Global Citizenship Education: Everyday Transcendence
Abstract
Global Citizenship Education addresses the intersection of globalization, education and programmatic efforts to prepare young people to live in a more interdependent, complex and fragile world. The book explores topics such as sustainability education, cultural diversity, and human rights education, offering critical insights into how these facets of GCE are interpreted around the world. The book also strives to give voice to student populations within historically marginalized communities, rather than focusing solely on the role of GCE in elite schools. Gaudelli blends theory and practice to provide both an overview of GCE as well as examining current efforts to develop more globally-conscious classrooms. Blending empirical research and practical illustrations, this important volume encourages educators to take seriously their own call to prepare young people to engage global challenges with a sense of urgency and helps chart a new direction for global learning that is increasingly expansive, dialogic and inclusive.
... Even the global issues of PKn often lose attention when dealing with problems that are considered more obvious [Schrier and College, 2018: 24]. If they do not receive adequate attention, PKn stakeholders tend to think that such global issues are something that happens in distant places and are unlikely to have an impact on their respective countries [Gaudelli, 2016]. ...
... Specifically, some of the topics that are considered to be closely related to global issues of PKn a.l. are the environment, agriculture and food, as well as the trading system [Gerodimos, 2010: 35], injustice (Epstein [2017: 141] and Lai [2018:76]), colonialism and north-south inequality [Gaudelli, 2016], climate change, global poverty, organic food, and the livestock industry [Gerodimos, 2010: 58], civil disobedience, religious freedom, and global human rights [CFSD, 2018: 8], ...
... The detailed elements are presented in Table 1.5 below. (Epstein, 2017;Gaudelli, 2016) WHO Educational institutions (universities, schools, teachers, and students), academics across disciplines, non-educational institutions (the younger generation, families, colleagues, networks of friends in cyberspace), media, various communities, community organizations, charities, professional organizations, global NGOs, travelers, and countries along with citizens around the world. (Cogan & Kubow, 1997;Richards, 2020) WHERE PKn materials (curriculum, textbooks, LKS, literature about global PKn), the immediate environment of everyday life, news media, public broadcast programs, websites usually related to youth and NGOs, social media, and games. ...
The ever-evolving global dynamics demand Citizenship Education (PKn) to adapt to increasingly complex cross-border challenges such as climate change, economic disparities, human rights violations, and authoritarianism. This study aims to analyze the key elements of these global issues and their impact on the curriculum and approach of PKn. A descriptive-analytic method based on netnography was employed to gather data from various online references, including social media and Google search trends. Google Trends was utilized to identify current trends, highlighting the relevance of global citizenship issues and the importance of information technology in PKn learning. The findings show that topics such as climate change, economic disparities, and human rights violations dominate searches related to global citizenship issues. The study also emphasizes the need for cross-sector collaboration and updated references to make the PKn curriculum more adaptive to changing times. Results suggest that integrating civic affairs as a dominant element in the curriculum and using information technology can create a more adaptive, relevant, and responsive PKn education in the face of global developments. By identifying and analyzing these global trends, it is hoped that PKn education can help shape a generation that is more aware and responsive to global challenges while building a curriculum that is responsive and relevant to the dynamics of the times. In conclusion, PKn education based on understanding global issues and cross-sector collaboration can help create new citizens who are aware of their social responsibilities in the global world. Abstrak: Dinamika global yang terus berkembang menuntut Pendidikan Kewarganegaraan (PKn) untuk beradaptasi dengan tantangan lintas batas yang semakin kompleks seperti perubahan iklim, kesenjangan ekonomi, pelanggaran HAM, dan otoritarianisme. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis unsur-unsur kunci dari isu-isu global ini dan dampaknya terhadap kurikulum dan pendekatan PKn. Metode deskriptif-analitik berdasarkan netnografi digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data dari berbagai referensi online, termasuk media sosial dan tren pencarian Google. Google Trends digunakan untuk mengidentifikasi tren terkini, menyoroti relevansi isu kewarganegaraan global dan pentingnya teknologi informasi dalam pembelajaran PKn. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa topik-topik seperti perubahan iklim, kesenjangan ekonomi, dan pelanggaran hak asasi manusia mendominasi pencarian terkait masalah kewarganegaraan global. Studi ini juga menekankan perlunya kolaborasi lintas sektor dan referensi yang diperbarui untuk membuat kurikulum PKn lebih adaptif terhadap perubahan zaman. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa mengintegrasikan urusan kewarganegaraan sebagai elemen dominan dalam kurikulum dan menggunakan teknologi informasi dapat menciptakan pendidikan PKn yang lebih adaptif, relevan, dan responsif dalam menghadapi perkembangan global. Dengan mengidentifikasi dan menganalisis tren global tersebut, diharapkan pendidikan PKn dapat membantu membentuk generasi yang lebih sadar dan responsif terhadap tantangan global sekaligus membangun kurikulum yang responsif dan relevan dengan dinamika zaman. Kesimpulannya, pendidikan PKn berbasis pemahaman isu global dan kolaborasi lintas sektor dapat membantu menciptakan warga negara baru yang sadar akan tanggung jawab sosialnya di dunia global.
... Figure 1 summarizes the approaches to GCE based on the categorization from Sant et al. (2018). The inclusion of GCE as a vital part of teacher education at the preservice and in-service levels has been recommended by scholars and policy organizations (Gaudelli, 2016;Myers, 2006;UNESCO, 2015). However, systematic reviews of GCE-related empirical research demonstrate a paucity of GCE teacher research (Goren & Yemini, 2017) and criticisms of GCE's civic and pedagogical implications in teacher education (Estellés & Fischman, 2021). ...
... However, systematic reviews of GCE-related empirical research demonstrate a paucity of GCE teacher research (Goren & Yemini, 2017) and criticisms of GCE's civic and pedagogical implications in teacher education (Estellés & Fischman, 2021). Given the priorities of standards-based teacher preparation, institutions have generally not adopted GCE as an integral component of their teacher preparation programs (Gaudelli, 2016). Once taught, GCE serves as a null curriculum in teacher education. ...
... Rather, framings might superficially translate into how a global outlook is a vital attribute for future graduates as our next generation of leaders (Bothwell, 2017), with implications of developing a skill set based more on self-interest and neoliberal concepts. It is complex how one can be both global and civic when such concepts can have such different meanings (Gaudelli, 2016). Yet this can be a site of productive tension -a locus of critical reflection (Swanson and Gamal, 2021). ...
