Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 1

[ Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens]

Following the American Psychological Associations Guidelines
[Tanzila Chowdhury and Tony Romero]
Bioscience High School

Author Note
Tony Romero and Tanzilla Chowdhury
Senior Experience, Bioscience High School
Acknowledging the support of the 3 Senior Teachers of Bioscience High School, Meagan Farney,
Melanie Engstrom, Lynn Palacios, New Global Citizens, John Lindeman, and Matt Cohen
[tanzila.chowdhury96@gmail.com, anthonyromerobhs@gmail.com]

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 2

Abstract
This group is working to address the issue of teenage ignorance in regards to global
awareness. The strategy to attenuate this problem is by providing teenagers with relevant
information regarding global issues. The intent is solely not to inform teenagers of issues, but to
cultivate and transform them into active global citizens; This traA global citizen is an individual
who identifies with being part of an emerging world community and whose actions contribute to
building this community's values and practices. Information cannot simply be achieved through a
stagnant learning process in which students are bombarded with information and expected to
retain and regurgitate it at a later date. Instead the plan is to craft a high quality learning
experience for them to take part in. This enriching and stimulating learning experience will be
heavily emphasised on appealing to emotions in the hopes of evoking a sense of compassion,
urgency, and necessity towards becoming global citizens, eager consumers of news, as well as
prominent agents of change in the world. The group has already hosted one workshop regarding
the struggles refugees face on their journey to the United States. The group is working on
establishing a lasting club on their high school campus of Bioscience High School where
students can attend and take part in learning about and discussing contemporary global news.
Keywords:
Ignorance: lacking knowledge, information, or awareness about something in particular.
It is important to be noted that ignorant is not synonymous with stupid, which is what it is
typically mistaken for.
Global Citizens: An individual who identifies with being part of an emerging world
community and whose actions contribute to building this community's values and practices.
Global Literacy: The understanding of how the world is interconnected and organized.
Globally Literate: Students understanding the complex relationship between the world

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 3

and the humans. Globally literate students are able to analyze and think critically about the
dynamic roles between the world and humans roles. The appreciate global systems,
circumstances and factors that can influence different form of lives and systems. Students who
are globally literate are motivated to bring positive changes in this increasingly interconnected
world.
Global leaders: Leaders who are aware of issues that is happening around the world.
Global leaders today have a more complicated task. Its more than just mastering one's
knowledge of various geographic locations and cultures. Even though it is essential, to succeed,
one must also acquire a complex mindset and competencies that is needed to leader todays fully
engaging globalized world.
Challenge Statement
Introduction
The cultivation of globally aware citizens is exceptionally crucial in this dynamic, ever-changing
world. A global citizen, is someone who identifies with being part of an emerging world
community and whose actions contribute to building this community's values and practices.
It has become prevalent that citizens of the U.S, especially the young adult and teenage
population, lack the consistency of staying informed on current news events. This is evidenced
by the profound decrease in newspaper sales throughout the year, The dramatic decline in
newspaper ad revenues since 2000 has to be one of the most significant and profound
Schumpeterian gales of creative destruction in the last decade (Weissmann 2014). The question
thus arises that, are not newspapers a thing of the past, a product rearing obsoletion as humans
make the transition to a digitally dominated world? Taking this into consideration, Online
newspaper consumption has likewise dropped significantly among 18- to 24-year-olds
according to a 2010 survey conducted by IBMs Media and Entertainment group. One of the
surveys lead authors claims that the 18 to 24 year old age groups was the only segment in
which [she] saw erosion year over year for any digital media category, specifically for online

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 4

newspapers. (Kohut 2013). The decline in sales is indicative of a lack of demand for that
particular news resource, which serves to prove a lack of attentiveness or aptitude to stay
informed in the U.S. population. Televised news stations are also critically incompetent in their
coverage of global affairs in that stations typically only allocate 12 percent of their coverage to
international news. That small 12 percent coverage is also relatively narrow in that there are no
network news bureaus in all of Africa, India or South America - places that are home to more
than two billion people. (Miller 2008). The fact that newspaper sales facing dramatic decreases
throughout the year and televised news stations impartially representing global affairs are
worrying indicators that the U.S. population as a whole lacks the appropriate means of staying
globally aware. As a consequence of this, citizens are becoming much more disconnected from,
and ignorant of global affairs.
This cultivation of ignorance is exceptionally detrimental in todays youth. Teens are
apart of the Millennial Generation, those born between 1980 and 2000. They are 80 million of
them in total, they make up roughly %25 of the population, making their total population larger
than the Baby Boomer generation. Millennials have grown up in an era of unprecedented wealth
and rapid technology advancement. They have a collective spending power of $700 Billion,
which is predicted to increase as their earning power grows. Technology has become an integral
part of their lives. Rather than having to adopt new advancements, they grew up with the
advancements.The Millennials generation has the potential to produce immense change in our
society, to an even greater extent than any of their other generational predecessors. Todays
generation has the ability to help solve the worlds greatest problems and if teens remain ignorant
of global issues, there is no way they can make these changes to address, or mitigate serious,
detrimental global issues. This potential can only be harnessed if the barriers of ignorance are

