9 in 10 Brits support education about global issues

Wednesday May 19 2010 The impact of global learning report sets out evidence that society can benefit from educating people about global issues.

The Ipsos MORI research into public attitudes toward global issues was commissioned by the education charity, DEA, which promotes global learning.

The overwhelming majority of the British public believe in the importance of educating both children and adults about global issues such as poverty and climate change, as a means of ensuring they are tackled in the future. Approaching nine in ten (86%) support teaching children/young people about global issues like poverty and climate change, while three quarters (76%) agree that adults should continue to be informed about these issues after leaving school.

Global learning encourages awareness and critical thought about issues such as poverty, climate change, different religions and cultures as well as world trade and politics.

Additionally, people who have learned about global issues are more likely to:

Feel they can make a difference to the environment. Around a third of the population who have not learnt about any global issues feel powerless to take action on the environment; this falls to around one in five who have learnt about at least one global issue. Amongst those who have learnt about climate change specifically, this powerlessness is felt only amongst one in six people, half as many as those who have not learnt about any global issue (from 33% to 16% in school and from 37% to 18% since leaving school)

Show more social responsibility. Without an opportunity to learn about global issues in school, a third (34%) are neither involved in, nor interested in getting involved in a wide range of positive social activities. Amongst those who have learnt about either climate change, poverty, world politics and trade or different religions and cultures at school, the percentage who were disengaged fell by more than half (15%.)

Support international development spending. Of those who learnt about poverty since leaving school half (52%) agree that despite the pressure on public finances, the UK should meet its commitment to spend 0.7% of national income on development aid by 2013. By contrast, only one in five (20%) of those who have not learnt about global issues since leaving school agree.

Feel more comfortable with racial and religious difference. Almost half (47%) of those who have not experienced global learning in school are not comfortable with there being so many different races and religions living in Britain today. Less than a third (31%) who have learnt about global issues in school express this discomfort.

A regular diet of world news encourages an outward-looking attitude. The media is by far the most important place for people to learn more about global issues outside of school. Amongst members of the public who have learnt about global issues since leaving school, four in five (80%) do so from the TV, and three in five (60%) learn from newspapers.

The research links to the Global Learning Charter recently launched by more than 230 organisations, including schools, councils and NGOs, supporting the idea that learning helps tackle some of the global issues we face like climate change, intolerance and poverty.

To see the report click here
To read more about the Charter click here.
To see a list of organisations that have already signed up click here.

Notes to eds.

1. Ipsos MORI interviewed a nationally representative sample of 1,017 adults (aged 15 and over) throughout Great Britain. Interviews were conducted face-to-face, in respondents' homes between 4 and 10 December 2009. All data are weighted to the national known profile of adults aged 15+ in Great Britain.
2. For more information about the Global Learning Charter please see: http://www.dea.org.uk/page.asp?p=4836
3. DEA is an education charity that promotes global learning. DEA's present focus is on schools and youth work. DEA's members include many large development and environment NGOs, as well as a wide network of Development Education Centres and education NGOs based locally around the UK.