UNC World View bridges global education, local educators
December 10, 2024UNC Global Affairs
UNC World View uses symposia, workshops, presentations and structured leadership programs to equip K-12 and community
college educators across North Carolina with global knowledge and resources. Photo by UNC World View.
More than 300,000 North Carolina jobs exist because of foreign direct investment in the state. Disruptive technologies like generative artificial intelligence are altering economies. For 26 years, UNC World View staff — educators and experts themselves — have linked educators throughout the state with knowledge and resources from UNC-Chapel Hill, the state’s flagship university, and elsewhere. Their purpose is to equip North Carolina educators to prepare students to thrive in the state’s globally competitive and connected workforce.
“UNC World View is unique,” said Charlé LaMonica, director of UNC World View, which is part of UNC Global Affairs. “We build partnerships and relationships with educators and follow up throughout the year with annual symposia, workshops, presentations and structured leadership programs.”
Opening Classrooms to the World
On Oct. 10, UNC World View hosted the 2024 K-12 Global Education Symposium, with 156 participants from across the state. The attendees represented 45 different schools, including a few in the western part of the state, two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated much of the region.
“In many ways, teachers are the bridge between students’ realities and their dreams,” Vice Provost for Global Affairs and Chief Global Officer Barbara Stephenson said. “I admire and am inspired by the commitment and enthusiasm from North Carolina educators and UNC World View to enrich students’ lives through high-impact, innovative learning that prepares the next generation for North Carolina’s future.”
The symposium’s theme was “Opening Classrooms to the World,” setting a foundation for interdisciplinary global learning in North Carolina schools. Educators explored innovative teaching strategies, shared best practices and discussed curriculum development that prioritized global awareness. This year’s symposium underscored the importance of integrating global issues into classroom discussions in all disciplines and in all grade levels.
“I believe that it is important for teachers to have a worldview,” one attendee wrote in an anonymous post-event survey. “More of us, from across the state, should attend these programs and grow our own knowledge to benefit our students.”
LaMonica and Stephenson provided welcome remarks at the symposium, followed by several presentations, panels and interactive sessions. Keynote speakers included Director of Carolina Demography Nathan Dollar, who examined demographic trends in the state; United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Mary Maker, who shared her life story as a refugee and advocate; Director of Digital Promise Global Heather Singmaster, who discussed the value of learning about global issues in the classroom; and U.S. Department of State Sports Envoy Stephen Howard, who discussed the importance of bridging cultural divides in society. The presenters’ insights, strategies, and resources inspired and equipped educators to implement actionable strategies in their own classrooms.
“Global learning is crucial for our future,” another attendee wrote. “It is a gateway to better understanding our global society. We can only benefit from this type of education.”
Thriving Globally: What’s Next for Community College Students
On Nov. 1, UNC World View hosted the 2024 Community College Symposium, which brought together educators and administrators across disciplines and institutions. Eighty-five educators from 24 different community colleges attended this year’s event. The theme was “Thriving Globally: What’s Next for Community College Students,” focusing on the transition of community college graduates to the workforce.
LaMonica and Jeff Cox, president of the North Carolina Community College System, delivered opening remarks. Throughout the morning, several Carolina faculty, staff and administrators shared valuable resources and insights across academic disciplines and departments, including the UNC College of Arts and Sciences, the UNC School of Nursing, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, the UNC School of Government and UNC World View, as well as Stephanie Hutchison, the diplomat in residence for the mid-Atlantic region, based at Carolina.
Stephenson gave a presentation on America’s place in the world, focusing on consequential topics like the impact of globalization, the strength of the American economy and the critical role of America’s great research universities. Tori Smith Ekstrand, professor in UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, and recipient of a 2023 Faculty Award for Global Excellence, shared insights from her research on the impact of generative artificial intelligence in the U.S. and Europe.
Throughout the afternoon, educators and experts from Wake Tech Community College, Pitt Community College, Central Piedmont Community College, Nash Community College, Guilford Technical Community College, Forsyth Technical Community College and several globally minded organizations presented on various topics.
“The major takeaway [from the symposium] is that UNC World View is engaging and important to the world, in general, and to the state of NC, in particular,” another attendee wrote.