In action : future educators in a New South Wales project

ABSTRACTIt is widely acknowledged that there is a need to develop and increase student teachers' sense of responsibility towards developing social justice and environmental concerns (Mandolini, 2007; Jamsa, 2006; Bulajeva, Duobliene & Targamadze, 2004). The expression of such responsibility is ideally achieved in teaching practice through experience (Salita & Pipere, 2006, cited in Mandolini, 2007). Such developments will require changes in thinking about education. For example, education for sustainable futures is arguably the most pressing contemporary change issue, whether there is a focus on environmental crises such as climate change and water supplies, or on increased poverty and social justice (Hegarty, 2008). This paper suggests that a way forward is through mentoring that engages with global education principles. Global education principles incorporate understandings of: multiple perspectives peoples and nations hold about the world; prevailing issues confronting the world community; ideas and practices of other cultures; the effects of technologies at local and global levels; and the problems posed by different life-choices that confront individuals and nations (Bleicher & Kirkwood-Tucker, 2004, elaborating on Hanvey, 1976). The article demonstrates how pre-service teachers used their ideals in their practice. In this paper, global education principles are seen as a component of the Teacher Education for the Future research being conducted simultaneously in countries from the Pacific Circle Consortium. In the pilot project, 'Global Ripples,' the concept of respect for the beliefs and values of others is discussed with pre-service teachers, high school and primary students, so that the principles are demonstrated in action by future educators. This paper reports on the perspectives of some Australian pre-service teachers as part of the Teacher Education for the Future project.