Greetings to all who are interested in the issues of global/development education in its most diverse aspects! The Education Development centre has established this page in order to follow the topicalities of the theme in the next three years, to share the own achievements and those of the partners, to update the available resources and the experience of other countries, to involve specialists, schools of Latvia and people interested in the theme as well as to express the opinion and encourage discussions.
We are able to work actively in the framework of the theme thanks to the project “Global dimension in Social Sciences subjects in Formal Education” funded by the „EuropeAid” program of the European Union Cooperation office. We will look globally in the direction of formal education and social science subjects as well as we will continue the work started in the project “Schools as satellites in development education” (2009 – 2011).
With the final workshop for the school teams, the project is approaching the finish line
''It was so good, that I impatiently look forward to the next projects, '' these are the feelings described by one of the teachers after the closing seminar. This also resonates with the common mood of all school teams and the EDC team because during three years of the project, we have been able to create something useful not only to ourselves but to our students as well. First of all, the project provided an opportunity for teachers to learn and to extend knowledge on the diverse content wise and methodological issues. Knowledge gained during the seminars was transferred to the approbation hours in the classes, pedagogical collectives. Teachers have analysed which global themes are easily integrated in the subjects and what skills are improved. Looking back and thinking about the evaluation of the project, teachers admitted that now they are more aware of the importance of global education and the fact that the world is becoming an increasingly influential force quite close to our doors. They are more aware of the interdependences and are more methodologically capable to foster the interest of the students. The events in the world change the students - they ask more and more questions, they want to understand the causes and consequences of events, they don’t want to stay just as passive observers, they want to engage and shape the global agenda.
Closure seminar for the national authorities and policy-makers responsible for the field of education
November 20th- the closing seminar was held in the magnificent premises of Latvian National Library, gathering together teachers, national educational authorities and policy makers responsible for the field of education. The event was one of the project's sustainability measures and was planned with the aim to present the resources and teaching materials created during the project. Seminar was held in the cooperation with UNESCO Latvian National Commission which was the leading organisation of the international initiative ‘’The World’s biggest lesson’’ in Latvian schools. The seminar marked the closure of the initiative and thereby incorporated a ceremony to award teachers who participated in the ‘’The World’s biggest lesson’’. EDC presented the last edition of the project ‘’Recommendations on Placing Development/Global Education on School Agenda’’. Recommendations are published in four global education programmes developed in the project – youth empowerment programme for an effective life in the contemporary world, professional qualifications development programme for teachers in global education, programme for improving the competences of education experts and community representatives in global education, and global education programme for minority schools (schools with Russian as the language of instruction). Recommendations provide proposals that are based upon the project experience for effective inclusion of global education in formal education. Recommendations are the result of cooperation of global education practitioners and experts from Latvian Education Development Center, Latvian Global Education Schools Network, Latvian Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, the Estonian Mondo, the UK Leeds Development Education Centre, the Czech NaZemi.
Publicity seminars bring together both new members and strengthen already established friendships
We are pleased that the project publicity seminars give an opportunity to meet the educational authorities, schools, local government representatives, who so far haven’t been working particularly with global / development education topics. Seminars enable not only to master DE themes, but also builds bridges of friendship with other colleagues. We are also pleased to see on our workshops partners from the previous project ''Schools as satellites for development education''. Friendship is an essential aspect of the sustainability of the project, and how Mrs Anželika Ločmele (Viļaka elementary school) emphasizes - since the collaboration during project ''Schools as satellites for development education'' 'some of the DE themes are no longer regarded as a learning tool but became a way of life. For example, water-saving activism, fair shopping, giving preference to fair trade products. In turn, Mrs Edīte Zdanovska (Vienība elementary school, Daugavpils) emphasizes that DE topics and methodology proposed in both projects are practically implemented in school as different campaigns, such as water conservation, fair trade, traditions of different cultures. Such education campaigns start in schools but grow up to the city level. Mrs Zane Oliņa, representative of ''Mission Possible'' program, acknowledges that DE projects allow realizing that ''Local does not need to be replaced by global. They are two sides of the same coin''.
Most exciting moments captured in our gallery page.
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October marks the beginning of publicity seminars
The cycle of three seminars aims to foster sharing of experiences and to show - what are the different practical methods for integrating 21st century competencies in the educational work. What are the essential skills needed in our rapidly changing century and why we need to develop these skills - it will be estimated by the seminar participants from educational departments, local municipalities, and educational institutions. In turn, the EDC team again has prepared attractive lessons on a variety of global education themes - fair trade, migration processes, media literacy, global interaction. Seminar participants will be introduced to the examples of a good practice, with developed global educational programs and teaching materials that have been created during the three years of the project run. The first seminar launches from 7 to 9 October in Liepaja. The second and the third seminar will be launched in Sigulda from 14 to 16 October and from 15 to 17 October.
