South Journal of Educational Psychology and Counseling
http:..southjournals.com.ojs-2.4.5.index.php.sjepc
Investigating the Status of Global Citizenship Education and Critical
Thinking in the Implemented Curriculum of Secondary School
Sadegh Mousavi*1
1
(Department of Education, Shahid Behesgti University, Tehran, Iran)
*Corresponding author: Sadegh mousavi
To cite this paper: Mousavi, S. (2017).Investigating the status of global citizenship education and critical thinking in the implemented curriculum of secondary school. South journal of Educational Psychology and Counseling, South journal of Educational Psychology and Counseling, 4, 1, 92-96.
Abstract:
This study was aimed at investigating the basic components of global citizenship in the implemented high school curriculum. In the implemented curriculum the population includes all the teachers (teachers of literature, sociology and history of Iran and world books) at Shiraz city in the academic years 2014-2015. The sample consisted of 128 persons, were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling. The research instrument was a researcher make questionnaire based on a Likert spectrum that after studying by experts its content validity was confirmed. The main findings of the study were: In the implemented curriculum, knowledge in the global citizenship education is much more emphasized than other dimensions in addition, the emphasis on both the attitudes and skills dimensions is equal. There is different between teacher’s academic degree and their emphasis on the knowledge and attitudes dimensions in global citizenship education but this difference is not seen in skill dimension. On the other hand, there is different between the teacher’s gender and their emphasis on the components such as skill and attitude in the global citizenship education.
Key words: global citizenship, curriculum, global citizenship education, global
Introduction
Oxfam, the international Confederation which consists 15 organizations in 98 countries around the world, in collaboration with its partners and allies tries to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. This confederation introduces the global citizenship feature as following:1.a person who is aware of the wider world and has a sense of his role as a global citizenship.2. respects diversity and variety. 3. In terms of economic, political, social, cultural, environmental and technological aspect of the world and its function has the deep insight.4. Is hatreds and angry from social injustice. 5.She or he participates in a range activity from local to global levels. 6. assume responsibility for her or his actions (Oxfam Web site). In other words, this Confederation expressed he main elements of global citizenship in three general categories includes: knowledge, skills and attitudes.
For citizenship, various models have been proposed which one of the most prominent has been proposed by Castells. He has presented at least three basic patterns for citizenship include: 1. Different elimination model: In this model, different treats to citizens take placeand is common in the countries which immigration rate to them is high. The societies that situated in this model divides their citizen into different group and categories and each of them have their advantages.2. Assimilation model: In this model young generation or newly arrived immigrants through the process of adaptation (unilateral adaptation) integrated in society. This means that assimilation model expected people forget special features of the social, cultural and linguistic and adopt their self with the majority of the community.3. Pluralistic model:In this model, the rights of all people are equaland all citizens have access to resources and social benefits, without expect them to desist their different feelings and concerns (Talebzadeh and Fathivajargah 2003, p. 218).
According to what was said can be concluded that the theory of global citizenship emphasis on this point which can identify rights and obligations for the people as global citizenship at the international and global level. Ayvazi and Babgoure,(2011) consider the global citizenship as a concept which is result of the revision of the components of modern citizenship.This concept including identity, rights, duties and scope of action and global social contexts.From the standpoint of global citizenship theorists’ components of this theory include human rights, liberalism, free market economics, environmentalism and social networks. From the view of Tarazkoohi,(2007) The emergence of global identity in people across national identity is more under effect of ethical norms and human beliefs than political issues.
Tuomi,Jaccot and Lundgren, (2008) consider the global citizenship education standards as development of people in following areas: 1. human Rights Education. 2. education for the equality of people. 3. peace and media education. 4. education for intercultural understanding. 5. education for progress without destroying natural resources. 6. international education.7. intercultural education. Davies, (2008) know the global citizenship characteristic as following items: Awareness of their role as global citizens, respects cultural diversity, in terms of economic, political, social, cultural, environmental and technological aspect of the world and its function has the deep insight, he (or she) is a person that hatreds and angry from social injustice, looking for a safe and stable world and participate in the local and global society. In general, global education demands learners consider themselves as global citizenship so that citizens have the ability to cope and familiarity with global issues and according to common global problems can consider these issues into three components of peace education, health education and environmental education.(Izadi, Salehi Omran, Rezai ,2006).
