Global Learning:
Making the Transition

Steve
Brace
RGS-IBG
Dr Paula
Owens
GA
April 2015
The Global Learning
Programme 2013-18
2000 schools already involved
 Led by Pearson in collaboration with:

Dev Ed Research Centre (IOE), GA,
Oxfam, RGS-IBG, Think Global & SSAT
 The focus is on (English) schools KS2&3
– as Expert Centres or Partner Schools,
 Supported by the UK Government
 Subjects an important context for GL

GLP Aims






Understand an interdependent world &
explore strategies to make it more just
and sustainable
Knowledge of developing countries, their
economies, histories and geography
Interdependence, development,
globalisation & sustainability
Different models of dev. & sustainability
From ‘charity’ to ‘social justice’
Enquiry & critical thinking
GLP Progress







Suite of progression materials to support global learning and
geography planning and assessment
Development of the Quality Mark framework to complement the
GLP and new Ofsted Framework
Ongoing CPD and resource materials for GA consultants and
Champions to better support global learning and Transition
Projects.
Ongoing network support and development
Exemplification of successful global learning
Articles in GA journals
Primary Geography Global Learning Special Summer 2015
Some Key Issues in
Global Learning
1. Understanding and Progression e.g. what is
globalisation and what does it look like in Year 3 or Year
9? What about KS1?
2. High-quality Geography e.g. How well does
geography contribute to global learning? Is it of a high
quality? How do we know?
3. Critical Thinking
How? Balance?
and Values e.g. What? When?
4. Impact e.g. What impact is our teaching having on our
pupils / students
Understanding and
Progression
Whole School
Progression in
Global Learning
... begin to
make
connections
between ...
... building up their
knowledge of the wider
world and of diverse
places, societies and
cultures...
.... Through investigating issues
such as patterns of global poverty,
uneven development and
sustainability ....
Coherence with geography assessment.
See GA Guidance on Assessment
And Benchmark Expectations
High - Quality
Geography
Coherence between the
Geography Quality Marks and
the GLP Whole School Audit
...the opportunity to critically
assess the teaching and
learning of geography ...
S.Teacher Tamworth
...a really good understanding
of the strengths and areas for
development of the subject
across the school.
P. Teacher Worcester
Staff and students alike are
proud to be geographers
and identified as such.
S. Teacher London
Critical Thinking and
Values
Enquiry and
critical
thinking?
Values?
Global Learning
Other
Skills?
Knowledge
and understanding
8
Global Learning
a framework
Specialised vocabulary
that gives entry into
specialised conversations
about the world
Core,
geographical
Knowledge
Classifications, typologies
and terminologies
Names of countries,
continents, places and
associated locational
knowledge.
Enabling, factual
Names of features and
processes.
Core knowledge alone is not enough
Global Learning
a framework
‘Content’, contextualised
knowledge. Linked to
values
Essential for
decision – making,
understanding
impacts
Cultural
knowledge
Requires empathy and
tolerance
Might be – and
often is – contested
knowledge
What is it like to take a
different view?
Cultural knowledge alone is not enough
Global Learning
a framework
Asks questions –
often difficult ones
Retains flexibility of
thought and is
open to new ideas
and evidence
Focuses
possibilities
Critical
Thinking
Supports ability to make well –
informed decisions and take action
to maintain or change a situation.
Challenges
stereotypes
Considers multiple
sources of
evidence
Critical thinking alone is not enough
Knowledge
Values
Critical
thinking
Knowledge
Knowledgeable
about facts .Little
capacity for
empathy or action.
Lacks global view
Values
Critical
thinking
Lacks knowledge
capacity to inform
decision –
making.
Strong on
participation but
tokenistic and one
sided. Could be
opinionated but
12
lacks empathy
and knowledge
Global Learning
a framework
Core,
Knowledge
Critical
Thinking
Cultural
Knowledge
UNDERSTANDING and
Uncertainty
13
Transition Project
KS 2 – 3
 £500 per school, 25 – 30 schools per
year during GLP
 Evidences learning linked to one or
more GLP concepts (knowledge) and
critical thinking
 Evidence of impact
 Find out more

Model UN conference: Climate
Change
Core, factual
knowledge
Pupils and students learnt about the basics of
climate change ...and then researched different
countries ...
Cultural
global warming from an environmentalist view,
knowledge
global warming from an industrialist view.
A lesson on how to write a policy.... A debate...
Critical
thinking
Based on Transition Evidence St Francis Primary
Impact on children
With help from the sixth form
students we created a
presentation in which we
had to talk about climate
change. I found this a lot of
fun as we had a chance to
answer questions that the
audience had for us.
Extract from Transition Evidence St
Francis Primary
Investigating the Global Fashion
Industry



Question 1: Where are
clothes made?
Question 2: What is life like
in the countries where
clothes are made?
Question 3: What are the
working conditions like in the
factories where the clothes
are made?
You need to make other aware of ... poor working conditions and ...
very low wages. You also need to make them aware of how their
lives could be improved and encourage them to get involved.
Charity is not always the best solution.
Why might it not work? Think critically.
From Transition evidence Zouch Primary and Wellington Academy
Blogging about Global
Learning
Starter activity: Thinking about Mia’s
Story.
Pupils sharing the book together and
discussing the places mentioned in the
story, namely Mia’s village, the Andes
mountains and the city of Santiago,
within their small groups (consisting of
both Key Stage 2 and 3 students).
I have really enjoyed today’s
workshop because it was fun
teaching and helping other pupils
use the resources. I myself have
also learnt a lot through teaching
about Chile and Santiago.
This project facilitated by
one of the GA
‘Geography Champions’.
From Transition Evidence
Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School
Global Learning
Matters
Comments from children aged 9 – 13 (and see Primary Geography GLP
special summer 2015) show the ongoing need to challenge a charity
mentality and extend understanding

“There may be a natural disaster waiting to happen and you do not
want to be in a place when it is happening.”

“Children should be taught about how other poor people live their
lives and how we can help them. How we can best help them with
their problems and issues.”

“You also need to learn about things like Ebola or wars in places like
Syria because then you can try and help by donating to charities.”