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 5

broken down.
The word ignorance, unfortunately carries a negative connotation, and commonly
mistaken for being synonymous with stupidity; which is far from the case. Ignorance describes
a particular condition of knowledge: the absence of fact, understanding, insight, or clarity about
something. It is not an individual lack of information but a communal gap in knowledge
(Firestein 2013). There is no questioning the capacity of teens to learn and overcome their state
of ignorance and learn to eagerly become Global Citizens. Breaking down the walls of ignorance
allows for discovery that there is a world far larger than the one that is known, one that
(whether we know it or not) shapes all our knowns. It is a world we know nothing about, though
if we search we can catch glimpses of it. Ignorance is the not knowing that opens us up to
philosophical wonder, to scientific discovery, to human wisdom." (Nosich)

Challenge Statement:
Teenagers are ignorant of global issues.
Challenge Analysis
Stakeholders
Teenagers: Teenage high school students are the main target audience for this project. The future
of the world rests in their hands being that they are the next generation making the transition to
adulthood. Another unique characteristic of todays teen population is that they make up the
Millennial Generation. As mentioned earlier, the Millennial Generation has the most potential to
produce long lasting changes in society. Of course, it is very import to make the distinction that
potentiality is not synonymous with inevitability; which is why he potential must be tapped into,
or it will be spoiled.
News Media: They are the ones who circulate news to the public and responsible for proving the

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 6

youth with valid and correct information. They have a stake in this matter because they need
readers and viewers to run their business.
School Board and education system: School board and education system dictates what
students are to be taught at school. They are also responsible for setting up the curriculum in
schools. School Board and Education System are an important stakeholders in regards to this
project because they can put an emphasis on global studies by establishing a curriculum that
focus on global awareness in schools. This will shape a path for the students to learn more about
the global issues, making them globally literate. The term globally literate depicts the idea that
students understanding the complex relationship between the world and the humans. Globally
literate students are able to analyze and think critically about the dynamic roles between the
world and humans roles. They appreciate global systems, circumstances and factors that can
influence different form of lives and systems. Students who are globally literate are motivated to
bring positive changes in this increasingly interconnected world.
Teachers: Teachers serve as the primary means for students to gain knowledge while in school.
They have a stake in this matter because it is in their self-interest to know what is being taught to
their students.

Mentors:
This group of students used resources from the following organizations to develop ideas to
construct their possible interventions. The listed above organizations are their mentors who
were able to provide them with relevant information, enabling them to look for bright spots
that they can use to choose a successful implementation for this project.
Global Issues Network: It is an international network of students that aims to promote
globalization and to raise awareness of the social responsibility of "global citizens", and develop
solutions for modern global issues. Their aim is to nurture, mobilize transgenerational

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 7

communities of global citizens to build a just and sustainable future(Global Issues Network,
n.d). Global Issues Network (GIN) has an important stake to this project because the
organization provides bright spots which could be beneficial to develop possible interventions
for the root problem. According to the book switch, bright spots are positive changes that are
currently taking place and are creating changes to solve an issue. It is said in the book that rather than
focusing on what isnt working and trying to fix it, go find examples of where things are working and try
to understand why what makes them different (heath and heath 2010 ). Therefore, by analyzing the
bright spots within the implementations the done by global issues network, several significant
implementations could be brainstormed.

New Global Citizens: New Global Citizen is non-profitable organization whose purpose is to
educate and prepare youth in order to make them active global leaders. The organization shares
similar goals and vision that this group has for Bioscience High School. Therefore, it would be
beneficial for this group to identify the learning strategies and concepts that New Global Citizen
has already established and are successful ( New Global Citizens).
Global Kids Connect. org: Global Kids Connect.org is a program that is both media and school
based intitative, trying to prepare youth from all around the world resonsible in civic
particpation. They want the youth in this generation to influence cultural change and promote
global citizenship. Their process include to provide depth through education and classroom
activities with lesson plans that will drive the youth to use it as an empowerment tool. It gives
the children to develop knowledge, skills, and values. Some of their partners include
Nickelodeon, UCLA International Institute, National Geographic, Relief International, and
Schools Online ( Global Kids Connect). Additionally, some of the participating countries include
United States, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Their implementation and way of teaching their
students using specific lesson plans is a strategy that could be used to solve the teen ignorance
that is observed in the Bioscience High School community.

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 8

Problem Constellations
Drivers
Lack of Interest in Worldwide problems and news: Teen agers shows lack of interest in the world
wide problems and news which leads to teens remaning ignorant of global issues. Part of this
issue develops from students do not necessarily enjoy reading newspapers and books and
therefore, loses their interest in reading global news. For example, students remain ignorant is
because they dont find reading poems and poetries entertaining compared to the pleasure they
get from social media websites (Williams, 2014). Adding on, students also live in the perception
that everything in this world is known. For example, Stuart Firestein, chairman of the
Department of Biological Sciences used to teach Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience. By
judging his students the noticed that the heavy books and significant lectures around this topic
gave them the impression that almost everything is known about neuroscience even thought that
is and the case (Firestein, 2013). Therefore, proving them with too much information gives teen
agers the idea that everything is known in this world and there is no place for bringing new
changes in the world. World hunger for example is very common topics. However, everyone
believes world hunger is a problem because there is not enough food in those places even though
that is not the case. It is actually the problem in distributing those food properly that causes the
problem ( New Global Citizen.org). Topics and factors such as these are common drivers that
leads to teen remaining ignorant on global issues.

