Foresighted Educator's Contribution- Global Citizens

Abstract: This presentation amplifies global citizenship in a classroom and its implications in fostering a more inclusive and interconnected world. The session aims to investigate the attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of students towards global issues, cultural diversity, and responsible global engagement. It will concentrate on the exposure to multicultural experiences that influence the development and promotion of global citizenship leading to fostering sustainable development.
The session welcomes and challenges the attendees to investigate the concept of global citizenship, analyze its complexities, and identify potential avenues for promoting global understanding, accountability, and citizenship.

Narrative: The purpose of this project is to explore and execute the concept of global citizenship and its implications in fostering a more inclusive and interconnected world. The project aims to investigate the attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of students towards global issues, cultural diversity, and responsible global engagement.
It investigates the concept of global citizenship, understanding its complexities, and identifying potential avenues for promoting global understanding, accountability, and global citizenship.
The theoretical and conceptual foundations for global citizenship in the classroom draw from various educational frameworks and perspectives. Listed below are some key theoretical and conceptual foundations for global citizenship in the classroom:
Global Education: Global education emphasizes the development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for active global citizenship. It promotes an understanding of interconnectedness, cultural diversity, and the complexities of global issues, fostering a sense of responsibility towards creating a more equitable and sustainable world.
Intercultural Competence: Intercultural competence refers to the ability based on effective and respectful discourse with members from diverse cultural backgrounds. It involves developing skills such as persuasive communication, and cross-cultural understanding, enabling students to navigate cultural differences, challenge stereotypes, and engage in meaningful intercultural dialogue.
The principles of social justice and human rights form a foundation for global citizenship education. This perspective emphasizes the importance of equity, inclusivity, and the promotion of fundamental rights for all individuals, challenging inequalities and addressing systemic injustices on local, national, and global levels. Critical pedagogy encourages students to critically analyze power structures, question dominant narratives, and engage in social transformation. It emphasizes the development of critical thinking skills, media literacy, and a critical consciousness to understand and challenge social, economic, and political injustices.
These theoretical and conceptual foundations provide a framework for designing global citizenship education in the classroom. By integrating these perspectives, educators can create a learning environment that promotes global awareness, empathy, intercultural understanding, and active engagement in addressing global challenges.
The combination of quantitative and qualitative methods will provide a more nuanced and holistic view of the effectiveness of teaching global citizenship in the college context.
The project findings should indicate that students who received global citizenship education demonstrated increased knowledge and awareness of global issues, cultural diversity, and interconnectedness. They may show a deeper understanding of topics such as social justice, human rights, sustainable development, and intercultural competence. Also, this will confirm the transnational opportunities that are redefining citizenship. (Rhoads & Szelenyi, 2011)
The research findings might reveal positive changes in students' attitudes and behaviors related to global citizenship. Students may exhibit increased empathy, cultural sensitivity, open-mindedness, and a greater sense of responsibility towards addressing global challenges. They may also demonstrate a willingness to engage in actions that promote social justice, sustainability, and cross-cultural understanding.
Intercultural Competence Development: The project findings should show improvements in students' intercultural competence. Students may exhibit enhanced communication skills, a greater ability to navigate cultural differences, and increased appreciation for diverse perspectives. They may demonstrate the capacity to engage in constructive dialogue and collaboration with individuals from different cultural backgrounds.
Academic Achievement and Critical Thinking Skills: Research findings should indicate a positive correlation between global citizenship education and academic achievement. Students who receive global citizenship education may demonstrate improved critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and a broader perspective in approaching academic subjects.
The research findings may identify challenges and areas for improvement in teaching global citizenship in college. This could include barriers in curriculum implementation, cultural resistance, or the need for further professional development for educators. These findings can inform future efforts to refine global citizenship education strategies and address potential limitations by embracing the “non-citizens” in the endeavor (Risberg, 2021)
The research on global citizenship contributes to the theoretical understanding of how education can foster global awareness, intercultural understanding, and responsible global engagement. It helps refine the conceptual frameworks and pedagogical approaches for global citizenship education, informing educational theory and practice along with “virtual connects beyond classroom” (Poe, 2022)
Research on global citizenship can inform the development of educational policies at local, national, and international levels. The findings can provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating global citizenship into curricula, faculty training programs, and educational standards, promoting a more comprehensive and inclusive education system.
Promoting Social Justice and Equity: Global citizenship research often examines issues of social justice, human rights, and sustainable development. Theoretical insights gained from this research can contribute to broader discussions on creating more equitable societies, challenging systemic inequalities, and fostering inclusive and sustainable communities.
Research on global citizenship offers practical insights for curriculum developers and educators. It can guide the design and implementation of global citizenship curricula, instructional materials, and teaching practices that promote critical thinking, intercultural competence, and responsible global citizenship among students. Understanding effective strategies for teaching global citizenship can inform professional development programs for teachers. Research findings can help educators gain the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources to integrate global citizenship education into their teaching practices, fostering global competence among students.
Global citizenship research can contribute to the development of partnerships and collaborations among educational institutions, organizations, and communities. It fosters dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaborative efforts aimed at addressing global challenges and promoting cross-cultural understanding and cooperation.By promoting awareness, empathy, and a sense of responsibility, global citizenship research can inspire individuals to actively engage in their communities, advocate for social justice, and participate in initiatives addressing global issues. It encourages individuals to become informed, responsible, and ethically engaged global citizens.

References
Grad, J. M., & van der Zande, I. S. E. (2022). Cultivating Global Citizenship through Higher Education: A Reflection on the Development from Civic to Global Engagement. Education Sciences, 12(11), 766. https://doi-org.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/10.3390/educsci12110766

Poe, J. (2022). Advancing Global Citizenship of Underrepresented and Hypersegregated U.S. Students in Higher Education through Virtual Exchange. Journal of International Students, 12, 38–56. https://doi-org.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/10.32674/jis.v12iS3.4634

Risberg, E. J. (2021). Global Citizenship Education for Non-Citizens? Journal of Social Science Education, 20(2), 5–25. https://doi-org.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/10.4119/jsse-3912

Robert Rhoads, & Katalin Szelényi. (2011). Global Citizenship and the University : Advancing Social Life and Relations in an Interdependent World. Stanford University Press.