What an invigorating unit of resources to review!

Digging into Global Competency and

Education was perhaps one of my favorite units this semester. At iTeach, we spend a lot of time

modeling the use of technology to be a ‘game changer’...connecting people from far reaching

locations in the click of a mouse or a tap of a finger. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills in

their ​Global Education Indicators Report​ defines global competence for educators as leveraging

“educational approaches sensitive to our changing world that infuse global awareness and

cultural understanding into everyday classroom practices, while also utilizing the technological

resources available to teachers and students today.” In their ​Framework for State Action​, they

remind us that what we have been pushing for in many of our schools and districts (College and

Career Readiness) is not just about knowledge and skill, but the ability to call upon one's

knowledge and skills in a variety of settings for a variety of reasons. In our efforts to best

prepare our learners for a successful future of their choosing, it is then essential that we provide

them with the opportunities to connect, communicate and share globally.

Some of the resources shared via the ​Edutopia​ article were a bit dated, and in my search

to locate a more current list of ideas, projects, and resources I found this list of ​21 Global

Education Resources curated by Getting Smart​. I also have the great pleasure of working with

Phil Wagener, iTeach ​project lead and coach, who is a massive influencer in the #GlobalEdChat

PLN on Twitter who inspires me daily with ways to infuse global competencies in the work of

schools. The nature of our work as coaches requires us to model and support best practices, and

global education just so happens to be one of the best. Young (2016) gives us a list of ​5 Best

Practices to Globalize Your School​, and I found it a compelling list. The list includes: 1)
Defining your global-ready graduate; 2) Developing global-ready teachers; 3) Utilize superior

global classroom resources; 4) Incorporate technology; and 5) Integrate, Integrate, Integrate.

While articles like this one are helpful to build a broad understanding, I challenge that too much

‘clickbait’ involving a countdown list or lots of alliteration in the title can actually do more harm

than good to practitioners. Ideas are not lacking in global education networks, however it is a

shift in approach that many educators report challenge in.

Districts who lack the appropriate filtering, safety and infrastructure are not yet ready to

connect and collaborate globally. This can feel deflating to all. I suggest first looking towards a

resource similar to the guidance provided by the U.S. Office of Educational Technology

addressing ​Enabling Access and Effective Use​. According to OET, “Building a robust

infrastructure for learning begins with an understanding of the goals and desired outcomes that

support engaging and empowering learning experiences.”

Our role as education and technology leaders is to advocate for and support environments

and experiences that make learning personal and global for our students. That means that we

also must connect globally, networking ourselves and seeking innovative approaches and

opportunities. What ways are you currently engaged globally? Do you have a global education

project happening now in your classroom/school? What resources and supports would you need

to be more successful in this area? I would love to support you and your learners...so please

reach out. Please take a look at my ​Pinterest Board on Global Education​ and start to plug in.

Globally Yours,
Stephanee

References
Day, E. (2017, December 05). 21 Global Education Resources to Expand Your Classroom's

Horizons. Retrieved from

https://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/11/21-global-education-resources-to-continue-expand

ing-your-horizons/

Infrastructure. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://tech.ed.gov/netp/infrastructure/

P21 Teacher Guide: K-12 Global Competence Grade-Level Indicators | 21st Century

Learning | Pinterest | Education, 21st century learning and Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/290341507210072010/

Person. (n.d.). Global Education: Resource Roundup. Retrieved from

https://www.edutopia.org/article/global-education-resources

Wesolowski, K. (n.d.). Framework for State Action on Global Education. Retrieved from

http://www.p21.org/our-work/global-education

Young, D. (2016, December 24). 5 Best Practices to Globalize Your School. Retrieved from

https://www.gettingsmart.com/2016/04/5-best-practices-to-globalize-your-school/