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9SECTION III. NEW DIGITAL REALITY AND EDUCATION
GLOBAL EDUCATION — VISION OF THE FUTURE1
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic crisis has opened new questions about how to organize working and education processes. Technology has erased and changed borders, and future generations must be ready for the Post COVID-19 New Normal of Global society and possess new multidisciplinary knowledge. In this paper, the authors elaborate on the process of Global Education, which is an active project-based learning process based on the values of solidarity, equality, inclusion, and cooperation, which enables people to achieve a better understanding between Global and Local processes. This paper aims to show how Global education could represent a future where knowledge should connect people of all ages in all parts of the world on an equal basis. The authors especially stress that global Education should provide opportunities for a realistic assessment of contemporary problems in our World without, however, intensifying the negative images of the so-called "inevitably dark and terrible future".
Key words: globalization, global, borders, global societies, education, technologies. DOI: 10.51180/RPS.2020.15.2.003.
Authors
Vitorovic Zoran R.
Editor-in-chief, "Global Processes" Journal Professor, Logos University International (USA), VSTIM Faculty (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Hatidza Berisa,
Professor, Ph.D., School of National Defense,
Ministry of Defense
(Serbia)
Introduction
Young people of today should not turn their heads away from the problems and misfortunes. They must understand that the future belongs to them and their activities on the Local and Global level. That's why the first and most important step is to launch and implement a quality education system for every child and every student around the
world. When Global Education becomes an integral part of the Formal curriculum, educational actors will have a Framework on how to organize their activities.
The new curriculum should implement and replace state exams with projects and research papers [1]. The emphasis is on project-based learning, which brings more flexibility and is a springboard
1 This paper was originally written for delivery as a keynote speech at the International Webinar "Education, Society, and Global Challenges", held by Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga,Bihar, India on 29th, 30th &31st August 2020. 2.003.
for introducing Global themes and new methodologies. The practice has shown that learning about global issues, such as, for example, about human rights, depends more on the enthusiasm of teachers, and not so much on the curriculum or support of the State or City/Region. In addition to books, movies could also be used as a good learning source. NGO Mondo Film Library is one good example with more than 200 documentaries on global issues. Another good example is GENE, which provides practical examples for leadership and could be good for national platforms and ways in which global education can become part of the education system.
What is Global Education: from
general understanding to the conceptual definition
Global Education is a term that is widely and frequently used in the modern world. Its final aim is to explain an educational system that should enable young people to have opportunities to shape a better future and to be able to create better conditions for living in a Global World, starting from Local community up to Regional and Global (Global model). One definition of Global Education says that 'it helps people to see and understand the reality of everything around them' Globally and Locally and encourages them to create a World that offers more Justice, Equality, and Peace.
Global Education includes learning about Global developments, Human rights, Sustainability, Peace and Conflict prevention, Intercultural Education, and understanding. The World is ruled by complex social, environmental, political, and economic processes, and to understand the essence of this processes, to have a better understanding among peoples, between systems, cultures, societies, and their ideas, to be able to better cope with everything around us, it is necessary to develop 'New ways of thinking' and especially 'New ways of Acting' — in Education [2].
Global education is, in general term, a perspective of education that emerges from the fact that modern people live and interact in an increasingly Globalized world. This educational model must provide students with the opportunity and ability to consider and share their views, ideas and roles, within a global, interconnected society as well as to understand and discuss the complex relationships between common social, environmental, political, and economic issues, among others, with focal aims to perform and develop new ways of thinking and acting.
However, Global Education should not be presented as an approach that we will all accept uncritically, given that we already know that there are dilemmas, tensions, doubts, and different perceptions in the educational process when we are dealing with global issues.
There are several definitions of Global Education.
The Maastricht Declaration on Global Education (2002) states that:
• Global Education is education that 'opens people's eyes and minds'to the realities of a Globalized World and encourages them to make the world a place of greater Justice, Equality, and Human rights for all [3].
• Global Education includes the development of education, human rights education, education for sustainable development, education for Peace and Conflict prevention, and Intercultural education, given that it has a Global dimension of Global citizenship education.
Education should be aimed at the overall development of the human personality and strengthening respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. This model of education should promote understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations, racial and religious groups, as well as the United Nations peacekeeping activities [4].
By combining learning, training, information, and activities, such education should promote a certain intellectual and
emotional development of an individual with a sense of social responsibility and solidarity. Society should be structured more equally with less privileged groups. Globally, this model of education should lead to respect for the principle of equality in the everyday behavior of each person [5].
