Bloomsburg University of PA.

T.A.L.E. Seminar

Awareness of Global Cultures in the

Classroom: Challenge for BU Teachers!

Presenter

W. Emeka Obiozor, Ed.D

Department of Exceptionality Programs

February 7, 2008

Outline

The Issue

Challenge for Resource Persons

Recognition of Global Cultures

Meaning of Global Cultures

Classroom Awareness

Sources of Information

Why Teach Global Cultures?

Activities in the Classroom

Concluding Statement Appendix:-What do you know about this…?! References

The Issue • Increasing pressure to specialize

• Interactions with citizens of many nations

• Need to learn about the traditions, values,

and problems of other people/life

• Sensitive to environmental issues that affect

us all. (http://www.kutztown.edu/acad/intlstudies/home.asp)

The Focus Global History

Arts & Fashion

Economy

Politics

Religion

Science & Technology , ETC.

Challenge for Resource Persons

Who? - The Faculty/Instructors

o Knowledge of multicultural diversity/global

cultures

o Reaction to student’s questions on global issues

o Learning/teaching global cultures

o Share information /apply them in class lectures,

discussions, illustrations

o Assign students tasks on cultural diversity/global

cultures

o Encourage views/discussions on ancient traditions

from other societies – Greek, African, Irish, Roman,

Native American, Asian, Scandinavian, Spanish, etc.

o Promotion of global cultures in class

o Need assistance from BU faculty?

"The true contribution of a culture consists, not in the list of inventions which it has personally produced, but in its difference from others. The sense of gratitude and respect which each single member of a given culture can and should feel towards all others can only be based on the conviction that the other cultures differ from his own in countless ways, even if the ultimate essence of these differences eludes him or if, in spite of his best efforts, he can reach no more than an imperfect understanding of them. ..╊

-Claude Levi-Strauss

Recognition of Global Culture

Recognition of Global Culture

╉People's lives around the globe are linked more deeply, more intensely, more immediately than ever before. This opens many opportunities …

Global integration is proceeding at breakneck speed and with amazing reach. But the process is uneven and unbalanced with uneven participation of countries and people in the expanding opportunities of globalization in the global economy, in global technology, in the global spread of cultures and in global governance…╊

(http://www.globaled.org/issues/158/e.html)

Recognition of Cultures

"Contacts between people and their cultures-their ideas, their values, their ways of life-have been growing and deepening in unprecedented ways. Television now reaches families everywhere. For many, the exposure to new cultures is exciting, even empowering. For others, it is disquieting, as they try to cope with a rapidly changing world...╊

(http://www.globaled.org/issues/158/e.html)

Meaning of Global Culture What is Culture?

According to the Society for American Archaeology (1996),

culture is a set of learned beliefs, values and behaviors

the way of life shared by the members of a society.

What is Global Culture?

According to Pearson Education (2004), global culture

emerges from the way in which national cultures

interact with each other. The challenge for global

organizations is to operate in a way which spans a

variety of national cultures.

Creation of Global Culture Awareness

Curriculum

Course Content (Syllabus)

Class Instruction

Demonstrations/Activities

Research – projects, reports, etc.

Class Discussions – hints, quizzes, assignments

Seminars, Workshops & Conferences

Sources of Global Culture Information ╉It is great when someone explains the sentiments of a foreign culture in terms that are understandable to yours.╊ Dave Johnson

o Resource persons/experts

o Internet

o Radio

o Television

o Video clips

o Newspapers

o Magazines

o Books

o Art materials

o Drama

o Word of Mouth

o Other technological resources, e.g. projectors

• Cultural creativity in the classroom.

•Share information on societal behaviors, values, ethics, etc,

•Critical thinking (Rothenberg, 2003).

•Mobilize, motivate, enrich and empower global participation.

•Live interdependently with people of other societies.

•Fosters student readiness and interest to explore foreign

lands and languages

•Develop personal connection to the world around them (www.performance-education.com).

• Promotion of international cooperation, peace, tourism, brands,

products, trade & commerce.

Why Teach Global Cultures?

Classroom

Activities

Samples from Andrew F. Smith

TESTING GENERALIZATIONS

Read and Understand: Based on a given reading, students should be asked to respond to given statements (next page).

Next page shows listed several generalizations that one might make about the process called "the globalization of culture.╊

Classroom Activities – cont.

1. The "speeding up" of time is a merely the normal progress of

civilization.

2. Technologically advanced nations will always dominate nations not

as well equipped.

3. English is the logical global language.

4. There are more things that unite the world's peoples than separate

them.

5. There will never be only one culture.

6. It is possible for people to have multiple identities.

7. The natural flow of culture is that people continually move and

interact, and in so doing exchange, absorb or reject cultural ideas.

8. "Local cultures" are more powerful than national cultures.

9. Consumer demands tend to indicate the level of culture of an area.

10. The world can be politically united, but not united in a single

culture.

11. The Internet and cellular phone will bring into being a totally new

and different "metaculture."

12. Because people are constantly being brought into contact with one

another through the advances in technology & communication will

increase opportunities for disagreements & clashes among various

cultures.

Concluding Statement Understanding and appreciating global culture

ultimately promotes clearer communication among

peoples, breaks down barriers, builds trust and interactions,

strengthens relationships, opens horizons, yields great results

and successes in our instructional challenges and life tasks.

“… The notion of world civilization can only be accepted therefore, as a sort

of limiting concept or as an epitome of a highly complex process. There is

not, and can never be, a world civilization in the absolute sense in which that

term is often used, since civilization implies, and indeed consists in, the

coexistence of cultures exhibiting the maximum possible diversities. A world

civilization could, in fact, represent no more than a worldwide coalition of

cultures, each of which would preserve its own originality."

-Claude Levi-Strauss

References Web Resources

www.actewagl.com.au/education/Glossary/default.aspx

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture

www.diversityrx.org/HTML/ESGLOS.htm

www.faculty.harker.org/BeverleyM/LITINTOFILM/glossary3.html

http://www.globaled.org/issues/158/e.html

http//:kwintessential.co.uk/resources/country-profiles.html

www.millicentrogers.org/glossary.htm

www.oregonstate.edu/instruct/anth370/gloss.html

www.performance-education.com

www.pearsoned.com/pr_2004/index.htm - 27k

http://www.phoenixms.org/globalcultures.htm

www.promotingexcellence.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm

http://www.saa.org/publications/sampler/terms.html

http://soundroots.org/2007/08/blogday-2007.html

www.tesol.org/assoc/k12standards/it/10.html

www.usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/geography/glossary.htm