Course presented by Ghent University:

International Module Teacher Education: Teaching for Global Citizenship in European classrooms

This course aimed to empower student teachers from all ENLIGHT universities to tackle challenges related to Global Citizenship (GC) in their future classroom using the method of challenge-based learning (CBL). In the first 2023-edition, 45 student teachers participated, and in the second 2024-edition, 39 students delved into GC challenges, focusing on inclusion and diversity in education. The course kicked off with an online pre-program where students were introduced to global citizenship (GC) in education via individual learning tasks and group discussions. In the second phase, students physically came together for a 5-day onsite program with both a social and academic focus.

During these days, students explored how to adress challenges facing European schools by collaborating with international experts, attending keynote lectures, visiting local schools and learning from each other’s experiences. By the end, students designed concrete solutions and action plans for change. In the final phase, students reflected on their experience in both an online meeting and a reflection report. This CBL approach not only deepened students’ knowledge of the subject but also boosted their creativity, collaboration and communication skills. Internationalisation is difficult to achieve in teacher education programs, but this ENLIGHT-course demonstrates that it is possible.

Contact: Ruben Vanderlinde, Ruben.Vanderlinde@UGent.be