Journal of Education & Social Policy

Global Citizenship in a Time of Standards-Based Assessment: US K-12 Teachers’ Perspectives
Dr. Dana Burnside, Dr. Blake Lamberti Mackesy

Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore, through three research questions, US K-12 teachers’ perceptions of global citizenship in a time of standards-based assessment, through the lens of Open Systems Theory. The study sought to capture teacher definitions and understandings of global citizenship from teacher interviews. The societal changes of the 21st Century have brought the importance of global competence and citizenship to the fore of discussions about contemporary education. Yet education policy continues to perpetuate standards-based accountability measures and high-stakes standardized testing for only a few subjects, which has resulted in the unintended consequence of de-emphasizing other subjects vital to preparing our youth for success in an increasingly global and rapidly changing world. Educators and policymakers need to rethink and redefine the future to include global competence and citizenship.

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