Excessive use of social media: Although social media may serve as a direct means for its users to
connect with others around, potentially to an even global level, it has been evidenced to produce
negative effects on its users if overused. In the most recent study, Larry Rosen, a social media
researcher at California State University, Dominguez Hills, surveyed more than 1,000 urban

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 9

adolescents and found a number of negative effects from overuse of social media, varying by the
type of activity. For example, teens who play online games all the time are more likely to
experience physical and psychological symptoms including insomnia, agitation, depression, and
stomach aches. Meanwhile teens who log into Facebook more than average are also more likely
to be "self-absorbed," "narcissistic," belligerent, paranoid, and -- ironically enough -- antisocial.
"Obsessive" social media use can also result in truancy, lower test scores, and bad grades (Sass
2011).

Mainstream media does always directly address issues: News and outlets in the Unites States particularly
broadcast and publish news that are relevant to the United States. They do not focus on the issues that
necessarily to involve them. Even if they do focus on global issues, its not usually in the breaking news
department. Furthermore, according to the Pew Research Centers recent study of American journalism,
coverage of international events is declining more than any other subject. In the study of 2007, 64% of
participating newspaper editors said their papers had reduced the space for international news. In a strict
sense, the American media did not in 2007 cover the world, says the Pew report. Beyond Iraq, only two

countries received notable coverage last year Iran and Pakistan(Shah, 2012).
Global Awareness is not explicitly taught in US schools: Since United States Board of Education do not
have a set curriculum that has an emphasis on global education, students tend to avoid watching news or
reading news because it is considered boring and less interesting to them. Teenage ignorance is also
developed because of the declining state of education in Unites States compare to other developed
countries. The World Economic Forum ranked the U.S. at 52nd among 139 nations in the quality of its
university math and science instruction in 2010. Nearly 50% of all graduate students in the sciences in the
U.S. are foreigners, most of whom will be returning to their home countries. According to a poll among
public school students conducted by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, 77% didn't know that
George Washington was the first President; couldn't name Thomas Jefferson as the author of the
Declaration of Independence; and only 2.8% of the students actually passed the citizenship test.
According to a Gallup poll, 18% of Americans still believe that the sun revolves around the earth.

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 10

Additionally, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities report on education shows
that the U.S. ranks second among all nations in the proportion of the population aged 35-64 with a college
degree, but 19th in the percentage of those aged 25-34 with an associate or high school diploma, which
means that for the first time, the educational attainment of young people will be lower than their parents
( Williams, 2014).

Teen have significant amount of problems to be dealt with: General stresses in teens life allows
youths to and focus on global issues, making them ignorant. For more explanation , see Stress
full of life on teen agers in the root driver section below.
Adults are also part of this trend of remaining ignorant: People who criticize about this
generation often forgets about the fact they are the ones who raised it. Its not only the teens who
are ignorant but also the adults who are also part of this trend. For example: 74% of
Republicans in the U.S. Senate and 53% in the House of Representatives deny the validity of
climate change despite the findings of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and every other
significant scientific organization in the world (Williams, 2014).
Teen agers living in the impression being ignorant is cool: One of the main reason why the youth
in America alright with being ignorant is because in American school, there is a culture that exalts people
who reads and aware of global issues are not cool compared to the pretty athletes and cheerleaders.
People who choose to read and embrace their intellects are usually harassed and are referred as nerds,
geeks, "dweebs," and "dorks,". But in other asian countries, people value education and intelligence
over anti-intelligence and ignorance. Media also plays an important role in shaping down this mentality.
For example: TV shows or movies such as The Big Bang Theory depict intellectuals as being

geeks if not effeminate (Williams, 2014). Teen agers like to watch TV shows and develops most of the
ideals and thoughts from them. Creating shows that shows being intelligent is and cool allows the teen
agers to remain ignorant of social and global issues. Humans are very social creatures and they tend to be
very altruism which means a common species benefiting others. Therefore, an alturistic behavior is shown
when teen agers act under the influence of the above mentioned social norms.

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 11

Root Drivers

Easy accessibility to Internet: One of the main areas that causes teen ignorance is the easy
accessibility to Internet. As this society approaches globalization, easy internet accessibility
makes it harder for the teen age students to remain focused on caring about global issues.Teen
agers tend to misuse easy internet accessibility leading to many other distractions. Some of the
dangers of using social media include providing information that could harm them in future,
bullying, hacking to gather vulnerable information of individuals and many more. About 39% of
teen agers have posted something they later regretted. 37%of students or teen agers have used social
networking sites to tease other students. 24% of them have hacked into someone elses social networking
account. 13% of them have posted nude or seminude pictures or videos of themselves or others online

(New Leaf Academy, n.d).

