Global Competence

FRAME WO RK

Global Competence is the disposition and knowledge to understand and act on issues of global
significance (CCSSO & Asia Society). Those issues are identified in the Sustainable Development
Goals adopted by countries to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all (United
Nations). Globally competent individuals are life-long learners who understand these issues and have
an appreciation for cultural differences, an ability to understand and consider multiple perspectives,
use critical and comparative thinking skills as well as problem-solving abilities, and are comfortable
with ambiguity and change (World Savvy).

The California Global Education Project (CGEP) has adopted the four domains, or capacities, for
global competence presented by CCSSO & Asia Society (2011) to foster awareness and curiosity
about how the world works, which is informed by disciplinary and interdisciplinary insights. CGEP
agrees that globally competent students are able to:

1. Investigate the world beyond their immediate

environment, framing significant problems and
conducting well-crafted and age-appropriate
research.

2. Recognize perspectives, others’ and

their own, articulating and explaining
such perspectives thoughtfully and
respectfully.

3. Communicate ideas effectively

with diverse audiences, bridging
geographic, linguistic, ideological, and
cultural barriers.

4. Take action to improve conditions,

viewing themselves as players in the
world and participating reflectively.

“The domain I am most excited about is ‘take action.’ So often our students become really
good at completing assignments and doing well on assessments inside of the classroom,
but we don’t often empower them to be difference makers outside of the classroom.
Integrating the domains into classroom instruction is key to getting there.”

— Dawniell Black, Elk Grove Unified School District

Global Competence
F R AM E W O R K

CGEP identifies the following specific competencies, or indicators, within these four domains
for educators, students, parents/guardians, and community partners to use for themselves and
for instructional purposes.

INVESTIGATE THE WORLD

• Pose questions to better understand issues and perspectives
• Identify and suspend assumptions and judgments
• Recognize the value of each person in a global community
• Explore the world with curiosity

RECOGNIZE PERSPECTIVES
• Keep an open mind
• Identify my personal perspectives and influences
• Examine the perspectives and influences of others
• Consider multiple perspectives and opinions
• Analyze cultural influences, connections, and contexts
• Empathize with others

COMMUNICATE IDEAS
• Actively listen to others
• Consider the audience and communicate appropriately
• Share ideas and context with diverse audiences
• Engage in civil discourse

TAKE ACTION
• Use evidence and values to guide plans
• Assess options and consider the potential impact of planned actions
• Apply creative thinking and solve problems
• Capitalize on available resources and partnerships
• Persist through challenges
• Act and reflect individually and collaboratively
• Act with respect for individual dignity, differences, and human rights
• Contribute to a better world

“Utilizing the global competence framework in my curricular planning and

instruction has helped me connect my discipline to the broader aims of
education, while simultaneously showcasing for students the connection
between what they learn in school and what matters in the world.”
— Kelly León, Sweetwater Union High School District
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Find more information about the Sustainable Development Goals and targets at the Sustainable
Development Goals Knowledge Platform (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org)

For more information about the California Global Education Project programs, resources, and
regional sites, go to www.CalGlobalEd.org.
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GLOBAL COMPETENCE
Indicators & Benchmarks for K-12 Students in California
These benchmarks were developed by the California Global Education Network
(CGEN) using the global competence indicators developed by the California Global
Education Project (CGEP). During the development process, revisions were made
based on feedback from stakeholders throughout California. These benchmarks are
intended to guide greater understanding of global competence among educators,
parents, community partners, and students, and support the implementation of
global education programs in K-12 classrooms, after-school programs, and informal
education settings. We recognize the value of these indicators and benchmarks as
tools to engage parents, guardians, and business/community partners in building
global citizenship together with educators. As the work of CGEN and the California
Subject Matter Projects (CSMP) continues, these indicators and benchmarks will be
used in communications, forums, professional learning, and resource development
for the benefit of K-12 global education in California. Stay connected to CGEN, CGEP,
California World Language Project, and other CSMPs for forthcoming information
and opportunities. Share with us your questions, comments, ideas, and suggestions
to promote global education in California schools.

