PGCE Process Work MODULE 1 Unit 2 Task 3- Haywood's concept of international Mindedness

PGCE Process Work Unit 2 Task 3- Haywood's concept of international Mindedness

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Consider any ways in which different aspects in Haywood's typology of international-mindedness are NOT promoted in your own educational setting.

Haywood (2007) has devised a typology of codes that he feels embrace the concept of International-Mindedness (IM). These are :

Diplomatic

Political

Economic and Commercial

Spiritual

Multi-cultural

Human Rights

Pacifist

Humanitarian

Environmentalist

Globalisation

He goes into detail about all of the above in terms of possible definitions and implications implied within them. He summarises the basic concepts contained within his suggested typologies into five ‘essential components’. Which he states are:

curiosity and interest in the world around us, based on knowledge of the earth and on its human and physical geography; 

open attitudes towards other ways of life and a predisposition to tolerance as regards other cultures and their belief systems

knowledge and understanding of the scientific basis that identifies the earth’s environment as a common entity of value to everyone;

 recognition of the interconnectedness of human affairs (in place and time) as part of the holistic experience of life

human values that combine respect for other ways of life with care and concern for the welfare and well-being of people in general.

Hayward concludes that:

“We cannot set standards, benchmarks, expectations (or even the inclusion of foreign language) as an essential criterion for international- mindedness. What we can do is expect each school to develop a strategy for its community, to make it explicit how this strategy supports international learning, and to identify outcomes and assessment approaches for students at different ages.” (Haywood, 2007,   p.87)

'IM', OR LACK OF, WITHIN THE LAST SCHOOL I TAUGHT IN.

Most of the above goals above, as identified by Hayward, are aims that were spoken about in staff meetings for teachers at the International school I last worked in. The intention was to make the pupils aware of the importance of respecting other people’s cultures and beliefs and to promote a feeling of equality and an attitude of  awareness  and tolerance of differences. I don’t feel that this was necessarily always communicated strongly enough to the pupils. The main reason for this, I believe, was largely due to what Hayward lists as one of the ‘supporting components' necessary for schools to achieve IM, that being:

“the way that curriculum is designed and constructed” 

There was not time within each lesson for the teacher to emphasise these points. They would mostly be discussed in relation to a specific incident that might have occurred, such as a report of bullying within the school. There was no specific lesson timetabled to address IM ideas.

I don’t think that the concept of what Hayward refers to above as “the scientific basis that identifies the earth’s environment” was fully addressed in the school in which I taught, or what Hayward refers to as: “interconnectedness of human affairs". Environmental issues such as global warming were discussed, but not their wider scientific implications with regard to advancements in technology and new discoveries. I feel this is particularly relevant in today’s “Knowledge Age” (Trilling and Hood, 2007). I feel very strongly that young people, and in fact society as a whole, need not only to know about Information Technology (IT) in terms of its application but also in terms of it’s implications. 

The internet, which grants access to knowledge surrounding the issues of IM can also grant access to inappropriate material and counteract the very values that IM attempts to promote. 

Reflecting on these issues reminded me of a blog I wrote as part of my BA studies. In it I looked at the ethical implications of people engaging with social media. (Lynn Terry, 2014)

 I use the pseudonym Lynn Terry to adhere to the terms and conditions of my contract as a dance examiner.

Bibliography

Haywood, T. (2007) A Simple Typology of International-Mindedness and Its Implications for Education. In: Hayden, M, Levy, J. and Thompson, J. (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Research in International Education, pp.79-89 [online]. London: SAGE Publications. Available at: http://lib.myilibrary.com/Open.aspx?id=419250 

(accessed 15th October 2016)

Lynn Terry, (2014)  Comments on reader 1, Ethical Considerations (online). (weblog). Available at: 

http://lynnterry001.blogspot.com.es/2014/12/task-1b-comments-on-reader-1.html (accessed 15th October 2016)

Trilling, B. and Hood, P. (2001) Learning, Technology, and Education Reform in the Knowledge Age or We're Wired, Webbed, and Windowed, Now What? In: Paechter, C., Edwards, R., Harrison, R. and Twining, P. (eds.) Learning, Space and Identity. London: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd.