Global education and intercultural awareness in eTwinning

Abstract

Students today are facing a global society which is interconnected. This necessitates competencies in digital and cultural integration skills to become successful global citizens. This study reviews the benefits and challenges of global education and intercultural interaction amongst students participating in eTwinning projects between various European countries. Teachers from different countries were interviewed. Their varying perspectives were analysed through a thematic approach. The results demonstrate that teachers perceive eTwinning as contributing towards the enhancement and development of global education through intercultural interaction. This study has confirmed the importance of equipping students with twenty-first century skills and the important role eTwinning plays in this, as well as indicating main challenges which need to be addressed to enhance globalisation as a dynamic concept. Teachers are leaders and agents of social change, yet this research shows they lack any formal training to teach in multicultural societies and in promoting global competencies.

Keywords

• global education
• etwinning
• teachers
• intercultural
• education
• global citizenship