Global Literacy

Ways we can introduce Global Literacy:

1. How many countries are there? Well, that's a good question - you must first be able to define what the word means! If you mean recognized by others, there are so many countries, and if you mean declare themselves a country - there are so many. For example, there are 193 recognized country (by the UN) and about 293 independently declared countries (recognized by some other countries, but not by the UN). If you spend one month learning one country, it would take you 16 years to learn 193. That means, you will mostly likely only teach the most recognizable. If you spent every week learning about one new country, it would take 4 years to learn them all. No matter how you look at it - you are going to have to choose - Considering the nature of your own historical narrative, you are likely to learn about conquering cultures. Would you be willing to learn about 25 larger more historically dominant countries and 25 less dominant countries? For example: Tajikistan, Bhutan, Chad, East Timor, Guyana, Suriname, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Ethiopia, Botswana, Malawi, Burundi, South Sudan, Djibouti, Gambia, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti, US Virgin Islands, Philippines, Guam, Samoa, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands. Consider learning pairs of often confused countries - for example: Czech Republic and Slovakia, Micronesia and Melanesia, Mauritania and Mauritius, Uruguay and Paraguay, Yemen and Oman, Laos and Cambodia, Mali and Malawi, Moldova and Montenegro, Niger and Algeria and Nigeria.

2. After choosing 50 countries - Learn about foods, history, main events, language, wild life, big and small victories (depending on the child's interest). To help you delve deeper than just the absolute surface, begin by making an introduction of your own country. What is important to help others see your country in depth. If you are American, how would you feel if you meet someone who thought all Americans were cowboys who rode horses? Is that true about you? Remember to bring in a historical perspective and modern look at the countries you examine.

3. Explore different themes on different days with the UN's International Days/Weeks of the Year.

4. As you learn about various things, always add world views on the subject. For example, when your kids are learning about a famous person in your country, bring in some examples of people who had similar accomplishments in other countries. If there is no such example available, consider simply bringing in people from around the world who work in that field (for example, when studying mathematics, consider talking about mathematicians from Asia, India, etc); Let go of the idea that there is only one great person who did one great thing. That is simply an easy narrative to spin. Teach your children that instead of one superhero who comes and defeats all the bad guys, it is more of an Avengers situation, a group of heroes working together.

5. For older children consider asking them to explore solutions based on how others around the world have solved similar problems. For example, if your child is interested in finding solutions for cooling systems that demand less energy, ask them, what do they do in India (a large country with a large population that is hot for most of the non-monsoon seasons. By exploring these solutions and seeing if they are applicable to your child's problem, you might open yourself up to new combinations or collaborations.

6. Older kids might spark an interest if they play games that introduce them to other countries like Tokaido or 7 Wonders. (Strategy games here)

7. Older kids, watch the news together. Discuss what you see. Don't leave kids with the information without talking about. Consider only watching the early evening news together before dinner and having a conversation about it during dinner.

8. Make an effort to include reading material that speaks to global perspectives, include manga and graphic novels. Take a challenge like reading one book from every country! (Caveat! Reading one book from a country does not make your an expert, but it is a glimpse into the culture and might spark further exploration).

9. Consider pen-pal portals and sites (especially if your child is learning a foreign language), as speaking with peers motivates better than media.

10. Maps

11. PBS Global Projects Page

System Thinking

A core concept for design thinking is that problems arise when our understanding of the way the world works and how it actually works are mismatched. Problems themselves are entwined with the way we think of them -

• Are we overly focused on the parts (reductionism) to the exclusion of the whole (holism)?
• Are we excessively hierarchical to the exclusion of more complex distributed networks?
• Are we over reliant on static categories rather than part-whole groupings that result from perspectives?
• Are we overly linear and casual at the expense of seeing nonlinear webs of causality?
• Are we biased toward seeing structural parts but overlooking dynamic relationships?
• Are we based on bivalent (two states) rather than multivalent (many states) logic?

Keys to Mastering this Concept

According to Derek Cabrera:

• Distinctions: Develop increasingly sophisticated characterizations of ideas and objects
• Systems: Deconstruct ideas and re-construct new integrated concepts with a variety of part/whole interactions
• Relationships: See connections between things
• Perspectives: See things from different points of view

Ways to help children understand System thinking:

For Younger Children (3-8 years old):

• Domino Chain Reactions: Set up dominoes in various patterns and let children knock them down, observing how one falling domino triggers the next, demonstrating cause-and-effect relationships.
• Marble Run/Track: Build marble tracks with different obstacles and branching paths, teaching children about how changing one element in the system (track layout, marble weight) affects the outcome.
• Explore various systems with media like animals in a food chain, ecosystems, parts of a plant.
• Story Creation Games: Create collaborative stories where each child adds a sentence or piece to the narrative, illustrating how individual actions contribute to the overall story (chain reaction of events).

