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Sally Romilly One World Centre, 189 Princes Street, Dundee. The aims of this session are to:. give you the opportunity and the confidence to explore controversial global issues in a supportive environment
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The aims of this session are to: • give you the opportunity and the confidence to explore controversial global issues in a supportive environment • outline approaches and activities which will allow learners to develop informed attitudes and to use critical thinking skills in tackling controversial issues
Why teach controversial issues? • We live in a multicultural global society where issues are increasingly complex • Young people need to explore their values and develop their skills in a safe place • Young people want to know more about global issues • Curriculum for Excellence recognises the need to tackle controversial issues
Relevant aspirations … • Successful learners … with openness to new thinking & ideas, and able to …link and apply different kinds of learning in new situations • Confident individuals … with secure values and beliefs, and able to … develop and communicate their own beliefs and view of the world • Responsible citizens … with respect for others, and able to …develop informed ethical views of complex issues • Effective contributors … with an enterprising attitude, and able to … apply critical thinking in new contexts
“Issues that are likely to be sensitive or controversial are those that have a political, social or personal impact and arouse feeling and/or deal with questions of value or belief.”
Controversial issues are ‘usually complicated with no easy answers and are issues on which people often hold strong views based on different sets of experiences, interests and values.’
An issue in which … • The subject/area is of topical interest • There are conflicting priorities and opinions • Emotions may become strongly aroused • The subject/area is complex (adapted from Perry, 1999.)
Activity Ranking exercise on teachers’ statements
Activities … • Role play/simulation games • Real life stories • Photographs & captions • Ranking/diamond ranking • Community of enquiry/Philosophy for Children • Cartoons • Development Compass Rose • Values Continuum
Diamond 9 Ranking Most important Least important
Football Activity Role Play • How could you use this activity with your group/class? • What would you expect the outcome to be?
What is the cartoon saying? • How does it get its message across? • What different interpretations could there be?
Strategies – the roleof the leader • Committed … freely give own views • Objective or academic …transmit all viewpoints without stating own position • Advocate …explain all viewpoints then conclude with stating own position with reasons • Devil’s advocate …adopt provocative and oppositional stances irrespective of own viewpoint • Impartial Chairperson …ensure all viewpoints are represented without stating own position • Declared interest …declare own viewpoint then present all positions objectively
“The teacher who takes pride in never revealing his or her opinions to students models them for moral apathy.” From“Rethinking Globalisation.”
Some useful resources … • http://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/teachersupport/cpd/controversial/files/teaching_controversial_issues.pdf • http://www.tidec.org/GL%20toolkit/compass%20rose/compass%20rose%20text.pdf • The Challenge of Teaching Controversial Issues, Trentham books, ISBN: 978-1-85856-415-9