... We contend that COIL should not be deployed simply as an online pedagogy, trimmed to fit convenient models and practices which claim to represent inclusivity through shallow intercultural contact (Gaudelli, 2016). Rather, COIL should form a core component of students' curriculum as an integrated, pluralistic learning practice. ...
In this article, we examine the potential of collaborative online international learning as a borderland third space for global citizenship education. Border thinking is used as a mode of critical questioning and reflection of ways of relating to the world, of feeling, acting, living and inhabiting the world that emanates from plural knowledges disrupting modernity and repositioning alternative knowledge traditions. After discussing the central concepts of collaborative online international learning and global citizenship education, and unpacking border thinking and third space as a lens, we provide four illustrative autoethnographic vignettes from which we then discuss collaborative online international learning and global citizenship education critically. We conclude that by bringing together students to engage in a collaborative learning task that they would be unable to complete on their own, participants have a personal and collective opportunity to appreciate each other’s microsocial realities better. We argue that the potential for becoming in the collective borderlands of collaborative online international learning can deepen students’ learning and understanding of global citizenship education as inclusive, decolonising, Indigenising, critical and transformative. However, collaborative online international learning for global citizenship education should not be deployed uncritically as an online pedagogy, assuming inclusivity. Rather, it can be a core component of holistic learning practice, if it is deliberately used as a borderland third space where valuable learning through reflection and openness to discomfort advances a global mindset.
... The extensive debate on GCED/ESD that has taken place over the past three decades has set some general guidelines on their main principles and on their implementation in schools but has not yet come to an agreed consensus on the definition and scope of these areas (Sandoval-Hernández et al., 2019). The proliferation of conceptual frameworks and attempts at GCED conceptualization and definition (Gaudelli, 2009(Gaudelli, , 2016Marshall, 2011;Oxfam, 2015;Oxley & Morris, 2013;Pashby et al., 2020;Reimers et al., 2016;Sant et al., 2018;UNESCO, 2015) has highlighted how global citizenship education remains a contested concept in relation to various ideological, geographical, and cultural differences and according to situated theories and practices (Veugelers, 2011;Shultz, Tarozzi, Karsgaard, Inguaggiato, 2021). These attempts have also acknowledged criticisms of GCED and and its potential to reflect a form of latent colonialism (Tarozzi & Torres, 2016;Tarozzi, 2021;Andreotti, 2010Andreotti, , 2014Andreotti & de Souza, 2008. ...
Globalization and its impact on contemporary societies have gained new impetus with the notions of global citizenship education (GCED) and education for sustainable development (ESD), considered, together with civic and citizenship education (CCE), as a means for promoting students’ engagement in global/local issues and providing them with the awareness and skills to develop a deeper understanding of, and response to, contemporary issues. Research has shown that GCED and ESD, intended as two interrelated and intersecting fields, have strong associations with CCE and how citizenship is conceived in the post-national and global era. This paper aims to examine the issue of GCED/ESD achievement measurement within the field of civic and citizenship education. Combining analysis of the assessment frameworks and of data from the IEA ICCS (2016, 2022) achievement test (the civic knowledge test ), it discusses the integration of the conceptualization and measurement of student achievement in civic knowledge with an ex-post operationalization and measurement of student achievement in concepts and content associated with GCED and ESD (for ICCS 2016) and subsequently analyses the associations between test items related to the GCED/ESD domain and those related to “the other CCE” domain in ICCS 2022. Results highlighted the progressive relevance of GCED/ESD in the ICCS studies and the blurred boundaries between GCED/ESD and CCE both in ICCS 2016 and 2022. In disentangling the implicit, growing interrelationship among these areas (theoretically and from a measurement perspective), research findings also showed the evolution of the concept of civic and citizenship education itself.
... Global Citizenship Education (GCE) enables learners' understanding of the world and how global problems can be addressed (UNESCO, 2024). It is perceived as a response to socioeconomic, and political changes that connect countries (Gaudelli, 2016) which requires learning experiences that enhance understanding of varying entities (Echcharfy, 2022& Johnson et al., 2011. Consequently, incorporating learning experiences that can provoke critical thinking, problem-solving, and value-oriented individuals to fit into the global community is important. ...
... Further, GC is the One critical arena of global competence integration is the subject of English. English facilitates communication in the international community and is recognized as a widely spoken foreign language in the world (Gaudelli, 2016). The implementation of global competence in English classrooms is identified as essential to bring contextual learning based on global, local, and intercultural issues, and it can develop students' global competence (UNESCO-MGIEP, 2017). ...
Global competence (GC) helps to overcome multidimensional problems that should be learned in education. The integration of it can be done through the English for Change textbook which is the current and latest English textbook applying the Merdeka Curriculum. This research investigates the representation of GC in the English for Change textbook for 11th-grade Indonesian senior high school students. This qualitative research employed Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to evaluate and analyze the representation of GC in the 'English for Change’ textbook, which follows the Merdeka Curriculum. The analysis was started by reading and codifying some parts of the textbook to four dimensions of GC from OECD PISA, which are examining the local, global, and intercultural problems; understanding and appreciating various perspectives from others; engaging in open, appropriate, and effective multicultural interaction; and taking action for the development and sustainability of well-being. The finding reveals that GC is represented sufficiently which can be found in 59 pages in the book. The most dimension used is to take action for collective well-being and sustainable development with a percentage of 42.37%. However, examining local, international, and intercultural problem dimensions should be exposed more in the book with a percentage of only 11.86%. Therefore, teachers and students need to learn GC through the English for Change textbook and expand additional insights about multidimensional problems through other learning resources besides the English for Change textbook.
... Los estudios empíricos sobre educación para la ciudadanía global, como las revisiones realizadas por Goren y Yemini (2017a) y Geboers et al. (2013), son los más citados, con más de cien menciones cada uno. Asimismo, las investigaciones que relacionaron la formación ciudadana y la globalización recibieron una amplia atención, incluyendo temas como los programas educativos para vivir en un mundo interdependiente (Gaudelli, 2016), las tensiones en la educación para la ciudadanía global (Marshall, 2011), y las percepciones de los docentes sobre este tipo de educación (Goren & Yemini, 2017b). Estos trabajos han recibido 80, 73 y 58 menciones, respectivamente. ...
