Global Education in Vocational Teacher Education

According to the Maastricht Global Education Declaration (2002), Global Education is education that opens people’s eyes and minds to the realities of the globalized world and awakens them to bring about a world of greater justice, equity and Human Rights for all.  Global education is understood to encompass Development Education, Human Rights Education, Education for Sustainability, Education for Peace and Conflict Prevention and Intercultural Education; being the global dimension of Education for Citizenship.

 

 

 

Concept map compiled by Taina Kaivola illustrates the main ideas of Education for Global Responsibility

 

Global Education course as my optional study, I have found it as a very interesting subject and learning. I have not participated in any courses with such a title. However, more I have learned it, more I have felt that I have already familiar with the subject in some other courses. I have already dealt with the subject of Global and Multicultural activities in VOC2 module and Sustainable Development in VOC1 module.

Now in this course, we are more likely focusing on teaching methods, so how to teach the contents to vocational students. Most of the topics of Global Education, as a first step of teaching, teacher needs to deconstruct learner’s concept and make them recognize their negative stereotypes and prejudices. It is a quite subject matter that learners may not be easily influenced by the others’ opinion. Thus it is highly recommended to use dialogue method, by using the method learners would open for alternative ideas or solutions, and may end up with some 3^rd space between them.

As a teacher in order to facilitate the dialogue discussion, we need to prepare quite well structured questionnaire, by asking the questions, students to be guided step by step toward the final destination. Constructive questioning skill is quite crucial in this teaching method.

After the face-to-face sessions held in Oulu on 10^th and 11^th of Feb, I have got more concrete idea how teachings can be organized with the dialogue method. And I have used the method when I created two lesson plans for student teachers in Scotland. I think this way of collaboration work is a very creative learning experience. I have planned more carefully for the lesson plans considering their teaching and learning environments and subjects. It will be exciting to hear their feedback in next virtual session, how well my lesson plans serve them to teach themes of Global Education.

  

References:

1. Kaivola, T. Melen-Paaso, M. (2007). Education for Global Responsibility: Finnish Perspectives. Helsinki: Finnish ministry of Education: http://www.minedu.fi/export/sites/default/OPM/Julkaisut/2007/liitteet/opm31.pdf
2. The Maastricht Global Education Declaration (2002): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_education
3.  Effective Communication - From Discussion to Dialogue for Win-Win: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9a6-MZc_ok&feature=youtu.be
4. Dialogue-Slideshare : http://www.slideshare.net/fullscreen/gryan22/gary-ryan-professional-employability-development-series-the-seven-skills-of-dialogue/1