Investigate the World DEVELOPING PROGRESSING PRACTICING

Pose questions to I formulate questions I formulate questions designed I formulate key questions
better understand connected to an issue, ask to explore issues from multiple that elicit insights on given
issues and questions without a specific points of view, identify potential issues, seek appropriate
perspectives audience in mind, and audiences and seek responses audiences to respond from
summarize responses. from some, and analyze different perspectives, and
responses for potential gaps, use responses to inform
patterns, and themes to better new avenues of inquiry to
understand the issue. better understand issues.

Identify and suspend I explore my own opinions I acknowledge and articulate my I recognize and set
assumptions and and bias about topics, own assumptions and judgments. aside my personal views
judgments issues, and people. when encountering new
information or experiences
in order to learn and
communicate objectively.

Recognize the value I recognize the contributions I value and seek the contributions I advocate for the inclusion
of each person in a from diverse individuals in a of different individuals in a of each person in a global
global community variety of settings. community. community.

Explore the world with I am interested in learning I actively acquire knowledge to I seek out and engage in
curiosity about the world within better understand my world. first-hand experiences to
and beyond my immediate learn about the world.
surroundings.
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Recognize Perspectives DEVELOPING PROGRESSING PRACTICING

Keep an open mind I recognize my own I value multiple opinions and I set aside my personal
thinking about a topic or experiences to consider the opinions and judgments in
issue and listen to ideas ideas of others to inform my own order to learn from others
other than my own. thinking. who may have different
ideas and experiences.

Identify my personal I am aware of my own I recognize how my beliefs I can articulate the
perspectives and beliefs and how they are shaped by cultural and influences on my
influences reflect my cultural environmental factors. perspectives.
background.

Examine the perspectives I recognize that others I consider different points of I objectively analyze others’
and influences of others may have different view representing a variety of points of view and value
points of view that are backgrounds and experiences. others’ experiences to
derived from different inform my understanding of
experiences. issues.

Consider multiple I recognize there is more I am able to identify multiple I seek out and explore
perspectives and than one perspective perspectives or opinions on an multiple perspectives or
opinions or opinion on any given issue. opinions to inform my
issue. understanding on an issue.

Analyze cultural I am aware of how I recognize that cultural patterns I regularly examine how
influences, connections, culture shapes may be a factor in establishing my cultural lenses may
and contexts relationships with others relationships and forming influence relationship
and my perceptions of perceptions. building and my analysis of
different situations. different situations.

Empathize with others I recognize that events I can engage with others to I recognize that events and
and issues have an explore their feelings about issues have an impact on
impact on others and an event or issue from within others and can engage with
that their feelings about the other person’s frame of them to better understand,
an issue or event may be reference. acknowledge, and articulate
different from my own. their feelings about an issue
or event.

“Teachers intuitively understand the importance of the four domains of

global competence, but can find it challenging to break them down into
student-specific actions. The indicators and benchmarks provide teachers a
road map for helping students develop competence.”
— Rod Septka, Mill Valley School District
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Communicate Ideas DEVELOPING PROGRESSING PRACTICING

Actively listen to others I focus my attention on I listen with an open mind. I I ask clarifying questions
and ask questions of the ask questions and can repeat and give reflective feedback
speaker. or paraphrase the speaker’s that summarizes speaker’s
message. message. When listening I
defer judgment and avoid
stereotyping.

Consider the audience I am aware that I am able to discern specific I can tailor my message to
and communicate audiences are inherently characteristics in an audience communicate effectively
appropriately diverse. without succumbing to with diverse audiences.
predispositions, bias, or
stereotypes.

Share ideas and context I transform ideas into I communicate ideas through I articulate ideas in a format
with diverse audiences words, symbols, sounds, varied formats to reach and manner appropriate for
and/or images to address different audiences, and provide each audience, and explain
different audiences. background information that how the ideas were formed,
helps explain those ideas. how they relate, and how
they can be used.

Engage in civil discourse I recognize the I practice civil discourse with I embrace civil discourse to
importance of respectful prompting and support. I can deepen the understanding
dialogue that presents formulate and present an of issues. I can defend
an argument to enhance evidence-based, reasoned and sustain a reasoned
the understanding of an argument and listen to the argument and refute with
issue. arguments of others. counterclaims respectfully.