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What is good global learning and how do we know whether our teaching is having the impact we intended?
A new publication was prepared in the framework of the project ‘’Global dimension in Social Sciences subjects in Formal Education’’.
“First Steps in Assessing Global Learning” was developed to support global education practitioners in assessing global education effectiveness, impact and quality in order to improve the learning process. The Toolkit has been developed by Leeds Development Education Centre (United Kingdom) within a project “Global dimension in Social Science subjects in Formal Education”. The Toolkit looks at the different approaches to a global education evaluation process. It deals with the significance of global learning and its place in the formal education system. The Toolkit provides ideas on assessment towards related learning outcomes in a variety of Global Education topics: Fair trade, Refugees, Trans-Atlantic African Enslavement Trade and others. The Toolkit includes questionnaires and other evaluation tools that can be flexibly adjusted to the content of different teaching subjects and to different age groups of students. Publication is prepared in English, but in autumn it will be published also in Latvian. Download TOOLKIT
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NGO forum on the implementation of global education into the curriculum of formal education
As of the 1st of February 2015, "Education Development Centre" (EDC) has started the project "Global education - engagement, growth, sustainability’’. The project aims to acquaint the international community with the good practice of integrating global themes in formal education in Latvia, as well as to create a platform for the exchange of experiences between professionals in the field of education of the European Union and the Eastern Partnership countries. The project is included in the agenda of Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Central event of the project the Global Education Forum "Global Education - engagement, growth, sustainability'' has taken place on 8 – 10 June, in Valmiera, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences. Global Education Forum is one of the largest sustainability measures that EDC will carry out in the framework of the European Commission’ s project "Global dimension in Social Science subjects in Formal Education". Read more
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Spring2015: Acquaintance with Global education materials in the regions of Latvia
In March, global education (GE) ideas and materials continued its paths to teachers, education experts and other interested parties in all Latvian regions. Read more
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On 5th and 6th of March, in Riga, Education Develeopment Center gathered together education experts, policy makers and teachers to an internaltional conference ''Gobal Education: Topicality, Resources, Opportunities''. During the conference the ''Portfolio of Development / global education materials'' and ‘’Development Education and Study Materials GUIDE’’ were prsesented to a broader public. Read more
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In March 2015, in cooperation with colleagues from Mondo, Education Development Center in Latvia has published ''Development Education Programs and Study Materials GUIDE''. It provides views of development experts' on the importance of development/ global education and includes the examples of Latvian and Estonian teaching materials which were developed in frames of development / global education programs. It includes Latvia’s experience of the integration of global dimension into the school practice. Download GUIDE
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In cooperation with colleagues from the Mondo, Education Development Center in Latvia in December 2014 has published ''Portfolio of Development / global education materials'' which combines the best examples of DE / GE materials which was approbated by the schools participating in the project. PORTFOLIO can serve as an important tool to expand ones knowledge and teaching capacity in the DE / GE themes such as migration, development cooperation, media literacy, the international community's involvement in solving global problems, etc. PORTFOLIO includes four global education programs - for students, teachers, members of the public / decision makers and for the work with minority students. Therefore, such material not only would engage the wider public in the debate on the GE / GE and the importance of development cooperation, but would also help to raise awarenes on the joint values essential for national and international community, which will be highlighted during the European Year for development 2015. Download PORTFOLIO
PORTFOLIO contains also educational material in Russian.
Since Estonia and Latvia share a unique common experience in having a large Russian-language minority with schools operating (partly) in Russian language, this material offers an opportunity for reaching out to this normally hard-to-reach group. During the Project, Mondo has adapted teaching material on global education for minority schools. In this part PORTFOLIO we will briefly present some of the activities. Look up for the activities in Russian starting from the page 65.
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27th and 28th of November, the project is expected to have an experience exchange among Latvian and Estonian schools
After a successful visit to the Estonian counterparts, which took place in June this year, it is time to expect Estonian representatives visiting Latvian colleagues. Teachers from schools of both countries will be given the opportunity to share experiences and receive training and educational materials in Russian. Experience gained during the visit will serve as a contribution in the process of testing materials and methods in project schools.
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Global education activities at the level of local communities
Inspiration gained during the regional seminars has encouraged schools to actively organize global education activities for pupils in their local communities during the autumn holidays.
Global Education Week (October 20th – 24th) was held in Kuldīga Centre Secondary school, providing a variety of different educational events. Read more.
