This blog is from one of COBIS’ Supporting Associates.

Written by Sarah Blackmore, Director of International Curriculum Association

Originally introduced as a combination of the terms ‘globalisation’ and ‘localisation’ in the 1980s, glocalisation refers to the adaptation of universally global concepts and strategies to local markets and cultures. In an educational context, it refers to the curriculum considerations and pedagogical framing of local and global community connectedness in relation to social responsibility, justice and sustainability.[1] This approach ensures that both global and local perspectives are considered, allows for cultural diversity, and for students to make connections beyond their geographical borders.

In a world where issues affect all of us in different ways, there is a strong argument for glocalising international curricula, which provides the opportunity to enrich students’ learning experiences in a positive way. By translating world concepts into local settings, schools can develop the global competency and cultural awareness of learners. Educators should also consider how and why we teach diverse narratives across the curriculum in order to promote cultural diversity within schools.

This goes beyond the ubiquitous ‘5F’s’ approach to culture: flags, food, festivals, fashion and faces. It must be a transformative approach empowering learner agency and enabling learner action.

Understanding culturally responsive pedagogy: What it is and what it is not

In her book, education consultant Zaretta Hammond emphasises the importance of understanding students' cultural backgrounds, experiences, and identities in order to create effective learning environments.[2] She argues that culturally responsive pedagogy goes beyond surface-level diversity and requires educators to develop culturally responsive instructional practices that recognise and leverage students' cultural assets, language practices, and learning styles to promote academic success. Hammond provides practical strategies for incorporating culturally responsive teaching approaches into the classroom, such as building relationships with students, providing culturally relevant content, incorporating students' cultural funds of knowledge, and creating opportunities for collaborative learning and critical thinking.

Hammond outlines the four key components to culturally responsive pedagogy as: Affirmation, Validation, Cognition and Processing.[3] By recognising and accepting students’ multiple identities, validating their experiences of the world, and using their culture as a reference point to help them understand concepts, teachers are able to transfer knowledge and skills more effectively, therefore enabling students to better understand their place in the world.

Hammond also emphasises that culturally responsive pedagogy is not about mastering a checklist of cultural competencies but an ongoing process of self-reflection, learning and growth that requires educators themselves to continually examine their own biases, assumptions and practices. It’s not about token gestures without addressing systemic inequities and it’s not about stereotyping or cultural tourism.[4]

 What are the benefits of weaving together glocalised curriculum and culturally responsive pedagogy?

Preparing learners for global citizenship

In the shifting landscape of globalisation and regionalisation, it is more important than ever to nurture and enhance students’ cultural competence, critical thinking and cross-cultural communication skills, and use these to work together against issues such as climate change, racism, economic injustice, and sustainability. Adopting a glocalised curriculum offers students the opportunity to practise these skills as they navigate real-life situations in their local context, since glocalisation has been shown to encourage the expressed commitment to engagement and action for change among glocal communities.[5]

Providing a relevant and authentic education

A glocalised curriculum strives to be both relevant and authentic by the integration of local examples, resources, case studies and real-world applications which echo learners’ linguistic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. When taught through a culturally responsive pedagogical lens, educators understand the importance of nurturing a relationship with, and having a social-emotional connection to, the student in order to create a safe space for learning. In this safe environment, students have the freedom to develop and explore their socio-political consciousness, defined by Skelley, Stephens and Anderson as “a personal awareness of the social, cultural, and political privileges and freedoms not available for some races, genders, ethnicities, and sexual orientations”[6].

Find out more, watch our webinar 'Glocalise' Your Curriculum here: https://pd.internationalcurriculum.com/course/webinar-glocalise-your-curriculum

---

[1] Patel and Lynch, 2013, Glocalization as an Alternative to Internationalization in Higher Education: Embedding Positive Glocal Learning Perspectives in Higher Education, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Volume 25, Number 2.

[2] Hammond. Z, December 2014, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students.

[3] Hammond. Z, July 2012, [Online] Beyond Flesh-Colored Crayons: The Four Components of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. [[Accessed June 2024]   

[4] International Curriculum Association, February 2023, [online] International Curriculum Specialist Series, Culturally Responsive Instruction with Zaretta Hammond, Season 2, Episode 3. [Accessed June 2024]

[5] Patel and Lynch, 2013, Glocalization as an Alternative to Internationalization in Higher Education: Embedding Positive Glocal Learning Perspectives in Higher Education, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Volume 25, Number 2. [Accessed June 2024]

[6] Skelley. D, Stevens. M, Anderson. R, January 2020, Exploring Cultural Responsiveness in Literacy Tutoring: “I Never Thought About How Different Our Cultures Would Be”, Participatory Literacy Practices for P-12 Classrooms in the Digital Age.