The Caravel = Dial Up

Response to:

Assignment G

Suarez-Orozco & Qin-Hilliard - Globalization: Culture and Education in the New Millennium (2004) 

National Council for the Social Studies - Teaching and Learning Concepts (2001).

Think about it, the ship that could sail both ways and a this, "transoceanic conquest, communication, and trade from 1492-1565." (Coatsworth) made us realize, "huh there's a  whole other world out there." With time, the ships improved (cable modems) and that "other world" suddenly became so much more accessible... and then so much more tangible...and then so much more stereotyped..... and finally, so much more misunderstood.

With this current BOOM of information at our fingertips, we (as "global citizens") are embarking on new territory. Just like back in the good olde, age of exploration, we find ourselves at a time when, "the other" is right there in front of us.  However, opposite to the exploration age, in 2008 we now have[progressive and vocal] scholars like Suarez-Orozco and Qin-Hilliard (S-O & Q-H) to express the idea that this time, we need to treat this mashing of culture (also known as globalization) differently. Scholars that say managing these perceived differences, addressing multitudes head on, and monitoring the formulation of young people's new identity are important things to think about. 

Now do these NCSS Teaching and Learning Concepts say the same thing?: Lets look.

Well I think they got some of S-O & Q-H main "big ideas." 

1) There are pros & cons to globalization,

•  "there are corrosive developments such as globalization's threats to century-long traditions, religious identities, authority structures, values and worldviews." (S-O & Q-H, 7)
  
• "In 1960 the average Chinese expected to live 34 years. By 1999 the life expectancy has risen to 70 years." (Rodrik, 2002 - S-O & Q-H, 11).

2)Interdependent global economy and the internationalization of economies are realities.

• ".. under the fate of globalization the fate of billions of people increasingly rests in the hands of the arbiters of global capitalism." (S-O & Q-H).  
  
• "The rate at which countries grow is substantially determined by their ability to integrate with the global economy" (Lawrence Summers 2003 - S-O & Q-H, 10) 

I also like the NCSS's tips for practical application. I think statements like: "utilize primary sources from other countries" and "include internationally experienced persons" would actually be helpful for teachers who are foreign to this crazy idea of "globalization."

But I think it is more important to note that S-O & Q-H bring up, "Globalization's increasing complexity necessitates a new paradigm.... the mastery and mechanical regurgitation.... should give way... to cognitive flexibility and agility." In other words.... "The Banking Method won't work... but [James] Banks will".

Does this idea line up with our American, Standardized education?

While I think the simple fact that the NCSS devotes a whole section to "teaching globalization" is bad-ass I do think that both the recommendations and the explanation (as well as S-O & Q-H's article) lack an important component...

How much of this "globalization" is actually "westernization" in disguise?" 

S-O & Q-H address the idea in endnote 18, "is globalization simply modernization, Is it Westernization in fast-forward? Is it "imperialism" now driven by the extraordinarily high octane of American Hyperpower?" This is something to REALLY think about when designing a "globally conscious" curriculum. How much of it really is global and how much is inherently western... all the way down to your "backwards design scaffolding"

ADDENDUM:

I have chosen this post for two reasons

1) Despite the serious need for grammatical and metaphoric retooling, I think this is a decent reflection and synthesis of the "standards" (teaching and learning concepts) and the writing on global education.

2) I like how this post reflects my thinking prior to my introduction to the "James Banks" Cheat Sheet of globalized education standards and the Hanvey article