La formación ciudadana es un pilar fundamental de la educación en Colombia. En esta revisión, se consideró importante caracterizar la producción científica en este campo[1] y analizar las contribuciones académicas en las bases de datos Scopus y Web of Science (WoS). Dicha búsqueda se orientó con la pregunta ¿cuáles son las principales contribuciones científicas en formación ciudadana utilizando técnicas cienciométricas? Se realizó un mapeo científico por año y país, para analizar el impacto y la calidad en términos de citaciones y redes de colaboración, de acuerdo con la clasificación de revistas según el sistema de cuartiles de Scimago. Las conclusiones evidencian que la producción académica sobre formación ciudadana aumenta a partir del año 2011 y entre sus temas de mayor desarrollo se encuentran los desafíos de su enseñanza, el análisis de los resultados de su evaluación mediante pruebas estandarizadas y la incorporación de la ciudadanía global en naciones multiculturales.
... Today, globalization keeps on waving, which may cause people to expand their knowledge beyond their own nationality. In this era, students are expected to be prepared to expand beyond their national boundaries and to connect to the world (Gaudelli, 2016). Students should be prepared to connect globally; therefore, students should be prepared to be global citizens. ...
This study aimed to develop reading materials for fourth grade elementary school students in Sintang, West Kalimantan as a media to promote global citizenship education. Research and Development was used as the method and the data were collected through interview, questionnaire and field notes. From the data regarding to the students’ need, materials related to intercultural competences is demanded to promote students’ awareness of Global Citizenship Education and it is preferred by the students to be in a form of visual one. In order to meet the need, researchers developed an intercultural comic book as supplementary reading materials for the students. The appropriateness aspects of the developed product consist of content, language, and design. Regarding to theoretical validation by the expert, the average score was 3.7 in interval 3 ≤ X ≤ 3.9 which was considered ‘very good’. In terms for empirical validation, the product was categorized as ‘excellent’ by the teacher with the average score 4.3 in interval 4 ≤ X ≤ 5. The developed product was categorized as ‘appropriate’ after the third implementation by the students. From the teacher’s interview, the students had positive attitudes to the product and their knowledge towards intercultural competences was considered positive.
... Attachment to place is true even for Myra, who takes the most deterritorialised perspective, for example, referencing her identity as a French-speaking Moroccan. In contrast, several popular GCE models are associated with lofty goals such as world peace, global environmental sustainability, (social) justice for all, human solidarity, and a better future for the world (Gaudelli 2016). Similarly, some authors (Banks 2004;Myers 2010) highlight the importance for youth to manage multiple allegiances (i.e. ...
Qualitative data show that school types, migration trajectories, and intersecting identities influence how transnational youth in the U.S. understand global citizenship education (GCE). Two immigrant youth with less socioeconomic privilege attending a newcomer school take a critical GCE approach. In contrast, two more privileged students who reside in the U.S. temporarily and attend private schools take a liberal and neoliberal approach. However, all participants prioritise place-based interactions, which conflicts with GCE's lofty goals. This study suggests students may be offered uneven GCE, and that curricular goals must be clarified and GCE made more equally available to all. ARTICLE HISTORY
... Since the turn of the millennium, scholars have increasingly examined how to prepare young people for their roles as citizens of their nations in an interconnected global community. Generally, this scholarly work points to the persistence of nationalist and neoliberal discourses shaping educational policy, curriculum, and classroom practice; and that educational priorities remain committed to enhancing economic growth and competitiveness, strengthening national identity formation, and inoculating societies against perceived global uncertainties and risks (e.g., Alviar-Martin & Baildon, 2016;Gaudelli, 2016;Stein, 2021). Further, dominant Western, colonialist, and imperialist perspectives have shaped notions of "the global" and the creation of knowledge in the social sciences and education (Alatas, 2003;Willinsky, 1998). ...
... Future teachers will work in diverse classrooms and educate generations that need to cope with multiple global challenges. These include but are not limited to climate change, forced migration, and increasing social inequalities e or in short, global social change (Apple, 2011;Gaudelli, 2016;Pashby et al., 2020). Almost as long as these and other global changes have been discussed, there have been increasing calls to prepare preservice teachers to address them (see Aydarova & Marquardt, 2016;Fischman & Estell es, 2020;Zhao, 2010). ...
... Since the turn of the millennium, scholars have increasingly examined how to prepare young people for their roles as citizens of their nations in an interconnected global community. Generally, this scholarly work points to the persistence of nationalist and neoliberal discourses shaping educational policy, curriculum, and classroom practice; and that educational priorities remain committed to enhancing economic growth and competitiveness, strengthening national identity formation, and inoculating societies against perceived global uncertainties and risks (e.g., Alviar-Martin & Baildon, 2016;Gaudelli, 2016;Stein, 2021). Further, dominant Western, colonialist, and imperialist perspectives have shaped notions of "the global" and the creation of knowledge in the social sciences and education (Alatas, 2003;Willinsky, 1998). ...
Global citizenship education (GCE) is an educational paradigm that is both ubiquitous and contested. Education reform efforts have reflected curricular and cultural perspectives of dominant national identities and competitiveness in the global market. In various Asian societies, legacies of colonial rule, depoliticized approaches to civic education, and persistent social inequalities further complicate the nature of schooling, teaching, and how students build an understanding of their roles as members of the global community. This chapter provides key findings from literature and case studies to identify classroom practices that support more critical, democratic, and cosmopolitan forms of GCE in Asian societies. In particular, it points to the ways educators in some Asian contexts are able to enact issues-based civic education to address challenges that confront Asian societies, such as the hegemony of neoliberal and nationalistic forms of education and the plight of marginalized communities (e.g., Indigenous communities, LGBTQ youth, and migrant workers in the global economy). In a previous analysis, the chapter authors drew on Asian frames of reference and principles of inter-referencing to identify interpretivist, narrative, and critical influences on GCE policies, perceptions, and practices. This chapter builds on the previous analysis by proposing an analytical framework for classroom enactments of GCE based on the notion of deimperialization and a decolonial approach to civic education focused on perspective, purpose, and power. In doing so, the authors seek to shift points of reference and illuminate grounded, often overlooked perspectives, and suggest more transformative conceptions of curriculum and classroom practice for GCE in Asian societies.
... These approaches include post-colonial and critical theory approaches (e.g. de Oliveira Andreotti et al., 2016); transformative approaches oriented to cultural diversity, human rights, and collaboration (e.g. Gaudelli, 2016); and approaches favouring a value-creating orientation to nurture students' humanity through creative co-existence with others (e.g. Sharma, 2018). ...
