Who is a Globally Competent Student?

A globally competent student possesses the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes that allow them to thoughtfully and critically engage with the world around them. Globally competent students are able to be curious, recognize and hold space for multiple perspectives, and work with diverse groups toward finding solutions for a more sustainable future for all

Digital Learning Environment

Globalizing one’s classroom need not be a chore. Explore these digital tools that you can begin incorporating today to enhance the connectivity of your classroom beyond your local community.

Skype A Scientist

  • What: Skype a Scientist has a database of thousands of scientists and helps them connect with classrooms, families, libraries, scout troops, and more all over the globe! We give students the opportunity to get to know real scientists and get the answers to their questions straight from the source.

  • How: Have students hold a virtual Q&A or consultation with a scientist who specializes in the field that students are currently studying.

Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC)

  • What: The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) connects classrooms to peer collaboration and live interactive virtual learning experiences with renowned experts and museums.

  • How: Schedule a virtual field trip with renowned experts or treasured museums, science centers, zoos, national parks, and more. Reserve virtual seats for livestream series that celebrate a variety of topics with interactive experiences hosted by diverse experts.

Letters To A Prescientsit

  • What: Letters to a Pre-Scientist connects students to STEM professionals through snail mail to broaden students ’ awareness of what STEM professionals look like and do at work and inspire all students to explore a future in STEM.

  • How: Host LPS in your science classroom to connect students to scientists from all around the globe! The scientists serve as your students’ pen pals who encourage them to ask questions, explore, and learn more about the world around them through science. Multiple languages are available!

FlipGrid

  • What: Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a free web and mobile app from Microsoft educators that creates safe, online groups for students to express their ideas asynchronously in short video, text, and audio messages.

  • How: Connect with a classroom from across the globe! Create book clubs or discussion groups to build student capacity for students to consider multiple perspectives and opinions.

VR Gorilla

  • What: 360 Labs is a Portland, Oregon-based production company specializing in all forms of immersive content. Our goal is to create meaningful and memorable experiences for virtual reality, desktop, and mobile applications.

  • How: Take students on a Virtual Field Trip to Ho Chi Minh City (or anywhere in the world!) You can do this as a whole class, or have students explore on their own while noting down observations and wonderings.

Empatico

  • What: Empatico is a free video-meeting technology platform that enables educators from around the globe to virtually connect their classrooms together. Our product and mission are centered around our Empathy Framework, which helps students to connect with themselves, each other, and the world and empowers them to form meaningful connections that foster a more empathetic world. Our vision is to be the leading classroom connector worldwide.

  • How: Encourage and build camaraderie, curiosity, understanding, and perspective-taking between your students and fellow educators from anywhere in the world!

Global Assessment Tools

These assessment tools offer quick and easy checkpoints to assess your implementation of global education.

Global Competence Matrix

  • How: This helpful one-pager that succinctly explains the core concepts, knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and behaviors that educators and students need to be able to thoughtfully and critically engage with the world.

Global Education Checklist

  • How: This checklist is a practical tool that teachers, curriculum developers, school administrators, and state education agency staff can use to gauge their work within the realm of global/international education. This checklist assesses student competence in global issues, global culture, and global connections. This can be used as a self-assessment tool to help develop a global education action plan for your school or district.

Preparing Our Youth To Engage In Global Learning

  • How: This comprehensive guide from Asia Society serves as a valuable resource to deepen foundational knowledge and understanding of Global Education. Included in this guide are the following quick references: a checklist and performance expectations found on pages 85-89. In addition, global competence matrices can be found on pages 116-122.

Organizations in the Field

Connect with like-minded educators to learn and share promising practices in-community!

Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms

  • How: The Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms (Fulbright TGC) Program is a yearlong professional learning opportunity and short-term exchange for elementary, middle, and high school educators from the United States to develop skills to prepare students for a competitive global economy. Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms (Fulbright TGC) equips educators from the United States to bring an international perspective to their schools through targeted training, experience abroad, and global collaboration. This yearlong professional learning opportunity for K–12 educators features an intensive online course and a short international exchange.

World Savvy

  • How: World Savvy is a national nonprofit dedicated to collaborating with educators and education leaders to reimagine learning for our fast-changing and interconnected world. World Savvy offers partnerships with schools and districts to create inclusive, adaptive, and future-ready learning environments where students develop the skills and dispositions they need to thrive in both community and career by providing the following: 1:1 coaching, workshops and institutes, resources, Global Competence Situation Assessment for districts, and more.

Global Ed Guide -Organizations

  • How: A list of various organizations around the United States that focus on promoting Global Education in multiple disciplines. The organizations offer programs and resources for both teachers and students.

AFS Global STEM Educators

  • How: AFS Global STEM Educators is a 6-week, full-scholarship, virtual exchange program for in-service Educators worldwide (ages 18+) teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) at the secondary level (working with students ages 13-18). This online, interactive certificate program is designed for Educators to build the skills needed to become globally competent leaders and foster global competence in their school communities and beyond.

Fund For Teachers

  • How: Fund for Teachers supports educators' efforts to develop skills, knowledge, and confidence that impact student achievement. By trusting teachers to design unique fellowships, Fund for Teachers grants validate teachers' professionalism and leadership, as well. Since 2001, Fund for Teachers has invested $35 million in nearly 9,200 teachers, transforming grants into growth for teachers and their students. Teachers can design international professional development opportunities to strengthen their competency in Global Education.

Additional Resources

Deepen your understanding of Global Education by exploring these resources:

Sustainable Development Goals

  • How: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. These can be used as standards from which to build or incorporate Global Education learning objectives in your units or lessons.

GLOW Conference

  • How: Attend a digital conference that seeks to bring together a dynamic global assembly of education enthusiasts across all levels interested in innovative global educational practices and sustainability education, thus forging a vibrant international community. Best of all, it is pay-what-you-can!

Asia Society

  • How: Asia Society’s Center for Global Education offers a wealth of resources to educators to build capacity and transform their learning environments. Explore various resources, performance outcomes, and rubrics to get an idea of how Global Education can be implemented in the classroom. Check out their Globally-focused Project Based Learning Series.

AFS Intercultural Programs

  • How: Go on an international exchange program, build bridges by hosting an AFSer, participate in an international virtual exchange program, attend AFS events to connect with experts and active global citizens at symposiums and conferences. Check out the week-long virtual webinar series for International Education Week!