For Middle-School Aged Children (9-12 years old):

• Board Games with Feedback Loops: Play board games like Terraforming Mars, Carcassonne, Risk, Chess or Pandemic where players make decisions that impact the game board and other players, teaching them about feedback loops and consequences.
• Computer Simulations: Use educational simulations like Oregon Trail or SimCity to explore the dynamics of complex systems like ecosystems or city development, demonstrating how different factors interact.
• Coding You can start with non-computer coding games or something like Scratch Junior.

For Teenagers (13-18 years old):

• Debate Games with Complex Topics: Debate global issues like climate change or economic inequality, requiring participants to consider multiple perspectives and understand the interconnectedness of factors.
• Model United Nations Simulations: Role-playing as international delegates, teenagers negotiate solutions to global challenges, experiencing firsthand the complex interactions within political and economic systems.
• Creative Projects with Systems Focus: Encourage teenagers to create projects that explore systems, like building a miniature ecosystem in a terrarium or designing a self-sustaining urban community, combining science, art, and critical thinking.
• Digital Games with Feedback Loops: Play strategy games like Civilization or Stellaris where players manage complex systems with interconnected components, providing virtual environments to experiment with decision-making and observe consequences.

Knowledge Areas

• History (web of human interactions)
• Math (complex systems)
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Anthropology
• Geography
• Economics

Learning Outcomes

• Interconnectedness
• Delay gratification and long-term thinking
• Social perspectives
• Persuasion based on evidence
• Sustainability

Teachers' Resource:

(from the Institute of Play)

• Systems Thinking Design Pack
• Human Machines Class or group activity, where children build a machine using their own bodies as gears.

Environmental Systems

Keys to Mastering this Concept

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of environment and the circumstances and conditions affecting it
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of society's impact on the natural world
• Investigate and analyze environmental issues, make accurate conclusions about effective solutions
• Take individual and collective action towards addressing environmental challenges

Demonstrating understanding:

• Air: I can explain the composition of the atmosphere, how air pollution arises from human activities, its impact on human health and the climate, and existing air quality monitoring and improvement strategies.
• Land: I can discuss landforms, soil types, land use patterns, the consequences of deforestation and desertification, and sustainable land management practices.
• Climate: I can explain the factors influencing climate, the observed and projected changes due to climate change, its impact on different regions and ecosystems, and ongoing mitigation and adaptation efforts.
• Food: I can explain the global food system, agricultural practices, food security challenges linked to climate change and population growth, and sustainable food production methods.
• Energy: I can discuss different energy sources (renewable and non-renewable), their environmental impact, the transition to clean energy, and energy efficiency measures.
• Water: I can explain the water cycle, the distribution and availability of freshwater resources, water pollution issues, and strategies for water conservation and management.

• Ecosystem: I can explain the interactions between living organisms and their environment, the importance of biodiversity, the threats posed by habitat loss and invasive species, and ecosystem restoration efforts.

  Start Young

  

Social impact on the natural world:

• I can analyze the relationship between human activities such as urbanization, industrialization, and resource consumption with environmental degradation.
• I can discuss social and economic factors influencing environmental behavior, and explore concepts like environmental justice and sustainability.

Knowledge Areas

• Environmental & ecological studies
• Landscaping and architecture
• Urban planning
• Civil engineering

Learning Outcomes

• Interconnectedness
• Causality
• Ecological interactions
• Sustainability

Investigating and analyzing environmental issues:

• I can access and process scientific data and research papers on specific environmental issues to provide evidence-based insights.
• I can facilitate the identification of key factors, trends, and potential consequences of environmental issues.
• I can help build models and simulations to explore the dynamics of complex environmental systems.

Making conclusions and suggesting solutions:

• I can synthesize information from various sources to draw evidence-based conclusions about environmental challenges.
• I can present a range of potential solutions and mitigation strategies, considering their feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and social and environmental impact.
• I can highlight ethical considerations and potential trade-offs involved in different solutions.

Taking action:

• I can provide information and resources for individuals and communities to take action on environmental issues, such as reducing their carbon footprint, participating in conservation efforts, and advocating for sustainable policies.
• I can help connect you with relevant organizations and initiatives working on environmental solutions.

One major problem preventing people from taking further action is deception, debate and cost of action