[Opinion] Let’s Teach the Global Issues Properly

Students in the 21st century have to face such issues as co-existence with other cultures, human rights, environment, security of food, conflicts between religions, water shortage, and energy problems.

The UN designated the year 2001 as the `Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations`. `Education for international understanding` is indispensable since the co-dependence has intensified and the stimulation of globalization has reached all time record.

`Education for international understanding` requires the following; understanding of other cultures, establishment of one’s own cultural identity, understanding and practice for the universal human values, acknowledgement of the global issues like environment, and the recognition of the global system. Through this education, students can acquire the knowledge, attitude, and ability to live in a world where co-dependence with other cultures is essential. This education cannot be undermined in the process of preparing for the future.

However, Korean elementary, middle, and high schools show a very little interest in the `education for international understanding`. Currently, there are only a couple of programs on the `education for international understanding`; `CCAP`, started in 1998 by the Ministry of Education and the Korean National Commission for UNESCO (KNCU) together for the 130 elementary, middle, and high schools in Korea, `Associated Schools Project` (ASP), offered by the KNCU for 69 schools, and the `Global Club`, organized by the Korean National Commission for UNICEF.

The seventh education program offered an opportunity to systemically carry out the `education for international understanding` by arranging the free activity time to reflect the particularity of the region, the desires of the students, and the needs of the school. This is the third dimension which is added to the school class activity and the special activity. Elementary, middle, and high schools can select and teach the courses out of 15 courses, such as education for understanding the globe, health education, career education, and character-building education.

However, there are prerequisites to activate the `education for international understanding`. First, there should be a new perspective on education. Instead of competition-oriented education, education for living together with others should be cherished. Second, various programs which can be used immediately in the educational setting on the ‘education for international understanding’ should be developed. Third, various local resources should be used for the `education for international understanding`. If experiential programs, which will connect the various human as well as material resources to the students, can operate, `education for international understanding` can overcome the limits of the class-centered education. Fourth, teachers who can be in charge of `education for international understanding’ should be available. Therefore, `education for international understanding` should be included in the teachers’ training program and the practical training in order for the teachers to broaden their perspectives and understandings on this issue. Fifth, a radical educational administration is necessary to the extent that foreigners residing in Korea, experts on the each field of global issues, Koreans residing in abroad, and people who have global experiences can work as teachers. Through the `education for international understanding`, students can build up their identities and learn the basic knowledge, attitude, and ability to live in the world as an active subjetct.

Kim Jong-Hun (research-development director of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Network for International Education and Values Education)