Generation Global Launches Safe Online Environment for Students to Explore Cultural Differences Through Dialogue

All over the world, destructive ideologies based on cultural, religious, and ideological stereotypes are hampering development, dialogue, and understanding of the world around us. Generation Global believes that education is one of the most effective instruments in countering these ideologies.

With Generation Global's complimentary platform and curriculum, American students learn alongside students from around the world. Learning from (and teaching) their peers from different cultures allows students to develop the skills they need to navigate diversity and have meaningful dialogue with people of different cultures.

Since 2008, Generation Global's safe, secure, and monitored web-based platform has helped more than 200,000 students in 20 countries around the world engage in meaningful dialogue and connect with peers through online conversations and facilitated videoconferences. Connecting with students from different countries gives young people the skills of global citizenship, and encourages the next generation to be accepting and at ease with cultural differences.

"We are proud of this success so far. But we recognize that as the nature of the challenge evolves, so must we," said Dr. Ian Jamison, head of education and training for Generation Global. "Unfortunately, extremism is growing around the world. It uses new ways to spread its message of hate, including using technology to enable this spread. Globalization and technological change present exciting new opportunities to educate students in schools and provide tools to teach a new generation of global citizens."

Generation Global's classroom resources can be integrated into any lesson but fit especially well into those focused on diverse cultures like history, geography, and social studies. Resource-filled toolkits not only educate students about the difficult issues facing our nation and the world today, but foster critical thinking, effective dialogue skills, and intercultural knowledge to help students better understand and respect one another.

Using the online learning community, teachers can group their students into structured conversations with other young people around the world, creating a safe and monitored environment that encourages open dialogue.

Teachers can take their class around the world in an afternoon through online videoconferences facilitated and arranged by the Generation Global team. Interacting directly with their peers, students are empowered to ask and answer questions about culture, identity, values, and beliefs.

Generation Global's classroom resources prepare students before and after videoconferences by focusing on critical thinking skills and how to engage in meaningful discussion. This careful preparation guides students to learn the skills they need to express themselves in a respectful and open-minded way.

Generation Global offers additional support for teachers, including training with diversity experts, access to 24-hour help desks, and an intuitive toolset used to prepare and evaluate students on their performance.

Generation Global is accessible on any device, including mobile phones, iPads, and Chromebooks.

About Generation Global

Generation Global is a pioneering global education program for 12-17 year olds. By providing global learning and dialogue opportunities, it helps young people to be resolute in the face of narratives that may feed into the development of violent extremist ideologies. We want to ensure that our program is a catalyst for genuine behavioral and attitudinal change. Devised by an international group of educational experts, advisers, and religious leaders, the program provides opportunities for students to put critical thinking skills into practice through facilitated dialogue. Generation Global is an initiative of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, which provides practical support to help prevent religious conflict and extremism.

For more information, please visit Generation.Global

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SOURCE Generation Global

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http://generation.global