The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration Goal two argues for young Australians ‘to understand their responsibilities as global citizens’. In these precarious times, children and youth require (and are demanding) education on how to address the myriad of convergent global challenges that is the focus of global citizenship education (GCE); however, perceived ambiguity is recognised as a barrier to greater GCE uptake. To support teacher uptake of global citizenship education, we searched for and mapped open-access GCE materials to create a systematic, research-based resource catalogue for teachers and students. We employed a scoping study to examine each resource’s alignments with Australian Curricula and global GCE frameworks and identified the areas where there is insufficient resourcing. Results showed that most resources were targeted to primary and secondary school students. More materials are needed for early childhood education as well as materials that engage learners of all ages to en/act on their understanding of what global citizenship entails.
... In "Ethical Global Citizenship Education," they acknowledge these challenges and underline that "humanity must meet [these challenges] with knowledge and wisdom" (p. 1). Others, like Gaudelli (2016), argue that GCE has gained attention internationally in response to all of the social, political, and economic changes happening around the world and how interconnected and interdependent our world is today. ...
... Throughout the above literature, there has been a consensus that the concept of global citizenship is nebulous (e.g., Andreotti, 2014;Gaudelli, 2016). It can be comprehended and interpreted differently (e.g., Marshall, 2007;Morais & Ogden, 2011;Oxley & Morris, 2013;Schattle, 2009). ...
The world is rapidly changing because of ecological, social, geo-political changes and digital transformation. For example, the global pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation and encouraged more online learning and working. Furthermore, reducing the speed of climate change is one of the major issues of our time. To be able to deal with major changes in our environment, employers, employees, and students (future employees) need to readjust how they evaluate their business, organizational activities, and education. Business schools have the responsibility to prepare the students with skills and values to engage in this rapidly changing environment. This means a change from the traditional profit maximization approach only to, among others, the development of global competencies and a global mindset. The development of a comprehensive framework for Global Citizenship in business education will therefore help organizations and educators alike. Based on an extensive literature review and an empirical study through focus groups and in-depth interviews of the professional field and educators a model of Global Citizenship for business education and practitioners is presented. The model of global citizenship consists of components encouraging the development of global competencies and attributes. These competencies and attributes are needed for (international) professionals to act as responsible global citizens. ARTICLE HISTORY
... The fast pace of globalization process that ties people and countries together into a single globalized marketplace and village has become an important impetus for the popularity of global citizenship education (GCE) [1], [2]. The necessity of educating young generations to be effective global citizens has been well acknowledged in many countries. ...
Nhằm tìm hiểu sâu hơn về nhận thức của người tham gia đối với việc tích hợp giáo dục công dân toàn cầu vào giảng dạy tiếng Anh, nghiên cứu này sử dụng phương pháp thiết kế hiện tượng học với công cụ chính là phỏng vấn bán cấu trúc cho việc thu thập dữ liệu từ 9 sinh viên ngành sư phạm. Kết quả cho thấy, các sinh viên này chủ yếu đề cập đến khía cạnh “giá trị” của công dân toàn cầu. Hầu hết người tham gia các đều tin vào tiềm năng của việc tích hợp bằng cách chọn nội dung và tạo ra trải nghiệm học tập phù hợp, và họ xem mình là người hướng dẫn và truyền cảm hứng. Ngoài ra, việc điều chỉnh để tạo ra sự phù hợp giữa đầu ra môn học với tài liệu giảng dạy và đánh giá, cung cấp cho giáo viên chương trình đào tạo phù hợp và khuyến khích sự tích cực của người học là ba thách thức lớn nhất. Cuối cùng, phần lớn những người tham gia nhận thấy Covid-19 có lợi trong việc nâng cao nhận thức cá nhân về trách nhiệm của họ đối với các vấn đề toàn cầu và thúc đẩy các kỹ năng học tập tích cực. Bài báo cũng đề cập tới ý nghĩa của việc tích hợp giáo dục công dân toàn cầu vào các khóa học giảng dạy tiếng Anh.
... Not all of these GCED perspectives are consistent with the philosophy of change promoted by the UNESCO (2021) report. While critical and liberal approaches to GCED endorse a creative vision for a better future -one that is more just, equal and decolonial, in line with the humanist and transformative perspective embedded in the report -neoliberal (Gaudelli, 2016;Shultz, 2007), economic (Mannion et al., 2011;Oxley and Morris, 2013) or entrepreneurial (Stein, 2015) models of GCED seem to fuel a conservative and neoliberal pessimism and fatalism, fixed in an eternal present, with little or no drive towards envisioning the future. ...
This article provides a conceptual discussion of the role of hope in promoting global citizenship education (GCED) and argues that a global perspective in education requires a hopeful imaginative ethos to lay the foundations for a new transformative pedagogy. After introducing UNESCO’s recent report Reimagining Our Futures Together , which addresses urgent global challenges and assigns a major role to a global perspective in education, the article discusses the meaning of GCED as a non-neutral transformative approach in education. While this report, as well as previous ones, has been criticised for its visionary over-idealism and lack of attention to the power dynamics governing education, it will be argued that hope has transformational power and can play a political role in education. The article will then highlight contrasting ideas in envisioning different images of the future promoted by international organisations that have a significant impact on global educational policies and the construction of the global discourse on education. Finally, drawing especially on the legacy of Freire’s vision of critical education, radical hope is reviewed by comparing it with two related issues: utopia and optimism.
... This book can be a research-based evaluation of sociolinguistics for coursebook authors, revealing other hidden issues beyond the selected written, visual, and audio texts. Additionally, for everyone involved in language education, the book emphasizes the engagement of more inclusive, diverse, equitable, critical, and multimodal global citizens (Gaudelli, 2016;Oxley & Morris, 2013) with language textbooks. ...
[First paragraph] The study of culture and values in language education is crucial since the cultural identity of speakers may be reflected in how they use the language, and the language itself can be a tool for learning cultures and values. In the context of language learning resources, research has previously shown that language teaching materials potentially mediate sociocultural values (Gray, 2010; Setyono & Widodo, 2019), moral values (Feng, 2019), and ideologies (Curdt-Christiansen & Weninger, 2015; Ulum & Köksal, 2019). Yet, past studies have lacked a focus on cultural issues from the perspective of critical curriculum studies, critical applied linguistics, politics, economy, and multilingualism. Tao Xiong, Dezheng Feng, and Guangwie Hu set out to address these gaps in Cultural Knowledge and Values in English Language Teaching Materials: (Multimodal) Representations and Stakeholders. This book contains a collection of prevailing core issues, approaches, and debates in English language education materials design and development by highlighting how to consider the representation of the content critically, the need to integrate other types of learning media (multimodal), and what the stakeholders of language education can contribute to a more inclusive and equal learning environment.