On 28th of October project team form Madona Secondary school No.1 carried out GE activity for their colleagues from regional methodical association and presented the theme "Global development and the traditional way of life." On 20th of October the parents' meeting was combined with GE activity when parents practically experienced a topic of "Social and environmental responsibility." Team Coordinator Arnita Krīgere says, "We succeeded! It seems that the parents did not expect that the school can address them in such an interesting way."
On 28th of October project team from Cēsis State Gymnasium of Friendly Appeal organized a conference "School. Media. The Company " which gathered together teachers and high school students from Cēsis district and neighboring districts. Interesting reflections on the journalist's role in society was shared by invited journalist Jānis Domburs. Read more.
On 29th of October project team from Daugavpils Secondary school No.10 invited local teachers of the primary schools and teachers of social studies to a seminar related to the theme of food security and migration.
On 29th of October Brocēnu secondary school gathered together social studies teachers from preschools, primary and secondary schools of the district to discuss the content of teaching, continuity and teaching methods. Read more.
On 30th of October project members of Jaunogre gymnasium carried out GI activities for their colleagues of Ogre methodological associations. November is already scheduled to work with teachers in primary school. Main topics - migration - global and personal.
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This autumn has been a very fruitful season for the Project “Global dimension in Social Sciences subjects in Formal Education”. On September and October project teams met together again in Second regional seminars where they were given an opportunity not only to learn new GE themes and methods prepared by DEC lecturers Daina Zelmene, Ingūna Irbīte and Danute Dūra but also to broaden their horizons by experiencing a personal story of Latvian NAF combat support battalion sergeant instructor Gatis Indrēvics about peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Another invited expert was Jānis Brizga who shared his knowledge about fair trade and importance of local products in a global context. Find out more in sections September and October.
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Within the frameworks of the project "Global dimension in social sciences subjects in formal education" the exchange of experience between Latvian and Estonian project schools is an important phase of the learning process. Overall, the collaboration intends to bring together 11 project schools from Estonia and 8 schools from Latvia. Two exchange visits with the aim of sharing global education experiences among teachers are anticipated. First exchange among Estonian and Latvian schools took place in 16th and 17th of June 2014, in Saaremaa (Estonia), and it was a beautiful closing of the spring activities in the project. Find out more in the section June.
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Since March to May 2014 we have been following the activities of the Project schools- we participate in the open lessons and other events. Read more about it in the project sections March, April, May as well as see the summary and photos.
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On April 3-5 in Sigulda we offered the Global education seminar to education specialists and education decision makers from all Latvia. During the three days specialists and practitioners from Latvia, Estonia and United Kingdom learned about the key topics of global education, its topicalities in the context of the world and Latvia; they were demonstrated the examples of good practice and 25 representatives of the education field from state, municipality institutions, publishing houses, non-governmental organizations and the press were invited to follow the work of the project schools. Photos
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Project activities in 2014 in Latvia, Estonia and United Kingdom
Ilze Saleniece, project coordinator of international cooperation
Though most of the activities of the project “Global dimension in social sciences subjects” take place in Latvia also the project partners- „Mondo” in Estonia and Leeds Development Education Centre in United Kingdom actively participate in the project.
In January and February, 2014 schools have approbated the materials developed during the project in their schools in lessons, class teacher’s lessons and other events. At the beginning of February and march all schools again participated in the regional seminars that took place in Mārciena (20.-22.02.), Skrunda (27.02.-01.03.) and Sigulda (06.-08.03.) where they gained new ideas, materials and inspiration for further work in the field of global education. More
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One of the essential activities in 2013 – 2014 is the approbation of the global education materials in the project schools. During the period from November 2013 till February 2014 the schools have approbated 280 lessons on the global education issues. 5060 pupils have participated in them. See the statistical graphs on global education themes, the class and subject distribution here.
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We invite everyone to participate in the international global education conference “Global dimension in education and future possibilities” which will take place on November 14, 2013 in Riga, in Albert Hotel. Report on Study about Development Education Aspects in Social Sciences. Photos . More
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On November 21-23, 2013 we will start work with the teams of 21 schools in the introductory seminar in Sigulda. Photos. More
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The competition for schools to participate in the project finished in October. 21 schools of Latvia are approved for the participation in the project.
The aim of the project (Nr. DCI-NSAED/2012/280-401) is to promote education for development and to raise public awareness of development issues in Latvia, Estonia and the UK as well as across the Europe. To increase the awareness among young people about the interdependent world and to support their active engagement in creating fairer relationships in the world.
The project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union and Society Integration Fund (SIF). The content of this publication are the sole responsibility of Education Development Centre and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or SIF.
Project funders:
Society Integration Foundation (SIF)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia
