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Developing International Understanding

This document discusses the importance of developing international understanding through education. It notes that countries have become more interconnected and interdependent, so students need to develop both a sense of national identity and global citizenship. It recommends several strategies history teachers can use to promote international understanding among students, such as studying personalities and cultures from different countries, celebrating international days, using foreign experts and audiovisual materials, encouraging pen pals, understanding international organizations, and participating in student exchange programs. The overall goal is for students to develop empathy and appreciation for people in other parts of the world in order to work towards global peace and cooperation.

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DrYounis Shah
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305 views3 pages

Developing International Understanding

This document discusses the importance of developing international understanding through education. It notes that countries have become more interconnected and interdependent, so students need to develop both a sense of national identity and global citizenship. It recommends several strategies history teachers can use to promote international understanding among students, such as studying personalities and cultures from different countries, celebrating international days, using foreign experts and audiovisual materials, encouraging pen pals, understanding international organizations, and participating in student exchange programs. The overall goal is for students to develop empathy and appreciation for people in other parts of the world in order to work towards global peace and cooperation.

Uploaded by

DrYounis Shah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DEVELOPING INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING

Today distance between countries has been eradicated, physical barriers removed and no nation
can survive alone. The world has come much closer so sense of world citizenship has become as
imperative as that of national citizen. History should endeavour to give the students not only a
sense of National patriotism and of National Heritage, but also a keen and lively sense of the
world unity and world citizenship.”

CONCEPT OF INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING

In our rapidly changing society an urgent need exists for schools to address and infuse global
awareness into curriculum instruction. Students are increasingly confronted with many issues
that require a global education focus. According to Kirkwood (2001), these students will face a
new world order thereby creating a need to acquire a global education. He states: “Their daily
contacts will include individuals from diverse ethnic, gender, linguistic, racial, and
socioeconomic backgrounds. They will experience some of history's most serious health
problems, inequities among less-developed and more-developed nations, environmental
deterioration, overpopulation transnational migrations, ethnic nationalism, and the decline of the
nation-state.” The globally educated people are those who possess high-tech skills, broad
interdisciplinary knowledge about the contemporary world, and adaptability, flexibility, and
world mindedness to participate effectively in the globalized world. Therefore, the teacher needs
to strive for and possess the above characteristics in order to validate her/himself as an educated
person of the 21st century.

Walter H.C.: “International understanding is the ability to observe originality and objectively
appraise the conduct of conduct of men everywhere to each irrespective of nationality or culture
to which they belong” “International understanding implies a noble idea of world peace. It means
one world family of man” “International understanding is ability to observe originality and
appraise the conduct of men everywhere to each irrespective of the nationality or culture to
which they belong.”

ROLE OF HISTORY IN DEVELOPING INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING:


The role of history in the secondary school curriculum is of vital importance in education. The
subject matter of history directly relate to the organisation and development of human society. It
is teaching of history can enhance the knowledge, attitude and skills to foster the ability of the
child to understand the world problems, to promote world understanding and promote universal
brotherhood.

Following strategies could be followed to develop international understanding:

A] Study of historical personalities: The historical personalities could be selected from the
various countries such as Sun Yet Sen from China, Karl Marx from USSR, and Mahatma Gandhi
from India etc. It will help in development of a world outlook. The students will understand the
work done by great personalities in their respective countries to solve the problems faced by
them.

B] Study of various Religions, cultures: Every religion stresses on the brotherhood, mutual
cooperation, equity of man. The fundamentals of each religion if properly understood by the
students will bring unity, bind people in common pursuit, develop tolerance, and understand each
other’s believes. The knowledge of various culture will enrich students. The emphasis on
similarities among the cultures will help in develop bonding with others. It will help them to
inculcate the great cultural value among them. It will impress on the minds of the students how
human cultures have developed and inventions and discoveries taken place and development in
art literature and science are common heritage of mankind and not of any single country.

C] Celebration of international days: A teacher of history should organise programmes to


celebrate days of international importance. For example UNO day, Human rights day etc.

D] Experts: The lectures of the foreign national could be organised which will help students
understanding the historical events.

E] Pen friends: Teacher should encourage the students to make pen friends with students living
in oter countries. It will help them understand the way of living of others and will make them
aware about the different cultures.

F] Through Audio Visual material: One of the most effective ways of developing
international understanding is use of films, film strips, art reproduction, and transcripts suitable
for particular classroom situation. It depicts the progress and downfall of the various cultures of
the world.

G] Use of Map: A glance at world map gives idea as to how closer are the countries to each
other. It also depicts how significant position does one country occupy in the world and how it is
dependent on each other. The trade relationship and cultural exchange among the countries will
make students understand the sense of being world citizen.

H] Understanding Role of various agencies: UNO and various other organisation are playing
important role in promoting peace and settling disputes at international level. The knowledge of
these organisations will help in developing understanding for world peace.

I] Participation in student exchange programmes: Different organisations are working for


and implementing students exchange programme with foreign countries wherein students can
experience the culture of the different countries. It helps in sharing the information at different
levels. The teacher of history must develop international outlook himself. He should make
students understand “Since wars begin in the minds of the men, it is only in the minds of men
that defences of peace must be developed.” Through developing a global dimension in education
young people can start to critically engage with complex global problems which transcend
national borders. Adopting a global approach can empower pupils to imagine alternative futures
and act to realize them.

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