GLOBAL TRENDS IN EDUCATION: CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES-ED 631

Education to Promote Change, Empowerment, and Resilience

As globalization advances, I have discovered that education is gradually transforming not only from a vital stage in human development but also from the means to tackle comprehensive global and humanitarian challenges. This week’s readings underscore the power of education to shape societies, whether through promoting environmental awareness and citizenship, as Misiaszek discusses in “Ecopedagogy and Citizenship in the Age of Globalisation,” or by supporting the resilience of displaced children, as explored by Shohel in “Education in Emergencies: Challenges of Providing Education for Rohingya Children in Bangladesh.” Misiaszek’s article is based on environmental and social justice in the education process, which creates proactive changemakers for global challenges. In contrast, Shohel emphasizes the need for more systematic and purposeful educational interventions in emergency contexts to assist vulnerable communities. The educational philosophies of these articles all resonate with my personal experiences and viewpoints on how Education may promote change, empowerment, and resilience.

Misiaszek (2015) defines ecopedagogy as the model of education that embraces environmental and social justice, and it is based on the works of Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy. Misiaszek believes that by linking environmental concerns with inequities, eco pedagogy produces citizen learners who have the consciousness and the agency to respond to them. This concept of ecopedagogy presents a worthwhile picture of Education as an instrument of positive change in socio-environmental problems, something that I believe in concerning Education Beyond Classroom. However, the viability of such a model at the global level can be an issue of debate. For example, when volunteering at a community-based environmental workshop, I found that local schools endure fundamental resource constraints, not to mention adopting sophisticated socio-environmental learning programs. Unfortunately, even as ecopedagogy promotes the principles of prefigurative global democracy, its implementation could be hindered by pragmatic factors like finances, professional development of educators, and curriculum adaptability. Through scope modification, ecopedagogy could continue to foster critical thinking about environmental challenges even when a full-scale transformative strategy might not be feasible.

Shohel’s main interest is in the utilization of education in crises. When it comes to Rohingya children, who are stateless, displaced, and at risk of trafficking and violence, education is both a right and security. Shohel identifies potential challenges to education for refugee learners, which include Resource constraints, language issues, and a lack of qualified educators (Shohel, 2020). It also demonstrates both the human and the developmental aspects of refugee education. Reading this article makes me think about how education is not only normal in this case but is also a source of stability for children who have to endure lives filled with such horrific situations. Yet, to some extent, Shohel’s point about lack of continuity disrupted the educational process for extended periods and drew concerns about what these programs offer regarding readiness for children outside the camp. This is similar to what I saw in my brief time volunteering to help teach a summer school program to immigrant children: language and resource limitations left students with learning deficiencies. Shohel’s insight on timelessness shows that it is always a compromise between addressing necessities for the present time and for the future when hoping to design an effective emergency education.

Misiaszek’s work in ecopedagogy and Shohel’s observations of education in emergencies have expanded my knowledge of the possibility of education for change across various settings. Both perspectives identify the constant pressure to meet the present educational requirements together with the future educational goals, which not only calls for flexibility but, often, more resources from the international level. These readings have emphasized the positive value of education and the challenges that slow down education accessibility, particularly where resources are scarce or in crisis. It has also strengthened my perception of education as a force for societal and environmental justice and encouraged further thinking about how it can be further developed for communities that have been left out.

References

Misiaszek, G. W. (2015). Ecopedagogy and Citizenship in the Age of Globalisation: connections between environmental and global citizenship education to save the planet. European Journal of Education, 50(3), 280–292. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12138

Shohel, M. M. C. (2020). Education in emergencies: challenges of providing education for Rohingya children living in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Education Inquiry, 13(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/20004508.2020.1823121