If kids from around the globe can cooperate, why can't leaders?--Global Cooperation Lab team, 14-18 year olds
A bit of background for perspective.These students participate in a global education experience called Destination Imagination, a philosophy that promotes development of 21st century learning and a growth mindset. While at Global Finals 2018 in Knoxville, TN, these teams volunteered their time to discuss the benefits of global cooperation, the barriers that are faced and the types of cooperation they would like to see available to school-aged students. Teams from 5 different US states, China, Mexico, Poland and Turkey worked through language barriers using translation apps, drawings and the traditional acting it out.
Some of the benefits were what we would hope students would focus on:
- Meet new people and make new friendships
- Learn new languages
- Learn about other cultures
- Better economy and trade environments
- Better effective collaboration in diverse groups
- Acceptance of cultures, opinions, views and religion
- Understand different perspectives on world history
What particularly interested me was the list of challenges the teams came up with. They were instructed to think from their perspective as a student. The teams highlighted physical barriers like transportation, cost, weather. They also mentioned governmental barriers including war, bureaucratic laws and tense relationships between world leaders. Bringing into sharp focus the emotional astuteness of these students, conceited (egocentric) views, sacrilege and greed were also named as barriers to global cooperation.
These ideas encompassed:
The key to development is action. This lab provided a platform for brainstorming and communicating interests with the added reinforcement that they are part of a like-minded community. It is now time to put their ideas into action and provide activities that allow the 150,000 students participating in Destination Imagination to expand their world view and hopefully make some friends along the way.
I remember when my exposure to news was through the newspaper which we had to learn how to read in class. To witness students aware of world views that have formed belief systems fomented in curiosity and acceptance makes me want to sing and dance! A big shout out to all of the parents, educators and socially responsible organisations who are forming e-skills to ensure that students can filter the myriad of online information and think for themselves.To close the lab, the multi-cultural, multi-language teams were asked to think of at least one potential activity they would like to see available and how they would design it to get past potential barriers. With limited time, the teams were able to note down ideas but another lab would be necessary to develop a plan that can tackle the perceived issues being faced by the newest generations of learners.
These ideas encompassed:
- Setting a cross-cultural challenge for teams to solve and share
- Running rapid ideation and application sharing groups
- Setting up a platform to connect and share about food, celebrations, religions, language and history
- Running online cultural scavenger hunts
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| Problems are as vast as an ocean, but benefits (are) as big as whole continents. |
The key to development is action. This lab provided a platform for brainstorming and communicating interests with the added reinforcement that they are part of a like-minded community. It is now time to put their ideas into action and provide activities that allow the 150,000 students participating in Destination Imagination to expand their world view and hopefully make some friends along the way.
A growth mindset is challenging to maintain in mainstream education where students are directed when to learn, what to learn and <gulp> what is important, right and wrong. Just writing that makes me cringe. Every time I feel uncomfortable because what I have done has not met my internal expectations, I push myself to examine what I can change and then I try it again. One small change and learning has occurred.A big shout out to the amazing students who took part in this lab and the DI Global Cooperation volunteers for your amazing attitudes and dedication. All my best to you all!
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