Global citizenship education

The Global Citizenship Foundation defines Global citizenship education as "a transformative, lifelong pursuit that involves both curricular learning and practical experience to shape a mindset to care for humanity and the planet, and to equip individuals with global competence to undertake responsible actions aimed at forging more just, peaceful, secure, sustainable, tolerant and inclusive societies."[3]

Global citizenship consists of voluntary practices oriented to human rights, social justice, and environmentalism at the local, regional, and global level. Unlike national citizenship, global citizenship does not denote any legal status or allegiance to an actual form of government. The emergence of regional economic blocs, supra-national political institutions such as the European Union, and the advancement of ICTs, has caused governments to try to prepare national populations to be competitive in the global jobs market. This has led to the introduction of global citizenship education programs at primary, secondary, and tertiary level, but also at independent NGOs, grass roots organizations, and other large scale educational organizations, such as the International Baccalaureate Organization and UNESCO.

The most important features of global citizenship education are voluntary action that can extend from local to international collectives; the practice of cultural empathy; and a focus on active participation in social and political life at the local and global level. In the late 1990s, OXFAM UK designed a curriculum for global citizenship education which stressed "the 'active' role of global citizens".In this approach, individuals and groups both inside and outside the educational sector might take action that addresses human rights, trade, poverty, health, and environmental issues, for example. This is sometimes called the 'global consciousness' aspect of GCE. However, organizations such as UNESCO have also begun to emphasize 'global competencies', including science and technology into their GCE curricula.

In the present era of globalization, the recognition of global interdependence on the part of the general public has led to a higher degree of interest in global citizenship in education. Though modern schooling may have been oriented to education suitable for the nation-state throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, in the 21st century, citizenship is understood in global terms, so that schooling might improve individual nations' global competitiveness. Many universities worldwide have responded to the need for a globally oriented education by sending their students to study abroad in increasing numbers, and some have announced that this will soon become a mandatory degree requirement.

Many governments also now promote GCE for the cohesion of society. The large numbers of people migrating across national borders means that the diversity of ethnic, religious, and linguistic groups, "has raised [...] complex and difficult questions about citizenship, human rights, democracy, and education". In addition, global issues related to sustainability, such as the world's future energy arrangements, have also been incorporated into the domain of global citizenship education.

While GCE can take different forms, it has some common elements, which include fostering in learners the following competences:[4][5]

• An attitude supported by an understanding of multiple levels of identity, and the potential for a collective identity that transcends individual cultural, religious, ethnic or other differences (such as a sense of belongingness to common humanity, and respect for diversity);
• A deep knowledge of global issues and universal values such as justice, equality, dignity and respect (such as understanding of the process of globalization, interdependence/ interconnectedness, the global challenges which cannot be adequately or uniquely addressed by nation states, sustainability as the main concept of the future);
• Cognitive skills to think critically, systemically and creatively, including adopting a multi-perspective approach that recognizes different dimensions, perspectives and angles of issues (such as reasoning and problem-solving skills supported by a multi-perspective approach);
• Non-cognitive skills, including social skills such as empathy and conflict resolution, and communication skills and aptitudes for networking and interacting with people of different backgrounds, origins, cultures and perspectives (such as global empathy, sense of solidarity); and
• Behavioural capacities to act collaboratively and responsibly to find global solutions to global challenges, and to strive for the collective good.[5]

Most educators agree that "global citizenship is a learned and nurtured behavior",[6] and the most widely used classroom strategy for developing global skills is project-based learning. This pedagogical technique can be utilized in the case of almost any school subject, "[and] is the primary pedagogical strategy in the discourse of global competencies. Educators see it as an important method for developing the tools- technical and emotional- for success in the global society".[7] With the aim of nurturing students' potential to be both learners and citizens, the project-based approach has been used successfully in community-based learning, for example.[8]

Another important pedagogical feature of GCE is learning through communicative practices outside the classroom that "harness […] the educational force of the wider culture".[9] If students are encouraged "to see themselves as political agents",[9] educators assume they are more likely to acquire the knowledge, skills and abilities that enable them to become agents of change.[10] Another important element of the student-centered participatory nature of GCED, is that students, through their engagement with others via Social Network Services, create their own forms of global citizenship through dialogue, learning, and action.[11] This is an important element, for example, in the activities of grassroots organizations like 'GIN' (Global Issues Network), and Global Citizenship Foundation[12] which involves students and teachers in projects that address global issues such as human rights, trade rules, and deforestation.[13] Such student-driven, student-led projects combine both the 'global consciousness' and 'global competence' aspects of GCED.