Methodology
For data collection researcher making questionnaire was used. The reliability of questionnaire approved by Cronbach's alpha and its validity confirmed by the experts.
research aim
The aim of study was investigating the basic components of global citizenship in the implemented high school curriculum.
Results
How is the status of global citizenship education among men and women teachers with different academic degree?
To compare the knowledge and the skills, values and attitudes between men and women as well as Masters and Bachelor’s degree independent t-test was used. The results of tests are presented below.
Table 1. The comparison of knowledge between women and men
Variable sex N Mean Std. Deviation t df Sig
Knowledge men 62 84.67 23.07 women 62 96.11 25.09
2.68 127 0.070
Table 2. The comparison of skill between women and men
Variable sex N Mean Std. Deviation t df Sig
Skill men 62 41.75 14.38 women 62 46.17 11.60
1.92 127 0.020
According to the results in Table 2, The amount of t for skill with df 127 is equal 1.92 which is more than t critical value amount, so in the level of 0.05 is significant. Therefore, the null hypothesis is confirmed and there is significant difference between the two groups in the skill component.
Table 3. The comparison of attitudes and values between women and men
Variable sex N Mean Std. Deviation t df Sig
Attitudes men 62 39.61 11.58 women 62 45.34 15.23
2.39 127 0.018
According to the results in Table 3, The amount of t for attitudes and values with df 127 is equal 1.92 which is more than t critical value amount, so in the level of 0.05 is significant. Therefore, the null hypothesis is confirmed and there is significant difference between the two groups in the attitudes and values component.
Table 4. The comparison of knowledge between bachelor’s and master’s degree
Variable degree N Mean Std. Deviation t df Sig
Knowledge bachelor’s 73 94.54 22.55
master’s 56 85.50 26.64
2.08 127 0.039
According to the results in Table 4, The amount of t for knowledge with df 127 is equal 2.08 which is more than t critical value amount, so in the level of 0.05 is significant. Therefore, the null hypothesis is confirmed and there is significant difference between the two groups in the knowledge component.
Table 5. The comparison of skill between bachelor’s and master’s degree
Variable degree N Mean Std. Deviation t df Sig
Skill bachelor’s 73 44.61 12.47
master’s 56 43.32 14.06
0.55 127 0.058
According to the results in Table 5, The amount of t for skill with df 127 is equal 2.08 which is less than t critical value amount, so in the level of 0.05 is not significant. Therefore, the null hypothesis is not confirmed and there is no significant difference between the two groups in the component of skill.
Table 6. The comparison of attitudes and values between bachelor’s and master’s degree
Variable degree N Mean Std. Deviation t df Sig
Attitudes bachelor’s 73 45.09 13.26
master’s 56 39.32 14.04
0.96 127 0.018
significant. Therefore, the null hypothesis is confirmed and there is significant difference between the two groups in the attitudes and values component.
Discussion
The results indicate that the distribution of global citizenship education components in the implemented curriculum is disproportionate and unbalanced. In some cases, emphasis on the knowledge component is high. On the other hand, some components such as attitude and skill is neglected. Undoubtedly integrated foster of each components has a considerable impact on the individual character. However, due to the unbalanced distribution of these components researcher suggests the following items to improve implemented curriculum:
1. It is suggested that a committee consisting of officials from the Ministry of Education and researchers and curriculum developers assume the responsibility of solving the problems which are related to global citizenship education.
2. According to the research findings in general there is different between men and women teachers in the education of global citizenship. So it is recommended that by holding workshops and conferences and meetings the context of interaction between men and women teachers to convey their experiences provides by officials.
3. According to the research findings in general there is different between teacher’s academic degree and their teaching about global citizenship. So it is recommended facilitates the condition of continuing education for teachers.
References
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Izadi,S, Salehi Omran,A, Rezai ,F.(2006). A content analysis of primary school textbooks based on the components of global citizenship education, Journal of Curriculum Studies, Issue 13 and 14, pages 141-177.
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