Global citizenship and equity assignment

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GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP & EQUITY PROGRAMS Student Manual · 2011

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE SIGNATURE LEARNING EXPERIENCE: GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP & EQUITY 3

GCE LEARNING OUTCOMES 3

WHAT IS GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP & EQUITY 3

HOW WILL A GCE PORTFOLIO BENEFIT ME? 4

WHAT IS A GCE PORTFOLIO? 4

ELECTRONIC PORTFOLIO 5

GCE PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT PROCESS 5

WHAT IS AN ARTIFACT? 5 Possible Artifacts 5

HOW DO I WRITE A REFLECTION FOR MY GCE PORTFOLIO? 5 Things to Consider for Reflection 6

SUMMATIVE REFLECTIONS 6

ROLE OF MY GCE PORTFOLIO LEARNING ADVISOR 6

ASSESSMENT OF PORTFOLIO 7

GCE PORTFOLIO CHECKLIST 7

GCE PORTFOLIO RESOURCES 7

REFERENCES 8

APPENDIX A – STUDENT OUTCOMES TRACKING SHEET 9 APPENDIX B – SUMMATIVE QUESTIONS AND REFLECTIVE EXAMPLES 13

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THE SIGNATURE LEARNING EXPERIENCE: GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP & EQUITY

The Signature Learning Experience (SLE) reflects Centennial College’s commitment to an educational process that focuses on global citizenship, social justice and equity. The SLE is a unique educational experience. It is a promise made to students that you will learn something valuable for your career success and possibly participate in transforming lives and communities through this learning.

As a student you will have opportunities through classroom and co-curricular activities to participate in meaningful projects that will help you gain an understanding of global citizenship, social justice and equity issues. You will document your growth in learning through assignments and reflections that will result in the development of an artifact. This collection of artifacts will make up your Global Citizenship & Equity Portfolio. You will create a portfolio that will address Centennial’s Global Citizenship & Equity (GCE) learning outcomes. In programs where a portfolio is already a requirement, you will simply add the selected pieces related to global citizenship, social justice and equity to your existing portfolio. Upon completion of your GCE Portfolio, you will receive a Statement of Recognition acknowledging Centennial’s Signature Learning Experience: Global Citizenship & Equity. GCE LEARNING OUTCOMES

The overall goals of the GCE Portfolio requires you to develop global citizenship and equity knowledge, skills and experiences as it relates to sustainability of resources, individual and community identities, critical social analysis, and enhanced personal and social responsibility. These are the learning outcomes that you will address when selecting artifacts for inclusion in your GCE Portfolio.

Artifacts should contain answers to at least one of the six areas of GCE learning outlined below:

1. How did you examine one’s roles and responsibilities as a global citizen in personal and professional life?

2. How did you examine beliefs, values and behaviours that form individual and community identities and the basis for respectful relationships?

3. Demonstrate how you analyzed issues of equity at the personal, professional and global level.

4. Demonstrate how you analyzed the use of the world’s resources to achieve sustainability and equitable distribution at the personal, professional and global level.

5. Identify and challenge unjust practices in local and global systems.

6. Demonstrate how one’s actions support personal and social responsibility at the local, national or global level.

WHAT IS GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP & EQUITY?

Centennial learners are citizens in the global sense through recognition that we must all be aware of our use of resources and find ways to live together in sustainable ways.

We must be able to reflect on the many identities that contribute to our whole being, which form who we are as individuals, as members of communities, in our roles and responsibilities and in our place in the world.

When we see that others are being treated with injustice, we know that we are responsible for trying to ensure that others are treated justly and provided with equitable opportunities as fellow citizens of the world.

We think critically about what we do and say, and make sure that our actions are inclusive, to bring about transformational changes in lives and communities for personal, career and societal benefits. The term citizenship has both legal and social meanings. In a legal sense, it is that set of rights and responsibilities granted to a people in recognition of their attachment to a particular country. In a social sense, it refers to the participation of people in their community as they fulfill and debate their rights and responsibilities i. Citizenship is when you belong to a community and understand your rights and responsibilities as a member of that community ii. Global Citizenship is an increasing awareness that our lives are connected to the lives of people across the world, that we are members of a global community with rights and responsibilities to do our part to ensure sustainability of resources, social justice and equity for all are achieved locally and globally.

