English  |  Español

Global Citizenship Concepts in Curriculum Guidelines of 10 Countries: Comparative Analysis.

In-Progress Reflection No. 9 on Current and Critical Issues in Curriculum, Learning and Assessment:

By Cristián Cox

Abstract: This paper reports on a study of concepts associated with the new construct of Global Citizenship Education (GCED) in school curricula. We compared the national school curricula of ten countries with markedly different cultures and levels of development across different regions of the world (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia) on the presence of concepts associated with GCED. The curricula of both primary and secondary education, in the areas of history and social sciences, and civics and moral education, were compared using a set of categories constructed for this study and derived from UNESCO’s definitions of GCED as well as from the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement’s (IEA) international assessment studies of civic and citizenship education. Patterns of presence/absence of GCED and related content were identified. The main finding is that only two of the ten countries’ curricula consistently included global citizenship concepts. At the same time, all ten countries, to the extent that the analysis distinguished, included content related to knowledge, values and attitudes that have the world or humanity as referent.

Keywords: Comparative analysis – curriculum – global citizenship education (GCED) – monitoring

Read the article in English:
(1.68 MB)

“Global Citizenship Education is oriented towards learners getting knowledge, values, skills, and attitudes, oriented towards their engagement, and that means their participation and active encouragement, of a kind of global society. This society includes their own communities and is oriented towards peace, tolerance, inclusion, and sustainability.”
Dr Felisa Tibbitts

Learn more about this comparative analysis of GCED concepts in 10 countries:

These three-minute videos aim to share the perspective of experts from different regions.


Cristián Cox, Chile
Sociologist, Ph.D. University of London, 1984. (…)

Felisa Tibbitts, USA
Lecturer in the Comparative and International Education Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. (…)

Jeongmin Eom, Republic of Korea
Head of the Office of International Teacher Exchange at the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU). (…)

Utak Chung , Republic of Korea
Director of the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU). (…)

What does Global Citizenship Education look like in different countries?

Browse through these case studies to find out.


Vicheanon Khieu, the Kingdom of Cambodia, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport
“I hope that the concept of global citizenship education will help our children see themselves not only as Cambodian citizens, but also as global citizens.” (…)


Nicna Camargo, Colombia, Independent Researcher
“Global citizenship education (GCED) is not well known in Colombia. So in a way, we are pioneers of GCED in our country, while on the global scale we are at the very beginning of our learning curve, making the first baby steps towards GCED.” (…)


Bayarmaa Bazarsuren and Sanjaabadam Sid, Mongolia, Institute of Education
“If we could speak to the Mongolian children and youth right now, we would probably say: “Every person in the world is just like you. You have similar challenges, opportunities, rights and responsibilities as anyone else on this planet”.” (…)


Patrice Ssembirige, Uganda, National Curriculum Development Centre
I believe that global citizenship education is vital for my country, as it would help to promote, the much needed here, peace and harmony.” (…)

Join the conversation: leave a comment!

4 Comments

  1. farideh mashayekh(PhD)

    Reply

    I believe there is need, as a prerequisite to Global citizenship and Globalization concepts, once introduced in the national curriculum an introductory analysis of geopolitical situation of our present complex and connected world.

  2. Chantheng Meak

    Reply

    Global citizenship would deeply have awareness of the crossed culture of each nation, share values, and be adaptable in the variety of the environmental context where they live and work.

  3. Mih Julius NUh

    Reply

    Global Citizenship would foster dialogue and a better understanding between people of all cultures especially in a context where violence, terrorism are fast erroding human values embedded in peace and tolerance. In cameroon, we are in the process of renewing the school curriculum and we are contemplating nserting in peace and security as one of the new elements to be taught to children. I find GCED relevant for us at this moment of our curriculum development process. I would equally like you colleagues to share your own experiences.

  4. Adekunle Onifade Esq

    Reply

    This concept could be mainstreamed into certsin carrier subjects like social studies, integrsted science, Nature Studies/Heakth Scuence etc in both the primary and junior secondary school lrvels, while in tne senior srcondsry it could be articulated into tbe curriculum oferings in subjrcts like biology, Geography, Mathemdtics,Health Science etc

Leave Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CAPTCHA

*