Take Action DEVELOPING PROGRESSING PRACTICING

Use evidence and values I find and review I explore multiple pieces of I seek, analyze, and evaluate
to guide plans evidence before making a evidence and use these to form a range of evidence and
plan of action. My actions action plans. My actions are base my plans on these.
align with my values. informed by my values. My actions reflect both the
evidence and my values.

Assess options and I list some options and I consider potential outcomes of I base my plans and
consider the potential their potential outcomes each option and base my decision actions on an evaluation
impact of planned before making a decision. on what I think is the best of potential outcomes and
actions alternative. consequences.
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Take Action DEVELOPING PROGRESSING PRACTICING

Apply creative thinking I can break down a I engage in divergent thinking to I work with groups or
and solve problems problem and explain it explore multiple ways to solve independently to frame
to others. I am able to a problem and analyze possible problems as opportunities,
suggest ways to solve the effects when designing solutions. design solutions that engage
problem. divergent and convergent
thinking, and adapt ideas as
circumstances change.

Capitalize on available I realize the importance I assess and pursue different I am able to discriminate
resources and of exploring different resources and potential partners among different resources
partnerships resources and potential essential to achieving a specific and possible partners and
partners before taking goal or task. work with those most
action. appropriate to the task.

Persist through I am optimistic about I am confident that I can address I am courageous and use
challenges achieving my goals and problems that may arise while creative strategies to solve
recognize potential trying to achieve my goals. problems and achieve my
obstacles. goals.

Act and reflect I reflect on decisions I identify the outcomes of actions I seek and use feedback
individually and made or actions taken by taken and reflect on those to inform actions, and
collaboratively myself or in a group. individually or collectively. continuously apply multiple
strategies to engage in
reflection individually and
collectively.

Act with respect for I understand the need I regularly engage with others in I regularly seek
individual dignity, to be concerned about ways that demonstrate respect opportunities to interact
differences, and human others and consider how for diversity and the common with people with differing
rights I might take actions to good. views in order to learn,
make a difference. inform my actions, and
advocate for human rights.

Contribute to a better I desire to improve My actions are intended to My actions are intentional
world conditions for others and lead to positive changes for my and strategic and have the
consider the outcomes of community or the world. potential to result in greater
my actions. peace and justice for my
community and the world.

“Because I think it’s important to teach in themes, I ground my teaching all year in my favorite
Sustainable Development Goal (Partnership for the Goals) and my favorite Global Competence
Indicator (Explore the World with Curiosity) to make an essential question that informs my pedagogy
across all subjects. For example, Who can we work with to make the world more awesome and
achieve the rest of the Global Goals? Where and how does this person or animal live? How do we
work together? What will we explore along the way?”
— Kimi Waite, Compton Unified School District
 NOT E S :

CONTRIBUTORS:
Aileen Allison-Zarea (California Department of Education), Sarah Anderberg (CCSESA), Amanda Bush (Alvord Unified), Shane
Carter (ORIAS UC Berkeley), Stephanie Cook (Sacramento Unified), Connie DeCapite (CGEP@CSU Fullerton), Barbara Vallejo
Doten (CGEP@CSU Long Beach), Stephanie Duran (CGEP San Diego State), Justine Fischer (California PTA), Jose Flores (Brawley
Union), Stacey Greer (CHSSP UC Davis), Rolland Janairo (CGEP@World Savvy), Letty Kraus (California Department of Education),
Gary Kroesch (CGEP@San Diego State), Kelly Leon (Sweetwater Union), Sandra Line (CGEP@CSU Long Beach), Jessica Lura (Bullis
Charter), Janet Mann (California Department of Education), Ericka Marsh (San Diego Global Visions Academy), Michelle Mazzeo
(CGEP@Sonoma State), Emily Schell (CGEP San Diego State), Duarte Silva (CWLP Stanford), Heather Singmaster (Asia Society), Ken
Simon (World Savvy), Nicole Solig (Los Angeles Unified), Gina Vattuone (Sweetwater Union), Amy Vigil (San Diego Unified)