Globalization
has transform the way we live today, more people now participate and experience
economic, cultural, and political activities on a global scale. Global flow of
foreign direct investment have more than doubled relative to GDP since 1990,
reaching 28.4% of GDP in 2004. Similarly,
there have been dramatic increase in migration and international travel. In
2005, more than 190 million people, or 3% of the world’s population, lived in a
country in which they were not born. As a generation, we are also facing a new
set of global challenges, including integrated and knowledge-driven economics;
greater migration between counties and from rural to urban areas; growing
inequalities; increased awareness of climate change and environmental
degradation; acceleration of globalization; and rapid development in
technology. Therefore, global literacy is one of the essential skill for students
to acquire in 21st century education.
Interestingly,
global literacy does not have a universal definition, it is also often referred
as global citizenship and global education. Guo (2014) define global literacy
as aiming to address issue of globalization, racism, diversity, and social
justice. Students need to require awareness and action consistent with a broad
understanding of humanity, the planet, and the impact of human decision on both
sides. Global literacy empower students with the knowledge regarding to global
issues and take action to make a positive impact in the world and their local
community.
In order to
obtain global literacy, students need to learn about different characteristics
of global literacy (Zhao, 2010; Guo ,2014).
Students need to:
•
Respect for fellow humans, regardless of
race, gender, age, religion, or political views
•
Appreciation for diversity and multiple
perspectives
•
A view that no single society or culture
is inherently superior to any other
•
Cherishing the natural world and
respecting the rights of all living things
•
Practicing and encouraging sustainable patterns
of living, consumption and production
•
Striving to resolve conflicts without
the use of violence
•
Be responsible for solving pressing
global challenges in whichever way they can
•
Think globally and act locally in
eradicating inequality and injustice in their forms
Recent studies indicate that many new teachers lack
the knowledge and skill to respond to the wide diversity of learners in their classroom
(Zhao, 2010). It is very important for teachers to be educated on global
literacy before their teaching career since Canada is becoming increasingly
diverse linguistically, culturally, and ethnically and globalization has
increased interconnectedness among countries.
Zhao (2010) indicate educators who are promoting global
literacy need to be aware of the global nature of societal issues, to care
about people in distant places, to understand the nature of global economic
integration, to appreciate the interconnectedness and interdependence of
peoples, to respect and protect cultural diversity, to fight for social justice
for all, and to protect planet earth – home for all human beings.
Global Literacy in action: Michael Soskil
Michael Soskil is a
science teacher at a Elementary School in Newfoundland, PA, and in the two
previous years he worked as a curriculum coach for his district, collaborating
with special and general education teachers to come up with exceptional
learning experiences for the students. Many of those experiences were online
global collaboration projects. One of the inclusive classes with both special
and general education students participated in a musical exchange project with a group of
children in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya, where about 250,000 people live
in extreme poverty in an area approximately 1.5 square miles in size.
References:
Guo,
L. (2014). Preparing teachers to educate for 21st century global citizenship:Envisioning and
enacting. Journal
of Global Citizenship and Equity Education, 4(1), 1-23.
Zhao,
Y. (2010). Preparing globally competent teachers: A new imperative for teacher
education. Journal
of Teacher Education, 61(5),
422-431. doi:10.1177/0022487110375802
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