World Citizens
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Introduction
The project’s main goal is to empower young people in Scotland to become active and aware citizens, committed to shaping a fairer world for all. In order to do this the project aims to provide teachers and their students with alternative perspectives on global citizenship through interaction with teachers and young people from East Timor.
Steering group
Since November 2006 two steering groups of teachers (one in Scotland and one in East Timor) have been meeting to plan and implement the projects activities. These teachers are looking at ways to resource and support schools to bring active global citizenship into all areas of the curriculum and the ethos of the school.
Through involvement in the steering group and taking part in five day EEBL (link) secondments they have been able to produce resources, share of ideas and experience and take part in global citizenship and participation training. For more information and to see some of the resources see below.
Students
The schools are also working on two discrete projects, producing a student led video highlighting issues of participation and citizenship and collaborating between Scotland and East Timor through an interactive website Think.com.
In May 2008 there teachers from East Timor will come to Scotland to share best practice and experience with Scottish schools. More details will follow…
Teacher Resources
Teachers from the project have been gathering and preparing resources for their own teaching and to share with colleagues more widely. They began by designing and implementing baseline studies of teacher and pupil attitudes towards issues of global citizenship and preparing a curriculum audit.
So what do the pupils think when it comes to Global Citizenship issues?
At the beginning of the project we surveyed 305 S1 – S3 students from the participating schools to find out their views on Global Citizenship issues and what their attitudes were towards participating and taking action on these issues. The results revealed that perhaps what adults might consider the important issues are not necessarily those considered important by pupils…
- Download a copy of the pupil baseline study (DOC, 200KB)
- Download an overview of the results (24KB)
And what do teachers think about Global Citizenship issues?
We also surveyed teachers 57 teachers from participating schools to find out their views on Global Citizenship issues and to gauge the importance they place on this in their teaching practice.
Download a copy of the teacher baseline study (PDF, 172KB)
Download an overview of the results (PDF, 24KB)
And what does this have to do with the curriculum?
An audit was also prepared by the teachers and and completed by their colleagues to find out what aspects of Global Citizenship are being taught within the S1 / S2 curriculum and to identify opportunities for pupil participation and active learning within Global Citizenship.
Download a copy of this audit (DOC, 1MB)
Guidance resources
Having analysed and reflected on the outcomes of the curriculum audit the teachers have now produced some guidance materials for schools. One gives subject by subject ideas for resources and the other is full of short suggestions and case studies for incorporating global citizenship across the school. These are still being edited and will be available here shortly. If you would like to look at these and provide feedback please email Shona at Mercy Corps.
Introducing Global Citizenship: Essential guidance and resources for secondary schools
This is a resource developed by teachers for teachers to introduce global citizenship and resources for use in the classroom. Now available online.
News from East Timor
Project activities are well under way in Dili, East Timor. A steering group of teachers have been meeting regularly, a baseline study has been carried out and a computer facility has been set up at the Timor Aid offices.
The project aims to build on the highly successful and innovative Youth Civic Education project that has been running since April 2004, and share some of this learning and experience around participation with the formal sector in East Timor and Scotland.
For more details check out the Timor Aid website.
Staff from Timor Aid trying out the new internet facility for schools
Students from St Madalena de Canossa celebrating their Saint's day
Maria, Claudia & Gracia from Collegio de Sao Jose Balide