Global education enters the classroom: new teaching materials for teachers

"Global education helps young people see connections, to see how what is happening on the other side of the world is also related to their own lives and choices. When a teacher has clear support and a well-thought-out approach, discussions arise in the classroom that not only provide knowledge but also help to shape understanding and a sense of responsibility," said Kristi Kulu, ESTDEV’s programme manager for Education. 

Nine short videos from Videoõps: learn at home and at school 

In collaboration with ESTDEV, the NGO Videoõps created nine educational videos for social studies classes in secondary school, i.e., for young people aged 12–15. The videos cover topics at the heart of the global education competency model: racism, identity, human rights, gender equality, stereotypes and hate speech, cultural diversity, poverty, and global inequality. The videos are freely available on both the Videoõps YouTube channel and the eKoolikott online platform. 

Kristo Siig from Videoõps said that videos directly related to the curriculum receive the most usage and views, like the human rights video as the topic is covered in the social studies curriculum for grades 6 and 9. However, more needs to be done to ensure current topics such as racism, poverty, and global inequality are also addressed. 

Practical recommendation: flip the classroom 

A video learning experience shows that videos work particularly well in a flipped classroom forma. Students watch the video as a homework assignment, but in class, they can immediately engage in in-depth group work, discussions and analysis. In social studies classes, where the curriculum is broad and time is notoriously limited, this time-saving method is particularly helpful. By distributing interactive versions through eKoolikott, it is possible to check whether students have watched the material, and the interactive additional material accompanying the videos also encourages them to think along. 

A project coordinated by the Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation and Tartu Nature House introduced a completely different approach to classes in schools and youth institutions: filmmaking workshops and instructional materials to address climate justice and environmental issues. 

Student-led learning is inherently participatory and playful: young people do not just watch; they do it themselves. It is particularly suitable for addressing topics that require students to be creative and develop critical thinking skills. The student films made during the project were presented at the annual Tartu Nature Festival. 

Viljandi Gymnasium: global education is not a separate subject 

Viljandi Gymnasium undertook something more complex than creating new material; teachers made a systemic change to the school's daily work. With support from ESTDEV the school partnered with Mondo to implement a project that aimed to incorporate the themes of identity and diversity from the global citizen competency model into most subjects (history, social studies, geography, psychology, religion). 

Instructional materials were created for both students and teachers, and five new social studies lesson plans were created. As part of the project, an estimated 190–200 students took part in pilot lessons, where they did in-depth classwork on global education topics and contributed to the creation of teaching materials. The school’s 36 10th-grade group tutors will also undergo training on identity and diversity issues over the next three years. 

Viljandi Gymnasium’s experience shows that a global education approach works best when it is not a single teacher’s passion project but part of school culture. Increasing teachers’ awareness and skills relating to global education and involving students through cooperative learning has proven to be a successful way to teach these complex, multifaceted topics. 

Mondo’s "Discover the World": a teacher's manual for teaching global education 

In 2025, with support from ESTDEV, Mondo updated its World School’s instructional material "Discover the World — Introduction to Global Education". 

It is often believed that global education is a separate subject or the promotion of charity and development aid. In fact, it is a learning process that allows students to move from awareness of problems to personal responsibility and conscious action, and from there to international cooperation and sustainable human development. Global education is education for global citizenship, the environment, peace and sustainable development, and it fits into every subject: history, geography, literature, physics, physical education. The "Discover the World" material contains specific examples for each subject, along with lesson ideas. 

"Discover the World" does not expect teachers to be experts right away. The material incorporates teacher self-assessment tools, a four-point scale that helps teachers assess their competence in areas such as globalisation, climate justice, identity and social justice and provides guidelines for teachers just starting out with global education. 

The goal is to show teachers that global education does not require one grand, all-encompassing lesson; it starts with a single question or learning resource, one video, one moment where students to look beyond the classroom and their own experiences. 

The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has supported global education projects since 2005. ESTDEV has funded global education activities since 2022 with over 485,000 euros. 

Where to find the learning resources mentioned above 

• Global Citizen Competence Model (ESTDEV, 2022) — A framework compiled by Estonian experts that describes the knowledge, skills, attitudes and ways of acting that characterise a conscious global citizen. 

• Educational videos for social studies — Videos covering nine topics (racism, identity, human rights, gender equality, stereotypes, cultural diversity, poverty, global inequality, and international cooperation) with interactive activities and lesson plans. 

• Mondo’s "Discover the World" instructional material — An introduction to global education, including subject-specific examples and a teacher self-assessment tool.