Your Name and Title: Christine Farrell
School or Organization Name: 1World Unite
Co-Presenter Name(s):
Area of the World from Which You Will Present: England
Language in Which You Will Present: English
Target Audience(s):Teachers, educators, youth, governments, educational bodies, libraries
Short Session Description (one line): In this session we will discuss why we need a 'joined up' approach to global education
Full Session Description (as long as you would like):
Summary:
Education is the very building block of every society yet, the ethos in education today still has values that are based purely on passing exams and, if we are to achieve the United Nations global goals and secure a sustainable future for mankind, it is imperative that we give global education a voice so future generations learn not what to think but how to think.
1World unite believe their innovative resources enable young people to recognise, everything we do matters and this, recognition, will help transform the way young people think and act so we can bring shared values to life.
In this session, we discuss how, we can bring a truly 'joined up' approach to global education and how we can use the 17 sustainable development goals to introduce critical issues and illustrate solutions so that young people are empowered and not overwhelmed by the situation.
We cannot teach subjects in a 'linear' manner the sustainable development goals and global education open the door to a joined up global perspective for every topic and subject for that matter is interrelated and as we explore key topics we can illustrate
We bring an innovative approach to learning designed to encourage active critical thought and participation, opening the door for wider discussion and inviting young student to be ambassadors and with our help become global citizens
In a speech by the 8th UN secretary Ban Ki Moon, 'It is not enough for education to produce individuals who can read, write and count. Education must be transformative and cultivate an active care for the world and for those with whom we share it." and this, is at the heart of everything we look to do.
If requested, we can develop as series of aids that can be used alongside the 1World resources so that each newsletter and resource can be used across multiple disciplines and invite dialogue discussion and themes.
Rationale:
We believe, that only with knowledge can we look to affect social change and, that ‘ignorance’ can no longer be our defence. Bringing a joined up approach to education and learning will, help empower young people and give them the opportunity to develop the values, knowledge and skills they need so that they can forge more just, peaceful and tolerant societies where all life has equal value.
In a matter of decades our lives and lifestyle have been transformed however, what we now know is, that our rapid growth and development has had serious repercussions on the world around us and on every living thing. And, if we are to forge a more sustainable future, and protect future generations we need a fundamental change, one that looks to protect people, place and planet.
1World Unite present a new approach that fosters a renewed sense of responsibility and care where all life has equal value.
Although the topic of climate change is on the curriculum, the topic of sustainable development is not. Reviews from around the world highlight the fact that many of the textbooks used today often reinforce stereotypes and work to exacerbate social division and foster emotions such as fear and resentment. Curriculum and learning materials are outdated, developed in a solitary, non participatory manner. However research shows, young people are open to new perspectives and schools are perfectly positioned to play a vital role in helping transform the way children think and act.
In a recent study, carried out by Leeds Development Education Centre it found that even those studying to become teachers held disparate beliefs and had limited understanding of even simple global issues. In the example given a student teacher has been asked to write 5 words that could accurately describe Fairtrade when asked to consider banana farmers. (ref 2)
Malnutrition /skinny
Little clothing
No shoes
African
Baskets on their heads
This illustration although limited, does, I believe, serve to highlight the apparent lack of global knowledge that is not just in education, it is a fundamental flaw in modern society and, if we are to address this we must look to empower our children with knowledge just as those that are being empowered by the Fairtrade foundation.
I believe that our approach to global education, can play a pivotal role in helping to bring a greater understanding of global issues and, ultimately secure social change equipping young people with the tools they need so that they are better prepared for life in the 21st century.
Websites / URLs Associated with Your Session: www.1world-unite.com
Replies
Last call! If you are planning on editing your proposal and submitting it for review again, please do this by the end of business on Monday, November 6th. Let Lucy Gray at lucy@globaledevents.com know if you make changes and want her to review your proposal again.
Thanks!
Good Morning Lucy,
I have amended my submission and hope that it now meets the guidelines of the GEC submission guidelines.
I have also uploaded my resources to the participate website as I feel that your members would benefit form having access to them. as we look to bering global education to life.
Thank you
Christine,
Thanks for your proposal! Can you please edit this and provide clarity? Your proposal should read less like an essay and more on what you plan to present at our conference. It's not clear to me what you are planning on presenting and the benefits to our audience. You want to write this so that it will appeal to potential attendees.
Once you've edited this, let me know and I'll review it again.
Thanks,
Lucy Gray