An Exploratory Study on Applying Cooperative Learning in Global Citizenship Education (Journal of Education for International Understanding; Vol. 13, No. 1)

 The purpose of this study is to explore the validity of cooperative learning as an effective teaching and learning model of Global Citizenship Education(GCED) and to suggest lesson plan that can be used in an educational setting. With the inclusion of GCED as part of global education agenda through the UN SDG 4.7, its role and importance has been highlighted globally and many countries started to reflect GCED into their national curriculum. However, there is lack of practical research on the appropriate teaching and learning model of GCED that can be applied in primary and secondary school education. Therefore, this study, through theoretical review, analyzed and identified that cooperative learning is more appropriate in fostering global citizenship in comparison with other teaching and learning models because of its efficient learning structure which includes positive interdependence, individual accountability, group processing, promotive interaction, interpersonal and small group social skills as its essential elements. On the basis of this, jigsaw model, among various cooperative learning models, was applied and a lesson plan on GCED based on UNESCO World Heritage, an important repository of the history of humankind and nature, was developed and presented. The proposed lesson plan would strengthen learners’ ability to shape identities, understand others, raise sense of responsibility, link knowledge and action related to issues affecting interaction and connectedness of communities at local, national and global levels in an educational setting, and thus it will be useful in actualizing the learner-centered transformative objective of GCED.