What should teachers’ priorities be in Global Learning?

GA Conference DebateManchester, April 2015

Richard King, OxfamDr Alex Standish, UCL Institute of Education

Dr Fran Martin, University of Exeter

What should teachers’ priorities be in global learning?

Richard King, Oxfam

Richard P KingNational Education Strategy AdvisorOxfam Education

Debate position:

Teachers’ priorities in global learning should be to develop pupils as global citizens through learning about global issues, considering them critically and taking appropriate actions using real life curriculum opportunities

Elaboration- Knowledge, understanding, values, attitudes, skills (KUVAS)- Critical thinking processes- Power and politics- Participatory processes (Hart’s ladder)- Young peoples’ agency - Topical and diverse sources (e.g. NGOs)- Curriculum led planning

Rationale- Engaging and inspiring- Civic engagement- Sustainability - Pedagogical development- Purpose of education

What should teachers’ priorities be in global learning?

Dr Alex Standish, IOE

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1827)“Poetry is the universal possession of mankind, revealing itself everywhere and at all times in hundreds and hundreds of men. . . . I therefore like to look about me in foreign nations, and advise everyone to do the same. National literature is now a rather unmeaning term; the epoch of world literature is at hand, and everyone must strive to hasten its approach.” see Damrosch (2003) What is World Literature? Princeton Univ. Press.

The priority is to teach geography rather than global learning for three reasons:

• Provides teachers/pupils/parents with clarity about the purpose of education

• Pupils will be engaged in education about the world rather than other activities (activism/behaviour outcomes)

• Young people will learn more about the world and be better prepared to act once they assume the political responsibility that comes with citizenship.

What should teachers’ priorities be in global learning?

Dr Fran Martin, Exeter

Teachers’ priorities in global learning could include a focus on intercultural processes

Space ofInter-cultural Interaction

Third Space

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… ways of being, knowing and valuing in the world… implies that there cannot be one way of what it means to be human

Power and KnowledgeDevelopment knowledge Poverty knowledge

• (Image of man and two boys – probably in Sub-Saharan Africa)

S/CS/C H/CH/C Teacher/learner

Teacher/learner

Inter-cultural, Third Space

A space of mutual, reciprocal, equitable

relation

Inter-cultural, Third Space

A space of mutual, reciprocal, equitable

relation

Adults and pupils can be teachers and

learners. They interact through dialogue that

has meaning and purpose. Knowledge is

co-constructed.

Education happens in formal and informal

settings, in schools and communities/families.

Knowledge is co-constructed through

dialogue.

H/C H/C S/CS/CLearner/ teacher

Learner/ teacher

H/C = Home & Community funds of knowledge / ethno-knowledges

S/C = School and Curriculum knowledge

Developing knowledge – from different geographical perspectives

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Follow up• Primary Geography and Teaching Geography

Global Learning Focus (Summer 2015)• Schools can access the free training,

guidance, resources and local support provided by the GLP-E by registering at www.glp-e.org.uk, or find out about GLP-W at http://globaldimension.org.uk/glpwales

• Follow-up reading below• Further resources on the GA website

Reading