouraging international language study, world methods of instruction and
travel as an important part of religion, ethnic group studies, assessment. Partnership
one’s education international business, music, programs with other schools
and art. and countries can also be
developed.
Internationalizing the Disciplines
History and the Social Studies can look at various perspectives Reading and language arts can
on similar issues, (e.g. the British view of the America include world literature
Revolution, study and discussion of world events) and students
can be encouraged to ask difficult questions.
Science education might Foreign language education Mathematics education can

include the study of the can include languages of include the study of the
natural environment and immigrant and refugee metric system and traditional
problems created by populations, and the role of numeration systems from
technology and economic translations in diplomacy. other cultures and math
innovations concepts can be taught using
world data and global issues.
What should students study in a global education curriculum?
global issues, problems

culture and world areas the wolrd
and challenges
10 Specific Topixcs of Study in a global Education Curriculum as recommended by Cushner,
McClellans and Safford (2009)
1. Conflict and its control, including terrorism and national security

2. Economic systems and internati0onal trade
3. Global belief systems, including the study of differing philosophies and religions
4. Human rights are social justice, including gender equity issues as well as health,
education, and food security
5. Management of the planet’s resources, including the study of energy and environmental
degradation
6. Political systems, including a study of the United Nations, negotiations and treaties, and
nongovernmental organizations
7. Populations, including population control and immigration and emigration concerns
8. Human commonality and diversity trough the study of race and ethnicity, thus working
to reduce prejudice and ethnocentrism

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The Classroom as a Global Community

Teaching toward a global perspective emphasizes the following ideas:

Characteristics of a Global Classroom:

 The human experience is an increasingly global phenomenon in which people are

Characteristics of a Global Classroom

Long Term Goals of Schools Methods of Implementing Goals

1- To appreciate people from other 1- Help students learn firsthand about

Global perspective is International focus courses Internationalizing

Internationalizing the Disciplines

Science education might Foreign language education Mathematics education can

What should students study in a global education curriculum?

global issues, problems

1. Conflict and its control, including terrorism and national security

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