Global Learning: Making the Transition

Steve BraceRGS-IBG

Dr Paula OwensGA

15 April 2014

The Global Learning Programme 2013-18

Led by Pearson in collaboration with:Dev Ed Research Centre (IOE),

Geographical Association, Oxfam, Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), Think Global & SSAT

The focus is on (English) schools KS2&3 – as Expert Centres or Partner Schools,

Supported by the UK Government

Understand a globally interdependent world & explore strategies to make it more just and sustainable

Knowledge of developing countries, their economies, histories and geography

Interdependence, development, globalisation & sustainability

Different models of dev. & sustainability From ‘charity’ to ‘social justice’ Enquiry & critical thinking

GLP Aims

Supporting knowledge and understanding within curriculum areas

It is ‘educational’ i.e. centred on subject knowledge, understanding and skills – with schools in the lead It is not activist, campaigning or

otherwiseIt doesn’t have fundraising as an

objective

A focus on:

The Educational Context

GL is not “fund-raising, fasting or fun”(*)

“When does our African chicken come to our class?” Y5 pupil

“What’s your non-uniform day money for?” … “I dunno!” Y11 pupil

(*) Learning to Read the World 2011

“Geography is one of the most important sources available to pupils for gaining knowledge & understanding of development issues.”

NC Africa, Asia, South America, trade links, natural resources, international development

Lambert and Morgan. Geography and Development Education 2013

The important role of geography

English, citizenship, geography, history, maths, RE and science

With subject bodies to bring subject expertise, membership reach & longevity

The subjects ‘leading’ GL, not GL leading the subjects

Other GLP Subjects Curr. Framework

GLP Key areas

1. Dev. countries, their economies, histories & human geography

2. The basic elements of globalisation

3. The different ways to reduce poverty & arguments around their merits

4. Interdependence and sustainability

5. Supporting enquiry and critical thinking about dev. and development issues

The Development Context

Is global poverty going up or down?

Compared to 1990 how many fewer

people live in absolute poverty today? (7, 70 or 700 million?)

Although inequality between, and within,

countries is rising

Development continued …

Maternal health – reduced by 47% (400/100,000 deaths per live births to 210/100,000)

Malaria declined by 25% - new HIV infections declining

2.1 billion gained access to clean drinking water since 1990

What inequality is this showing ….

Some issues for geographers #1

‘The replacement of knowledge with morality as the central focus of the curriculum … global problems are not presented as issues to be interrogated for truth, knowledge and meaning, with a view to developing ideas about the potential courses of social and political action. Instead, the solution is to be found in the personal and presented as a given: consume less, have fewer children, take public transport, be less money-grabbing (&) support charities.’

Alex Standish The Corruption of the Curriculum (2009)

More issues #2

“There is a tendency to promote particular values in geography which favour ‘local’ development projects, focus on ‘sustainable tourism’ or persuade pupils that Fair Trade is the solution to issues of poverty … it is possible to argue that many lessons are underpinned by a world-view based on …‘Growth Scepticism’.”

Lambert and Morgan (2011)

RGS-IBG support for the GLP KS3

www.rgs.org/glp Information, materials, and resources Ask the expert interviews Interactives and animation

Theories of developmentICT and developmentMDGMegacitiesNatural disasters and development …

Animations

Theories of Development: Modernisation, dependency,

neoliberalism, sustainable development, human development, post development

Infographics

Supporting Schools

Oh, another initiative ...

Getting schools engaged Supporting high quality teaching and learning

But we already do global learning – we’ve just had a

sponsored walk to raise money ...

We do lots of global learning but we don’t

do a lot of geography...

We do it mainly through values

and skills

Helping schools to realise the key role of geography knowledge AND skills in global learning.

Where do we start?

The GLP targets Key Stages 2 and 3. Schools need to adopt an holistic and

whole school approach to become Centres of Excellence in global learning.

Early Years matter too Progression matters Transition matters

Getting there

Knowledge of Developing countries

What do we mean by 'developing country'? How is this measured?Who decides?

KS 1

I can name and locate some other (developing) countries in the world.

KS2

I can locate a range of (developing) countries using maps.

KS3

I can use detailed place-based exemplars at a variety of scales

Locational context is important but we need to be realistic about coverage, prudent in choice, mindful of progression and wrap all in critical enquiry.

How does GL fit with what we have to do?

