Since the mid-1980s, peer mediation has been the most commonly used conflict resolution education program in the United States. Research indicates that as many as 25% of US schools have had peer mediation programs. However, three important changes in the educational and social context now suggest the need for an online version of peer mediation. These changes include the significant and increasing online public education, prevalence and preference for online communication, and the growing popularity of peer mediation across the globe.
Archive
Inter-cultural Conflict Resolution, Political Processes and Impacts
Drawing on extensive cross-cultural experience from Canada, Cuba, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan and Mexico, lessons learned regarding methods to understanding conflict in diverse contexts and the links between conflict resolution education and active citizenship will be presented.
Telling Better Stories: Promoting Global Citizenship & Shared Understanding w Pulitzer Center
Drawing specific examples from a deep pool of journalism resources, the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting will show attendees how to integrate fresh and compelling international reporting into the curriculum to promote a global awareness that reaches far beyond basic geographic literacy. The Pulitzer Center, which seeks out under-told stories that put a human face on large-scale global crises, provides content that can also be used effectively in the classroom to further both conflict resolution studies and democratic and civic engagement. Examinations of women and children in crisis, government accountability, fragile states, and population pressures, with an emphasis on local connections to global issues, are all fundamental to the Pulitzer Center model. Migration and immigration themes are also interwoven with much of our reporting, particularly in a multi-year project, through a decorated journalist’s walk out of the horn of Africa, across Asia, and finishing at the tip of South America.
The Organization of American States: 100 Years of Building Bridges in the Americas
This presentation describes the achievements of the Organization of American States (OAS) in terms of its contribution to strengthen the efforts that are currently being undertaken by the OAS member states in the development of a democratic culture in the Americas. It includes information on the strategies, programs and initiatives that are currently being carried-out by the OAS to foster cooperation among different types of institutions from member states in this field. Cooperation among different types of institutions not only allows creating more democratic environments that encourage the formation of civic values and practices, but also creating spaces and mechanisms that promote social cohesion and integration, which at the same time are key for stimulating citizenship active and committed participation in the building of collective action that has incidence in public and social decision making processes.
Educating for Global Citizenship
Cultivating Global Citizenship: The Pedagogy and Ethics of Global Citizenship Practica – The efficacy of global citizenship programs will be examined – experiential and international in nature – at high school and university levels. The presenter will share experiences and findings from facilitating global citizenship practica, developing global citizenship curricula, and from his recently completed Ph.D dissertation entitled, Remembering Costa Rica 2003: Exploring the Influence of a High School Global Citizenship Practicum through the Memories, Meanings and Lives of its Participants Eight Years Later.
Developing Courses in Peace and Conflict Studies
This case study reviewed the work done at Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ontario, Canada developing a 2-year diploma program for college students in peace and conflict studies.
Promoting intercultural understanding in Australia
Findings from a national Australian research project currently in primary and secondary schools examining factors that impede or facilitate intercultural understanding in schools will be shared. A key focus of the research has been on efforts to redesign schools to improve classroom practice and teacher professional learning. The workshop will provide practical examples of what is happening in research schools and an examination of different approaches that are showing promise. Reference will also be made to recent Global and Multicultural Citizenship Education initiatives used in Victoria to promote safe and inclusive schools, particularly teaching materials and assessment tools.
Peace Education Highlights from Australia and Victoria
The panel of presenters, from four diverse continents, will share the latest peace education developments in their countries and/or regions. The presentations will address the following questions: How have political, economic and/or socio-cultural contexts affected our peace education work? What new positive strategies and effective modes have emerged across countries and regions?
Peace Studies Club 101
Examples of the use of a peace studies club as a student activity promoting engagement.
Peace Education – Core Concepts and Themes
Overview of key concepts related to peace education.
Multilingual Education as a Tool of Social Integration in Kyrgyzstan
After the bloody interethnic clashes in 2010 between Kyrgyz and Uzbek ethnic groups, Kyrgyzstan faced extremely high level of social tension. A lot of this tension was caused by the language division within society. In post-conflict situations within Uzbek communities the demand for training in official languages has increased dramatically. The Center for Social Integration Policy conducted policy research in order to combine opinions and positions of various stakeholders including children, parents, and state and local officials. The results led to a focus on developing new educational policies on language instruction. Many citizens want to obtain a command of the official languages in addition to their mother tongue, and multilingual education may help address this need. The design and practice of current policy creation and implementation will be presented at the conference.
Tri-C Sustained Dialogue Campus Network Overview
Overview of the Sustained Dialogue Campus Network (SDCN) established at Cuyahoga Community College, the first SDCN organization on a community college.
Peace Education Highlights from the Philippines
The panel of presenters, from four diverse continents, will share the latest peace education developments in their countries and/or regions. The presentations will address the following questions: How have political, economic and/or socio-cultural contexts affected our peace education work? What new positive strategies and effective modes have emerged across countries and regions?
Exchange 2.0 – Connecting Youth Across Divides
Over the last eight years, Soliya, an international non-profit organization, has developed an online cross-cultural education program, the Connect Program, enabling students at over 100 universities worldwide to experience meaningful intercultural dialogue and receive expert training in facilitation and conflict resolution. Over the course of a semester, students meet on a video*conferencing platform and engage in constructive conversations on a variety of issues around the relationship between the “West” and “Predominantly Muslim Societies” guided by 2 highly trained facilitators. The presentation will feature a comprehensive overview of the Connect Program and its results, information on participation and implementation, testimonials from professors and students, and sample activities and exercises.
District-wide Conflict Resolution, Peer Mediation and Bullying Prevention Model- 30 years of Impact
Why did the Winning Against Violent Environments (WAVE) Program succeed as a district-wide program over the 30 years it has been in existence given the many obstacles that faced other programs? Information will be provided concerning: sustainability, the WAVE training model, cultural diversity, social justice, student empowerment, community connections and civic engagement. There will be a focus on how WAVE evolved in the school district working with parents, staff development, curriculum infusion, and antiviolence/bullying programs. Current WAVE staff, student and alumni mediators, the retired director and the professor who researched the program will present.