2007 - College of Education - Florida International University

focus. Students will thus see the world through eyes other than the dominant ones in terms of
class, background, identity, race, culture, and citizenship.
Theoretical Framework
As Americans navigate through the tumultuous waves of the effects of globalization,
facing the increasing complexities in the world, there is rising concern that schools today are not
adequately preparing students for the challenges of a changing world (Merryfield, 1998). This
paper draws upon the theoretical work of several prominent educators, notably John Dewey
(1916) who said that as a society progresses, it must understand its responsibility to convey and
safeguard some of its best present achievements to help make a better future society. The school
must be considered as the appropriate mechanism used to achieve this goal. Dewey (1916) saw
educated citizens as more than a society of individuals with technical skills, vocational
inclinations, and economic ambitions. Therefore, this paper will put forward a discussion to
answer questions that will address the urgency of students becoming global citizens and
achieving global literacy, and how teachers can bring about this change: (a) When we talk about
global literacy, what are we trying to achieve and for whom (b) How might the challenges be
addressed (c) How do teachers make choices (d) Do teachers have the conviction and selfdetermination
to enact the initiatives
Barber (2002) explains the paradox regarding U.S. global education: although this
country is among the most diverse worldwide, with students from numerous cultures, we are
among the least knowledgeable about our students’ native countries and cultures. Hanvey’s
(1982) criteria for global education in the classroom have been succeeded by others who either
added to the norms (Pike & Selby, 1988) or worked with variations of it (Kniep, 1991). Pike and
Selby (1988) included values into global education; Tye and Tye (1992) state that global
education engages students of all ages and in all subject matters.
In the first major evaluation of world studies in schools, conducted among over 200
teachers, Steiner (1992) found that teachers lacked the confidence and expertise needed to
translate their otherwise positive attitude toward the subject. Since teachers are pivotal (Tucker,
1990) in the delivery of global literacy, it is crucial that teachers are trained to have the
confidence and conviction to make choices and face the challenges presented to them in an
inclusive curriculum or teaching to include and embed a global focus. Many teachers are
intimidated by words like globalization, global education, and global literacy (Merryfield, 2000)
and unfortunately they have not been prepared to teach for diversity, challenge inequities, or
even recognize the effects of globalization.
Challenges
The complexity of these global issues presents many challenges for teachers, students,
and the community who must develop a unified effort to make the global education program
successful. Implementing global education has proven contentious (Schukar, 1993). Werner
(1991) explains that the general consensus is students should be trained to enter into an
interdependent world, but limitations exist in the knowledge and rationale for this training. This
paper will address some of the dilemmas.
Challenges for Teachers
One of the more prominent challenges for teachers as envisioned by the researcher and
informed by global educators (Hanvey, 1982; Merryfield, 1998) is that those teaching global
education must be competent in analyzing this complex world through lived experiences. This
particular challenge will come easier to the well-traveled teacher or to the immigrant teacher who
can share not only their experiences but also those of their students who hail from different
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