IGlobal

Registration for Fall 2024 is now open!

If you are interested in IGlobal for your school/club, please register here!

Join Us

The University of Illinois College of Education invites middle school classrooms globally to collaborate with IGlobal, a club activity for middle school students that provides free online curricular materials and teaching support to supplement global education initiatives and to serve as a pipeline for challenging, globally focused secondary (high) school coursework and activities. The materials are designed to provide familiarity with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, opportunities for collaboration in global English, meaningful and engaging activities during which students meet and collaborate with their peers worldwide.

What is IGlobal?

Virtual extra-curricular club, led by University of Illinois College of Education undergraduate students and international students, attended by middle school students from around the world.
Focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Creates a multicultural, multinational, global connection between the university, Illinois, and schools/communities both locally and globally.
Creates a large-scale global laboratory of students, teachers, technology, and culture.
Funded by the US Department of Education Title VI National Resource Center

IGlobal: 2023 Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Perspectives

Dr. Allison Witt and the IGlobal program received the 2023 Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Perspectives from the AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education).

How Does IGlobal Work?

Chapters of middle school-aged students join for a one hour synchronous zoom session, then work on related projects in their spare time.
Synchronous sessions are hosted at 4 different times/days to catch all time zones around the world.
UIUC education and international students lead activities about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Activities are primarily in English, supported by International and domestic University of Illinois leaders that speak other languages too.
Middle school students make and share artwork, writing, videos, science experiments, globally collected data, ideas, and opinions with each other in their session as well as with all chapters around the world (via shared secure posting on a learning management system). Podcasts will be added in the fall!

Our Impact

Download our IGlobal Activities Brochure

Illinois Communities and Schools

Meets land grant mission through direct statewide outreach to communities, positive local Illinois impact from campus International students and campus global.
Prepares Illinois teachers with skills to teach in multilingual and multicultural contexts.
Prepares Illinois teachers with skills to use online technologies effectively.
Opens a direct channel of communication with K12 schools and communities locally and globally to share other campus opportunities for outreach and partnership.
Establishes a global laboratory of online teaching where new technologies can be tested and applied globally on a large scale.

Undergraduate Students

Experience using teaching and learning technologies in multinational, multilingual, and multicultural environments.
Internship credit and potential for hourly pay.
Opportunity for international and domestic students to work together as a team.
Immersive experience with both US culture and other cultures worldwide.
Increased awareness of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as well as deeper understanding of global challenges.
Development of leadership skills in a virtual context.
Global citizenship skills developed as lived experience.
Form awareness of University of Illinois global stature, responsibility, and networks.
Opportunity to participate in the IGlobal program for virtual study abroad and internship credit.

Middle School Students

Introduction to University of Illinois early enough to realistically take academic steps to prepare for potential admission to Illinois and other top universities.
Generate interest in learning or maintaining language beyond English.
Shared concept of cultural identity (i.e. rural and urban US students recognize shared culture).
Recognition of global connection across diverse realms such as health, the environment, and the economy.
Relationship building in diverse global contexts with peers.
Opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate increased global competency and familiarity with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Preparation for advanced coursework in high school through content created by University faculty and area studies experts such as discussion, projects, and materials aimed at advanced content.
Certificate and virtual or in-person recognition ceremony from University of Illinois upon completion of summative project.

Listen to Dr. Allison Witt discuss the creation and purpose behind IGlobal. You may view her slideshow below.

https://cgs.illinois.edu/news/2023-01-27/allison-witt-uiuc-maintaining-online-connection-post-pandemic-world-virtual

IGlobal Presentation by Dr. Allison Witt

Questions?

For more information, contact IGlobal coordinator Dr. Jacob Minniear at jminni3@illinois.edu.

Office of International Programs
College of Education
1310 S. 6th St.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA