Pedagogy for Global Perspectives in Education: Studies of Teachers' Thinking and Practice

As Americans come to understand the effects of globalization, there is increasing concern that schools today are not adequately preparing students for our interdependent world. Although much has been written about the need to infuse global perspectives in education so that students will understand and benefit from the increasing interconnectedness of the world's cultures, economies, and political relationships, few scholars have studied the actual practice of social studies teachers as they teach global perspectives or tried to understand the contexts of their instructional decisions. In this article multiple perspectives on current classroom practice in global education are examined, including those of master teachers considered the best global educators in their school districts, practicing teachers who have recently completed their first formal instruction in global education, and preservice teachers who are beginning to teach globally-oriented social studies as part of their certification programs. Some commonalities of theories and practice across the three groups include teaching students about their own cultures and diverse cultures through multiple perspectives, connecting global knowledge and skills to their students' lives, and making connections across historical time periods and world regions. There are also considerable differences across the three groups of teachers as the master teachers focus much more on global and local inequities, interdisciplinary approaches, higher level thinking, and cross-cultural experiential learning.