TakingITGlobal – Social Learning With A Global Consciousness

This online community empowers students everywhere to understand and act on the world's greatest challenges.

TakingITGlobal has been around since 1999 and is a pioneer in the use of social networking to encourage global citizenship through collaborative projects for students and educators. TakingITGlobal (TIG) has partnered with thousands of schools and organizations, from just about every country, to inspire, inform, and involve youth worldwide.     

TIG considers ‘youth' to include people between the ages of 15 and 30, “who show some level of being globally aware and engaged as socially responsible leaders of their communities.” Their mission can be summarized as, “enabling … a collaborative learning community which provides youth with access to global opportunities, cross-cultural connections and meaningful participation in decision-making … utilizing internet technologies to cultivate youth leadership and engagement in social issues.”     

This video provides a quick overview of TakingItGlobal:     

     

The following excerpts of TIG “Impact Stories” provide insight into the way that TakingITGlobal is effecting young lives across the world:

Joel from Vanuatu
“Reading about all the projects, events, and member profiles on TakingITGlobal actually propelled me to think, “Well, what can I do?” I got to thinking about how, in my community, even though there are many young people, not much is being done to address youth issues or to enable young people to actively participate and be engaged in their community. There is especially a lack of space for youth. So I’ve been working on establishing a local youth drop-in centre, where young people can come together to learn about and discuss the issues that are important to them. Together, we can motivate and support each other. I have found about 10 other youth who are really keen and interested in launching this project with me, but it’s hard to get everyone together. However, I always say, “Come on guys, let’s do this!” and I’m starting to feel that this is my main call in life. I’ve been reading the personal stories and experiences of TIG members and how they’re taking action, and this has been a good way to learn about best practices and help me develop an action plan. In this sense, TakingITGlobal motivates and inspires me to continue and to get this youth centre established.”     

Laura from Mexico
“Through TIG, I … became more conscious and knowledgeable about global issues like the environment, poverty and the MDGs, different cultures and religions, and how I could personally make a difference … TIG has helped me to realize that we can still make a difference no matter where we are in life …I always incorporate and promote global issues into my articles.     

On top of my writing, I also work as a professional speaker, and almost all of my speeches are for youth. One of my speeches focuses on the Millennium Development Goals. Talking about issues like eradicating poverty and promoting universal education really inspires the high school and university students who listen to my speeches: they get really passionate and want to take action to change the world. So, at the end of my presentation, I always give them a few websites and Mexican associations with which they can get involved, and TIG is always on that list. I always tell them, “Okay guys, if you want to participate, if you want to get involved, go visit TakingITGlobal,” because I know that on TIG, they can find other youth who are also working passionately on global issues; they can find projects; they can learn; they can find opportunities.”     

Mohammed from Iraq
“The general atmosphere of TIG is one of understanding, activism and change. That makes you want to take action, to be a part of this community and to step up and change things. My first attempts at taking action in my community didn’t work out well: I tried to initiate a few projects, but due to the security levels and bureaucracy, they didn’t work out. But I think ultimately, if one just keeps trying, then things will work out. That’s what happened with me: after joining an online project on TIG called Student Voices, I learned a lot about new educational methods and integrating ICTs in education. From that, I am now working on a project with a local school to provide them with ICTs.     

The old-fashioned educational system, the terrible security levels, and the red lines in society concerning religion and politics all play factors in discouraging youth from getting involved and taking action. There are Iraqi youth who are really passionate about certain issues, but they haven’t been taking action because they don’t know how. What Iraqi youth need is to be exposed to youth-led projects and examples of stories where youth made a change and took action, and this is where TakingITGlobal can have the most impact in our country.”     

There is another section of the site that contains more reflections from members, in a more structured format. The “Member Stories” section includes feedback from educators about the issues that matter to them and how TIG has helped them pursue their goals and make a difference. 

TakingITGlobal is a wonderful example of how social networking technologies can be leveraged to make a real impact and inspire people everywhere to take action and make a difference. I encourage readers to stop by the TIG website to learn more, and consider signing up and getting involved!

Related Posts (if the above topic is of interest, you might want to check these out):
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Social Learning With Social Networking Tools Designed Just For Education
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