Global Education & Increasing Global Competence

Buffalo High School – Johnson County School District #1Buffalo, WY

Presentation Outline

• Definition of Global Competency• Why Increasing Global Competence is Important• Benefits to a Rural School District• Structures We Already Have in Place throughout

JCSD1• Ideas for Going Global• Where can/should we go from here?

Let’s Consider How Far Education Has Come:

Image: www.historicalphotos.pressible.org

Let’s Consider What Education will Become…

Image: Drexel University

Are We Preparing Our Students for the Future?• Fewer than 10% of our college and university students

study abroad.• 2/3 of young adults in America can’t find Iraq on a map and

3/4 think English is the most widely spoken language on the planet.• Only 1/3 of American students are proficient in world

studies.• …Yet 93% of Americans believe international knowledge is

important.

A Student’s Perspective:

(worldsavvy.org)

An Overview of Wyoming:

• 54% increase in foreign-born population in the last 10 years• 11% annual growth in goods exports• 16% of our jobs are tied to international

trade• The vast majority of students do not take

part in study abroad programs <1.5%

(source – mappingthenation.com)

What is Global Competence?

Possession of the knowledge, skills, and disposition to understand and act creatively on issues of global significance.

(Source: The Asia Society)

Why Go Global?

Global Economy

A Flattened Global Economy

Image: Canadian Chamber of Commerce

A Changing WorldUnprecedented Global Migration

Image: International Infographics

Environmental Stewardship

Global Climate InstabilityGrowing Need for Global Environmental

Citizenship

Image: www.downtoearth.org

Why Go Global? – a Flattened Global Economy

• “Globalization, the accelerating traffic of goods, ideas, people, and capital around the world, has leveled the playing field for workers all over. And increasingly, employers are looking for competent, reliable individuals who will work at an attractive cost – regardless of location.”

• “At the beginning of the 20th century only 5% of the jobs in America required specialized knowledge and skill. By the year 2009 at least 70% did so.”

-The Asia Society-

Why Go Global? – Unprecedented Global MigrationThe Nature of Neighborhoods, Identities, & Citizenship is Changing

• “If all migrants were considered one country, it would be the fourth largenst in the world in population after China (1.4 billion), India (1.2 billion), and the U.S. (317 million).” (2010 – The Asia Society)

• “Students who have learned intercultural skills, understand multiple contexts and traditions, and have had multiple opportunities to reflect on their own worldviews in light of others’ are less likely to experience difference as a threat requiring violent defense. Rather they are more likely to experience the cultural encounter as an opportunity for exchange and collaboration.”

-The Asia Society -

Why Go Global? – Global Environmental Needs

Climate Instability & The Growing Need for Global Environmental Citizenship

“An important job for the next generations will be that of managing the consequences of climate change and devising effective solutions for mitigation and adaptation.”

~The Asia Society

Global Education for a Rural School

There are four straight-forward competencies to develop in our students:• To Recognize Perspectives• To Investigate the World• To Communicate Ideas with Diverse Audiences• To Take Action (or at least understand how…)

Rural Students become Global Students when they learn to:• Investigate the world beyond one’s own immediate

environment, framing significant problems and conducting well-crafted and age-appropriate research• Recognize perspectives, others’ and one’s own, while

articulating and explaining such perspectives thoughtfully and respectfully.• Communicate ideas effectively with diverse audiences,

bridging geographic, linguistic, ideological and cultural barriers.• Take action to improve conditions viewing oneself as a player

in the world and participating reflectively.

Global Competence for our Rural Schools

Because of the nature of our environment and the homogeneous nature of our constituency, we could “go global” by: ensuring that students learn to effectively Investigate the

World & Recognize Diverse Perspectives

From there, we can teach our students the other two global competencies by providing opportunities to: Communicate with Diverse Audiences and develop ideas to

Take Action.

Advantage for our Rural Students

Students develop confidence and empathy. Students become empowered!

“Students who are able to envision and carry out a plan of action – perhaps to aid cultural dialogue through community service or raise

awareness about different perspectives thorugh an art exhibit or blog – come to view themselves as active ccontributors in an increasingly

diverse world.” - The Asia Society

How Global Are We Already?

• Students take World History their Freshman Year of high school• Students have the opportunity for foreign travel in both middle and

high school• We accept exchange students from other countries • The local Rotary Club offers exchange opportunities for our students• We study other countries and cultures from a distance• We have a strong Agricultural Science program that helps deal with

local, regional, national, and global Ag Issues• Students can study World Language in high school, but only Spanish

is offered as a complete program

Where Should We Focus?

1. Connect Buffalo High School with the World2. Connect the World to Buffalo High School3. Be deliberate and utilize the vast resources (and

technologies) already in place

For Starters: We Could Focus More Energy on Teaching about 21st Century Global Problems

Examples of Global 21st Century Problems:• War/Terrorism • Refugees• Climate change • Global health –AIDS, Malnutrition, Access to Sanitation• Internet Rights & Freedom• Human/Workers’ Rights • Global economics

(just to name a few)

Ideas for Expanding Global Competence

• Establish a “sister school” in another country• Create projects that involve students in multiple countries• Invite globally-focused speakers and performers • Participate in globally-focused service projects• Hold globally focused movie nights / book clubs• Create an international photo gallery• Identify and utilize resources from local universities• Establish a global competency committee (PLC)• Modify the curriculum, globalize courses• Encourage globally-focused extracurricular activities• Create an International Week

Next Steps

• Complete the Global Education Checklist• “Globalize” the Curriculum• Make the four Global Competencies a Priority• Each Department can Commit to a “Global Education Goal” for 2016-

2017

Resources:

• worldsavvy.org

• asiasociety.org

• IREX – Teachers for Global Classrooms

• Primarysource.org