Open AccessElementary School Global Partnership Projects: Are Good Intentions Good Enough?
Author(s) -
Sandra Ryan
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
cultural and pedagogical inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1916-3460
DOI - 10.18733/c33k5r
Subject(s) - general partnership , context (archaeology) , developing country , citizenship , political science , power (physics) , action (physics) , economic growth , public relations , pedagogy , psychology , geography , economics , physics , archaeology , quantum mechanics , politics , law
Many Alberta elementary students participate in school global partnerships and projects involving the human rights and well-being of people in economically developing countries. These projects are often undertaken in times of disaster, or as a component of developing global citizenship, or as action projects aimed at meeting specific curricular and school district outcomes. This paper summarizes some of the understandings and beliefs of ten Alberta grade six students from two urban schools who had participated in such projects. Generally, students felt they had developed an increased awareness of issues in the developing world, and believed that they were agents of positive change. Other possibly imperialistic perceptions - regardless of project context – also emerged. These include that: All developing countries are basically the same, are dependent on wealthier countries to progress towards a more “normal” western life, and that money holds the power to transformation.