Global Skills Projects

Global Skills Projects

Teacher
Project Pack
Investigating discrimination and promoting
inclusion

Year
9

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 Global Skills Projects

Dear Teacher,
Welcome to the Oxford International Curriculum for Global Skills Projects.

As you know, this is a project-based learning (PBL) curriculum. During weeks 1-12, students will
be working on a project to end discrimination and promote inclusion in their communities.
Students will tell the stories of members of their community or school who are discriminated
against, in order to promote inclusion for them. In this guide, we will give you information on
what PBL is, possible ways to guide students through this project, what GSP skills this project
allows students to work on, and how to assess student learning.

Project Goal: Investigate discrimination to increase inclusion

Contents
Section 1: An introduc
tion to
Global Skills Projects

Section 2: The project:

Investigating discrimin
ation
and promoting inclus
ion

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 Global Skills Projects

Section 1
An introduction to Global Skills Projects
Project-based learning
Project-based learning is a pedagogy where students are invited to solve a real-world problem.
They are given the time and support to approach this problem creatively and critically. Through
their explorations they learn valuable skills first hand – they learn by doing. These skills include
project management, self-discipline and motivation, teamwork, communication, and creativity
and critical thinking.

The complexity and scope of projects will vary according to the age and maturity of the
students. Younger students will be given projects that can be completed largely within the
classroom and will work closely with their teacher to complete these projects. Older students
will be given projects that encourage them to interact with their community, and their teacher
will serve as a facilitator and supporter, rather than as a project leader. All projects can be
adapted by students to fit their particular interests and abilities – they can choose a more local
or global focus; they can approach a project from a STEM, arts, or social side; and students can
vary the complexity of the goals they choose to pursue for each project.

It is important to give students ownership over their project. While teachers will provide relevant
background information and help students to access resources, students should ultimately
become the visionaries, leaders, and organizers of their projects, particularly in Lower Secondary.
Our goal is for students to decide how to approach a challenge, to choose what outcome they
wish to work towards, to learn to navigate group tensions and challenges, and to feel that their
voice is heard and valued as they propose, and work towards, ways to make our world better.
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 Global Skills Projects

How projects work

Each term, students will conduct one
project. This project will be phrased as a
challenge, such as:
• Create a class cookbook
• Help a community access water
• Help elderly people stay connected
• Improve urban planning

In Years 1–3, students will be guided

through the projects by their teachers,
who will receive a weekly suggested
lesson plan. Through these three years, students will be gently guided towards independent
project work. Along with the projects, students will be taught the skills and values to flourish as
leaders and team members in project work.

In Years 4–9, students will receive a project pack

which will give them guidance and inspiration
for their project. Some projects will begin to
introduce the Sustainable Development Goals,
and their relevance at both a global and local level.
These packs will become more open ended as
students mature, giving more space for students
to adapt challenges to their interests. Teachers
will also receive this Teacher Project Pack which
highlights possible project-teaching paths and
provides exercises to help students develop
particular skills in each project.

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 Global Skills Projects

Assessment philosophy
The goal of project-based learning is to create a culture of exploration and enquiry. Students
are encouraged to think about problems from multiple perspectives. They are coached to
find and use relevant and valid information, they are taught to communicate effectively, and
are challenged to develop their ethical and critical reasoning. Projects are spaces to explore
a problem and possible solutions. They are opportunities to try out new ideas and ways of
working and to accept that these might not work. Project-based learning welcomes reflection,
engagement, critique and revision. Projects are not judged on their outcome, but on the learning
that takes place through them. Each Teacher Project Pack will have a rubric of the skills we want
students to work on during a project – and which we coach/teach them about during lessons
or micro-lessons. The packs will also provide teachers with help on how to provide formative
assessment for students.

The IDEAS to Action Framework

Each project will follow a similar development path – problem assessment, research, developing
possible solutions, testing solutions, receiving feedback, presenting findings, and reflection.
Within this development path we have built in exercises to help students develop a number of
global skills they will need for professional and academic success. These skills will be taught
during lessons set aside from project work for that purpose, or coached during ‘micro’ 10-minute
lessons designed to help inspire students as they work on their projects.

It is key for students to take ownership of the project and lead its development. Teachers should
use the IDEAS to Action Framework as a tool to encourage students to:

• establish a clear goal

• ensure all team members participate in setting and pursuing the team’s goal
• encourage students to think creatively and try new approaches
• teach students to actively and positively engage with the ideas of their peers to create an
atmosphere of positive creativity.