... This shift in the understanding of citizenship highlights the need for individuals to develop a range of competencies, including intercultural competence and global awareness (Andreotti, 2011). Education has been recognized as a key factor in developing these competencies, and there has been a growing interest in incorporating global citizenship education into school curricula (Gaudelli, 2016). In this context, English language learning has been identified as a crucial tool for developing global citizenship competencies, as it enables individuals to communicate across borders and engage with people from diverse backgrounds (Byram, 1997;. ...
This research paper aims to explore the contribution of English language learning to the development of global citizens in Colombia. The concept of global citizenship involves understanding and appreciating cultural diversity, promoting social justice, and engaging in responsible global actions. Learning English as a second language has been linked to cognitive advantages and cross-cultural understanding. The Colombian government has recognized the importance of English language learning for economic competitiveness and social development. The National Bilingualism Plan was launched to improve English language proficiency among students and teachers at all levels of education. Background: Global citizenship has gained importance in response to the challenges of globalization. It involves individuals' understanding of their rights and responsibilities as members of a global community. English has become a global lingua franca, and its importance in today's world cannot be overstated. English language learning has been linked to a range of benefits, such as improved academic achievement, better career prospects, and enhanced cultural awareness. Materials and Methods: This research paper is a literature review that examines the current state of English language learning in Colombia, the perceived benefits of English language learning for developing global citizenship in Colombia, and how English language learning can be integrated into the Colombian education system to promote global citizenship. A questionnaire consisting of 15 items was administered to 80 participants to measure their attitudes towards English language learning and global citizenship. Results: The Colombian government's efforts to promote English language learning have led to a significant increase in the number of English language learners in the country. Learning English as a second language can promote cross-cultural understanding and empathy, leading to a more inclusive and tolerant society. Developing bilingualism and multilingualism can lead to cognitive advantages, such as enhanced problem-solving abilities and better academic performance. Conclusion: English language learning plays a crucial role in promoting global citizenship in Colombia. By enabling individuals to communicate and engage with people from different cultural backgrounds, English language learning fosters intercultural understanding and empathy. Furthermore, it promotes access to information and knowledge from different parts of the world, promoting global awareness. Integrating English language learning into the Colombian education system can further enhance the development of global citizens.
... Zagovorniški pristop daje prednost aktivnemu državljanstvu, da bi dosegli skupni cilj, kot je boj proti socialni nepravičnosti, revščini ali uničevanju okolja (Gaudelli, 2016). Ta pristop je običajno osredinjen na odgovornost do pravic drugih skupin (ali narave) in je pogosto kombiniran z drugimi pristopi, predvsem s pristopom globalne zavesti. ...
... Global citizenship education (GCE) has been gaining attention in the past decade both in scholarship and in practice (Estelles and Fischman 2020;Gaudelli 2016;Goren and Yemini 2018;Sant et al. 2018). The growth of international organisations seeking to address global issues such as Oxfam and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have served as driving forces behind the increasing interest in actions taken across countries to address pressing social issues such as human rights, social justice, inequality, discrimination, and the environmental crisis. ...
This study reviews existing literature to critically explore the under-examined aspect of Global Citizenship Education (GCE) in Korean Higher Education (HE), using Nancy Fraser’s 3Rs model for social justice - redistribution, recognition, and representation. This research fills the gap by providing a critical analysis of social justice in GCE within HE, making theoretical contributions through the 3Rs framework to future analyses of GCE, and offering transformative suggestions for praxis. This paper seeks to study whether GCE in Korean HE is fostering social justice (or not) and explores some pedagogical approaches. The two guiding questions for this study are: Does GCE in Korean HE work toward social justice? What are the key pedagogical approaches for social justice-oriented GCE in HE? The findings highlight a paradox between policy aspirations and practical implementation in Korean HE where universities are challenged to balance economic competitiveness with the development of socially conscious global citizens. These further contribute to generating better practices and theorizations for transformative possibilities in comparative and international higher education.
The book chapter argues that citizenship education is enormously important in combating prejudices and inequalities. Educational institutions can respond to the increasingly complex economic, cultural, moral, and social problems of children and young adults in our globalized world. Schools that are considered crucibles for socialization into democratic citizenship gradually begin to play a critically important role in exposing students to newer ideas of citizenship that span far beyond mere commitment to national symbols. These new ideas are constantly tested and contested because they present new challenges. Educating socially just, responsible, and informed global citizen is one such challenge. It is our duty as educators to find pedagogical tools that would meet and adequately respond to the challenge.
The philosophy of education examines the nature, aims, and problems of education. In social life, its issues and practices are deeply intertwined with cultural, political, and economic contexts. The philosophy of education continues to evolve, reflecting changes in society and the ongoing dialogue about the best ways to educate individuals to thrive personally and contribute to the common good, preparing students to understand and engage with global issues and diverse cultures. This includes teaching about global interdependence, environmental sustainability, and cross-cultural communication, promoting the idea that education does not end with formal schooling but is a continuous process throughout an individual's life. This includes adult education programs, professional development opportunities, and community education initiatives.
The complexity of supporting teachers for Global Citizenship Education (GCE) in formal education contexts is widely recognised. Informed by classroom practice, this article documents a case study of three teachers to interrogate GCE pedagogy, and to contribute new insights to inform support for teachers. Previous research identifies factors that influence GCE teaching and learning, specifically teacher values, GCE orientations, and cultural and structural tensions. However, further insights drawn directly from teacher practice are required to understand more fully these complex and dynamic processes. Based on a qualitative study of upper secondary classroom practice, we analyse distinctive aspects of GCE and illustrate how and why GCE manifests differently across various classroom settings. Specifically, we consider the role of teacher’s ideological stances regarding the participatory nature of GCE and, consider how teachers can move from traditional, teacher-led approaches to more empowering experiences for students.
This article addresses the question of how global citizenship, often an aim of international schools, is conceptualised as interculturalism by students and teachers. It presents selected findings of global citizenship expressed as interculturalism and perceptions of learning through interculturalism, from a larger empirical study which investigated articulations of global citizenship education in three International Baccalaureate international schools in different locations: Finland, The Netherlands and Australia. Reflexive thematic analysis of phenomenological interviews with students, school leaders and teachers in the three schools revealed two important themes: that global citizenship is interpreted as simplistic interculturalism, with students focusing more on relational aspects of intercultural experiences, and that global citizenship is perceived as being learned through intercultural engagement. The article contributes to research into the expressions and practices of global citizenship in International Baccalaureate international schools. The article proposes that school leaders, teachers and students could engage further with critical and human rights constructivist approaches to interculturalism.
