GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION
Global Citizenship Education (GCED) is an internationally recognised framework for delivering transformative lifelong learning. Since the establishment of UNESCO in 1945, it has evolved from a range of initiatives such as education for international understanding, development studies, global studies, and education for sustainable development. GCED marks a rapid shift in education to meet the needs of the globalised, interdependent environment of the 21st century.
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OVERVIEW
​Grounded in international goals and commitments to a more peaceful, sustainable, inclusive and equitable world, GCED is holistic - covering the cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioural domains of learning. GCED as we know it now, has gained strength and prominence since the 2012 Global Education First Initiative, led by Secretary-General, Ban ki-Moon.
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Global Citizenship Education:
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Promotes awareness of global issues. Learners understand the interconnectedness of local, national, and global issues, including poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, and conflict.
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Fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Learners to analyse complex global issues, identify their root causes, and develop solutions that are sustainable, equitable, and just.
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Encourages active citizenship. Learners become active citizens who are engaged in their communities and the world around them.
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Promotes sustainability. Learners adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives.
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There is no one set model of global citizenship education. Citizenship New Zealand has developed its own approach from our local perspective that can be given relevance in any context, anywhere in the world.
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RATIONALE
The development of education for global citizenship is as exciting as it is urgent.
Rapid technological advancement paves the way for global problem solving at the same time as the earth and all that live on it face unprecedented challenges and existential threats, including climate change, rising nationalism, and violent extremism. Global citizenship is about being responsible and ready for our complex and rapidly changing world.
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The fourth industrial revolution characterised by rapid technological advancements is significantly impacting all sectors of the global economy. The university and tertiary education sectors are generally unprepared and largely unable to respond to its demands due to intransigent organisational practices, bureaucratic cultures and outdated modes of engagement. Global Citizenship Education offers a new way of facilitating learner success focused on student needs, enabling technology, and a global outlook is needed.
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The world is falling short on its 2030 target to achieve of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, at the current rate, we would only achieve goal 4 (Quality Education) by 2062. Global Citizenship New Zealand is prioritising target 4.7, which specifies education for global citizenship and sustainable development as the key to achieving all of the goals.
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