I will be working for the next four weeks on a research project to finish my Masters in Education. The final project itself must include the following:
Introduction and Statement of Problem or Question
Literature Review
Proposed Methodology
Proposed Analysis of Findings
Summary and Consideration of Next Steps
References
Appendices, if Needed
The rubric for this research project follows the same outline as the above guidelines, but also includes writing mechanics and the bibliography in APA style.
Over the course of our program studies, we have looked at so many topics within the framework of globalization of education from what globalization means to international schools to international mindedness and cultural intelligence to third culture kids. It has been such an interesting perspective on education. And, with the cohort itself being international, it has added to the richness of our program of study. While I do not feel challenged by the actual writing or bringing all the information together, the most challenging aspect of this research project for me is deciding on the actual topic. Because we have studied so many interesting topics, it is really hard for me to narrow it down just one. Another challenge that I think I will face will be the research findings themselves. Depending on my topic, how will I conduct a survey or find the information I am looking for other than reading previous research done on the topic?
The following video has been helpful in thinking about how to narrow the topic and design my actual research question.
However, I still have the challenge of looking at all the topics we have discussed and to figure out what I would like to spend the next month or so researching and writing about.
After our most recent class last Sunday, the cohort was given an opportunity to talk about possible topics we are interested in. Although we only spoke for about five or ten minutes, it was really helpful to hear their ideas and to bounce my ideas off of them. Thanks to this time together, I was able to narrow my idea down a little bit. I am now at the point where I will see how I can make it come together. It is very exciting for me to be in the final stretch of my Masters, but also challenging to bring it all together.
In today's globalized world, more and more families move for job assignments. Children of these global families are compelled to move and transition into new homes, new cultures, and new schools. This blog post will consider the question: how does this affect these children?
Who are Third Culture Kids?
Simply put, third culture kids, or TCKs, are children who were raised or have spent a significant part of their childhood living in a culture other than their parents' culture(s). Although it may sound quite simple, it is more complex and there is no one definition that describes every TCK. As Van Reken points out on her website Cross Cultural Kids, their family background, nationality, and reason for living abroad all have an effect on who they are, what they bring into this new culture, and how they might perceive this new culture. The principle commonalities among TCKs are "cross-cultural lifestyle, high mobility, expected repatriation, and often a "system identity" (Van Reken, 1987).
Referring back to the question at the top, how does this affect these children? Being a TCK expands a child's point of view, giving him or her a global perspective--or many perspectives. TCKs are often multilingual, can fit in any place yet never feel fully at home, and they lack real roots to any one place.
Who are Cross-Cultural Kids?
Cross-Cultural Kids (CCK) is a label that includes TCKs, but also many more categories of children affected by globalization for various reasons and circumstances. These children, as Van Reken writes, include:
Again, referring back to the question at the top, how does this affect these children? We can read about the benefits and challenges of being a TCK or CCK, but nothing quite makes you understand than hearing from these children themselves. In this video clip from "Where's Home?" we hear from several TCKs:
In this shortened version of the video (full version can be seen here: Where's Home?), we hear these young adults talk about being a TCK and feeling homeless in the sense that they neither fit in where they were raised nor in their parents' home country. And, even more than hearing them speak, it is seeing their reaction in the video when asked the question "Where's home?" that leaves the biggest impression. They pause, they sigh, they exhale. For some of these young adults, it is physically hard for them to answer this question. In the full version of the video, we see that the biggest challenge for these TCKs is having a sense of belonging to any specific place. Because they have moved around so much, they do not feel like they fully fit in anywhere. They are constantly on the side lines--present, yet not integrated. Conversely, some advantages mentioned in the video include: being multilingual, being multi-cultural, tolerant, open-minded, bridging cultures, getting along with others, and being able to thrive in different contexts.
A Teacher's Perspective
For TCKs transitioning with their family's work obligations, teachers can pay a special role in helping these children settle in and adapt. One of the biggest challenges a child who moves faces is the feeling of loss. Perhaps the move was not wanted by the child or he/she didn't want to say good-bye to their friends and previous home. The child may feel anger or sadness or a loss of control over their life. On the positive side, some benefits of TCKs are that they are culturally aware, open-minded, and may have the capacity to adapt quickly. Teachers who work in international schools, national schools overseas, or in any school where TCKs could be part of the student body, need to be aware of the benefits and challenges that these children face. Acknowledging the TCK's path and recognizing all the cultural differences the child could deal with can help make adjusting to the new school easier. Creating a classroom that celebrates diversity and each child's personal story can not only ease transitions, but also help students get to know each other, foster understanding for diversity, and respect for each other.
References:
Bautista, A. (2012). So Where's Home? A Film About Third Culture Kid Identity. Retrieved from:
https://vimeo.com/41264088
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_culture_kid
Van Reken, R. (n.d.). Third Culture Kids: Protypes for Understanding Other Cross-Cultural Kids. Cross Cultural Kids. Retrieved from: http://www.crossculturalkid.org/who-are-cross-cultural-kids/
Globalization has created a fast-paced, internationally connected world. Certain skills, attitudes, and understandings are required for countries and peoples to participate successfully. International schools have been popping up more and more across borders as families migrate and move for jobs. International schools provide a special type of education that allows students to enter the globally-minded market place with the necessary skills, knowledge, and perspectives. Three key terms that deserve thoughtful reflection when thinking about international education are international mindedness, international literacy, and global competence. International Mindedness According to the International Baccalaureate Organization's website:
International mindedness is a way of thinking about and engaging in the world. This mindset in education related to international mindedness encourages students to be globally aware, multilingual, mobile, push boundaries, and build on their personal knowledge and experiences. International Literacy Similar to international mindedness, international literacy involves personal experience, being a risk-taker, and being socially aware. What makes international literacy different is that it relies on the process of learning through engagement in another culture. Heyward points out that "it is through the experience of confronting oneself in a cross-cultural situation, that is, through
becoming inter-culturally literate, that the individual learns what culture
is: learns both something of his or her native culture, something of a
second culture and something of the concept of culture in the abstract" (p. 15). International literacy is like a step beyond international mindedness because the person must really experience it in all its stages: understandings, competencies, attitudes, participation, language proficiencies, and identities. Because of this process of learning through experience in another culture, Hayward suggests that rather than using the word international, the word intercultural would be more accurate.
Global Competence
Above, we saw that international mindedness is a way of thinking about the world and that international literacy is an inter-cultural learning process of personal and global engagement. Within global competence, we can see traces of the above two key words. As explained by Jackson, a concise way to think about global competence is that it is a "concept that articulates the knowledge and skills students need in the 21st century." Globally competent students investigate the world and are curious about how it works. They understand that they have a perspective and, while it may differ from people in other parts of the world, they can understand and value these different perspectives. Students with global competence are good communicators and aim to take action and participate in making the world a better place.
In my opinion, international mindedness is inherent within global competence. Since international mindedness emphasizes local-global connections and global awareness, it is a natural part of being globally competent. International literacy can be an integral part of global competence, if the student is living overseas and immersed in another culture. However, a student can still be globally competent without that immersion if they are given opportunities to exchange with other cultures and understand differing perspectives. Global competence does not end with a high school diploma, nor does international mindedness or international literacy. These concepts are an integral part of who a person is, how they view the world, and how they interact in this global community.
What do these key words look like in action?
John Stanford International School (JSIS), a public elementary school in Seattle, Washington, is a good embodiment of these concepts. We first see international mindedness, international literacy, and global competence in its bilingual and multicultural set up. Spending fifty percent of students' class time learning subjects, like math and science, in Spanish or Japanese is more than language learning, it is seeing these subjects through the eyes of the language and culture of that language. With native speakers as their teachers, these students are as close to being immersed as they can without leaving the United States borders.
In addition to the global awareness and communication skills brought about through its bilingual program, JSIS has a truly global perspective embedded in all parts of its curriculum. From its weekly music classes that teach students "a variety of songs from cultures around the world, and integrate multicultural dances with physical education" (Vega & Terada, 2013), to "collaborating with peers in another city or region to investigate a common topic of interest" (Boix-Mansilla & Jackson, 2011), students are constantly challenged to be open-minded, use critical thinking skills and take action.
To help teachers better bring global competence to their classrooms, they are equipped with a rubric, which guides them through the process. The example, Vega and Terada gave in their article Research Supports Global Curriculum, is "a fourth-grade unit about festivals of light celebrated around the world, students learn about world religions and then choose one festival to research, write about, and present in a visual way, demonstrating the global competencies of investigating the world, recognising perspectives, and communicating idea" (Vega & Terada, 2013).
Guiding JSIS's young students in a better understanding of themselves and in developing competent communication skills, the school has implemented two programs that work with students on social and emotional intelligence. This aligns well with our three key concepts because if we expect our students to be globally competent and, not only navigate, but help positively affect the world at large, these young students must first begin with themselves and their own understandings, perspectives and feelings.
Throughout JSIS, students collaborate and learn, but teachers are given the same opportunities as well, which contributes to students' improved global competence. A teacher from JSIS described it well when saying, "teachers are always looking back at student data to se where we need to meet the needs of our students, because every year our students are changing and so the needs that we need to meet are changing, as well" (Vega & Terada, 2013). This idea of adaptability and working to meet students' needs shows the fluidity that exists at this school within the teaching philosophy and curriculum, which undoubtedly carries over to the students and their learning experience and personal perspectives.
International mindedness, international literacy, and global competence and three important concepts that prepare today's students for the ever-changing global world and the skills necessary to participate in that world. The way we educate our children will help or hinder them to actively take part in meaningful ways. With JSIS, we saw all of these concepts successfully integrated in a public school setting. Our goal for future generations should be to create more schools like JSIS and to make global competence truly global by making it available to all students.
References
Bois-Mansilla, V. & Jackson, A. (2011). Educating for Global Competence: Preparing our Youth to Engage the World. New York, NY: Asia Society. Retrieved from: http://asiasociety.org/files/book-globalcompetence.pdf Heyward, M. (2002). From International to Intercultural: Redefining the International School for a Globalized World. Journal of Research in International Education, 1(1), 9-31. Retrieved from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzLwFwwvm0oNU0EweTJ2eDhLakU/view Jackson, A. (n.d.) Global Competence. Center for Global Education. Retrieved from: http://asiasociety.org/education/global-competence Sriprakash, A., Singh, M. & Jing, Q. (2014). A Comparative Study of International Mindedness in Australia, China, and India. Retrieved from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzLwFwwvm0oNRE5kM2x6MWlndkk/view Vega, V. & Terad, Y. (2013). Research Supports Global Curriculum. Edutopia. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/stw-global-competence-research
