There is ". a profound gap between the knowledge and skills of most students learning in school and the knowledge and skills they need in the typical twenty-first century communities and work places." (p.3, A Report and Mile Guide for Twenty-First Century Skills). In its report, the Partnership for Twenty-First Century Skills identifies six key elements of twenty-first century learning. One of these elements is to "teach and learn in a twenty-first century context." The core value of teaching and learning in the twenty-first century context is to provide students with opportunities to apply what they learn in "real-world" situations. The corollary to this value is that people learn and retain more when they see the relevance of what they are learning to their own lives. Dewey said it this way, "An ounce of experience is worth a ton of theory."

To bring meaning to one's real world experiences, one has to understand and be aware of the real world. One of the roles of the schools is to give students an understanding and perspective of the society and world in which they live. No such understanding in the twenty-first century can be given to students without providing them with a global education. Present demographic projections indicate that, by the mid twenty-first century, the aggregate number of Americans in so-called minority groups will be greater than the so-called majority. This, together with the fact that technology will continue to make geographic boundaries meaningless, will, at some point, make the proverbial global village a reality.

Although giving students a global education is an imperative of the twenty-first century, it appears that few schools are addressing this urgent need. If Connecticut students are not provided with an understanding and appreciation of the diverse communities which make up the global village, how will they, as adults, be able to keep a democracy which responds to the differing needs of a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural population? If they do not understand or are even aware of different cultures, societies, and ethnic groups, how will they be able to sustain an economy that is based on global commerce?

In spite of this urgent need, few schools in the State of Connecticut are giving sufficient attention to developing a curriculum of international studies, including targeted world languages, that will give students the required global awareness. Recently, the State of Connecticut recognized this problem by passing An Act Encouraging International Studies Programs. Among other things, the law makes it state policy "to encourage its students, teachers, administrators, and educational policy makers to participate in international studies, international exchange programs, and other activities that advance cultural awareness and promote mutual understanding and respect for the citizens of other countries." The law also directs the Commissioner of Education to establish an International Education Advisory Committee to support the state and local education agencies to provide, among other things, "international opportunities for learning, exchange programs, and the availability of curriculum materials for students, teachers, administrators, and education policy makers."

One of the first actions of the International Education Advisory Committee was to develop a state-wide survey to determine the current status of international education in Connecticut's schools.

Although this legislation gives legal authority and impetus to schools to develop opportunities for students to participate in international studies programs which will lead to a twenty-first century global awareness, it is not enough. More must be done. To assist schools in addressing this unmet urgent need, CAPSS recommends the following steps to global awareness:

1. The Governor should establish a task force of corporate, educational, and civic leaders to raise the awareness of the importance of schools' addressing the need to develop global awareness in the students of Connecticut.

2. The Connecticut Department of Education should provide an international studies programs tool kit to each school system in the state. This tool kit should provide essential information and a step-by-step guide for developing viable learning opportunities for students which will lead to a global awareness.

3. The Connecticut Department of Education should develop implementation benchmarks to help local school systems monitor progress in providing students with an international studies program leading to a fundamental and viable global awareness.

4. A self-assessment tool should be developed for schools to use to determine the current state of their curricula in responding to the global awareness needs of students.

5. Local boards of education should establish a goal of developing a program focusing on international studies and provide appropriate resources to implement this curricular program. The success of the Connecticut-Shandong partnership should be replicated in other areas of the globe such as Brazil, Russia, and India.

6. School systems, colleges, and universities should form strategic partnerships with global corporations to develop opportunities for staff and students to learn from the multi-national experiences of corporations and their employees.

7. Educational service centers should work with school systems throughout the state to develop strategic initiatives to bring together students and staff of different race, ethnicity, and cultures for common learning experiences that further mutual understanding.

In the book, Presence, Peter Senge and others discussed "a real-life nightmare scenario: the destruction of our environment; the growing social divide between rich and poor; the potential dangers of things like biotechnology; and escalating violence around the world." These problems can only be solved through international understanding, cooperation, and action. This will only be possible if the youth of the world are educated to understand the moral imperative that is international education.