Local COmmunity Resource List |
International Project-based Learning Opportunities List |
Below is a briefly annotated list of organizations, groups and associations who share a value in global education locally here in Portland, Oregon.
1. Mercy Corps (www.mercycorpsnw.org): Mercy Corps does work both locally and internationally. They are deeply invested in providing opportunities for people locally to be empowered and thrive in their communities. According to their site, "Mercy Corps Northwest is committed to assisting low-income citizens of Oregon and Washington to create more productive, secure and satisfying lives for themselves, their families and their communities. We support them in increasing their economic self-sufficiency and community integration by providing resources and support in their efforts to improve their lives." 2. World Affairs Council Oregon (http://worldoregon.org/): "The mission of the World Affairs Council of Oregon is to broaden public awareness and understanding of international affairs and to engage Oregonians with the world." The World Affairs Council of Oregon is supports schools and entrepreneurs alike, providing support, opportunities and programing to help Oregonians connect in a global context with other students, organizations and businesses. 3. University of Portland International Studies and Outreach Collaborative (http://www.up.edu/cisgo/): As a community stakeholder in global education, the University of Portland International Studies and Outreach Collaborative provides events and opportunities to the community members interested in cross-cultural experiences and learnings. 4. Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center (http://www.oregonnikkei.org/): This center is is dedicated to sharing and preserving Japanese American history. They provide resources and outreach to teachers and community members alike. I was fortunate to have a visit from a member of the legacy center. She gave presentation to my eleventh grade for almost 90 minutes, discussing and sharing artifacts pertaining to the internment of Japanese Americans. Using the concept of a "museum in a box" there were images, stories and tangible artifacts students were able to examine in conjunction with our reading of When The Emperor Was Divine. 5. Nike Community Impact Grant (http://about.nike.com/pages/the-nike-foundation): With world headquarters here in Portland, Oregon, Nike is a major player in supporting educational endeavours, for individual schools as well as districts. As an major local business with international reach, there are a variety of opportunities to procure funding and to propose ideas Nike can support to globalize learning and experiences. 6. Greater Portland Global (http://www.greaterportlandinc.com/global): Greater Portland Global is based on a Brookings Institute initiative that recognizes that growth in our communities is not limited to just local connections. Greater Portland Global is an initiative that supports growth in jobs, services, education and public amenities, with the mindset that there needs to be an increased global understanding to insure continued growth. Economic growth "depends upon our ability to thoughtfully leverage new connections abroad, partner with foreign businesses and encourage engagement and investment." 7. Portland State University School of Education ( http://www.pdx.edu/education/home): Portland State University is a local public university, serving students and the community in downtown Portland. With courses (undergraduate and graduate) focused on preparing prospective educators to teach in diverse classrooms, the university can be a wealth of resources and contacts to support globalizing education in local k-12 schools. 8. Oregon TiE ( http://oregon.tie.org/): According to the TiE's website, "TiE is a non-profit, global community welcoming entrepreneurs from all over the world. We believe in the power of ideas to change the face of entrepreneurship and growing business through our five pillars; mentoring, networking, education, incubating and funding. TiE was founded in 1992 by a group of successful entrepreneurs and is currently the world’s largest entrepreneurial organization out there. With programs like TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) and Mentor Match, we are reaching out and fostering the next generation of entrepreneurs." 9. Carpe Mundi (http://www.carpemundi.org/): Carpe Mundi is a local non-profit organization that serves first-generation college students. Carpe Mundi provides mentorship and programing to youth, helping them become change makers in local and global contexts. |
While financial and logistical obstacles may impede teachers' ability to physically take their students around the world, we are truly fortunate to be living in a digital age. Technology affords the opportunity for international project based learning and interactions. Whether students have epals or collaborate on projects with peers on the other side of the world, there are robust opportunities for teachers to be able to virtually transport their students around the globe. Teachers can build skills and develop global competencies through authentic learning experiences that engage students in a meaningful way. Below you will find several organizations/programs that facilitate these opportunities.
* iConnectAllSchools http://www.connectallschools.org As part of an initiative to connect all US schools with the world by 2016. The initiative is designed to bring the world into the classroom in a variety of mediums and platforms. If, as a teacher you are looking for ways to connect your classroom, this is a good place to start, with projects and ideas for how you can do this. * WorldWise Schools http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/ AND Peace Corps Speakers Match http://wws.peacecorps.gov/wws/speakersmatch/ These two sites link to comprehensive resources compiled by the Peace Corps. Speakers Match brings to the classroom Peace Corp volunteers who have returned from their travels. Speakers provide first hand accounts, stories and explanations of cultural experiences and projects they worked on. This is a unique way for students to gain exposure and have experiences. World Wise Schools links to lessons, projects and other resources teachers can utilize in globalizing the experiences of students in their classrooms. * iEARN www.iearn.org The International Education and Resource Network is a comprehensive site that portends to “Learn with the world, not just about it…” This site offers uses contemporary technology to connect teachers and students all over the globe as they collaborate and work together on projects. *Flat Connections http://www.flatconnections.com/ Another site that helps to provide opportunities to connect, collaborate, share and learn from one another and about one another. Live events, classroom projects and professional development are all available through Flat Connections. The mission of Flat Connections is consistent with the global competencies outlined by the Asia Society. * The Global SchoolNEt http://www.globalschoolnet.org/ For 31 years, Global SchoolNet is a site that facilitates elearning projects worldwide to help students develop necessary skills to be successful in today’s global society. * Global Nomads Group www.gng.org In an effort to foster peace, communication, the exchange of ideas and the development of 21st century skills, Global Nomads Group uses technology to foster conversations between middle and high school students around the world. Distance and location are no longer excuses for students not interacting with others. Technology now affords the opportunity to virtually travel all over the world and have cultural experiences that can be as rich as physical travel to a new place. Global Nomads is an organization that helps to facilitate these kind of rich exchanges and interactions. |
Standard-based Global Education Updates
Examining local standards and recognizing how they can be modified to reflect global competencies is an important experience for teachers who are working to globalize their classrooms. Included here is a link to a document that reflects five Language Arts standards from the state of Oregon. Each standard includes an explanation for how it could be globalized, the global education sources used and a suggested assessments for the standard.
The link can be found here.
The link can be found here.
Global Education Unit Plan (sample)
The process of developing a unit plan with a global perspective is an especially empowering process. Both before and after field experiences, planning ways to infuse my classroom and lessons with different assessments, activities, questions and goals has helped shift my thinking so that it is becoming a more regular practice. To the right you will find a unit I developed to as an exemplar to be used or maybe to inspire other teachers that they too can make changes in their lessons and units.
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NOTE: This TGC Capstone Project is not an official U.S. Department of State website. The views and information presented are the grantee's own and do not represent the Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, IREX, or the U.S. Department of State.