Global Issues

Global Issues is an elective class in grades 9 and 10 at ISD. The focus of the class is addressing the 20 global problems identified by J .F. Rischard in his 2002 book ‘High Noon’ including those of global warming, environmental degradation, infectious diseases and poverty. The global issues classes are part of the global issues network of international schools or GIN. Here, school groups and individuals from all over the world communicate and debate online at the GIN electronic Town Meeting, and collaborate on proposing solutions to the issues.

The four pillars of the global issues concept at ISD are:

1. Students steer the course within the school and determine the themes of projects and conferences. Teachers act as facilitators.
2. There is active online debate and planning with other international school groups.
3. There are two conferences each year organized by students where GIN students meet up, debate issues and listen to influential speakers.
4. Action plans are developed from the conferences aimed at having some positive effect on the global problems. Students work at realizing these plans by raising awareness or money, or by contributing directly to projects.

Students participating in Global Issues gain valuable experience of working on major projects for a good cause. They also gain awareness of the complexity of the problems facing the world, but also that cooperative human endeavor can bring about change in the right direction.

GIN electronic Town Meeting: www.global-issues-network.org