Date of Award

2018

Access Restriction

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctorate in Education

Department

Education

School or College

School of Education

First Advisor

Elizabeth Reilly

Second Advisor

Shane P. Martin

Third Advisor

Mitalene Fletcher

Abstract

Global education for global competency in Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is neither defined nor aligned as a priority for its 21st-century learners. Various schools within the Department of Catholic Schools address global competency through world languages, dual-language immersion, activities, or programs, but no specific global education focus permeates the entire district. The relevance of global competency for nearly 80,000 students from Early Childhood (EC) programs/PreK–12th grade (high school) Catholic schools in Los Angeles is not just a curricular necessity or spiritual aspiration, it is, at its core, a question of social justice, particularly for students of color and first-generation immigrants who live mostly in underserved communities.

This study analyzes whether PreK–12th-grade Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles have unique assets, as well as what challenges the district would face if it were to adapt a more formalized approach to global education. The study researches whether diverse community cultural wealth, demographics, mission, innovation, and Catholic social teachings align or hinder the development of a global education curriculum that addresses the universally adopted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030. The study investigates urgency, opportunity, scalability, and sustainability for this social justice priority. This inquiry also attempts to answer why a globally connected organization, such as the Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles and its school system, is not virtually connected in its own worldwide network in order to promote global competency for its 21st-century learners.

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