Analysis of the Impact of DICE modules in Initial Teacher Education on Students’ Knowledge and Views of the Global Dimension in Education

The specific objectives of the research were to examine:

1. The perceived importance of the Global Dimension at Initial Teacher Education level and primary school level before and after the course.
2. The level of knowledge of key concepts relating to the global dimension and confidence in teaching them before and after the course, including comments on the key concepts named by the students.
3. The level of awareness, before and after the course, of the global dimension in the primary curriculum, including subject areas where the global dimension could be included.
4. The level of knowledge of values and teaching methods in relation to the global dimension before and after the courses, including comments on any significant result in relation to the key concepts named by the students.
5. Whether there were any significant results in terms of previous experience of the Global dimension at primary, secondary and tertiary level e.g Whether there were any significant results in terms of previous practical experience.
6. Differences in the way the student teachers saw themselves contributing to change by taking action.

This small scale research examines the impact of course A and course B DICE primary school modules on student teachers.

Content overview: Education and primary school level Education

The main findings:

• While almost all students were already convinced of the importance of the global dimension in initial teacher education prior to undertaking the DICE modules, the modules served to cement or enhance that belief, while enabling the small minority who were previously unsure of its importance to become aware of its potential importance.

• indication that both courses have an impact in terms of students’ knowledge of concepts, values and methodologies related to the global dimension.

• The percentage of students who stated that they were aware of aspects of the global dimension in the curriculum increased significantly between the Baseline and the Follow-up Surveys.

• After the course, students were more aware of previous knowledge in global dimension

• Less than a third of the students had any previous practical experience that they would consider relevant to the global dimension, although almost three-quarters had links with or had used the resources of one particular organisation working in this area, i.e. Trócaire

• There was indication that the students’ perceptions on appropriate actions did not change considerably as a result of taking the DICE module.