Education, including formal education, should raise public awareness and be recognized as a process through which human beings and societies can reach their greatest potential. Education is key to promoting sustainable development and improving people's ability to address development and environmental issues [6].
Global education as a 'Transformative' learning process
This paper aims to look at the role of Global Education as well as to analyze attitudes, ranging from a culture of individualism (which often goes hand in hand with dominance) to a culture of partnership based on dialogue and cooperation.
The first cultural model characterizes education systems in many countries, is a system where Global themes and the developments of awareness on 'World realities' are not considered as relevant to Countries' National educational priorities and Visions. On the other hand, the second cultural model — the partnership model, can lead to better International understandings and more honest cooperation between Nations and Peoples.
Aspects of domination exist in many different areas of our societies and are also very often deeply rooted in the structures of Countries' Educational systems. Those experts who are critical of such a model of education pointed out that this model leads to conflictual relations between individuals or between peoples, especially if they belong to different Cultures, Religions, or Social groups.
Global Education is about the Visions which are necessary to move all towards a model of partnership, between Peoples, Cultures, and Religions, at the micro and
macro levels. 'Transformative' learning through Global Education encompasses a profound, structural change in the basic premises of thoughts, feelings, and actions. It is education for both — the mind and the heart.
The three main stages of 'transformative' learning, which are strongly linked to Global Education, are:
• First stage: Analysis of the current situations in the World (Global model)
• Second stage: Development of Visions which could be alternative approaches to the dominant model and how they might look like
• Third Stage: Long term processes of transformation of individuals to the responsible World Citizens
Global Education as 'transformative' learning implies participatory decision-making processes in all these three stages. The goal of this type of learning is to promote mutual knowledge and collective self-awareness. Global Education is the opposite of Greed, Inequality, and Egocentrism and could be developed through honest Cooperation and Solidarity of all.
Global Education as 'transformative' learning offers ways how to make changes at the Local level with aims to influence the global level (Global model). The main aims are to develop Global Citizenship, through participatory strategies and methods, so that people learn to take more responsibilities which cannot be left only to Governments and other decision-making bodies.
However, Global Education is not just about Global issues, World problems, and possible overall solutions. It is also about 'how to predict' a common future with better living conditions for all, connecting Local and Global perspectives, and how to make these Visions real and possible.
'Transformative' learning should enable people to shape and share Common Visions for a fair and more sustainable world for all. Focusing on the future we want, is crucial for a model of 'transformative' learning.
Global Education contributes to 'Visions processes' and have an important role in creating 'new methods' as approaches For processes of social movements and non-Formal learning which are important because they create space For values and models that are not central to Formal learning and 'give voice' to all in the society, including marginalized groups.
Promoting ideas of a Global Perspective into classrooms around the world could lead to a more positive exchange of opinions in the years to come. With the implementation of this model of learning, Young people will not only gain in terms of the quality of education based on the knowledge that they acquire in schools and colleges, but also through learning the importance of interpersonal relationships, habits, and skills that will affect the fate of humanity in the next ten, hundred, and even a thousand years [7].
Education for democratic citizenship focuses primarily on democratic rights and responsibilities, active participation in the civil, political, social, economic, legal, and cultural spheres of social life [8].
Effects of Globalization on Global Education
Globalization is a contradictory process that causes positive but also negative consequences for Global World. Today we have many Scientists who are characterized as 'Lawyers of Globalization' and who emphasize only the positive effects of Globalization on human society; then critics, who focus only on the negative consequences of these processes, and "third-way experts" who look on Globalization as a real, factual, situation which must be incorporated into thinking about organization and implementation of any processes at Global or Local level [9].
In the context of the development of higher education, some theorists qualify Globalization as a process that deepens existing differences and contributes more to the unequal distribution of power with numerous negative social consequences. On the other hand, some emphasize the positive effects of Globalization on the de-
velopment of higher education, explaining that Globalization could be the best way for bridging the existing "knowledge gap" globally and locally.
As a result of the development of many complex interdependence links between Countries, the World in which we had lived till the COVID-19 Pandemic has evolved into a Globalized World. Recent history undoubtedly shows that the lives of men and women in every place on Planet Earth can be affected by events and processes which are thousands of miles away. The Serbian scientist Nikola Tesla had predicted it in his Vision of 21st Century 100 years before the time we live in. Today Tesla's Vision has become reality — World economic, geopolitical, and social relations, modern ways of communication and technology, media, and transportation enable the fast flow of information and global interconnectivity.
Globalization as a process is complex and ambivalent and consequences can be both positive and negative. Among the positive consequences of Globalization are: the expansion of human horizons, access to knowledge and products of science and technology, multiculturalism and intercultural perspectives, increased opportunities for personal developments, more opportunities to share ideas, to take joint activities to solve common problems, etc.
The negative consequences are mainly at the social, economic, and environmental levels. On the one hand, in the modern Global World, we have more poverty in every society, the growing gaps between developed and developing countries, disease, forced migrations, human rights violations, exploitation of vulnerable social groups, racism, and xenophobia, conflicts, insecurity, and increased individualism. On the other hand, there are many subsequent environmental consequences such as the greenhouse effect, climate change, pollution, and depletion of natural resources.
Global awareness about Global issues has been increasingly addressed through agreements and declarations which have
been largely disseminated by International Organizations and commitments of Civil Society organizations.
All of the above shows the need For inclusion of Global Education in teaching and learning methods, informal and non-formal education, to achieve a better understanding of current problems in the Globalized World. The impacts of global issues on Global and Local level is evidence that Global Education is not only an urgent "Must" but also an essential Ethical need for today's Global World.
Globalization has been a fundamental challenge for all areas of Education in every Country. At the same time, Globalization has provided access to people, cultures, economies, and languages in a New and very complex way. In this context, Education about Global issues can be fully viewed, in market-driven conditions, as an advancement of personal skills and abilities which should help people to be free, equal, and more efficient employees in the Local and Global economy.
The Vision of Global Education
Global Education is a new paradigm that could help us to find proper answers to all open questions. The goals of Global Education are to enable students to understand global issues, and at the same time to provide them with more skills and knowledge based on values and attitudes that are desirable for one World Citizen who is confronted with the problems of the modern world. In general, Global Education is a dynamic process of individual and collective developments that enables the transformation of Society and individual self-transformation.
At the same time, there is a lot of controversy over the need for greater opportunities in curriculum development for creative and rational discussions of different views on future alternatives. This is in line with modern curriculum innovation 'movements' which in different countries encourage a more flexible and
open perspective by applying new content and using active new methods and new resources.
Global Education should unite all, old and modern pedagogical concepts. Therefore, it is an open, continuous, multidimensional concept of general education. Besides, Global education is also considered as a collective and holistic response to the historical World challenges. Global Education enables people to develop the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes necessary to achieve a sustainable developed World in which everyone has the right to fulfill their human potential.
COVID-19 Pandemic as an Impetus to Global Education
Global Education should provide opportunities for a realistic assessment of contemporary problems in our World without intensifying the negative images of the so-called 'inevitably dark and terrible future'. Certainly, each progress gives us, as Humans, not only positive but also certain portions of 'side back effects' (negative). It is also true with regards to the IoT (Internet of Things) and 4IR (4th Industrial Revolutions). For example, in a globalized world, there are problems connected with the ways and speed of spreading the information. The IoT gives us the possibility not only to see when something is happening on the other side of the Planet (in real-time) but also to see it from a thousand different perspectives.
However, with IoT and 4IR, speed, volume, and complexity of information flow were followed by the process of development of a huge 'dark net' and lots of disinformation. How effective such disinformation could be, the best example was in C-19 Pandemic Time, a time of general insecurity, and time when such kind of disinformation could have extremely dangerous consequences for Local as well as Global Society.
COVID-19 Pandemic has provided the best evidence in support of Global Education although it has been on the agenda
already for many years. This is so because of the importance to give more priority in Public Open Media and Public spaces to those experts who can recommend and explain the citizens the use of more relevant and legitimate sources of information, which is the best possible way of increasing their resilience against rumors and conspiracy theories.
We must accept and understand the fact that we are all living in a Global Society which already has Global Education as one of its main pillars. When we recognize our 'Global reality' we can continue to develop a more harmonious World, World based on Cooperation and Peace. Such a harmonized World would undoubtedly be more resilient even to such crises as the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Conclusion
No matter in which time we live (traditional, modern, postmodern, or some new 'future time'), no matter how we define ourselves, the priority for educated
people should always be their focus on justice. As a Hz Omer use to say: "Justice is the foundation of property (order, system, state)."
People, as users of digital media and information technologies, have the opportunity of equal participation in information exchange, where freedom of access defines information as a common good. Of course, this is not the case with all data that appears, but one individual has the greatest influence and responsibility on the selection, presentation, and dissemination of the information that appears in the IoT.
In the future World, which we are already entering a Post COVID-19 Times, Global Education, and Science Diplomacy should play the main role should as a part of the education process and human interactions. Education and Science, as well as Science for Diplomacy and Diplomacy for Science, will be the best possible way of solving Global issues and the most proper source of answers to Global challenges.
References
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