ABOUT GLOBAL COMPETENCe

In Washington State, 1/3 of jobs our directly or indirectly tied to international trade. Our state has been one of the leaders in hosting international delegations and is home to many multinational companies and organizations (Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon, Expedia, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, etc.). In order for Washington State students to graduate from high school prepared for the globally connected world in which they live, their teachers need global knowledge and viable tools to use in the classroom, and students need real-world connections that lead to the sharing of ideas and global competency. The global competency certificate addresses a need within our current educational system and incentivizes the acquisition of vital 21st century skills.

In our increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, global competency will be a vital component of our youth’s college, career, and civic life. The Global Competency Certificate will provide opportunities for students to acquire and develop the core knowledge and skills to actively participate in our diverse society. Youth will be empowered to solve complex problems and make meaningful connections between local and global issues. Ultimately, students will be prepared with the skills, knowledge, values, attitudes, and behavior in order to work and thrive in culturally diverse settings and understand critical issues that shape our world.

There is a proven link between K-12 global competency education and success in higher education. According to the National Education Association, students who acquire global competency (via foreign language study or social studies classes) are likely to score higher on both math and verbal portions of the ACT. The NEA states that, in order for students to be successful in higher education, there must be a “concerted effort to train, recruit, and support globally competent teachers and principals for every classroom and every school.”

Our Global Competence Certificate will be framed around the Asia’s Society’s 4 pillars of global competency (investigate the world, recognize diverse perspectives, communicate ideas, and take action) and the development of 21 st century skills (collaboration, critical thinking, cross-cultural understanding, medial/digital literacy, social justice and environmental awareness, innovation, creativity, problem-solving, empathy, leadership, etc.) The Global Competence Certificate would be interdisciplinary in nature and enhance efforts by education stakeholders to implement local, state, and national standards, including Common Core.