GO! GLOBAL Crossing borders between schools in Mexico, India, South Africa and Germany through technology

Wendy Morel
ESD Expert Net (https://esd-expert.net), Mexico City, Mexico

In November 2014 the Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development was launched. The goals of this programme are to reorient education and learning so that everyone has the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that will empower them to contribute to sustainable development;and to strengthen education and learning in all agendas. In 2015 world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim of the 17 SDGs, is to secure a sustainable, peaceful, prosperous and equitable life on earth for everyone now and in the future. The current world is in a continuous condition of shift and change. There is no static way of learning. Schools need to prepare their students to stay ahead in the learning curve by responding to the needs of the globally connected world and become sustainable change-makers. GO! GLOBAL programme- a virtual school exchange is an initiative that addresses the core principle of sustainability- ‘adoption of local solutions’. It is about creation of a global community that deliberates and connect with peers to solve environment problems in their immediate vicinities through adoption and promotion of local solutions, to enhance competencies of learners about more sustainable actions, cultures and traditions. Virtual communication is a binding thread and schools across geographical settings communicate with each other through videos, photos, video-conferences and other media. “GO! GLOBAL” (https://goo.gl/9qW6uZ) links the local actions with global thinking. The learners get an opportunity to cross borders and widen their scope through personal interactions with learners from all around the globe and understand that we are more similar than different. So far learners from India, South Africa, Mexico and Germany discovering through Go! Global their parallels, reflecting their own work, learning and imparting knowledge related towards sustainability.

Author

  • Wendy Morel

    Wendy has worked in formal education in natural sciences in Mexico for more than 20 years. Currently based between Mexico City and Berlin, she is carrying out her doctoral research at the Humboldt Universität zu Berlin in the field of Education for Sustainable Development. In the last ten years, she has developed and facilitated programmes and international teachers training in ESD. As a member of the ESD Expert Net she has participated in the development of teaching and learning material. Wendy facilitates virtual exchanges related to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals between schools from Germany, Mexico, India and South Africa through the Go! Global program. Her interest in Systems Thinking competencies arises from the need for quality education that enables and empowers the learners and teachers to become change-makers, along with the demand for material and support for teachers training.

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