To be a Global Citizen requires action. As participatory action, Global Citizenship can refer to the responsibility to reduce inequality, avoid doing actions that could harm individuals or communal well-being and take steps to protect and become more conscious of sustaining our environment. Global Citizenship means valuing the earth and every living thing’s right to live on it, in addition to acting upon our responsibilities both to each other and to our global community. Once you understand the term and continuously engage in the learning of Global Citizenship it will become a new way of thinking and behaving rooted in a belief that you can make a difference.

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A Global Citizen is someone who: • is aware of the world and has a sense of their own

role as a global citizen; • respects and values diversity; • has an understanding of how the world works

economically, politically, socially, culturally, technologically and environmentally;

• is actively involved in issues of social justice; • participates in and contributes to the community at a

range of levels from local to global; • realizes the importance of reaffirming or developing a

sense of identity and self-esteem; • addresses inequality within and outside school; • has a willingness to learn from the experiences of

others around the world; • is willing to act to make the world a more sustainable

place; • takes responsibility for their actions iii; • becomes aware of our use of resources and finds

ways to live together in sustainable ways; • is able to reflect on the many identities that

contribute to our whole being, that form who we are as individuals, as members of our communities and in our roles and responsibilities in the world

Equity is not separate from the concept of Global Citizenship; both terms mean allowing everyone to have an equal opportunity to achieve and have access to what our world has to offer in addition to basic human rights. Equity in action means to ensure there are equitable opportunities and benefits for all and recognizes that to be treated equitably some people may need more or different supports.

For example, a student with a learning disability may require more time to complete an exam or assignment. This action is not unfair but equitable because it addresses the barrier to achieving success that a learning disability can have on a student.

Therefore equity is not treating everyone the same but is broader, in that it is an understanding that includes how we can respond to all differences accordingly and fostering a barrier-free environment where individuals all over the world benefit equally.

Understanding and learning GCE through the development of a portfolio will allow you to display your ability to think globally and consider issues from a variety of perspectives. HOW WILL A GCE PORTFOLIO BENEFIT ME?

Employers today are very interested in aspects of diversity that lead to greater innovation and efficiency within the workplace. Understanding the concepts of GCE will allow

you to develop respectful working relationships, which works to foster productivity. Employers are looking to hire and maintain staff that can demonstrate problem solving skills, conflict resolution and ethical behaviours within the context of social, cultural and racial diversity. iv Additional benefits of a GCE Portfolio are: • A greater sense of confidence • Enhanced leadership abilities • A developed global consciousness • A competitiveness over other college graduates • Improved writing, interpersonal, critical thinking,

problem solving and communications skills • The ability to work cooperatively with people of

diverse backgrounds and beliefs • Positive relationship building skills

Portfolio learning allows you to track your personal and professional growth and development over time. A portfolio is a self-management tool that will help you to identify your strengths and track accomplishments.

Therefore, as a Centennial graduate who has completed and fulfilled the requirements of a GCE Portfolio you have significantly enhanced the skills necessary to succeed in a global environment with an increased level of self- confidence. This is a significant benefit to you and your journey of learning. WHAT IS A GCE PORTFOLIO?

The development of a portfolio is a process of documenting your learning. Each artifact selected for your portfolio should demonstrate your growth and understanding of GCE. The development of a portfolio is “the process of becoming critically aware of how and why our assumptions have come to constrain the way we perceive, understand and feel about our world.” v

The documenting of how you have changed or altered your way of thinking to make you more inclusive, less discriminating, open, capable of change and reflective so that you can work to develop beliefs that incorporate aspects of GCE is this process. The focus of a portfolio in GCE is to understand how we learn to negotiate and act on our own purposes, feelings and meanings – to gain greater control over our lives as socially responsible, clear-thinking decision makers. vi

A portfolio is a collection of artifacts organized in a variety of formats (for example a binder, CD/DVD or website). Developing the GCE Portfolio requires you to develop artifacts that will include a reflection that documents the process of understanding and learning about these concepts.

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You are required to complete and submit a total of SIX artifacts for your program. Your artifacts must address at least ONE of the SIX GCE learning outcomes. However one artifact may address several learning outcomes.