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Cultivating Global Competencies for the 21st Century Classroom: A Transformative Teaching Model

Cultivating Global Competencies for the 21st Century Classroom: A Transformative Teaching Model

Melda N. Yildiz (Walden University, USA & Unite to Educate, USA) and Deniz Palak (Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Saudi Arabia)
Copyright: © 2019 |Pages: 10
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-7305-0.ch032
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Abstract

This participatory action research study aims to advance teachers' knowledge of innovative technologies as a means to promote global competency skills. This research aims to advance scientific knowledge of Transformative Critical Pedagogy as a means to promote heutagogy through the lens of innovative technologies in global education context while redefining education and developing “transformative educator model” that integrate global education into the 21st century classrooms. It studied over 10 pre-service teachers, 2 in-service teachers and 3 teacher educators, and documented their transformative, inclusive, multilingual, multicultural projects across content areas.
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Introduction

U.S. schools continue to host a broad range of diversity. Many of our teacher candidates are likely to work abroad or in school districts that serve children from diverse backgrounds. The teacher education programs are challenged to develop global education curriculum that is innovative, inclusive and transformative. In the 21st century classrooms, teachers are challenged to integrate globally connected and culturally relevant pedagogy. Teacher education programs are under unprecedented and intensifying scrutiny to train the next generation of teachers who would work in the world in a globally connected economy. The role of teachers in fostering global competence and 21st century skills is critical in global teacher education1, yet many teachers have not themselves developed this competence or have not taken a formal training on the subject. As the Longview Foundation (2008) pointed out the critical role of teachers play “in internationalizing P-12 education.” While the tremendous influence of globalization, the interconnectedness of global economies, and the importance of intercultural communication have been outlined for some time, minimal attention has been given on how to make teacher preparation programs more transformative, reflective and innovative.

The paper describes how global competencies could be integrated into the curriculum to help educators develop multiple literacies as a means to further their students’ global competencies. It explores teachers’ experiences of design and implementation of their global education projects in their terms of the value and function and showcases their transformative, inclusive, multilingual, multicultural projects across content areas: (1) the wide range of meanings teacher candidates associate with global education projects, and (2) the value of developing project based, transdisciplinary, globally connected projects. We intend this paper to provide a practical guide for P20 educators who are interested in applying global competencies into their curriculum to better prepare the next generation of students for the global the work force.

Transformative Teaching Model

Borrowing and extending the work of transformative educators, particularly, Henry Giroux, Paulo Freire, Darling-Hammond, and Ladson-Billings, this PAR attempts to develop the Transformative Educators Model (TEM) in P20 education. Transformative Educator Model (TEM) allows the educator to establish authentic, meaningful, and genuine relationships with students (Cranton, 2006). Basic pillars of this model are (1) creating learning environments that promote self-directed learning, in which learners work in problem-solving groups and learn from one another by becoming aware and critical of their own and others’ assumptions (Mezirow, 1997); (2) helping students engage emotions in the learning process (Dirkx, 2006); (3) creating classroom norms that accept order, justice, and civility as well as respect and responsibility for helping each other learn (Mezirow, 1997, p. 11); and (4) engaging learners in classroom practices that assist in the development of critical reflection (Taylor, 2008, p. 11).

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