Global Literacy: Week 2 Reflection on Ch. 1 of "Educating for Global Competence"

Educating for Global Competence: Preparing Our Youth to Engage the World by Veronica Boix Mansilla and Anthony Jackson / reflection

1. From your perspective, in what ways are the societal and environmental transformations here described affecting your students’ lives today? How will they be affected in the future?

In some ways, students are more globally connected than ever before. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube allow them to see the news and what’s trending in other countries. They have studied global warming and climate change and are aware of the risks to our world. They can see the economy changing. Many of my students have been affected by the economic downturn and they are aware that it’s difficult to find a job today. They also need to know that they need adaptable skills in order to be prepared for jobs that don’t even exist yet.

Students can see the increasing diversity of the world in their own neighborhoods and classrooms. Clearly, demographics are changing. I believe that in many ways, today’s students are more accepting of diversity than previous generations were. This is an important step in creating globally competent students. However, we need to take the understanding one step further. As Mansilla and Jackson point out in the article, we need to be able to  “weigh other’s perspectives considering the factors - including culture, geography, religion, and others - that inform them” (p.4).  Perhaps even more importantly, we need to be able to “communicate carefully and respectfully, using appropriate languages and technologies to do so” (p. 4). As educators, we need to prepare students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate a multicultural world.

2. In your opinion, what are the key reasons for educating for global competence? What are the barriers such an education might confront?

There is no doubt that we live in a world of transition. The changes in the past century have been unprecedented. I think about the fact that it was less than 100 years ago that the first transatlantic flight occurred! Now, not only can we travel to other parts of the world at the drop of a hat, but with digital technology, we are connected instantly. As the article mentions, our economies, cultures and environment are intertwined like never before. The demographics of our country are changing. Groups who were previously in the minority are quickly becoming the majority in the United States. If we are able to embrace the diversity, the possibilities for progress are endless. Environmentally, we have no choice but to work together to protect our planet. As the authors say, greenhouse gases do not respect national borders” (p.6). The issue of climate change affects everyone and we must work cooperatively to solve the problem.

Although it’s necessary to educate for global competence, there are still barriers. National pride and a sense of isolationism are strong in many cases. There are still people who think we just need to take care of our own problems and not worry about anyone else’s. Also, our students’ background knowledge of their own culture and that of others is often limited. However, we can’t let these obstacles stop us. It’s critical that we create a globally competent generation.

3. In your current opinion, what distinguishes a high- from a low-quality education for global competence.

The major difference between a high and low quality education for global competence lies in the ability of educators to prepare students to “cooperate across national borders” (p. 9). to find creative solutions to the global issues that confront us all. Of course students need knowledge and skills. They need to be ability to synthesize information and understand their own perspectives as well as those of others. However, they also need heavy doses of imagination and creativity. As the authors say, global competence requires a “deep vein of creativity that is constantly renewing itself” (p. 2). When we educate our students globally, we need to make sure that we stress the need to think outside the box. Education cannot get bogged down in test prep. The world is changing so fast that we don’t even know what opportunities will be available for our students down the road. In the current data obsessed world of education, we need to make room for imagination. A high quality education for global competence will prepare students who are have vision and are able to take action.