KS3

KS2

KS1

13/14

12/13

11/12

10/11

9/10

8/9

7/8

6/7

5/6

0-4FS

Local Global

Impressionable

Developing awareness of wider world

Contrasting localities

Range of localities

Range of scales and localitiesStereotypes harder

to challenge

Focused on local

Misconceptions

Regional comparisons

Non-European country

Europe / Americas

Africa, Russia, Asia, Middle east

Successful global learning components

‘In order to explore the notion of global citizenship and raise young children’s awareness of issues such as sustainability, social justice and poverty, a context needs to be provided.’

Disney, A. (2004)

•Knowledge and understanding of, and about, Global Learning themes

•Enquiry and critical thinking, challenging a charity mentality.

‘What ifs’ as well as ‘Yes buts’

•Relevant context.

Lacks purposeLacks focus

Critical

Creative

Wondering,hypothesising,imagining, developing,

Focusing,synthesising applying, purposing

Purposeful Outcome

Paula Owens 2013

‘Curriculum – Making’ Zone

Enquiry Process

Transition between KS2 – 3 £500 per school on submission of evidence that a

successful Transition Project has taken place between KS2-3.

Funding support available each year of the GLP via the GA

Is separate but complimentary to the £500 training credits you gain when signing up to be a Partner School.

Is NOT ring fenced.

(Follow the hyperlinked title to download docs)

Transition Project

Have a strong geographical and locational context Develop one or more of the GLP themes Draw on and develop pupils’ knowledge, through enquiry

and critical thinking skills. Challenge a charity mentality Ask questions such as ‘What does poverty mean?’ ‘What

is development?’ What happens where and why? ‘ What can be done about it?’

Acknowledge that there is always more than one story to be told

Support curriculum-making.

Transition Project will ..

For example ...

'Natural disaster struck with full force early in 2010, when the capital Port-au-Prince was hit by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake - the country's worst in 200 years. Tens of thousands of people were killed and much of the capital and its wider area devastated, prompting a major international aid effort. 'http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/country_profiles/1202772.stm

What country is this?

Where is it?

Oh well that was a good couple of years ago and they’ve had

some aid ...

What is it like to live

there now?

What is that country

like?

Enquiry seedlings

Developing country context

Story A

The map shows the prevalence of undernourishment in the total population as of 2010 - 2012. The indicator is an estimate of the percentage of the population having access to an amount of energy from food insufficient to maintain a healthy life. Further information is available at www.fao.org/publications/sofi/en/

http://cdn.wfp.org/hungermap/#HT

Where is Haiti? What is it like?

Why are they so poor? Story B

What is poverty?

Centuries of logging, hurricanes and charcoal production have reduced Haiti’s forest cover to just 1.5%. Despite this, most people cook on inefficient charcoal stoves, because they are the cheapest option. With many people still living in closely-packed,temporary housing after the earthquake, smoke from cooking has a huge health impact. http://www.ashden.org/files/Haitiwinner.pdf

Charcoal impactIn Haiti, making and using one tonne of charcoal:– Needs 6.7 tonnes of wood– Produces 7.8 tonnes of CO2e– Destroys 0.11 ha of forest

Quality of Life

Why do they cook on charcoal

stoves?

Story C

What difference will a new design of

cooking stove make?

http://www.ashden.org/winners/dande13#

Everyday Stories

Does this story challenge a charity mentality?

What other stories are there?

Does this help explain sustainability?

What can WE learn from others?

Less emissions – reduced deforestationLess smoke indoors – better healthCheaper to run – economic gainProvides jobs

Story D

National Curriculum?

KS2: extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America.... activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water

KS3: understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems

Global Learning: seeding hope

“My city of the future would be very different to today for a start all plastic items that you throw away would be banned.”

Blog by Y5 pupils after some input and support by Geography Champion Emma Espley

Place 1: Land of the Thunder Dragon.Because it sounds cool.Place 2: The Maldives.Because they are like giant stepping stones.Place 3: Mount al Makmal, Lebanon.Because there are 1 000 year old trees there.

What three places would you add to a top 100 list and why are they special?

What is your city of the future like?

Steve Brace s.brace@rgs.org

www.rgs.org/glp

Dr Paula Owenspowens@geography.org.uk

http://www.geography.org.uk/projects/globallearningprogramme

www.glp-e.org.uk @glp_e

Sources

Disney, A. (2004) Children’s developing images and representations of the school link environment

Paper presented at the Charney Manor Conference, Enhancing Primary Geography, Oxfordshire, UK 2004 and published in

Researching Primary Geography � Ed Simon Catling and Fran Martin Special Publication No1 Aug 2004 London Register of Research ISBN 0-9538154-3-9