The IDEAS to Action Framework is a tool that helps students to work through the project
process. Inspired by design thinking principles, it breaks projects into five stages, each with a
particular goal, followed by a global call to action. The stages are explained on the next page.

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 Global Skills Projects

Investigate: Introduce and learn about a problem

Students are introduced to a real-life problem. They are given prompts and
resources to investigate the problem, trying to understand its causes and
consequences, and come up with their own focus for their project.

Goal: To understand the problem, its causes and its effects, to choose a specific
question to research/an area to act upon.

Define: Develop solutions

Students develop a solution to the problem. As problems are complex and
multifaceted, this solution will address a very specific area of the problem,
undertaking further research and developing understanding.

Goal: To design a solution to the problem and develop this solution into reality.

Explore: Experiment and test solutions

Solutions need to be tested. Students will learn to evaluate, test, and improve their
proposals. Testing might include building prototypes, conducting focus groups, or
peer reviews.

Goal: To develop ways of testing, modifying, and evaluating solutions and projects.

Act: Apply, engage, and implement your solution

Students will apply their solution to the problem. The shape this takes will vary by
project, depending on the specific solutions students have chosen to apply.

Goal: To make a project a reality, overcoming challenges and helping students

realize their potential to change their world.

Share: Reflect, communicate, and consider learnings

After completing their project, students will share their findings, further working on
their communication skills. They will also be led to reflect on their work, equipping
them to evaluate and consolidate their learning.

Goal: To develop students’ metacognition. To help students reflect on and verbalize

their learning.

Go further! Take action for global change

Students are encouraged to extend their learning and take action in their wider
community and beyond, transferring the skills they have learned.

Goal: To enable students to develop global competence and make meaningful

real-world connections.
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 GO FURTHER!
TAKE ACTION
FOR GLOBAL
CHANGE

S
SHARE

A
ACT

E
EXPLORE

D
DEFINE

I
INVESTIGATE
 Global Skills Projects

Creating the Global Skills Projects classroom

The project pack has been designed to accompany the lesson plans provided. The material
is meant to inspire students, not to provide a prescription for action. Student creativity and
ownership of the learning process is more important than completing the project pack.

Engaging in project-based learning can be an exciting experience for students. It can, however,
also be intimidating and overwhelming. How students experience project-based learning will be
strongly influenced by the classroom environment and how carefully project work is introduced
to students. To help your students succeed, consider the following suggestions:

Project work requires trust

To try out new ideas and skills, students need to feel safe to get things wrong. We can help make
classrooms safe environments by putting in place some basic rules, such as:
• All ideas will be heard respectfully and attentively
• We will ensure all our classmates are involved in decision-making
• In projects, we succeed as a group, not as individuals
• In project work, students are assessed by their effort and process rather than their outcomes

Project work requires team work

To work as a team, we need to know our teammates and trust them. Thus, it is wise to give
teams some time to socialize and learn about each other. An ice-breaker can help students start
speaking to peers they had not engaged with before. The teacher could suggest, for example,
that each team member draws part of an animal – the team then has to unite these parts to
create a team mascot, which they must name.

Project work requires many skills

It is tempting for the loudest students to dominate project work. It is therefore important to
help students learn to listen to quieter peers, and to allow these peers to shine in their own way.
Teachers could facilitate this, for example, by prompting students at times to write down their
ideas and take their discussion ‘to the paper’.

Project work requires working with new people

While students might prefer to work with well-known friends, they might benefit from learning to
work with others. To avoid peer pressure in team selection, it might be wise for teachers to select
teams, particularly in initial projects. Each team could be formulated to ensure that students with
different skills, such as presentation or research, are present in every group.

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 Global Skills Projects

Section 2
The project: Investigating discrimination
and promoting inclusion
Project overview
The goal of this project is for students to research and learn about discrimination, and use their
research to help stop discrimination - whether in their school, their local community, or in more
distant communities. We hope students will become aware of how discrimination impacts
individuals and communities, causing mental distress, and economic inefficiencies. We want
students to understand that, while discrimination can be local, it is also a national and global
problem, with many dimensions.

This project is distinct from others in GPS as it has a particular emphasis on primary research.
The term has been organized to give students time to conduct research, and to use that research
into a project that addresses the injustices of discrimination. The focus of the research, the way
it is used to build a project against discrimination, and how the project is shared, is up to the
students. The Project Pack and lesson plans provide many suggestions for possible research
projects but it is up to the students to choose a specific problem that is relevant and inspiring to
them. Some ideas include:

Possible research topic Possible research method and how to

Understanding how girls feel about being
discriminated against on the basis of gender.
Learning from migrant janitors about their
experiences and poor treatment from
students, while at work.
Understanding how black students feel
following recent protests against racism.
present the project
Conducting focus groups with girls. Their
stories can be shared through a video on
YouTube.
Interview janitors one-to-one. Display their
quotes about showing kindness around
the school.
Online survey. Statistics can be presented to
the school counselling team and school board.

Finding out about the experiences of Observation. Story in school newspaper.

hearing-impaired students at school.
Learning about the experiences of students Observation or photovoice. Students give a
with disabilities in navigating the photovoice presentation to school board.
school grounds.

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 Global Skills Projects

Project skills
The project provides students with opportunities to develop various skills.

Creativity and critical thinking:

• Students will begin to understand the interaction between local, national, and global
problems.
• Students will think creatively about how to research discrimination and exclusion. They will
find creative ways to share their findings with an audience.

Real-world skills:
• Students will learn how to use diverse and sophisticated research tools, including surveys,
questionnaires, and interviews.
• Students will be encouraged to find research methods that are appropriate for their research
topic, conduct a pilot project, and communicate their findings effectively.

Communication and collaboration:

• Students will select appropriate ways of sharing their research findings.
• Students will explore different kinds of media and choose the most appropriate for getting
their message across.

Self-development skills:
• Through a pilot study, students will learn to turn negatives into learning experiences.
• Students will consider their role as global citizens and how their actions can help end
discrimination.

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 Global Skills Projects

Suggested teaching path

The following is our suggested teaching path for this project. Teachers can adapt this to the needs
of their students, giving more/less time to different stages as needed. It is advised that teachers
familiarize themselves with the entire Project Pack and all the lessons before starting.
Week 1: Introduction to GSP and learning about discrimination (9.1a)
This lesson starts with an activity on discrimination to help students empathise with those who
are discriminated against, and to start thinking about different types of discrimination, why
discrimination happens and what discrimination students are aware of. The structure of the GSP
project is briefly explained, emphasising that students will be conducting primary research as part
of the project.
Student project pack: Understanding discrimination, p.6

Week 2: Understanding discrimination (9.1a, 9.1b, 9.4c)

In this lesson, students will learn about unconscious bias and analyze some videos to understand
how it works. This lesson creates space for students to thinking further about the causes and
effects of discrimination. Students will start thinking about what they want their project to focus
on.
Student project pack: Understanding discrimination, p.6

Week 3: Conducting responsible research for a relevant project (9.1b, 9.2c)

In this lesson, students will review the importance of research, review research methods, and
start designing their research tools, which includes: choosing their project focus, choosing their
research audience, choosing their research methods, and writing research questions.
Student project pack: Research methods, p.7-8

Week 4: Conducting a pilot study (9.2c)

This lesson begins with an activity to highlight differences between the way individuals define
themselves and how society defines them. It will help students to think more deeply about where
prejudice comes from.
In this lesson, students will learn about pilot studies, and test their research methods through a
pilot. Teams will advance in this and the following lesson differently depending on their type of
research, their pilot, and their access to their research population. Class time use can be modified
to suit students’ needs: giving them more time to create their research tools, to plan and undertake
their pilot, and to improve their research methods based on their pilot, as needed. Throughout
these processes, students will need to work as teams, sharing tasks and negotiating changes.
Student project pack: Pilot study, pp.10-12; Working as a team, p.13; Improve your method, p.14

Week 5: Finding ways to improve (9.1a, 9.4a)

Students will reflect on how they handle challenges through a graffiti wall of reflection. This lesson
can be used for research by teams if needed. An alternative activity: discussing policy options is also
provided.
Student project pack: Improve your method, p.14-16
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 Global Skills Projects

Week 6: Analysing research results (9.2c)

In this lesson, students will work in teams to interpret their research results. Students might start
to work on building their projects using their findings.
Student project pack: Analysing research results, p.17

Week 7: Turning research into action (9.1c)

This lesson gives student space to work on their project. Students will be deciding how to
incorporate their research findings into a powerful project to fight discrimination and promote
inclusion. Some students will already be creating their projects. There is flexibility for teams to
work on development or implementation depending on their focus. To help inspire students,
the Project Pack provides the example of #MyHairWontBeSilenced as an example of a campaign
against discrimination that uses research data.
Student project pack: Using your research to create a powerful project

Weeks 8 and 9: From project to action

These lessons are earmarked for students to spend time building their project. There is flexibility
in this part of the term, as some students might still be researching, while others can be
implementing more ambitious projects. The scope of the project will be partly defined by the
amount of time students have after they have collected and analysed their research data.
Student project pack: Working to end discrimination, p.19

Week 10: Preparing presentations and using research to make a difference (9.3a)
In teams, students will plan how they can present their work, so it has an impact on reducing
discrimination. For the rest of the lesson, students can prepare to present their work to an
audience of their peers and invited community members.
Student project pack: Project presentation, p.20; Project board, p.21

Week 11: Sharing the project (9.2c, 9.3c, 9.4a)

In this lesson, teams will share their research projects and findings with their classmates and/or
larger audience. Their presentations should focus on using their research to make a difference in
reducing discrimination and increasing inclusion. This is a chance for students to receive feed-
back from their peers and reflect on their own and others’ work.

Week 12: Reflecting and going further (9.1a, 9.4c)

Students will reflect on their project journey and consider how they can be part of a broader
global movement to end discrimination. They may learn about Black Lives Matter and UN
Resolutions to address discrimination.
Student project pack: Reflection notes, p.22; Going beyond the project, p.23

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Project assessment
While the outcome of the project will be self-evaluated by the students, it is the job of the
teacher to monitor students’ work to see which skills they are using well and which need further
coaching. Each lesson plan focuses on a particular skill, highlights the competency-based
assessment rubric, and gives advice on how to conduct formative assessment for that skill.
Skills that are particularly emphasized during this project are shown in the following table. This
table also includes the assessment criteria that teachers can use to give constructive feedback to
students during and after the project.

GOOD PROGRESS PROFICIENT EXCEEDING

9.1a Understand the Recognizes that Recognizes the Recommends
interaction between individual actions have importance of taking actions that could
local, national and significance action to limit address local,
global problems beyond their detrimental impact at national and global
immediate context. the local, national and problems.
Understands how global level.
national and global
concerns may affect
them, their family, or
environment.
9.1b Find a Selects a creative way Identifies a creative Considers a range of
creative way to look at to consider a problem way of looking at a ways in which a
a problem from a range of ideas problem problem can be
presented to them. viewed, selecting
the most appropriate.
9.4a Develop ways to Understands that Considers a series of Develops sound
manage failure failure is an steps they could take coping mechanisms
important part of if things do not go as for when they find
learning. planned first time. things difficult, which
they apply to their
learning.
9.2c Understand Understands that Good knowledge Can identify an
different research problems can be of different research appropriate
methods understood in methods for research method for
different ways investigating issues. certain topics.
depending on which
research method is
used.

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 Global Skills Projects

GOOD PROGRESS PROFICIENT EXCEEDING

9.3a Share Can present Conveys their Uses appropriate
messages in a information in a message in a range of media in a
plethora of media few different ways. different ways, sophisticated way to
choosing media that convey information
suits their message. successfully.
9.3b Understand Shows some aspects Demonstrates Actively displays good
how to of leadership when awareness of what leadership skills and
demonstrate good working with good leadership is, encourages them in
leadership others. purposefully using others.
these skills when work-
ing with others.
9.4c Discuss local Able to recognize how Has a keen Can explain the
and global issues that global issues affect awareness of how complex way that
affect personal themselves, in discus- global issues affect global issues
motivation sion with themselves and affect individuals in
others. others in different con- diverse contexts.
texts.

Guide for overall project feedback:

GOOD PROGRESS
Student has sought to address
the challenge and
presented a possible
solution. Their solution takes
account of information
gathered through research and
interview of experts.
Project includes a social media
campaign with a clear focus
and strategy.
PROFICIENT
Student has engaged with the
challenge creatively. Student
has worked respectfully with
others to agree and
implement a solution.
Students took account of
research and discussion with
experts. Their social media
campaign is thoughtful and
well-suited to its purpose.
Student reflected on their work
and its challenges.
EXCEEDING
Student engaged creatively
with the challenge and has
shown enthusiasm for their
project. They have worked
well as part of a team to find
a thoughtful solution. Student
based their ideas on research,
discussions with experts and
feedback from friends and
family. Student reflected on
their work and its challenges,
showing insights about how to
improve in the future.

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