There are no classes required in regard to global issues in US Schools. United States board of education
do not focus much on Global Awareness. Moreover, Arizona Department of education do not have
standards for Global Education at all. (Unites States Board of education, 2014). Teen agers feels
motivated when they are being rewarded for their actions. Due to a lack of emphasis in global education,
students do not feel the need to be informed of problems that are occurring around the world, ultimately

causing them to remain ignorant.

Emphasis more on western media: Teen agers perticularly lost interest in news because they do not feel
passionate about the cause. Emphasising more on western media shows only one side of the story causing
them only care about the issues that affects them directly in United States. Since they are not aware about
the other part of the story, they do not develop passion and interest in knowing more about the global
issues that do or might indirectly impact them.

Stress full of life on teen agers: There is a lack of motivation and a mind-set that is embedded in
teen culture that allows them to remain ignorant. Teenage life is a stressful because they go
through some crucial change. Therefore, they do not usually take the time to consider more over

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 12

arching themes that is not directly impacting them. Moreover, under this stressful life, it is
relatively harder to focus on issues that are complicated and complex. This stops individuals to
feel interested in news. Additionally, news are informative and full of information which doesnt
usually appeal to youth. Youth wants interesting and entertaining stories that are enjoyable.
Therefore, youth dont particularly enjoy reading news that is bombarded with information.
They do not like to the spend the time in watching news because they are usually stressed and
have their own personal problems that needs to be dealt with (Firestein, 2013).

Perception of remaining to immune to the other side of the world: This generation hasnt been forced to
partake in global affairs such as drafting for war and such. Therefore, they develop a perception of being
relatively sheltered. Furthermore, There is a cultural factor that produces this mindset of being immune to
global issues. Robert Proctor, is one of the world's leading experts in agnotology, a neologism signifying
the study of the cultural production of ignorance(Hiltzik, 2014).He mentions in his studies that people
like to keep information private. They do not want to show people the whole side of the story. Tying it
back to having more emphasis on westernize media,Robert Proctor says, "There are reasons we don't
want people to know how to make an airborne AIDS virus or biological weapons. And the right to privacy
is based on a kind of sanctioned ignorance we don't want everyone to know everything about us all the
time." Even though the acknowledges that not all ignorance is bad, but it could be a tool to manipulate
people and keeping them in dark (Hiltzik, 2014). This allows teen agers to remain ignorant because they
are not given all the information they need to know be globally literate.

Impacts
Decreases a sense of self-efficacy in order to bring changes in the world within the youths. Teen
agers lack the passion and interest to promote prominent changes around the world even though
they have the potential to do so. Their thoughts and passion can ultimately leads to create and
invent news ideas and inventions for the betterment of this world.
Global Issues are not being recognized and addressed by the people who will be in charge of

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 13

taking care of this world. Its crucially important for todays youth to be globally literate so that
they can be active global leaders. Skills such as global literacy can make individuals valuable
and will provide them with amazing jobs.
Teen agers develops a skewed perception of the world, remain ignorant of other cultures,
traditions, and struggles of different countries. In a society that is heavily dependant on
globalization and globalized trade marking, it is very important to know about different culture
and values to develop meaningful relationships around the world.
Ignorant and rude comments are being made that initially can hurt peoples feelings. Effective
communication is an important skill that this generations youth needs to embrace. Global
education and global literacy is a key to excel this skill. If individuals are not culturally and
socially aware, mis-communications might happen which might create a significant impact in
maintaining proper global relationships between countries.

If this problem continues, it will have exceptionally detrimental worldwide impacts. If teens
remain ignorant of global affairs, then negative foreign tragedies that could otherwise be
addressed or mitigated are left to wreak havoc on the lives of those who may not have the
resources or education to address them on their own. U.S. citizens are in no way immune to the
affairs occurring in a foreign country, for the issue has both foreign and domestic implications. A
healthy domestic economy is highly dependent on the importation, and exportation of goods and
services. If a foreign country is enduring hardships such as recovering from a natural disaster,
war, or an epidemic, it can put a hold on their ability to import and export goods. This will
subsequently exacerbate the current state of tragedy by sending both economies into turmoil.
Furthermore, the world may possibly lose out on beneficial, innovative inventions that could
only be achieved through international collaborative efforts if younger generations have no
aspirations to partake in global interactiveness.

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 14

If this problem continues, anti-intellectualism and dumping down of america will be more
evident. According to the National Endowment for the Arts report in 1982, 82% of college
graduates read novels or poems for pleasure; two decades later only 67% did. And more than
40% of Americans under 44 did not read a single book--fiction or nonfiction--over the course of
a year. The proportion of 17 year olds who read nothing (unless required by school ) has doubled
between 1984-2004 (Hiltzik, 2014).

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 15

Figure 2: Challenge Constellation Infographic

Focus Root Driver

Students lack interest in world wide problems and news. This is one of the root cause that
initially causes global ignorance within the students.
Additional research on different mediums of media:
Derivative of CNN trafficking

Integral of CNN trafficking :

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 16

Integral of blog views Word press.com:

Derivative of blog views Word press.com:

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 17

Results: These graphs mentioned above show that rates and the antiderivatives of CNN

trafficking and Blog views in word press.com. They show that it will have a negative slope and
the no. of views in CNN will gradually decrease where on the other in the number of blog views,
the rate is relatively very high high. However, even though the blog views will increase over
time, they will increase in a slower rate.
The graphs serve as evidence to demonstrate the decrease in individuals access to a news
source over time. The other graph demonstrates the exponential increase in blog views over time.
The group used this as a means of drawing the conclusion that they must formulate their global
workshops in way that captures the best qualities of a blog. These qualities include fun energy,
less technicality, and an engaging demeanor.

Survey:

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 18

In order to understand the root problem in depth, a student survey between all the 4 grade
levels were conducted at Bioscience High School. The results are based off a compilation of 25%
of randomly selected students from each grade level in Bioscience High School. Bioscience
students are the main stakeholders related to this problem and its important to analyze their
stake in this matter. The graph is illustrated in a pie format where the 25% of each grade level
are compiled together.
The first question that was asked to them was the amount of time they spend in watching
news in a given day. Almost 37.87% of them said none at all. Only 9% of student percentile said
they watched news for more than an hour. Through the graphical representation of the student
survey, it is evident that students at Bioscience School do not watch newspapers, ultimately
resulting in them not knowing much about the global issues that is happening around the world.

The second question asked if they do watch news, what kind of news do they mostly
spend their time in. The results were quite fascinating. Most of the students shows interest in
watching mostly watching news and yet, approximately 37% of them said they do not watch
news at all. Therefore, we can conclude that the problem is not that the students at bioscience
community do not show interest on global issues but because they do not efficiently use the
resources they have such as newspapers and television news.

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 19

The students were also asked if they read newspapers rather than watching T.V news. The
results were astonishing and quite predictable as well. 74.32% of students said that they
remember reading news paper more than a month and some of them do not remember reading
one at all. It can be concluded from this data that youth these days do not like reading news
papers. The advancement of technology has led teen agers to rely more on the knowledge
provided by the internet than by the news papers. Therefore, in order to solve the root problem,
different form of media should be used to appeal to their emotions which will ultimately bring a
change in their behavior.

Lastly, they were asked on a scale

of 1-10, 1 being the least, and 10 being greatest, how interested are they in knowing more about

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 20

the global issues. The results from this survey were confusing because different group of
individuals had different take on the question. However, after analysing the graph, it can be said
that the majority of the students at bioscience high School would be interested in knowing more
about the global issues worldwide.

*note: more student surveys will be conducted with news questions in future.
Vision Analysis
Vision Statement

The groups vision, is for all teenagers to become eager and enthusiastic Global Citizens who
embrace their critical role as leaders, agents of change, and advocates to solve the worlds
greatest challenges.
For reference, a Global Citizen is one who identifies with being part of an emerging world
community and whose actions contribute to building this community's values and practices.
Summary of Stakeholders Visions
Bioscience High School Students: After circulating a survey to 25% of each grade levels
population to gain insight on the student populations vision for contemporary global awareness
education. The collective feedback from the surveys evidenced that the majority of students
surveyed were interested in attending some kind of learning experience in which they could learn

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 21

about contemporary global events.
News Media: Though all news media sources serve as a direct means for individuals to access
news, the group decided to use the source of as a direct reference CNN when formulating a
generic mission statement for all news media outlets. Their mission, is to create the finest
possible news product and to present hard-breaking, national, and international news, as it
unfolds. To deliver unparalleled perspectives across multiple categories, including political,
medical, financial, technology, entertainment, and more. Our vision is for the network to be
broadcasted to countries all over the world in English and the various regional languages. At
CNN, their goal is to deliver accurate information to our viewers with speed so that they are well
informed at all times. (CNN Cable News Network)
Bioscience High School Teachers: The group took the time to interview a few teachers to
gain an understanding of their vision for the future. The one the response the group found most
insightful was one by Meagan Farney which was The world is becoming smaller, as people are
interacting through technology and trade organization. The Global Community should be
understood by all actors. Students need to be aware of the negative and bright spots. Change can
happen. She also envisioned a future where there would be a shift from ancient civilization
education, to more contemporary learning.

Vision Narrative
My stomach has twisted itself into a tight knot as the plane began to touch down on the
runway. Its been a while since either of us had made the trip back to our hometown in phoenix.
We both attended Southern California Schools and stayed in touch for a bit but fell out of contact
as we went our separate ways to grad school. Tanzilla went off to med school and now is a
successful practicing physician, she even spent some time doing some great missionary work in
Africa. I on the other hand, took the PhD medical research route and have become a

