2008 Conference

Join us for two full days of professional development on international and global studies!  See descriptions below for a taste of some of the sessions that will be available.

*          *          *

Global Field Trips for your Classroom via Video Conferencing

(Click here for a detailed listing of video conferencing sessions.)

Global Studies in Education/Experts on Call

Learn the concept of combining new technologies with global perspectives in education. Explore the implications of global interconnectivity for educational issues such as curriculum, pedagogy, technology, policy, governance and culture. You will learn about universities international-themed workshops and conferences, web-accessible resources, expert speakers and performers for classroom visits, professional development and travel opportunities. University centers have a mandate to work with K-12 educators.

The Educational Benefits of the Model United Nations Program

Learn how to start a Model United Nations club or course in your school. American Model United Nations Inc. (AMUN) is a non-profit, educational organization founded in 1989 to provide students and teachers an unparalleled Model UN learning experience through highly realistic simulations of the United Nations. AMUN is an associated NGO with the United Nations Department of Public Information, organizes conferences and Model UN events, and offers a variety of resources for teachers at all levels including the Ambassador's Club video series which can be utilized for international relations, UN or Model UN classes or groups, Model UN in a Box Simulation Kit, and a teacher’s guide for Model UN.

Global Citizenship and International Service Learning: Two Models

How can you develop a successful international service projects at your school? Learn from the experiences of two teachers who participated in a service learning trip with a Haitian migrant community in the Dominican Republic. They will discuss their pre-trip strategies for building student awareness of issues, guiding students’ service-related projects, and developing standards related goals and outcomes.

Teaching About Democracy, an International Initiative

Explore how an international initiative is being used to promote democratic principles such as liberty and safety, and understanding between students in the USA and those in the former Soviet Union block. Teachers will be introduced to a method of discussion, Structured Academic Controversy, and be made aware of the topics available for use in their government, world studies, or language arts classroom.

Global Compassion, Local Action=Serving Your Community and the World

Explore ways to provide opportunities to youth to learn and act on global issues at the local level of their communities. This presentation will introduce K-12 educators to the curriculum and related materials of “Roots and Shoots,” the global youth service learning program of the Jane Goodall Institute. Learn how to integrate service learning into the curriculum especially in terms of state education standards.

Caretakers of the Environment International- A Model for Global Education

Learn about using a global environmental education network of secondary students and teachers, as a model to inspire students to make a difference in their world. This model will help teachers develop a global perspective for local service learning activities. This is often a life-changing experience for the teachers, the students, and the community.

Implementing an International Studies Curriculum in Schools

The need for creating an International Studies Curriculum is becoming increasingly important for today’s students, but remains challenging.  Find out how to implement a proven curriculum that educates students to be global, powerfully literate citizens in an interdependent world. 

The GLOBE Program and Collaborations Around the World

Come and witness a program that connects students worldwide with each other and the environment.  The GLOBE Program (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is an international hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science and education program.  GLOBE’s vision promotes and supports collaboration between students, teachers and scientists globally in researching and studying dynamics of the Earth’s environment. 

Video World Affairs Challenge

The Video World Affairs Challenge encourages students to create short, research-based videos about a global topic based on an overarching theme.  Learn how to create a video for the Challenge, and how to use videos as an educational tool in promoting world affairs. 

Arabic Language Learning Beginning in Kindergarten

Come learn about the Arabic language curriculum that integrates Arabic language acquisition across content area instruction.  Also, learn about additional components such as developing assessments, integrating technology, providing peer coaching and professional development, fostering community partnerships, and establishing a parent lending library.  This national flagship program is built upon DPS's years of experience with Arabic language programs as Dearborn, Michigan has the largest concentration of people of Arab descent in North America.

Learning the Languages/Cultures of Southeast Asia via the Internet

Learn how to use internet technology to teach the languages and cultures of Southeast Asia for classroom instruction and curriculum development. The presentation will share resources that will help you learn about the region. 

Cultural/Linguistic Odyssey of the World of Islam

Examine content and strategies for teaching about the Arab World, the wider Middle East and the even wider world of Islam. This presentation will provide teachers with the background and understandings to teach these areas of curriculum.  Come away with tools for immediate classroom application. 

Teaching About Africa:  Guiding Principles, Core Principles, Core Topics and Resources

The African Studies Center will provide K-8 teachers with resources and knowledge to confidently and accurately teach about this diverse continent.  Learn a variety of progressive techniques in teaching about Africa that are both engaging and enjoyable for teachers and students. 

Local Partners = Global Learning

Local organizations and institutions can make strong partners in helping to expand your student’s world knowledge and critical thinking skills. Learn innovative ways to collaborate with local universities and other groups that can bring world language, area studies, international education and fresh ideas into your elementary and middle school classroom.

Immigration in the European Union

Immigration in the European Union is creating massive changes in economic, political and cultural environments. Examine reasons for the migrations and a myriad of consequences of immigration patterns on contemporary EU society.

Leadership in a Global Economy

Do you really understand the effects of globalization on your community? Increase the ability of your students to grasp these concepts by creating visual images that show the effects and patterns of globalization. Activities include mapping patterns of export, import and immigration on blank maps and playing simulation games on multicultural communications.

Elementary Level Service Learning Projects

Elementary students are not too young to understand hunger and poverty and to engage in action to eradicate them. Learn action steps for creating programs that address hunger on both a local and global scale, initiating a school based Weekend Backpack Program that provides food for several of the school’s students that may not have enough to eat over the weekend.

