Illinois Global Institute

There is a clear interrelationship between current educational reforms and global economic movements. Educational reforms are driven by the increasing demand for meeting the global market's competitive standards, and are pursued using tools such as standardized testing, which is often based on the outdated notion of "one size fits all." In seeking to achieve a set of global targets, these reforms are rarely connected to local contexts. Most of the time, these educational reforms are interwoven with the materiality of neoliberal economies, which directly impact many urban educational settings. Such reforms can also negatively impact our attempts as educators to promote social justice and equity of educational opportunities. Challenging such approaches to educational reform, this webinar will offer perspectives on how teacher education programs can promote social and educational activism.