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 22

neuropharmacologist. Her email to meet up was an unexpected one, but a very pleasant surprise.
I was already planning on making a trip back to Phoenix anyway, and her email gave me the
extra push I needed to book the plane ticket home.
She was waiting for me right after I stepped off the terminal. She had not grown an inch,
her perpetually tired looking eyes eagerly inviting me to approach with her arms out ready for a
warm embrace. We immediately exploded into conversation, our talk ranging from our personal
lives, schooling, as well as reminiscing about our time together in high school. We hopped in a
cab and dropped off our luggage at our hotel before deciding to take a trip back to our old
stomping grounds of Bioscience High School to see if our final yearlong SSP project had made
any lasting impacts on campus. We decided to take the light rail to campus, being that it was a
short distance from our hotel and because it was a great way to check out the city.
The rail was unusually packed wall to wall with teenagers, causing us to awkwardly
squeeze ourselves within their midst.
Tanzila leaned towards me and whispered, this is going to be a disaster
I rolled my eyes as I responded with, I know, kids now a days have no idea how to
behave.
The rail lurched forward in motion, and as if in response to our comments, the cacophony
of squeals, obnoxiously loud conversations and rowdiness we anticipated was instead replaced
with low enthusiastic chatter. Tanzila and I both made surprised eye contact, and let out a sigh of
relief. It was not until then that I noticed the huge backpacks the teens were lugging around, and
the I.D badges and lanyards strewn across their necks which read Bioscience High School.
I excitedly turned to Tanzila and proclaimed my astute observation, hey, check out their
I.Ds they go to Bio!

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 23

Oh yeah! So thats why theyre so well behaved!
It seems like only yesterday that we were in their shoes, now look at us!
Yeah, the time sure does fly. Hmmm, they all seem so engrossed in their conversations, I
wonder what theyre talking about.
We both surreptitiously began to eavesdrop on the conversations, and delighted to heard
that they were all feverishly chit chatting about some of the most current global events. There
was such delight and wonder in the eyes of the students as they talked, their eyes also glimmered
with tenacity as they pondered solutions to fixing the problems they were discussing. After
several minutes of listening, and resisting the urge to chime into their conversations, we had
finally reached our destination. We all clamored out and began to make the short trek to campus.
Hmmm, it seems that the students are really interested in global affairs, Tanzila stated.
Maybe it has something to do with our project. I quizzically suggested.
I hope so she said with a smile.
The staff members that were working while we were students were long gone, but the
new principal, Dr. Smith, was very excited to meet with us and give us a tour around campus.
After introducing us, his face lit up with joy and was very excited to inform us that our SSP
project produced lasting changes in the Bioscience community. After leaving and establishing
out club on campus, the interest in global awareness spread like wildfire throughout the
community. The interest was so strong that ultimately cultivating global citizens had become a
very integral part of Biosciences mission, and has been successfully achieved through a variety
of means. Classes had become to gain more of an emphasis on making global connections, and
each and every student was continuously encourages to as of themselves, how can my actions
contribute to the global community? There are also a great deal of frequent foreign exchange

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 24

students and teachers who spend semesters at Bio and share their unique insights and culture
with the Bioscience community.
Tanzila and I were extremely proud of our accomplishments and very happy that
we were able to make such a lasting impact of our bioscience community.

Strategy Building
Criteria
Effective: The chosen intervention has to be effective and it needs to direct the root cause which
will have an direct impact to the main targeted stakeholders; Bioscience students. According to
the survey that was conducted before implementing the chosen intervention, bioscience students
want to have an engaging and interesting workshop.
Resources Required: This group want to make sure that the implementation is cost effective and
require a limited amount of sources to accomplish its purposes. Bioscience students need an
incentive to participate in the chosen implementation and asking them for money would have
discouraged them to take part in the intervention.
Engaging: The intervention needs to be stimulating, enriching, and an interactive experience in
which the targeted stakeholders can enjoyably take part in
Feasibility: This group wanted to implement as soon as possible in order to observe the
effectiveness of their chosen intervention. Therefore, the implementation needs to be done in a
timely manner. They also want to make sure that their intervention was accessible to students so
that majority of the student bodies at Bioscience could participate in the chosen workshop.
Sustainability: Sustainability is one of the most important tool to consider when thinking about
strategies to choose an intervention. This group wanted to make sure when they leave bioscience,
their implementation still continues. Therefore, the implementation should be carried on without
this groups direct involvement. The implementation can also be replicated or increased in a

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 25

larger scale.
Strategies
Previously Implemented
As previously mentioned, there are non-profitable organizations who have already tried to tackle
this problem and succeeded. New Global Citizen has provided this group with an effective
workshop guide kit that they use to run their workshops. They provide their students with
different projects and ask them to research and finally create an implementation on their own to
mitigate those global issues. This one of the main tool that this group has used to brainstorm
some ideas for their implementation. Furthermore, corporations such as Global Issues Network
and Global Kids.org provides their students with resources to bring global changes. They have
student led workshops and classroom in which they used the resources obtained from the
corporations to solve global issues. Global Kids.org even allowes their student to get credits for
their work, giving them an incentive to participate in their program.
Potential Future
Field trips in abroad:The group has optimistically pondered the possibility of future field trips to
other countries that Bioscience High School students can attend. This experience would be the
most genuine way in which students can directly learn about a given countrys culture.
Student Driven Workshop: The group has taken into consideration of leading monthly workshops
in which interest members of the student body can attend and watch at their leisure. The
workshops would consist of a presentation provided by the group members followed by a
discussion facilitated by the group members
Club based activities: This intervention consists of establishing a club on campus devoted to
learning about global events. Club members can bring their own news stories of interest and
share them with other members of the group. The group members can then engage in organic

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 26

conversation about the events they have brought to share with one another about why they chose
the news story to share.
News board assigned by teachers in each grade level: The group has taken into consideration a
school wide assignment in which each grade level had a bulletin board in which groups take
turns posting weekly news stories for their classmates to read.

