Yu Li

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Educating Responsible Global Citizens and Internationalizing the Curriculum

Written by Yu Li

In today's globalized world, few educators would object to the idea and efforts to develop students into engaged citizens with global perspectives, experiences, and abilities. But, exactly what kind of global citizens would we want our students to become?

This is an important question because, while beneficial and liberating to some, globalization has been experienced as discriminatory and oppressive to others. If we are not thoughtful and purposeful in determining the student learning outcomes in our work on internationalizing the curriculum, we might end up exacerbating the negative impacts of globalization.

After all, "global citizens" – and perhaps the kind more typically envisioned in the minds of our students – can be well-traveled polyglots who have knowledge and skills highly desirable on the job market yet care little about the collective wellbeing of those beyond their close social circles. If we aimed to educate "global citizens" as such, “internationalizing” the curriculum could contribute to increasing disparity in access to opportunities, to making higher education even more exclusive and elitist, and to perpetuating privilege and inequity.

True global citizens are responsible global citizens.

Responsible global citizens are aware "of self and others, of one’s situatedness in the wider world," and hold themselves accountable for their actions on others (Leask & de Wit, 2016, p. 3). They "demonstrate a commitment to action locally and globally, across social, environmental and political dimensions, in the interests of others" (Leask & de Wit, 2016, p. 3). They are characterized by “principled decision-making, solidarity across humanity (Schattle, 2009), [and] internalized civic ethics or values (Kubow et al., 2000)" (de Wit & Leask, 2017, p. 226). They "understand modern contests for resources, space and quality of life, the relationship between the local and the global," and are "committed to new pathways for human development and well-being, in their own communities and region as well as globally” (Leask & de Wit, 2016, p. 1; de Wit & Leask, 2017, p. 223).

Educating responsible global citizens is fundamentally supported by an internationalized curriculum that cultivates "deep understanding of self and situation," "ethical engagement with others," "critical understanding of the world," and active engagement of the local in the context of the global (Leask & de Wit, 2016, p. 2). It requires us to go beyond the Western canon in not only what we teach, but also how we teach. It requires us to critically examine our implicit assumptions about how knowledge is produced and transmitted. Furthermore, it requires us to make global learning accessible to all students.

How do we go about accomplishing the above? Each of us may find different focuses and approaches. What may be some possibilities for you? We invite you to join us, the Global-Local Initiatives team, to explore more. Following the conversation on The Why, What, and How of Educating Responsible Global Citizens in March 2022, we will continue to hold workshops and discussions on a series of related topics this fall.

References:

de Wit, H., & Leask, B. (2017). Reimagining the curriculum for the 21st century. Global university network for innovation. 222–235.

Kubow, P., Grossman, D. & Ninomiya, S. (2000). Multidimensional citizenship: Educational policy for the 21st Century. In J. Cogan and R. Derricott (eds.) Citizenship for the 21st Century: An international perspective on education. London: Kogan Page. 131-150.

Leask, B., & de Wit, H. (2016). Reimagining the HE curriculum for the 21st century. University World News, November 25, 2016.

Schattle, H. (2009). Global citizenship in theory and practice. In R. Lewin (ed.) The handbook of practice and research in study abroad: Higher education and the quest for global citizenship. New York: Routledge. 3-30.