GNG Project Report

US – KSA Global Citizens in Action

Students of Al Hussan International School, Al Khobar initiated a curriculum based global exchange program in collaboration with Global Nomads Group (partners with iEARN). Global Citizen in Action: US-Saudi (GCA: USA-KSA) is a civic engagement program that connects students and educators in Saudi Arabia with students in the United States through a dynamic curriculum on cultural exchange, media literacy, and global citizenship, over a period of 5 months. GCA: US – Saudi pairs classrooms during the academic year, building cultural awareness and global citizenship through investigation of the driving question, “How do we, as youth, promote dialogue between our countries and cultures?” Students engage in intercultural dialogue, explore media bias, utilize technology, and learn how to communicate and share ideas across cultures. By equipping students with these critical 21st century learning skills, it fosters leadership and motivation for youth to take positive action in their local and global communities.

The program started off in January, 2015 in which 25 students from grades 9 and 11(Girls Section). Students are collaborating with the female students of Dedham High School, Massachusetts. The program divides up into different modules, or sections. In each module there are curriculum activities and workshops in order to prepare and connect students with their partner school through an online platform (Google+) and interactive videoconferences. Over the course of the program, students use these connections and conversations to collaborate to identify an issue that they want to change in their community by using arts and media to create a real world solution to this issue, and then they share their “Global Citizen Project” locally and globally.

At this point in time, students are working on their global citizenship project: ‘Cyberbullying can be reduced by breaking stereotypes through a peaceful dialogue.’ They will soon present their final project in the video conference.