Interventi
on Ideas

Effective
Directly
addresses
our root
cause and
has a
significant
impact on
our
stakeholders

Importance
/Weight: 10

Field Trips
10*10=100
in abroad
Student
8.5*10= 85
Driven
Workshops
Clubs based 8.5*10=85
activities

Resources
Required
The
implementati
on is cost
effective and
requires a
limited
amount of
resources to
accomplish
its purpose.

Importance
/Weight: 8.5

1*8.5=8.5
8*8.5= 68

8*8.5=68

Engagem
ent

Feasibility
Sustainable
The
The
implementati implementati
The
on can be
on can be
interventio
done in a
carried on
n is a
timely
without our
stimulating manner. It is
direct
, enriching
easily
involvement.
and
accessible for
Can be
interactive
students to
replicated or
experience take part in. increased in a
in which
larger scale.
the target
stakeholde
rs
enjoyably
take part
in.
Importance Importance /
/Weight: 9
Weight: 7
Importan
ce
/Weight:
9.5
9*9.5=85. 1*9=9
1*7=7
5
8*9.5=76
9*9= 81
6*7= 42

Tota
l

9.5*9.5=9
0.25

361.
75

8.5*9=76.5

6*7=42

Scor
e

210
352

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 27

News Board
assigned by
teachers in
each grade
level.

5*10=50

8.5*8.5=
72.25

4*9.5=38

9*9=81

6.5*7= 45.5

Table 1. Criteria Matrix

Intervention
Chosen Intervention
Due to the fact that they were the top two highest scoring intervention ideas, and the
relative similarity between them, the group decided to combine the intervention plans of creating
club based activities and student led workshops as a means of addressing their challenge
statement. The total scores were calculated through formulating a set of criteria which the group
felt were necessary for the chosen intervention plan to address each criteria were also assigned a
relative weight, which was multiplied times the number of which a given intervention strategy
upheld a particular criteria section.
This gantt chart was used to assist the group in plotting their schedule and meeting
deadlines for this project.

Implementation

286.
75

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 28

The group has began to implement their intervention plan by hosting a workshop regarding the
experiences refugees face as they come to the United States. To make the experience as authentic
as possible, we invited a guest speaker from the Arizona Immigrant Refugee Service (A.I.R.S.)
to speak on the behalf of the refugee's due to his extensive experience with working with them.
The purpose of this workshop was to introduce the methods that was used to conduct this workshop to
those who will be willing to continue this project in the next years or so. This implementation was a small
initiative to promote global awareness around the Bioscience community in a hope that its students will
be Global Citizens who embrace their critical role as active global leaders.

Figure 3.

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 29

Evaluation & Reflection:

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 30

The group formulated a set of criteria which they decided to evaluate the relative
effectiveness of their intervention plan. The criteria include, effectiveness, resources required,
engagement, feasibility, and sustainability. Each individual criteria has a list of three indicators
which serve as a means to demonstrate the efficacy of their intervention. If the indicators are
met, then the plan was effective, if the indicators are not met, then the plan was ineffective.
Upon reflecting on the current state of the groups intervention, they have found that their
first workshop has fallen a bit short at effectively addressing their root cause. Conflicting
schedules made it difficult to secure a meeting time for the guest speaker before the school year
ended. Also, the audience size of ten, was smaller than the group would have liked due to their
inability to advertise for the speakers appearance because they were only able to secure a date
one day in advanced. Nonetheless, all individuals in attendance claimed to have enjoyed the
experience as well as showed signs of engagement and enthusiasm while listening to the speaker.
The group is still wary of the effectiveness of their intervention plan. Given that being a Global
Citizen entails the continuous action of continuously staying informed of global events, truly
fostering global citizenship would necessitate a whole behavioral change in our target audience.
The group can provide copious amounts of resources and a myriad of workshops, yet all the
information in the world would mean nothing if our target audience does not genuinely care for
the subject material. The group believes that to effectively change their target audiences
behavior, then they would need more time and resources to formulate much more dynamic
learning experiences for their target audience to take part in. Though they believe this to be true,
they are in agreement that their intervention plan is small step in the right direction to addressing
the problem they have chosen.

