Developing Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Global Competence

Abstract

Today it is imperative that preservice teachers become globally competent specialists to effectively work in diverse classrooms and school environments. The author briefly focuses on the contemporary globalization, characterizes the essence of global education, concentrates on some issues of developing future elementary teachers’ global competence, and discusses the results of an empirical investigation that was aimed at substantiating the level of candidate teachers’ global competence. The findings indicate that integrating meaningful global knowledge base in the preservice teacher education curriculum makes a profound influence on their professional and personal growth. They come to understand that globally competent educators should indeed have a solid global knowledge base, possess a tolerant attitude to human diversity, and realize themselves as participants in solving vital global problems.