This exploratory study examines Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) efforts of two teacher educators at Turkish and American universities who co-designed teacher education courses intending to develop intercultural and global competencies among students. Drawing from theoretical perspectives of Global Citizenship Education (GCE) (UNESCO, 2015), global competencies (Asia Society, 2008), and intercultural competencies (Barrett, 2018), the instructors virtually linked the two institutions, co-designed course syllabi and assignments, and promoted virtual exchange with teacher candidates. All students collaborated on two course assignments: 1) Comparative Intercultural Exchange - creation and analysis of autobiographical videos communicating personal, social, and cultural identities; and 2) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Critical Inquiry - analysis and presentation of SDG targets at local, national, and global levels. Data analysis revealed five salient themes across American and Turkish students. The findings indicate that students considered the COIL project an affirming experience in developing intercultural and global competencies. Abstract in Turkish Bu keşifsel çalışma, öğrenciler arasında kültürlerarası ve küresel yeterliliklerin geliştirilmesini amaçlayan öğretmen eğitimi derslerini birlikte tasarlayan Türk ve Amerikan üniversitelerindeki iki öğretim üyesinin İşbirlikçi Çevrimiçi Uluslararası Öğrenme (COIL) çabalarını incelemektedir. Küresel Vatandaşlık Eğitimi (KVE) (UNESCO, 2015), küresel yeterlikler (Asya Topluluğu, 2008) ve kültürlerarası yeterlikler (Barrett, 2018) teorik perspektiflerinden yararlanan eğitmenler, iki kurumu sanal olarak birbirine bağladı, ders müfredatlarını ve ödevleri birlikte tasarladı ve öğretmen adaylarıyla sanal değişimi teşvik etti. Tüm öğrenciler bir dersle ilişkili iki ödev üzerinde işbirliği yaptı: 1) Karşılaştırmalı Kültürlerarası Değişim - kişisel, sosyal ve kültürel kimlikleri ileten otobiyografik videoların oluşturulması ve analizi; ve 2) Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Hedefleri (SKH) Eleştirel Sorgulama - yerel, ulusal ve küresel düzeylerde SKH hedeflerinin analizi ve sunumu. Veri analizi, Amerikalı ve Türk öğrenciler arasında beş belirgin temayı ortaya çıkardı. Bulgular, öğrencilerin COIL projesini kültürlerarası ve küresel yeterliklerin geliştirilmesinde olumlu bir deneyim olarak gördüklerini göstermektedir.
In this chapter, examines the role of teachers, as contributors to the development of active global democratic citizenship. By interviewing social studies teachers who consider themselves advocates of citizenship we aim to shed light on their viewpoints, experiences, and the challenges they face when integrating global topics into their curriculum. Our initial analysis reveals a shared commitment among these teachers to nurture thinking skills, foster cultural understanding and ignite students’ curiosity about the world. They emphasize the value of perspectives cultural connections and empathy in expanding students’ worldviews and cultivating a sustainable future. However, they also acknowledge the hurdles they encounter such as resources, time constraints, and engaging students effectively in issues. Despite these obstacles, these educators understand the importance of incorporating topics into their teachings. To conclude this chapter we highlight the significance of pre-service teacher education in sparking students’ interest in subjects to promote global democratic citizenship. We also provide suggestions, for educators designing service teacher education curricula and schools recruiting teachers.
Today’s young people are developing citizens in globalized and interconnected societies. The multiplicity of global linkages and connections illustrates distant events and decisions also have national and local impacts. In this period of accelerated change, policymakers and stakeholders call for forms of education to prepare young people to learn, live, and contribute to our global community. Then, how should educators prepare young people for a globalized society? Divergent worldviews and ideologies construct different meanings for globalization, citizenship, and education, resulting in conceptual debates, tensions, competing discourses, and practical challenges for scholars and educators navigating complex and contested terrain. This chapter provides an overview of imperatives and policies promoting global teacher education in the U.S. Next, it examines conceptual debates, tensions, and perspectives on global citizenship education and its potential role in teacher education followed by an analysis of global and citizenship education experiences offered in U.S. K-12 curriculum. Finally, the author discusses efforts to move from theory and research to practice by describing global citizenship education endeavors in a teacher education program.
The purpose of this focused qualitative study was to examine two urban high school students’ perceptions of a study-abroad experience, five years after the fact, with the intention of assessing long-term effects on increased global competency and awareness. The interviewees, selected from 11 participants, brought an already rich intercultural perspective and as such, their experiences illuminated the profound benefits of short-term study abroad experiences. Interviews were designed to elicit whether the principle of global competency could be discerned along two basic criteria, acquisition of cultural knowledge, and capacity/desire for close observation and self-reflection. Viewed through the theories of experiential learning, this paper will explore related pedagogical themes as well as point to the cognitive issues at stake in a longitudinal approach to qualitative research.
In Reaktion auf die autoritär-populistische Politik Donald Trumps argumentieren viele politische Philosoph*innen sowie Bildungs- und Erziehungsphilosoph*innen, dass national orientierte Formen schulischer Demokratieerziehung eine zentrale Rolle bei der Bewältigung der gegenwärtigen Krise der repräsentativen Demokratie in den USA zukommt. Dieser Beitrag argumentiert dagegen, dass eine national orientierte schulische Demokratieerziehung nicht hinreichend die auf den inter-, supra- und transnationalen Ebenen angesiedelten Ursachen der Krise der repräsentativen Demokratie berücksichtigt. Diese Ursachen betreffen insbesondere technokratische und elitäre Formen der politischen Meinungs- und Willensbildung. Vielversprechender, so die These dieses Aufsatzes, ist eine Kombination aus national und transnational orientierter Demokratieerziehung. Letztere würde einen Beitrag zur Demokratisierung der inter-, supra- und transnationalen politischen Verhältnisse leisten und somit auch die jenseits des Nationalstaats liegenden Ursachen der Krise der repräsentativen Demokratie adressieren.
