MULTIMEDIA REVIEWS

(provided by the editorial staff of EMME unless indicated otherwise)

Films and Videos

Black, Stephanie (Director). (2003). Life and Debt. 86 minutes, color. Distributed by New Yorker Video.  

This thought-provoking film compels viewers to examine a dark side of globalization from the perspective of a developing country, Jamaica.  By intentionally contrasting the natural beauty and abundance that international visitors experience in the island's tourist resorts, with the poverty and grief, that local laborers and farmers face due to lost jobs and diminished agricultural production, the film maker attempts to wake up the world to the reality of polarity between rich and poor nations.  Jamaica entered the world economy as an independent nation from Great Britain in 1962 with a weak infrastructure supporting the new national development and heavy dependence upon the trading practices of exporting raw materials and importing consumer goods,  a legacy of colonialism. To build up the nation's economy, loans from international lending agencies, such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, were sought out and granted with strictly prescribed rules and regulations for economic development.  The film maker argues that these loans and culturally disempowering rules and regulations have contributed to the growing national debts and "devastating consequences of globalization," which delay the economic independence of Jamaica.  Some viewers may feel that this presentation of Jamaican issues is skewed; however, if they listen to the local voices and attempt to understand their perspectives, this film may transform their views of  international debts and debt-pardoning proposals such as Jubilee 2000.  Provided that the world is largely made up of underdeveloped and developing countries, people, particularly from rich developed countries, cannot afford ignoring global injustice issues.  This film is strongly recommended for those who like to be more informed of globalization as well as those who actually set policies and implement those at the global level. When viewed and listened carefully with compassionate hearts, the film may have a far-reaching, positive effect on the future economic development of underdeveloped and developing nations.

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Life, Regge (Director/Producer). (1999). After America...After Japan. 60 minutes, color. Distributed by Global Film Network.   

This documentary is one of Life's fine film "trilogy" focusing on the cultural and people exchange between the United States and Japan.  Like his previous films, Struggle and Success the African American Experience in Japan and DOUBLES: Japan and America's Intercultural Children, this work fully explores a biographical situation, bringing people's stories to the foreground.  This film juxtaposes  two cases of international couples who embrace Japan and America.  In one case, an American husband and a Japanese wife "return" together to his parents in the United States after having lived in Japan for many years; in the other case, a Japanese husband takes his American wife to his hometown in Japan for a visit after having settled in the United States.  "Shadowing" these couples, the film maker is able to reveal struggles that each couple undergo in the process of acculturation (learning a new culture) and re-enculturation (re-learning one's own culture).  The portrayal of bicultural adjustment for returning expatriates and foreign spouses is realistic, informative, and insightful.  In the increasingly globalizing world, international migration often goes hand in hand with intermixing of people and cultures.  The film accurately depicts the impact of the cultural blending at a personal level. It provides excellent personal narratives useful for the study of globalization, global migration, and intercultural education.

Websites
 

The American Forum for Global Education
http://www.globaled.org/
This website "promotes the education of American youth for responsible citizenship in an increasingly interconnected and rapidly changing world."  Created by the American Forum for Global Education, the site not only introduces the organization, but also provides useful information for both teachers and students.  It provides programs, resources, links, and information dealing with global issues and awareness building.   It also details student exchange programs to countries  like China and Vietnam.  Books and teaching materials are suggested to help teachers modify an existing curriculum into a globally oriented curriculum.  Another useful features of the site is the publications section that contains full-text articles focusing on global awareness and the impact of globalization.  Particularly those who are interested in educational programs and policies of the United States and the world may find this website very helpful.  

