To be prepared for the new world of work--one that outsourcing and automation have transformed--U.S. schools need to set a higher bar. Students need high-level cognitive skills, strong technical skills, character, good communications skills, a well-developed ethical frame, and the ability to relate to a wide range of people from all over the…

Global competence requires more than knowledge and skills; it also requires that students know when the situation calls for using these abilities and an ongoing, long-term inclination to do so. Boix Mansilla describes a number of global competence thinking routines, developed by her research team at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, which…

For centuries, education has been seen as an antidote to intolerance and conflict. In a world rocked by violence, much of it across cultural borders, developing students' cultural understanding has become more important than ever. In this article, Asia Society vice president Anthony Jackson discusses how two high schools in the Society's…

This compilation of articles describes three projects aimed at offering students authentic opportunities to develop global competencies. The first article describes Out of Eden Learn, an initiative from Project Zero at Harvard Graduate School of Education. The project engages students in learning journeys that follow Pulitzer Prize-winning…

Classrooms exist in an insular environment, and the work done there often feels disconnected from students' lives, interests, and hobbies. However, students today must cultivate the ability to navigate an increasingly connected global society. Global-ready graduates must be able to tackle real-world challenges, publish their work online, and…

Since 2002, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills has been the leading advocacy organization in the United States focused on infusing 21st century skills into education. Its "Framework for 21st Century Learning," the result of a consensus among hundreds of stakeholders, describes the skills, knowledge, and expertise students need to…

Educators and governments are paying increasing attention to international comparisons as they seek to develop effective policies to improve the performance of their education systems. Data from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are useful in revealing best practices across the world. Current data show that the United…

In interviews with several hundred business, nonprofit, philanthropic, and education leaders, the author identified seven "survival skills" that 21st century students need to succeed as workers and citizens: (1) critical thinking and problem-solving; (2) collaboration and leadership; (3) ability and adaptability; (4) initiative and…

As nations become increasingly interrelated, citizenship education must include development of a global perspective. (Author)

Multidisciplinary thinking is advocated as a necessary approach to curriculum development in the light of the emergence of a global society, the rate of social change, the information explosion, and new theories about reality. (GW)

The nature of the work for which we educate students is changing. Outlines how schools must help students process knowledge in a rapidly changing world. Schools must incorporate interdisciplinary approaches that teach breadth, values, and a global perspective. (MD)

Citizenship education remains the central focus of the social studies curriculum. A number of organizations are taking steps to promote social studies in elementary and secondary education and to increase its global content. (MLF)

Some American educators think global education is a national movement originating within the U.S. To dispel this notion, this article describes programs and networks in Australia, Sweden, and European countries. An international survey will examine what educators in various nations are doing to globalize their curricula. (nine references) (MLH)

The bonds connecting us to other human family members are easily found in every community and can be used to design instruction that heightens students' local and global awareness. Student teachers at a Massachusetts state college discovered numerous linkages and incorporated them within instructional units. Sidebars show searching strategies and…

The United States no longer has the best educated workforce in the world. To maintain its current standard of living and successfully compete in the global economy, the country needs to overhaul an antiquated education system that is not geared to produce the graduates it needs. In a new report, Tough Choices or Tough Times, the New Commission on…