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 31

References
CNN Cable News Network (n.d). Vision Statement. Retrieved from:
https://cnnsoc185.wordpress.com/vision-statement/
Firestein, S. (2013). Ignorance: How It Drives Science | Columbia College Today. Retrieved
from http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/winter12/columbia_forum
Foehr, U., Rideout, V., Roberts, D. (2010). GENERATION M2 Media in the lives of 8- to 18Year Olds. A Kaiser Family Foundation Study. Retrieved from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED527859.pdf

Hiltzik, M. (2014, March 9). Cultural production of ignorance provides rich field for study - Los
Angeles Times. Retrieved from
http://articles.latimes.com/2014/mar/09/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20140307
Kohut, A. (2013. Oct, 7). Pew surveys of audience habits suggest perilous future for
news. Retrieved from
http://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/225139/pew-surveys-of-audience-habits-sugg
est-perilous-future-for-news/

Miller, A. (2008. March) Alisa Miller: The news about the news. Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/talks/alisa_miller_shares_the_news_about_the_news/transcri
pt?language=en#t-41513
New Global Citizen.org. (2014). New Global Citizens: Inspiring Youth To Be Engaged Global
Citizens. Retrieved from http://www.newglobalcitizens.org/
New Global Citizens. (2010). New Global Citizens ( Non-Profit Organization). Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/NewGlobalCitizens
Weissmann, J. (2014. April, 24). The Decline of Newspapers Hits a Stunning Milestone.

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 32

Retrieved from
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/04/28/decline_of_newspapers_hits_a
_milestone_print_revenue_is_lowest_since_1950.html

Sass, E. (2011. August, 8). Social Media Overuse Linked to Unhealthy Behaviors in Teens.
Retrieved.http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/155523/social-media-overuse-li
nked-to-unhealthy-behaviors.html
Shah, A. (2012, January 28). Mainstream Media Introduction. Retrieved from
www.globalissues.org/article/278/mainstream-media-introduction
Shepherd, S., & Kay, A. C. (2012). On the Perpetuation of Ignorance: System Dependence,
System Justification, and the Motivated Avoidance of Sociopolitical Information. Journal
of Personality and Social Psychology, 102(264-280), 17. doi:10.1037/a0026272

Williams, R. (2014, July 7). Anti-Intellectualism and the "Dumbing Down" of America |
Psychology Today. Retrieved from
https://www.psychologytoday.com /blog/wired-success/201407/anti-intellectualismand-the-dumbing-down-america

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 33

Appendix A
Stakeholder Analysis
[New Global Citizen] - Tanzila
Address: 1430 W Broadway Rd #208, Tempe, AZ 85282
Contact Information: Board of Directors Lisa Glen
USA@NEWGLOBALCITIZENS.ORG

Foundational
New Global Citizen is a national organization founded in 2006 that works with the people
of youth in order to solve the worlds greatest challenges through partnering up with their
surrounding communities and developing projects all around the world.
Organizational:
Mission: Their mission is to inspire youth to be engaged Global Citizens.
Vision: Our vision is for all students in the U.S to have the opportunity to become
engaged Global Citizens who embrace their critical role as leaders, change agents, and advocates
to solve the worlds greatest challenges.

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 34

They believe that todays generation has the ability to help solve the worlds great
problems and the best way to do that is by supporting local communities around the world who
found sustainable solutions.
Financial
New Global Citizen is a non-profit organization. Most of their fundraising comes from
donations all around the world from private, national, international organizations.
In terms of financial competitions, New Global Citizens do not necessarily have competitors but
Global Citizen and Global Poverty Project share relatively similar interest, mission, and goals
and objectives.
More Current State
New Global Citizen provides the youth with a global perspective through arranging
opportunities and tools to bring change and develops a sense of passion among the teens to think
about making a difference in this world. Their core values include following the 21st learning
century skills through which, they are intending to help their interns and the participants who are
currently working on specific projects.
Planning:
Their every single team set goals around three objectives each year:
Fundraising: raising money and necessary resources in the community to support the global
project
Advocacy: Getting public support regarding the global issues.
Community Education: Educating different communities through their classrooms and bringing
awareness regarding the global issues in the various communities.
Stake:

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 35

[New Global Citizen is an organization that educates, and mobilizes youths to make them
prominent active global leaders. Therefore, the organization could be a great source to bring
changes in Bioscience High School in terms of developing skills to become globally aware
students. ]

Figure 4. Power/Interest Grid

Stakeholder Analysis
[Bioscience High School Students]
Address: 512 E. Pierce St. Phoenix, AZ 85004
Organization:
Bioscience High School is a public High School in the Phoenix Union High School District. The
student population consists of 62.4% Hispanic, 29.2% Anglo Saxon, 7.3% African American,
2.9% Native American, and 2.5% Asian. The staff consists of 20 teachers, 1 administrator, and 8
supporting staff members. Exactly 50% of the teachers have experience of 10 or more years,
whole the other 50% have 2-5 years of experience. The Bioscience Mission statement is BHS

Fostering Awareness and Creating Global Citizens 36

provides a rigorous, collaborative, and relevant academic program emphasizing an innovative,
problem-based curriculum that develops literacy in the sciences, mathematics, and the arts, thus
cultivating critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers, and compassionate citizens, who are able
to thrive in our increasingly complex and technological communities (Bioscience High School).
As evidenced earlier in the piece, 25% of each grade level were randomly selected to take a
survey to assist with gauging their stake in the problem.