Global Impact Diploma
ISS EDUlearn: Ask Me Anything - A podcast by Mike Pierre, Dr. Dana Specker Watts, Katlyn Darling, & Celiah Bunsie

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Highlights 🌍 Global Citizenship Focus: The GID aims to empower students to become active global citizens, emphasizing the importance of social impact. 🏫 Collaborative Origins: The program emerged from a collective desire among international schools to innovate and connect, breaking out of isolation. 🚀 Innovative Learning Structures: The GID encourages interdisciplinary learning experiences that are meaningful and engaging for students. 🎓 Founding Schools: A commitment from founding schools was essential for the program’s development, highlighting the need for dedicated and passionate educators. 💡 Flexibility and Adaptability: The diploma’s modular structure allows schools to tailor the program to their unique contexts and student needs. 🌈 Inclusive Approach: The GID is open to any school willing to invest in its development, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. 🤝 Future Partnerships: Discussions are underway to establish partnerships with organizations like the International Baccalaureate (IB), expanding the diploma’s reach.Key Insights 🌟 Inspiration from Collaboration: The GID began with a few schools sharing ideas, which quickly evolved into a large network of over 90 schools. This highlights the power of collaboration in creating meaningful educational experiences. The founding members recognized that the isolation many educators felt could be alleviated through partnership and shared commitment. 📚 Challenges of Consensus: As the initiative grew, maintaining a cohesive vision became challenging. The diverse voices represented in the project necessitated clear decision-making processes, ensuring that all schools involved had a stake in the program’s success. The need for commitment from founding schools helped streamline decision-making and focus efforts. 🎉 Engagement and Impact: The program is designed to foster student engagement through real-world impact projects. Students are encouraged to connect their learning to authentic audiences, making their education relevant and meaningful. This approach counters traditional education’s focus on grades and standardized tests. 🌐 Contextual Learning: The GID prioritizes local engagement while recognizing global interconnectedness. Students are encouraged to engage with their communities, fostering a sense of agency and responsibility in addressing local and global challenges. 🔄 Iterative Learning: The GID promotes a learning philosophy that values iteration and adaptability. Students are taught that learning is a process, allowing for exploration and refinement of ideas rather than a fixed endpoint. 🌱 Future of Education: The program reflects a shift towards a more networked approach to education, where collaboration among schools fosters innovation. The emphasis on global citizenship and community engagement positions the GID as a leading model for the future of educational frameworks. 💬 Ongoing Engagement: The GID team emphasizes the importance of continued dialogue and feedback among participants. This commitment to adaptability and responsiveness ensures that the program evolves to meet the changing needs of students and educators.The Global Impact Diploma represents a significant step forward in international education, addressing the need for innovative and impactful learning experiences. By fostering collaboration, adaptability, and a focus on global citizenship, the GID has the potential to reshape the educational landscape for future generations of students.