Education and global issues

general courses

The course is open for everyone interested. Future teachers are mostly welcome!

Classroom

The course is an introduction to global education, also referred to as global citizenship education, with a focus on its critical strand. The overall aim of the course is to support students in developing skills of critical thinking and critical reading, as well as in questioning dominant perspectives and seeking alternative, fairer solutions or points of view. The course also seeks to strengthen a sense of global justice, responsibility, and citizenship in a globalized world, along with engagement in social change and the building of a sustainable world.

The course is an introduction to global education, also referred to as global citizenship education, with an emphasis on its critical strand. According to UNESCO, the main goal of global citizenship education is “to support learners in revising assumptions, worldviews, and power relations in mainstream discourses, and to take into account those individuals/groups who are systematically underrepresented/marginalized” (UNESCO 2014). The aim is to open learners to critical reflection on their worldview and the ways in which they relate to others and to the world.

Accordingly, during the course students will engage not only with current research and theoretical perspectives that underpin contemporary global education, but also with their own viewpoints and their place in the world. Students will have the opportunity to understand the role of education in preparing learners for life and work in a world of increasingly complex global challenges.

The course will focus on a global perspective of social justice and on transformative educational approaches that address global challenges. We will also explore the potential of applying postcolonial theory in education.

Classes will be interactive, employing a variety of educational methods (pair work, group work, discussions, the Through Other Eyes method, Open Spaces for Dialogue and Inquiry, and elements of philosophical inquiry/Philosophy for Children).

Z. Bauman, Globalizacja, Warszawa 2000.

K. Jasikowska, M. Klarenbach, G. Lipska-Badoti, R. Łuczak, Edukacja globalna: poradnik metodyczny dla nauczycieli, Warszawa 2015.

M. Kuleta-Hulboj, M. Gontarska [red.], Edukacja globalna. Polskie konteksty i inspiracje, Wrocław 2015.

Z. Melosik, Edukacja globalna: nadzieje i kontrowersje. W: H. Kwiatkowska [red.], Ewolucja tożsamości pedagogiki, Warszawa 1994.

A variety of Polish and international educational materials in the field of global education, for example from the website of the CEO, implemented within the framework of Global Education Week and prepared by non-governmental organizations. (e.g. PAH, IGO, CEO, Polska Zielona Sieć) etc.

UNDP reports on human development.

"Jak mówić o większości świata? Kodeks obrazów i wiadomości na temat Globalnego Południa", W-wa 2016.

Additional readings:

V. Andreotti, Actionable postcolonial theory in education, London 2011.

V. de Oliveira Andreotti, L. M. de Souza, Postcolonial Perspectives on Global Citizenship Education, New York 2011.

D. Bourn, Education for Social Change: Perspectives on Global Learning. London: Bloomsbury 2022.

I. Davies, E. Sant, L. Shultz, K. Pashby, Global Citizenship Education: A Critical Introduction to Key Concepts and Debates. London: Bloomsbury 2018.

Ch. McEwan, Postcolonialism, Decoloniality and Development. London: Routledge 2018.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

In terms of knowledge:

- Demonstrate basic knowledge of the consequences of globalization processes and the educational challenges associated with them;

- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of global education, its diverse models and theoretical foundations, as well as its connections with development aid, humanitarian action, and awareness raising.

In terms of skills:

- Analyze the complexity of global issues;

- Listen to different perspectives and viewpoints and take them into account when questioning dominant worldviews and solutions;

- Conduct critical analysis of various approaches or projects in the field of global education;

- Recognise the need to undertake socio-educational actions in this area as an educational response to the dilemmas of life in a global, interdependent reality;

- Formulate their own opinions (both orally and in writing).

In terms of social competences:

- Engage in discussions on important social issues, critically evaluate and analyze different positions, including their own;

- Work collaboratively in a group on a specific task in order to achieve a common goal.

Course assessment consists of:

- Active participation in class (up to 2 absences are permitted) – this includes engagement in individual and group work, discussions, and other in-class activities;

- Preparation for classes (reading the assigned texts);

- Writing two short reflections (approx. 650 words each) during the semester, addressing issues discussed in class. Detailed criteria will be provided to students during the first session;

- Final assignment – a critical analysis of a selected educational project or educational materials (completed individually or in pairs).