Global Education: A Worldwide Movement. An Update

Abstract

The original Global Education: a worldwide movement, based on a study begun in 1992, was published in 1999.[1] A brief questionnaire was developed that asked about definitions, goals, content, teaching methods, teacher preparation, decision-making, and barriers to global education in the K-12 (primary and secondary education in the USA and Canada) systems of the world. Ministry of Education people in a number of countries were contacted and asked to respond to the questionnaire. In addition, a number of well-known global educators in the United States as well as in a few other countries were asked to identify potential respondents. Finally, selected members of the International Association for Intercultural Education (IAIE) were sent questionnaires. This was a long and difficult process, often involving much follow-up. By the middle of 1996, after efforts had been made to collect data in more than 100 countries, responses had been received from 52 countries, from every region of the world. The original study had several limitations. First, data were gathered over several years and changes could have occurred in countries from which early responses were received. Second, there was usually only one respondent from each country, and even though each individual was thought to be fairly knowledgeable, no one person could be expected to know about all global education activities in her or his country. Third, not every country was represented in the study. In fact, in spite of a good deal of effort, responses were not received from some important nations; for example, France and the People’s Republic of China. Fourth, despite the fact that the questionnaire was printed in English, Spanish and French, it is possible that it was found by some to be unclear or hard to understand. Finally, there was some evidence to suggest that global education was sometimes viewed as a political matter. For example, it was clear that some people in developing countries saw the movement as a western one, part of the old hegemony, and therefore not appropriate for them because they were more interested in nation building. Such a perspective might have caused potential respondents to dispose of the questionnaire rather than to complete and return it.[2] In the 18 years since 1996, the field has changed, mostly for the better. This update is an attempt to describe the current status of the field. Rather than repeat the cumbersome methodology of the previous study, and because there now is a substantial international literature about global education, it was thought that a meta-analysis of the field presented in the literature might better suffice to describe what is currently happening in the world with regard to global education. The analysis of the literature is divided into three separate, but interrelated segments, as follows: 1. Definitions of the field, including the degree to which they may have changed or not over time. 2. The current content of the field. 3. Resistance to the movement. While nationalism is still a major reason for resistance, there are new forces brought about by international globalization that need to be considered.