This study examines the integration of global perspectives in the social studies textbooks used in Grades 4 to 7 in Turkey using content analysis as a methodology. The analysis focuses on seven mandatory textbooks distributed across the country and the big ideas and themes reinforced as official knowledge promoted by the
state. The findings reveal both strengths and weaknesses in the textbooks’ content and approach to teaching about global connections. While the textbooks aim to promote global citizenship, cultural understanding, and economic relationships, they also perpetuate nationalistic perspectives, stereotypes, and biased coverage of
various forms of inequality and social injustice. Failure to critically analyze diverse cultures, perpetuation of biased views, negative portrayal of Western culture, and a lack of comprehensive coverage of inequality are some of the arising issues and emerging themes identified. Additionally, the textbooks neglect explicit
discussions about equity and social justice and connections to the civic engagement of citizens. These findings promote passive citizenship and underscore the need for greater attention to inclusivity, cultural understanding, and comprehensive coverage of global issues and social justice in social studies education in Turkey and beyond as it relates to international relations.
This study aims to develop a global citizenship education program that integrates with the specialized curriculum of TVET schools to enhance the global citizenship of students in TVET. Additionally, the study intends to explore how students in TVET experience GCED when it is implemented in TVET. The main analytical results and implications of this study are as follows. First, the practical content of the beauty curriculum, which is based on the National Competency Standards (NCS), specifically ‘creative activities,’ can serve as material covering various themes of GCED. It has been verified that the implementation of GCED linked to beauty education is possible in TVET. Second, students in TVET high school who participate
n the GCED program actively engage in creating an art mask focusing on themes such as environmental issues, human rights, cultural diversity, and peace. Through these activities, students reflect on their daily lives and consider their role as global citizens. This study discusses the characteristics, expected effects, and limitations of a feasible GCED program in TVET based on the analysis results.
Drawing upon a five-year critical reflexive autoethnographic study, this article proposes that student comprehension of critical global citizenship education (GCE) perspectives in teacher education hinges heavily on the disciplinary frameworks of the courses in which critical GCE is integrated. Courses that use pedagogies of international education and place-based education often apply experiential epistemologies of the Body; teaching through the Socratic method and using critical pedagogies are frequently based on cognitive epistemologies of the Mind, and courses that draw upon methods of developmentally appropriate practice and culturally responsive pedagogy commonly rely upon relational epistemologies of the Soul. Applied separately, these epistemological foundations may produce imbalanced perspectives on critical GCE; thus, the article describes how teacher education might holistically incorporate critical GCE to learn such complex concepts through Body, Mind, and Soul.
Based on the recognition of the climate crisis as a cultural, political, and human rights crisis, the introduction seeks to invert the question what environmental studies and sustainability-related issues may contribute to English language education, and instead raises the question what English language education may contribute to the project of sustainability and global citizenship. Eco-documentaries are introduced as powerful means of learning in this context as three major discourses connect in these films: sustainability, (truth in) documentary, and global citizenship. Subsequently, this chapter identifies a set of antinomies in learning objectives, with the development of ecoliteracies, on the one hand (normative, affective goals), and the development of critical media/film literacy (critical, cognitive), on the other.
The conclusion distils the main insights gained throughout the discussion led in this book in the four areas: (1) critical eco-cosmopolitanism, (2) multiliteracies and faction, (3) learner agency, and (4) necessary change for global citizenship. It highlights the inter- and transdisciplinary embeddedness of this project and positions this book in the contexts of German and international research on ecomedia, global citizenship, and language education. Finally, it points to further research opportunities for which this book may serve as a point of departure.
This chapter takes up all the threads woven in the preceding chapters and interweaves them to put forth an innovative framework for teaching and learning with eco-documentaries in the English language classroom. It illustrates how the framework may guide educators and learners when engaging with eco-documentaries in the language classroom using the eco-documentary A Life on Our Planet as an example. It includes reflections on main objectives and key principles associated with the use of these films as well as deliberations on the literacies development expected to occur. This chapter contains possible learning scenarios for each of the four knowledge processes involved in the framework (experiencing, conceptualising, analysing, applying), as well as one learning scenario exemplifying an integration of these four processes in one lesson unit. This chapter also serves as a way of positioning this book in the discourse on (documentary) film education and global citizenship in the language classroom in Germany and beyond.
This chapter contributes to the contouring of what is called a language education for sustainable development in this volume. This ecopedagogically informed concept serves as a framework for the further discussion of the use of eco-documentaries in English language classrooms. This chapter first explores current trajectories of ecocriticism and translates these into the education context, resulting in a discussion of concrete principles for transformative action in the language classroom. It then focuses on the concept of ecoliteracies (Stables (Environmental Education Research 2(2): 189–195, 1996); Stables (On teaching and learning the book of the world. In S. Mayer & G. Wilson (Eds.), Ecodidactic perspectives on English language, literatures and cultures (pp. 145–162). Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Trier, 2006)) and provides an overview of existing concepts, dimensions, and educational goals, which includes a critical analysis of aspects of these concepts in need of revision. This is particularly true for the cultural dimension of ecoliteracies, which becomes the focal point of inquiry: First, language education for sustainable development is discussed against the background of risk theory (Beck (Risikogesellschaft. Auf dem Weg in eine andere Moderne. Suhrkamp, 1986)), environmental theories on slow violence (Nixon (Slow violence and the environmentalism of the poor. Harvard University Press, 2011)), and human rights education (e.g., Bajaj (Human Rights Quarterly 33(2): 481–508, 2011); Osler and Starkey (Educational Review 70(1): 31–40, 2018)) and its potential to inform a pedagogy of hope (Freire 2004, Mauch (RCC Perspectives: Transformations in Environment and Society 2019: 1, 2019)), which guides learners towards languages, literatures, and stories of hope, change, and transformation. Then this discussion is embedded in the broader context of global citizenship education, which results in the definition of a critical, eco-cosmopolitan approach to citizenship education in the context of language education for sustainable development. This chapter makes the case for a substantial paradigm shift towards global citizenship education as a way forward in sustainability-oriented language education.
It would be a grave oversight not to talk about sustainability in a volume on cosmopolitan perspectives on language education. In the face of the climate crisis and other ongoing sustainability crises, one could even tweak the "golden rule of cosmopolitanism" (Gaudelli 2016: 21), to include everything that is on Earth: I am part of the Earth, therefore nothing on Earth is alien to me. On this basis, this article explores which contribution English language education can make to the overarching objectives of education for sustainable development and illustrates how the idea of a language education for sustainable development might be implemented in classroom praxis. It does so in three steps: Firstly, it establishes conceptual contours of language education for sustainable development, which have been derived from a discussion of theories and approaches from a range of fields, such as ecopedagogy, eco-cosmopolitanism, critical pedagogy, and human rights education. Secondly, it discusses principles and methodologies for the language classroom that build on this conceptual basis, such as selfreflection,
an ability to scale (Bartosch 2018), as well as hopeful approaches to learning for
sustainability and the development of communicative literacies relevant in this context
(Römhild 2023). In a third step, this article reports on a lesson unit conducted in two learning groups (year 12 at a German Gymnasium), which was designed according to the principles and methodologies laid out in the first two steps. In this unit, learners engaged with Yuval Noah Harari's (2018) book 21 Lessons for the 21st Century and, based on their discussion of the material and UN's sustainable development goals, created their own book, in which they laid out their vision for the 21st century. This example shows how language education for sustainable development might be implemented in the English language classroom using familiar approaches that have been re-oriented towards the objectives of sustainability education.
