Session+9

__**9.1 Global Education Opener**__

Global awareness is having an understanding of issues world-wide and how these issues are connected and related.
 * How would you define global awareness? **

It is a critical skill to have. Our students need, however, to know how to analyze these issues and the relationships among them. Just to be aware of global issues doesn't seem to be enough--it is the understanding of //why// these issue are important, the interrelationships among the pieces, and the effects these issues have on lives and decisions made globally.
 * To what extent would you say global awareness is an important 21st century skill? Explain. **

Crawford and Kirby Article: "Fostering Students' Global Awareness: Technology Applications in Social Studies Teaching and Learning."
 * __9.2 Readings on Global Education__ **

__**Revisions to original response: **__ ** Well, there is quite a bit more to global awareness than I originally thought. The article really attempts to break down the components and apply each to teaching. I appreciated that, although I found some sections to be vague and obtuse in point. Specifically, the definition of global awareness helped shape my understanding. I did not consider the latter part of the equation to develop skills so our students can "live successfully in a world characterized by cultural and ethnic pluralism, increasing independence, and limited natural resources." How do we teach our students to "live successfully" within our content? That question really struck a cord with me. I also really applaud how the authors stressed the need for professional development. We do need to be taught how to instill new teaching concepts. For example, how do we, as English teachers, incorporate "transnational issue, global linkages, cross-cultural understanding, and perspective-taking" with the texts we use now? I would love to be able to collaborate with others to see how we could make this work! **

__**9.3 Google Maps **__ media type="custom" key="10241755"

__Reflection on Google Maps: __ I found Google maps quite easy to use and navigate (except for the extra features part--I couldn't figure out how to draw the lines). I think using Google maps would definitely increase global awareness for our students, especially when it comes to texts that are in locations not familiar to our students. I can see using this while teaching Night, Animal Farm, The Great Gatsby, The Soloist...really any text! This really helps students to get a visual understanding of location and proximity to their world in Malden.

__**Additional Resources **__ [|Scribble Maps]

__**9.4 Use of Blogging **__ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">[|Edublogs] [|Blogger]