UNESCO developed a competency framework on GCE with key learning outcomes, learner attributes and learning objectives to help guide policymakers and curriculum developers in their efforts to develop national curricula that empower learners to assume active roles, both locally and globally.[1] This competency framework is based on a vision of learning that covers three domains to create a well-rounded learning experience: Cognitive, Socio-Emotional and Behavioural.[14] Although conceptually distinct, these three domains do not represent isolated learning processes; they often overlap, mutually reinforce and build upon each other, and can also occur in parallel. For example, socio-emotional learning (SEL) requires understanding existing challenges in the community (cognitive) and making informed decisions (behaviour).[1] By delivering lessons using all three domains, teachers are more likely to develop the broad range of knowledge, attitudes, values and behaviours that are expected of GCE. This approach also makes it possible to address the four pillars of learning that are key to ensuring learners are equipped with the skills they need to face the world as active and engaged citizens: Learning to know, to do, to be and to live together.[15]

GCED domains of learning and expected learning outcomes

GCE includes three domains of learning, cited below:[1]

• The cognitive domain includes thinking processes that involve the acquisition, organization and use of knowledge and information.
• The socio-emotional domain includes the development of skills that facilitate learners’ emotional welfare and successful interactions with others, including peers, teachers and family members and those in their community.[16]
• The behavioural domain includes the development of the ability to use learned materials or to implement material in new and concrete situations.[1]

GCE has three expected learning outcomes, including how:[1]

• Learners acquire knowledge and understanding of local, national and global issues and the interconnectedness and interdependency of different countries and populations. Learners develop skills for critical thinking and analysis.
• Learners experience a sense of belonging to a common humanity, sharing values and responsibilities, based on human rights. Learners develop attitudes of empathy, solidarity and respect for differences and diversity.
• Learners act effectively and responsibly at local, national and global levels for a more peaceful and sustainable world. Learners develop motivation and willingness to take necessary actions.[1]

'Global consciousness' and 'global competence'

Organizations implementing GCE programs, such as UNESCO, now emphasize the importance of expanding both students' 'global consciousness' and 'global competence'.[13] 'Global consciousness' represents the ethical or moral dimension of global citizenship, whereas 'global competence' "features a blend of the technical-rational and the dispositional or attitudinal".[17]

However, some view global consciousness and global competence as being closely related.[18] The OECD, for instance, focuses on global competencies called 'psychosocial resources', of which there are three main types: "using tools interactively (technology and language skills), interacting in heterogeneous groups (cooperation, empathy), and acting autonomously (realizing one's identity, conducting life plans, defending and asserting rights".[19]

GCE identifies three learner attributes, which refer to the traits and qualities that global citizenship education aims to develop in learners and correspond to the key learning outcomes mentioned earlier. These are: informed and critically literate; socially connected and respectful of diversity; ethically responsible and engaged. The three learner attributes draw on a review of the literature and of citizenship education conceptual frameworks, a review of approaches and curricula, as well as technical consultations and recent work by UNESCO on global citizenship education.[14]

GCE and ESD pursue the same vision: It is all about empowering learners of all ages to become proactive contributors to a more just, peaceful, tolerant, inclusive and sustainable world. Both GCED and ESD:

• focus not only on the content and outcome of what is learned, but also on the process of how it is learned and in what type of environment it is learned.
• emphasize action, change and transformation.
• place importance on acquiring values and attitudes relevant to addressing global challenges.
• foster skills for collaboration, communication and critical thinking.[21]

Both GCE and ESD help learners understand the interconnected world in which they live and the complexities of the global challenges faced.[22] GCE and ESD help learners to develop their knowledge, skills, attitudes and values so that they can address these challenges responsibly and effectively now and in the future.[23][24]

GCED provides the overall framework for education for justice or the approach to the rule of law (RoL). It aims to empower learners to engage and assume active roles, both locally and globally, as proactive contributors to a more just, peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure and sustainable world.[25]

The GCED expected learning outcomes are based on a vision of learning that covers three domains to create a well-rounded learning experience: cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioural. Although distinct, the three domains do not represent isolated learning processes; they often overlap, reinforce and build upon each other, and can also occur in parallel.[25] For example, socio-emotional learning requires understanding existing challenges in the community (cognitive) and making informed decisions (behavioural).

Teachers strive to develop learners’ ability to use the knowledge they have, or have gained, to alter their behaviours and ‘do the right thing’ in the appropriate circumstances. For example, learning how to take ethical decisions and speaking out against discrimination. Making this shift from ‘knowing’ to ‘doing’ involves helping learners apply their knowledge to real-world situations.[25]

Some fundamentalist critics believe GCE might undermine religious education and promote secular values.[26] Others are concerned that the pedagogical approach of most global citizenship education curricula are too often produced in particular Northern, Western contexts.[27] Some OF critics claim that GCE curricula promote values that are too individualistic.[13] Dill,[28] for example, claims that "the majority of the world experiences social and communal life not in terms of isolated individuals, but as collective identities and traditions. For many of these groups, the dominant forms of global citizenship education and its moral order will be experienced as coercive and unjust',[29] so 'global' citizenship curriculum should be seen as a local practice, "which diverse cultures will conceptualize and construct differently".[30]

• Citizenship education (subject)
• Global civics
• Climate Change Education (CCE)
• Climate-friendly school
• Futures of Education
• Global citizenship
• Global education
• International education
• Peace education
• UNESCO ASPnet