A New International Studies Program: Finding What Works For You

Observe a side by side comparison of an international studies high school and an international studies program within a regular high school to learn how national organizations and their materials can be used in either setting.  

Tools to Trace the Logic & Value of Multiple Perspectives

Learn how to use systemic process of “world views”, a tool that helps you and your students to analyze multiple perspectives. “World View” will help you and your students identify values and assumptions of different perspectives and help them understand these perspectives in a historic and political context.

Preparing Students for the Global World through Immersion Education

Study how one public school district initiated developed and grew immersion language program. Information on federal grant programs will be shared.

Promotion of Global perspectives at the K-12 Level

Explore a three stage program for improving international education at every grade level using a model depicting developmental stages of growth in global perspectives. These presentations will include classroom demonstrations and opportunities for session participants to experience global perspectives pedagogy.

Teach UNICEF: The Global Education Resource for

Grades 6 - 12

Lost or Found in Translation? Critical Questions for Global Lessons

What is gained and what is lost when we read literature in translation? Join us in an examination of the complexities of reading and understanding literature that is translated from around the world. Texts, resources, and detailed lesson plans will be provided.

Teaching Essential Skills in Global Studies Courses at Evanston Township HS

Winner of multiple awards and recognitions, Evanston Township High School has a record of being one of the country’s most prestigious secondary level international studies program. Learn about the structure of the school and how it has built a vigorous academic program that places overall learning within the context of a global studies curriculum.

Confucius Institute

The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) offers the largest K-12 Mandarin Chinese world language program in the United States. At this session Robert Davis will discuss how CPS started the program and some of the successes and challenges met along the way. In addition, Jane Lu will discuss her experience teaching Chinese in a predominantly Latino school where many of the students came from an ELL background.

Global UR: An Innovative Approach to International Studies

Learn about a new and interactive classroom resource you can use to use to highlight the development and innovation taking place in the 10 major regions of the world. This presentation is for teachers of science, technology, journalism and global studies.

Complexity, Adaptive Change and Globalizing Education

How can you more effectively promote internationalization in your educational community?  Learn how to apply concepts such as adaptive change, tipping point and the butterfly effect to push for globalizing curriculum and instruction in your school or district.

Harnessing the Power of Technology to Bring the World into the Classroom

Learn how to utilize communication technology to link students in collaborative learning activities around the world. Examine different models of using technology to link your students to peers in different regions. Current projects with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Palestine and Tajikistan will be discussed and you will have the opportunity to enroll in a project of your choice.

Online Communications Tools and Globalization

Examine blogs, wikis, podcsats, and other types of internet based communication tools. Learn how to employ these tools to develop collaborative and authentic literacy experiences that cross multiple borders.

Developing Global Perspectives through Role-Play Simulations

Use role-play simulations to help students “step inside the shoes” of global leaders to address complex international problems. Examine the five key points in planning a successful role-play simulation and integrating them into your curriculum.

Globalization and Indigenous Knowledge Systems: Focus on Sub-Saharan Africa

Examine how developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are responding to the challenges of globalization. This presentation explores the nature of globalization in South Africa, and the role that indigenous knowledge and formal education play in that country.

Genchi-genbutsu and Kaizen: Informing and Improving Teaching of Global Issues

Explore traditional Japanese art, culture, history, environmental, economic and demographic challenges and specific ways to incorporate these topics in a range of courses from math and science world history, global issues and art classrooms.

From Nobel Laureates to Freedom Fighters and Beyond: Teaching Africa in a Comparative Perspective

Learn creative ways of teaching about Africa by studying her writers and Nobel laureates and discover how to integrate notable African figures into the curriculum.

Teaching about Genocide and Human Rights in Elementary/Middle Schools

Elementary and middle school teachers will learn about resources and strategies for teaching about genocide and human rights through use of children’s literature.

North American Stewardship: Canadian and American Approaches

How do Canadians view global and regional issues? Learn about Canadian approaches to key global and regional issues such as international security, energy, environmental destruction and stewardship of one of the world’s biggest sources of fresh water. This presentation includes specific teaching materials and resources.

Educating about Thailand and Vietnam: Meeting Current Global Challenges through Best Practices

Get tips on applying for the Fulbright Hays Exchange Program and explore lesson plans created by the three teachers who travelled on this program to Thailand and Vietnam. These lessons will teach you how to apply the "Writing through Culture" and Six-Trait Writing" approcahes to investigate Thai and Vietnam culture at local and global levels through use of Thai and Vietnamese artifacts and how to create a multigenre portfolio of writings in which students discuss "Topics of Thailand" such as Thai art and culture. 

Global Classrooms – Implementing Model UN in the Classroom

Get step by step instruction on how to run a model UN program in your school on peacekeeping, sustainable development and human rights.

Human Rights and International Law

Examine the global status of human trafficking, child labor, and child soldiers through the lens of international law. Learn how you include these topics in your curriculum using multiple innovative pedagogic strategies.

Connecting_Kids, Cultures,_Countries_and_Curriculum through Photojournalism

Learn how global issues and cross-cultural content can be brought into the classroom through photography and authentic photo-stories while tying into core curriculum subjects. See how a powerful combination of photo-stories and the PAL (Photo and Literacy) pedagogy can effortlessly lead students to different cultures, countries and core-curriculum subjects.

... And Many More!