Global Skills: Empowering 21st Century Learners



Overview

In a fast-evolving world, it is increasingly recognised that education needs to cover more than just traditional subjects if students are going to be equipped to flourish now and in the future. This course suggests ways that we can bring added value to English classes by incorporating a focus on additional skills which are critical for lifelong learning and success. Global Skills (GS) are a further development and extension of 21st Century Skills. In addition to the four Cs of Communication, Collaboration, Creativity and Critical Thinking, GS encompass additional competencies, which are particularly relevant to the needs of students and teachers in the current global context.

The course comprises a comprehensive introductory module, as well as modules that focus on the GS skills-clusters of Intercultural Competence and Citizenship, Emotional Self-Regulation and Wellbeing, and Digital Literacies. The final module looks at strategies for creating a Global Skills learning environment - one that benefits both students and teacher. Whatever your context, you will find practical suggestions and workable strategies for promoting GS within the English lesson, without needing to overhaul either the curriculum or the teaching timetable.

Course Objectives:

During this course you will:

  • become aware of the Global Skills key skills-clusters and their relevance to English language teaching
  • develop strategies for creating and adapting language-learning materials for the classroom so that they contain a GS component
  • discuss and apply techniques for raising awareness of the importance of GS among students, colleagues, parents and other stakeholders
  • reflect on your own current GS competencies, and outline plans for future personal and professional development

Programme details

Course structure:

The summer course comprises an introductory session and five content modules delivered over a three-week period.

There will be two live tutor-led interactive workshops each week, as well as a number of engaging asynchronous tasks that you complete in your own time.

We anticipate that most live sessions will be held at around 1pm UK time, but we will also take into account the various time zones of participants and deliver the live workshops at times that are convenient for the majority of participants.

The asynchronous part of your course will allow you and your fellow participants to extend the learning from the live sessions. Typically, this will include follow up quizzes, extra readings and materials. You will also benefit from opportunities to discuss aspects of each session with your peers in pairs and in small groups, allowing you to reflect on how you might tailor the content of each session to your own teaching context. 

We expect you to devote at least 5 hours each week to your course. Outside the scheduled live sessions, you can study at times that are most convenient for you.

Class sizes are kept small to maximise opportunities for interaction. 

Workshops:

During your two weekly live workshops, you will be expected to participate actively in discussions and exchanges with your tutor and fellow participants. You will be encouraged to continue your discussions through additional online interaction throughout your course.

The first day of your course will begin with an introductory session to introduce you to the structure, expectations, and goals of an Oxford Teachers' Academy course. You then follow a series of five modules over three weeks.

Module 1: An introduction to Global Skills

  • Context: from 21st Century Skills to Global Skills
  • The five skills-clusters
  • Relevance to ELT and strategies for classroom implementation

Module 2: Intercultural Competence and Citizenship

  • From culture to cultural competence
  • Citizenship: ideas for awareness-raising in a local context
  • From topic to task: planning and developing activities for the classroom

Module 3: Emotional Self-regulation and Wellbeing

  • Defining emotional self-regulation and wellbeing, and identifying its relevance to the classroom context
  • Developing classroom strategies to help students recognise and regulate states of mind and behaviours
  • Strategies and activities to help teachers practise emotional self-regulation and safeguard their own wellbeing

Module 4: Digital Literacies

  • Digital literacies: what they are and why they matter
  • Best practices for developing these skills in the context of the ELT classroom
  • Becoming aware of dangers and risks; encouraging healthy habits

Module 5: Creating a Global Skills Learning Environment

  • Recognising the impact of GS on learning skills and outcomes
  • Knowledge, skills, and attitudes: the role of the teacher in creating a GS learning environment
  • Double duty: designing tasks with both a language-skills component and a Global Skills component

Certification

Oxford Teachers’ Academy courses are certified by the Department for Continuing Education. In order to receive a Certificate of Completion, course participants must submit an Evidence of Learning Journal  which will be evaluated against established criteria. If all criteria are met, participants will receive an electronic Certificate of Completion within six weeks of submitting their journals.

You will also receive a University of Oxford Certificate of Attendance on successful completion of each OTA online summer course.

 

Fees

Description Costs
27 July-14 Aug: Global Skills: Empowering 21st Century Learners £280.00

Funding

The Department is, unfortunately, unable to offer any scholarships or reduction in fees for the Oxford Teachers’ Academy online courses at present.

Tutor

Edmund Dudley

Tutor

Edmund Dudley is a teacher trainer, materials writer and teacher of English with more than 25 years of classroom experience. Based in Budapest, he has extensive experience of English language teaching at both primary and secondary levels. He has worked with teachers of English from around the world as a teacher trainer, delivering seminars and courses, speaking at conferences, and presenting webinars. He is the author of ETpedia Teenagers (Pavilion Publishing) and co-author of OUP’s Mixed-Ability Teaching (2016).

Application

Please click on 'Book Now' to reserve a place.

Subject to the availability of places, the closing date is Friday 24 July 2020.

Further course information notes will be emailed to participants shortly before the start of the summer school.

Any queries?

Please contact the Programme Administrator by email at ipota@conted.ox.ac.uk

Level and demands

It is expected that participants will have some experience of teaching English language.

This course is intended for primary and secondary school teachers.

All participants must speak English to a minimum of a high B2 CEFR level of proficiency.

IT requirements

This programme is delivered online. To participate you must to be familiar with using a computer for purposes such as sending email and searching the Internet. You will also need regular access to the Internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support