Tip | Global Curricula: How to Choose and What to Use – Asia Society’s Partnership for Global Learning

Anthony Jackson is vice president for education at Asia SocietyRead the full article here >>

By Anthony Jackson on July 10, 2013 5:34 AM

Nelson Mandela is one of my heros. As he lies in critical condition, one quote stands out for me above all others: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” […]

It’s promising that there are a number of organizations dedicated to creating teacher resources that ultimately help students understand this complex world. But what’s the best way to judge their quality?

Here are some questions to consider when reviewing global issues curricula:

  • Does the curriculum use primary resources and respectable secondary resources, such as perspectives from academic experts?
  • Does it lead students to deeper learning through critical analysis of a wide range of evidence?
  • Is the essential question something experts grapple with in the real world, where there is no clear answer?
  • Are there case studies from different areas of the world? Or allow students to model similar investigations of new case studies?
  • Does the curriculum allow learners to examine the roots and diverse perspectives that surround the global issue?
  • Does the curriculum promote project-based learning?
  • Does the curriculum have room for students to connect with experts and peers around the world?
  • Can your students apply their learning in a real-world way that makes a difference locally, regionally, or globally?

Probably no curriculum can accomplish all of these things. Educators are masterful at adapting lessons to fit the needs of their own students. What other objectives can you build into global learning opportunities?

Here are some notable curricula broadly categorized by big world issues:

The Natural World
Humans thrive off the natural world, using its resources to survive and to create better societies. But humans must also consider the delicate balance between development and preservation of limited natural resources for future generations. Forces, like global warming, are often borderless problems that require global cooperation to mitigate. […]

Human-Environment Interactions in India
India has within its borders nearly one-fifth of the entire human population. This lesson, from Primary Source, examines how India has attempted to balance development needs, including policies that would lift millions out of severe poverty, with environmental preservation. Free [i.e. this resource is free of cost].

Anthony Jackson is vice president for education at Asia Society. In this role, he leads the Asia Society’s Partnership for Global Learning, a national network of practitioners and policymakers whose focus is to increase the number of U.S. students graduating ready for college and career and prepared for a global economy. Follow Asia Society on Twitter.

Source: Global Curricula: How to Choose and What to Use – Global Learning – Education Week
Address : http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/global_learning/2013/07/global_curricula_how_to_choose_and_what_to_use.html
Date Visited: Thu Jul 18 2013 08:21:46 GMT+0200 (CEST)