The Intersection of Leadership, Information Fluencey, Technology, Global Education and Social Justice

Through my own work this semester (lots of listening, synthesizing of information, research, reflection) and the work of the "action" team, here's a working draft of the core beliefs at the intersection of the leadership, research skills, technology, global education and social justice:

Core beliefs

We believe a 21st century education provides students with the skills, tools, knowledge, and opportunities for real world engagement in tackling our planet's issues. Creating this educational experience requires a learning community that integrates students, faculty, staff, parents, & members of the community both local and global; a program that integrates a curriculum on global education, collaborative learning, leadership, and social justice with a pedagogical approach that includes diverse methods in utilizing human powered networks; a learning ecosystem that appreciates that learning and teaching happens in both formal and informal contexts and which values risk-taking as a necessary step in an ongoing reflective learning process.

To develop of program of this nature, we need:

• To respect and encourage each other's ability, creativity, and risk taking in our learning community.
  
• To actively include members of our universal learning community in our work.
  
• To provide students with inter-disciplinary, authentic, student-centered opportunities for real work focused on opportunities for promoting social justice and collaboration both locally and abroad.
• To open ways for students to be innovators, creators of knowledge, savvy consumers of information and producers of meaningful artifacts.
• To understand that we are all teachers and learners.
• To be intentional about the time we have available.
• To allow students to lead and build a positive impact over the course of their lives beyond college. To allow students to build significant lives.

Questions:
What thoughts are running through your mind? How do these core beliefs compare with your own? What are your worst fears and best hopes as we move forward in this work?

-Posted by Heidi Chang