Global Activism

I will be researching, designing and implementing the Rowland Center for Global Activism at Lyndon Institute. The Center will house the five world languages taught at Lyndon Institute (Chinese, French, Latin, Russian and Spanish) as well as our English for Speakers of Other Language classes. In addition to the physical space, the center will incorporate an integrated, inquiry based curriculum for students to identify and research the global issues they feel are most pressing. Using current technologies, LI students will collaborate with classes in partner schools around the world to conduct this research and identify how it is influencing their local community. Both teams will then brainstorm ways they can address the problem in their respective communities. Students will work together to research and identify the best solution and then implement their plans. Finally, LI and their partner schools will compare the work they have done – analyzing what worked, what could be improved, and what they would do differently next time. The program will provide an opportunity for LI students to expand their perspective and gain greater global awareness. It will provide them a chance to identify what issues are important to them and to have a strong influence on how their community responds to those threats. Finally, through an inquiry based curriculum, students will enhance their higher order thinking skills, and will be able to transfer these critical thinking skills to other subjects as they become lifelong learners.