Case study: Coleg Glan Hafren

The Global Community

WBQ components

WEW
Element 1, Key issues 1 and 2
Element 2, Key issue 1
Element 4, Key issue 2

PSE
Element 1, Key issue 3
Element 3, Key issue 2
Element 4, Key issue 3

Key Skills Opportunities
Communication, ICT, AoN

Description of activities

This 'module' comprises a series of tasks around the theme of the Global Community. The tasks are written as a series of worksheets/assignment guides for the students. Each task can be free standing or any number can be delivered in any sequence that is appropriate for the centre.

The aim of the module is to:

  • engage students' interest in both the local and the wider community;
  • encourage them to draw parallels, note similarities, and explore differences between their lives and the lives of people in different areas of the globe;
  • develop their independent research skills;
  • encourage them to develop their own points of view on 'global issues'.

UNIT 1: STUDENT WORKSHEET

Global Communities and Communications

Your first task is investigative.
You are required to research various aspects of another country. You are free to select any country you wish with only ONE restriction - it should be a country you have never heard of before today!

You are going to find out the following types of information:

a. its size and location - you may need a map
b. its flag and language
c. its capital city, main rivers and other distinguishing features
d. its type of government and the name of its Prime Minister/Ruler
e. its population and GNP
f. its main sources of trade/wealth
g. anything else you consider to be interesting/important about it.

Finally, you need to draw some comparisons between your chosen country and Wales. For example,  in relations to its size, population, life expectancy, type of government.

When you have all the information, prepare a short PowerPoint presentation for the rest of the class. This will need to be approximately ten minutes in length.

Approximately six lessons (two hours each) + homework.

Two lessons will be allocated for research.
Lesson 3 will be used to remind you how to use PowerPoint(with ICT support).
By lesson 4 you will need to have made your PowerPoint presentation. This will be looked at and you will be given advice on how the modify/amend if needed.
Lesson 5 will be preparations for the presentations (with hints, tips and useful advice).
Lesson 6 -presentations.

End Piece
If you have not already completed your writing task (KS Comms), you can use the information you have gathered to produce a leaflet or newspaper article about your chosen country.

UNIT 2: STUDENT WORKSHEET

The responsibilities of the individual in promoting global citizenship


Select one of the following charities/organisations: you have to agree on this, because I want each of you to select a different one  although you may work in pairs if you want.

OXFAM
GREENPEACE
ITDG (INTERMEDIATE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT GROUP)
GVEP (GLOBAL VILLAGE ENERGY PROJECT)
WWF
FAIR TRADE
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PAGEANT.ORG.UK
WATERAID
REFUGEE COUNCIL
MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES
FARM AFRICA
WAR ON WANT
CRUSAID

Find out as much information about your selected organisation as you can. What do they do? Where? Why? When were they set up? Do they raise funds for a specific purpose or are they an 'awareness raising' organisation?

Their website would be a good place to begin  but see if you can also find out what others think about them  perhaps from newspaper articles (via the web)  or you could ask people around College what they know about the organisation. Some of these organisations are well known but others are not. Why do you think that may be the case?

Bring your information with you to our next lesson.

UNIT 2: TEACHERS' NOTES

Description of Activities


A series of four lessons in which students look at the work of organisations working within the global community; discuss the validity of the work undertaken and examine their own responses to it.This task also includes WEW Element 1, Key issue 2.

Aim
The aim of this task is to raise students' awareness of the work undertaken by charities/organisations operating on a global scale and to encourage them to discuss/question the motives behind the activities undertaken by the organisations and to think about whether or not they feel that they (on a more personal level) have a responsibility to help other people. Once they have gathered their information and fed it back to the class the next stage of this activity is to set up group discussions (KS Comms).

Lesson 1:
Task sheet given out and the task explained and explored. Students then spend the rest of the lesson (and homework) researching their selected charity/organisation.

Lesson 2:
Whole class discussion (teacher led) on the work of the charities/organisations.This is a swapping of information and a discussion on the usefulness/validity/appeal of the organisation. It is in preparation for their Comms group discussion, which will be based on: Do people who have, have a responsibility to help those who are unable to help themselves?

Lesson 3:
Students should have the opportunity to discuss their ideas with the teacher,practice their group discussions and research any additional material they think they still need.

Lesson 4:
Group discussions. These can be taped if evidence is required.

Note: Organisations like Amnesty International are extremely good at providing speakers, which can add a further dimension to the students' learning.

UNIT 3: TEACHERS' NOTES

Human Rights

Although this part is based mainly on PSE Element 3, Key issue 2, this topic area can cover several other elements, depending on where the emphasis is placed.
WEW E1, K issue 1
WEW E1, K issue 2
WEW E2, K issue 1
WEW E4, K issue 2

Lesson 1:
Students should be introduced to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. A straightforward copy of this can be found at http://www.un.org/rights. This can form the basis of a class (small group) discussion using the following types of questions.

1. Which would you consider to be the most important?
2. Which ones affect you personally?
3. Why do you think there is a need for such a declaration?
4. Do you think all countries/governments do/should adhere to them?
5. If you had to add 5 more, what would you add? Why?
6. Produce a list of 10 rights that you think everyone in your school/college should have.You will need to justify these.

Lesson 2:
Working in pairs, students could research/investigate the work carried out by organisations such as the following. (There are many, as a Google search will reveal).

www.hrw.org
www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk
www.yourrights.org.uk
www.cartercenter.org

Their research could be used as the basis for further discussion, or as the basis for Comms work (reading, writing, presentation and group discussion) or for ICT (research, e-mail,leaflet design, PowerPoint).

Follow-up work
This unit could be extended through the use of outside speakers (from, for example, Amnesty International, Commission for Racial Equality, Commission for Equal Opportunities, or from an asylum seeker).

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