Classroom Conferencing
http://www.globalschoolnet.org/
This interesting and interactive website was created by the Global School Net Foundation. The Global School Network is one of the leaders in the field of online education.  This site includes internet-aided programs and resources that teachers can use to enhance their classroom teaching.   Utilizing video-conferencing capabilities, teachers can conduct classroom "meeting[s]...over the internet in which the participants can see and hear each other, even though the attendees may be in different places. Students can use live conferencing to share research results, interact with experts and practice speaking different languages."  The site includes a directory of schools that utilize video conferencing and gives details about how to start a program like this in any school.  A list of useful resources is provided to assist students with becoming globally connected through internet and video conferencing.  Various programs, ranging from educational games to online assignments, are also introduced.  For example,  "Cyberfair" allows youth to post their research results on the web.  In another program, students can post their articles about current national and global issues;  for younger students, the "Letters to Santa" provides virtual space for their letters to Santa Claus to be posted and read by readers around the world. 

Global Education Resources
http://www.reeusda.gov/serd/ip/ge_resources.htmThe United States Department of Agriculture has provided this extensive site that lists websites, organizations, and resources concerning global issues and policies.  Organizations described and linked from this site include the following:  Foreign Policy Association, InterAction, National Peace Corps Association, National Security Education Program, Partners of America, Peace Corps, Sister Cities International and The U. S. Agency for International Development. With the assumption that international cooperation and development have mutual benefits, the site also provides links to international exchange programs such as Farmer to Farmer and other volunteer opportunities.  Users may also find information on world hunger and policies to alleviate it helpful.

Global Pen Pals
www.kidlink.orgThis website is created with the intent of helping children to build global knowledge and relationship through letter writing to their peers from other countries.  According to the developers of the organization, "Kidlink  is based on the idea that getting kids around the world to talk to each other will allow them a direct experience with friends having the common experience of childhood but often in very different circumstances."  Users may learn about world issues through activities and chatting.  The list of participants and their countries may help them to see their global connectivity in a tangible way.  The site is teacher-friendly: it provides curriculum aids, educational resources, instructional tools, and project ideas. One interesting feature of this site is that the site poses questions and posts answers of students from 159 participating countries. By reading the answers users will be able to see commonality and difference in their perspectives.  The site does not tolerate the use of foul and inappropriate language.  Therefore, kids can participate in beneficial games and activities in this safe virtual space. 

Multicultural Supersite
http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/education/multi/McGraw Hill provides this site on multicultural and global education, which involves topics such as definitions of multicultural education, multicultural curriculum transformation, multicultural practices, intercultural activities, multicultural library, and multicultural links.  Each subject heading leads users to various articles and information written by Paul Gorski, the designer of the site and the founder and author of another resourceful website, Multicultural Pavilion.  Dr  Gorski gives practical and theoretical perspectives to educators in his articles about multicultural education.  Although not narrowly focusing on globalization and global education, the site provides an in-depth coverage of multicultural education closely linked to global and cross-cultural education.

United Nations Education, Science, Cultural Organization
http://portal.unesco.org/education/ev.php?URL_ID=15200&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201
The United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) provides an instructive section on global education from its homepage.  The goal of this site is to create education for all by the year 2015 through the collaboration of parents, educators, students, organizations, and governments.  It allows the user to read about current issues and concerns plaguing the education of the world.  It also provides readings dealing with educational topics such as early childhood, primary, secondary, higher, technical and vocational, science and technology, inclusive, non-formal, cultural and linguistic diversity, education in emergency situations, physical, peace and human rights, and non-violent education around the world.  UNESCO believes that every person has a right to education and this informative website gives links to programs and policies that promote and encourage that belief.  It provides teachers with information about how to create a positive learning environment for all students.  It also stresses the importance of advocating for equitable education and the role of collaboration in that effort.  It advises other organizations and institutes that partner with UNESCO's mission and explains the initiatives and programs that UNESCO has undertaken in achieving its mission.  An informative newsletter about education across the globe is also a feature of this site.  It also supplies links to education networks across the globe. UNESCO's site on education covers many, if not all, aspects of global education and may be used as an effective tool in empowering teachers and students in their educational endeavors.