With the introduction of Nigeria as a new country of reference in 2018 for Eng- lish as a Foreign Language (EFL) at higher level, the German federal state of North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW) has taken a bold attempt to widen the horizon of educators and students alike. While this fresh perspective offers new oppor- tunities for global education, the respective regulations and descriptors might diminish its potential by giving reductive options of implementation from an intercultural perspective. This theoretical article critically examines the (prob- lematic) intercultural and postcolonial approaches, which are currently sug- gested, and proposes three principles of teaching Nigeria in the context of trans- cultural, cosmopolitan citizenship education. A practical example of how to teach aspects of religious beliefs in Nigeria concludes this article.
English language learners should become successful intercultural speakers and global citizens promoting qualities that go beyond national boundaries. Supposed to be globally appropriate, global course books from Global North publishing houses reproduce coloniality and are neither neutral nor free of nationalism. Local(ised) teaching materials allow contextualised content but fall short, with negligible adaptions. Interviews with lecturers at Savannakhet University show: the global course books barely leave room for Lao students to express their experiences. In a return to the nation and to decolonise education, I argue for local(ised) material including pluralistic and multicultural forms of nationalism, building on the learners' diverse backgrounds.
Framed by critical global citizenship education (GCE), the study focused on secondary school teachers’ practices of GCE and explored the position of GCE in conflict-affected South Korea. The findings demonstrate the nexus of constraint and possibility of GCE in South Korea, highlighting how the country’s history of division and ongoing, intractable conflict and its geopolitical and ideological rhetoric influence and complicate teachers’ attempts to implement GCE. The study calls for a deeper, more contextualized, and sustained consideration of the conditions of GCE, especially in fragile and vulnerable societies that continue to experience conflict, war, and hostility.
This article examines the place of women of the world in the implicit and explicit social studies curriculum of the schools. The authors establish a postcolonial feminist framework for dealing with this topic and draw on evidence from personal testimonies of immigrant and native women, the treatment of women of the “third world” by mainstream media, social studies curriculum standards, and one classroom teacher's story. Central to the article is an examination of the tension teachers face in dealing with issues of gender cross-culturally as they navigate between ethnocentrism and cultural relativism towards what is called “the middle ground.” The authors offer suggestions at the end of the article for incorporating material about women of the world into the social studies curriculum from a postcolonial feminist perspective.
Transjudicialism is a phenomenon where precedents derived beyond a particular venue, such as global, regional, and national courts, serve as legal rationale within sovereign jurisdictions. Transjudicialism is part of a broader trend towards judicial globalization where legal discourses transcend national jurisdictions and supra-national bodies render binding and non-binding decisions. This article sketches the broad contours of a nascent global legal system to demonstrate how judicial discourse has increasingly become globally oriented. I focus on transjudicialism as an example of that phenomenon, specifically, how it has occurred among appellate courts in the U.S. and in other nations. I suggest that the circumstances of judicial globalization illustrate at least one way that people are multicitizens, or those who have rights and responsibilities with regard to various publics from local to global. I argue that teaching about and for multicitizenship in social studies should draw on well-developed practices of democratic citizenship education, including inquiry and deliberation, along with an under-attended area in the field, that of forecasting, or future study.
In the United States the social studies curriculum has long been the centerpiece of schools' efforts to enculturate new generations and immigrants into what it means to be "American." Addressing such goals as preparing young people for civic competence, the social studies curriculum has been designed to teach history, economics, government, and other disciplines through the perspectives of mainstream-white middle class-academic knowledge and cultural norms (e.g., Banks, 1995; Ross, 2000; also see chapter 3 in this volume, by Kevin D. Vinson, and chapter 7, by Jack Nelson & Valerie Ooka Pang, for discussions of how social studies curriculum privileges particular perspectives). Not until the civil rights movement of the 1960s did the social studies curriculum begin to include content (knowledge, experiences, points of view, etc.) of African- Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, new immigrants, or other groups on the margins of economic and political power in the U.S. Slowly Americans of color are broadening the center of the social studies curriculum as it becomes more inclusive of their knowledge, experiences, ideas, values, and historical understandings. However, in the new millennium, even a multicultural American-centric curriculum will be inadequate.
Most citizens throughout postcommunist Europe did not, in fact, abandon their systems of education after the fall of communism, as Czech philosopher Oldrich Botlik urged. However, for many people the broad consensus was that the central state could no longer be trusted to govern schools, and most other public institutions for that matter. Public distrust was most potent in Poland, where opposition to the communist party-state was most fierce and widespread, and gave great impetus to pushing the central state out of education. Decentralizing the school system was widely viewed as the most expedient way to do this--to "break the monopoly" of the state over education. This article examines the impact of decentralization policies on the Polish school system and the emergence of educational alternatives to the state system. Regarding the latter, it focuses on community schools as a particular case of decentralized educational reform that has roots in the social activist and communitarian traditions of Solidarity [Solidarność] but has also found a timely consonance with broader European perspectives on the organization of schools and the socialization of school-aged children.
The 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a propitious time for educators to examine its implications for educating citizens in multicultural nation states. The author argues that students must experience democratic classrooms and schools that reflect their cultures and identities to internalize human rights values, ideals, and behaviors. Schools in nations around the world make it difficult for students to acquire human rights ideals and behaviors because they pursue assimilationist goals that do not provide students civic equality and recognition. Citizenship education needs to be reformed so that it will help students to internalize human rights ideals and behaviors.
In this essay, the author, a social studies teacher educator, reflects on what she learned during a six-month Fulbright experience in Ghana. As an oburoni, or a white person, outside the whale, or the United States, she read and listened to specifically Ghanaian perspectives of history, economics, women’s issues, and culture and was reminded both of the power of the dominating, western cultural and economic imperialism and the value of contrapuntal thinking. © 1998 by the College and University Faculty Assembly of the National Council for the Social Studies.