HOW CAN SCHOOLS AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH GO GLOBAL TODAY?
We know that globalization is a process of interaction among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology.
It’s evident that the process affects directly and indirectly on the education. Sometimes we may think that it only affects on big countries and cosmopolitans and developed states. I’m sure that’s not true. Also small cities or even villages are trying to introduce, somehow, into the global world, using Internet, going to international shops or even watching some TV programs.
Go back to what I’m saying about education, we need to be open-minded and try to build a global education. How? I’m not sure; I wish I had the right solution. But I don’t... However, after this Challenge I’ve caught some interesting ideas useful to make (or try) a global education.
I’ve realized that there are many options to get in contact with schools from different parts of the world. At first I thought that kind of activities or projects can only be done by teenager or university students. Now I know that even kindergarten pupils are able to take part in “international activities”.
I want to record the name of some web-pages which offers students and teachers the opportunity of sharing their experiences and working together although they become to different states and the language isn’t the same: English can be the best way to get a fluent communication:
To take part of some of this projects and become a global teacher there are some conditions. These webs offer people a great option to work with people from different countries and make the learning processes really interesting. However the teacher has to be strict and constant with him/her work to get successful results.
Working with these projects students can improve their English, but it is not the main aim. They need to write to communicate with other students, and they also have to investigate the other culture, the way of living and many aspects of the other group.
The experience can be a fantastic opportunity to show children what respect means, why some people acts or things different than us, and of course to be awareness that our culture is not the only in the world. They should, or maybe have to know that we live with a lot of people and while we don’t damage each other and we respect our and the others limits, all is allowed.
In conclusion the best way to convert education into global educations is beginning with teacher formation. If they (or we) experience some international and global projects (like ERASMUS, COMENIUS, ERASMUS MUNDUS…) they will, probably, use some of that works with their students.
