Using Blended Learning to Promote Global Education

"The heart of global education is enabling young people to participate in shaping a better, shared future for the world...[it] emphasizes the unity and interdependence of human society, developing a sense of self and appreciation of cultural diversity, affirmation of social justice and human rights, as well as building peace and actions for a sustainable future in different times and places" (www.globaleducation.edu.au).

Now, how can we use blended learning, which utilizes technology to create a more student centered, individualized way of learning, to promote global education?

As mentioned above, blended learning emphasizes using technology to reach different learning objectives.  With its propensity towards creation and innovation, technology can assist students in reaching higher order thinking skills that are achieved when students are able to exemplify knowledge through hands on tasks.  In linking those tasks to real world, authentic, and global situations, we can succeed in using blended learning to promote global education.

Perhaps students are studying ecology, and one student wishes to narrow down his or her research to the ecology of the rain forest and rain forest preservation.  With a blended learning approach, that student can use technology to connect with an expert in Costa Rica and learn about the different ways Costa Rica is preserving their rain forests.  When it comes time for the student to create his or her own project on rain forest preservation, the project can be created on a web 2.0 platform, such as Google Slides or Prezi, that allows it to be shared with the world.  In sharing this project beyond the classroom walls, the student is taking part in global education by putting out a resource to the world that, "provides actions for a sustainable future".  

In summary, global education is nearly impossible to achieve without technology.  Technology is the cornerstone for blended learning.  This allows blended learning to be the perfect platform for promoting global education.  Through blended learning, we can inspire students to create and share knowledge that furthers, "The unity and interdependence of human society."

Resources

Global Education. Retrieved May 17, 2015, from http://www.globaleducation.edu.au/global-education/what-is-global-ed.html

O'Connor, Christine, Dennis Mortimer, and Sue Bond. 2011. "BLENDED LEARNING: ISSUES, BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES." International Journal Of Employment Studies 19, no. 2: 62-82. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed May 17, 2015).