Abstract:
This paper presents a review of the literature on teaching about children's rights through Global Citizenship Education (GCE). To explore the issues surrounding teaching about children’s rights through GCE, I examine how the discourses around GCE might have influenced the GCE curriculum and how these discourses are translated into schooling policies and classroom practices. A number of papers have been identified for detailed review. These papers were categorised as follows: children’s rights as defined in national and international discourses around GCE; factors influencing GCE curriculum and pedagogy; children’s rights through transformative pedagogy. The major concept emerge in the literature is that approaches to GCE varies, depending on the levels of engagement with power issues, critical thinking and how the concept of culpability is interpreted through GCE. It reveals as the profile of 21st century learners have changed, there is a need to shift conceptualisations of knowledge, learning and identities in education for contemporary 21st century societies. But, the difference in approaches to GCE exerts a significant influence on GCE curriculum (what is to be taught) and pedagogical strategies (how is to be taught). Bernstein's theory of pedagogic discourse, pedagogic rights, recontextualization and pedagogic practice is useful for thinking about the themes which have emerged from the literature. Bernsteinian concepts provide a valuable tool to understand how the power and control relations regulate the process of production, reproduction, transmission and acquisition of the knowledge about children’ rights through GCE.
As children learn to explore their own needs and needs of others through GCE, they learn to reflect on what and who help them to lead safe and comfortable lives. Children develop awareness of their rights and access to rights that children in other countries may have. My study is important as it examines how the knowledge of children rights are being produced and reproduced in primary schooling context. As children begin to develop an understanding of empathy and fairness from a very early age, a pedagogical approach that would encourage children to understand and articulate their thinking around issues of differences around the world is needed. This would provide a starting point for these young children to develop a more complex and critical global understanding, to take responsibility for their own decisions and actions as they progress in the context of further education.
As children learn to explore their own needs and needs of others through GCE, they learn to reflect on what and who help them to lead safe and comfortable lives. Children develop awareness of their rights and access to rights that children in other countries may have. My study is important as it examines how the knowledge of children rights are being produced and reproduced in primary schooling context. As children begin to develop an understanding of empathy and fairness from a very early age, a pedagogical approach that would encourage children to understand and articulate their thinking around issues of differences around the world is needed. This would provide a starting point for these young children to develop a more complex and critical global understanding, to take responsibility for their own decisions and actions as they progress in the context of further education.