A. The projects we have been presented with this year are very different than I have experienced in the past. Instead of being given direct instructions and a specific idea about what the outcome will be, this year’s projects have been more open, and slightly vague. My regional group, Sub-Saharan Africa, struggled in the beginning to understand the expectations of the project. Though we were confused, I realize looking back that the openness of the instructions allowed us to create our own product, rather than filling out criteria in order to get an A. The process of this project began and ended rather quickly, in the span of a little over one week. We started with individual research for our country portfolio and essay. As we continued to do research, we then had to combine all the information into a PowerPoint Presentation. I assumed some responsibility of organizing the slideshow and answering any questions from my fellow group members. My role, I feel, was one of a leader. In addition to working on my own portion of the presentation, I helped clarify what other group members should be doing and hopefully gave enough support so that no one was left confused and in the dust. There were a lot of questions about specific facts and articles, and whether or not they fit the subject the group member was researching. A couple group members and I swapped essays, in order to edit them. The essays were linked to the final presentation, as the information in both was essentially the same, so receiving advice on the structure and content of my essay helped my part of the presentation develop depth and become more organized. The final product was very successful. Our presentation went smoothly, looked clean and professional, and gave insight pertaining to globalization. The presentation itself could have been more organized, as the slides do not follow any pattern of topic or corporation vs NGO. Making a purposeful order of the slides could have made the presentation flow and be easier to follow. Since the beginning of the work for the final presentation, I stressed that the points on the actual slides should be short, four or five words maximum. Most of our presentation followed this advice, but there were a few slides that had too much text, and were not easy to read when also trying to listen to a presenter.

Though we could have used one or two more days to adjust minor details in out presentation, I felt confident posting the final product to edublogs. We have been working on our edublog regional site all year, and this final project was the perfect way to bring it to a close. The entire year, my group has posted current event articles and other information about our region. The final project connected our region to overarching questions about globalization that we have been learning about all year.

This is the final product of our hard work.

B. The third essential question of the project asks, “How to we deal with globalization?” This phenomenon, connecting the entire world through technology and sharing of ideas, is constantly spreading and cannot be stopped. Cultures are mixing, becoming more modern and open minded. Panna, in “A Wife’s Story,” experiences this when she moves from India to America in order to get a degree. She does not realize how much this globally connected country has changed her until her husband comes to visit. Her husband is shocked by the amount of products and shopping that are available. Panna realizes she takes advantage of America’s connection to so many countries, and the availability of exotic and high quality products. When her husband says he has come to take her home, the author reveals that she does not want to leave the free, less conservative country.

The most important way that global citizens can deal with globalization is by appreciating it. Connections and information coming from all over the world allow us access to products and ideas that would not be available otherwise. It also makes us more open-minded. Panna clearly changes after living in America for so long. She is tempted by the chaotic city to dance on the street; she is not uncomfortable talking to friendly strangers, something her husband would protest; she is finally able to get a degree, which she would never be able to use, or even receive, if she had stayed in India. People such as Panna benefit from a globalized world, as it offers opportunities to break out of an isolated shell. Globalization is catching up to everyone, and cannot be avoided. Taking advantage of it can give a person a freer, more open view of the world.

 

C. Watching the other presentations, it is clear that though we all struggled with confusion in the beginning, every group was able to create a final product worth admiring. I paid close attention to the students representing the environment from a corporate standpoint. Originally, I was planning on presenting the effects of diamond mining, and then explaining how they potentially could be solved. After watching the two groups that went the day before mine, I realized I needed more specific examples and articles to support my corporation. The other students did an outstanding job of creating arguments for the corporation while examining the effects on the environment. The depth the students had gone into for research impressed me. One group in particular impressed me because they admitted to a water scandal their company had experienced. Instead of only looking at the actions the company has taken to benefit the environment, the student also acknowledged mistakes their company had made and how they were going to fix them. This approach was very brave and effective. It thoroughly convinced me that the company was striving to better itself. In order to do the same for my company, I did extra research on specific projects De Beers was participating in. Watching other presentations benefited the outcome of my own final presentation. I recognized the similarities in our information, especially the fact that many companies are focusing on protecting and preserving water, but also my room for improvement.

This is the presentation from which I was very impressed by the students covering the topics of environment and water.

D. Throughout this year, the Global Program students have been asked to analyze current events, make connections between English and History and think critically about the world as a globalized unit. This project asked us exactly that. We were required to research the current and past actions of a company and observe the effects while considering three questions about globalization. Being a Global citizen requires being open-minded and thinking critically. The project allowed us to visualize our own final product, with the essay and the presentation, which directly addressed our open-mindedness. We had to accept our frustration with not having an exact rubric. For thinking critically, we had to keep in mind the questions about globalization. I know many students struggled to make a connection between their topic and globalization. However, listening to and answering the three questions at the end of every presentation showed that everyone had come to an understanding. Larger companies are directly impacted by globalization in many ways. I feel this summed up our work from the first year of the Global Program. Coming in, we were expected to make connections we wouldn’t have even considered making before. I personally have done this throughout the year, and the final project allowed me to use my new researching and analyzing skills to their full potential.

The Global Program this year made me more aware of what a small world we live in. Everyone is connected and ideas can impact one another so easily. I have become more passionate about following current events in countries, like Rwanda, that I barely even acknowledged their existence before this year. I truly feel like I have benefited from having a different curriculum than the normal English and History classes I would have taken. The combination, rather than separation, of the two subjects made available to me topics and ideas that brought about a better understanding of the world. Based on my experience this year and the things I have discovered, I look forward to the next two years of the Global Program.