Global citizens and competences: Investigating the degree of self-improvement of teachers and students (full text in Greek)

Abstract

In contemporary academic literature, global citizenship remains a highly contested and controversial concept as it is approached from different perspectives by writers, thinkers and educational leaders. Despite divergent views, it has become the focus of study and debate over the last two decades because it is seen as having the potential to help future citizens become aware of complex global issues and to enable them to become active and informed citizens. The present survey was designed and conducted to examine the individual dimensions of global competence and to capture the knowledge and skills of global citizenship as identified by higher education students and professionals from various disciplines, especially educators. The qualitative methodology of structured interviews was followed and the research was conducted using convenience sampling in the region of Western Greece and the academic community of the University of Patras, while the interviews included, both students of higher education (active students of the University of Patras) and teachers of various levels and specialties, as well as private employees and other professionals, specifically professionals from the health sector, all of them graduates of the academic community of the University of Patras. 

The results of the survey show that the concept of global competence is considered important, while the global citizen acquires those characteristics that must distinguish the modern individual who moves in different environments and interacts with different people. In the sample of survey participants, two individuals appeared to be unfamiliar with the concepts of global competence and global citizen, however the responses gathered from the whole sample describe informed views on specific knowledge and competencies of global citizen and are consistent with results of similar research in this area at the global level.