20. Global Changemakers

Introduction

Think about your daily life. 

• Have you ever texted a relative who lives in or visited another country? 
• Does someone in your family have video meetings with co-workers in a different part of the world? 
• Maybe you or your classmates moved here from a different country. 

Our world is deeply interconnected. 

• Video games we play
• Clothes we wear
• Music we stream 

All of these tie us to people thousands of miles away. But being connected isn't just about entertainment—it's about teamwork. The biggest challenges facing our planet today can't be solved by one person, or even one country, working alone. They require Global Collaborators. 

The Mission: 

• Local Actions, Global Impacts: You aren't just a student sitting at a screen—you are a Digital Changemaker.
• You will be using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as your roadmap to explore world issues like clean water, poverty, and sustainable cities.  But here is the twist: to understand a global problem, you have to start by looking closely at your own backyard. 
• You will investigate how these giant global goals impact people right in your own community—especially looking at how diverse backgrounds, cultures, and physical or learning abilities change the way people experience these challenges.

Your Changemaker Superpowers (Learning Objectives)

Throughout this unit, you will build real-world digital skills that professionals use every day:

• Analyze Global Frameworks: Identify and explain key UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and analyze how they manifest as both local challenges and global crises. [Knowledge Constructor]
• Leverage Digital Tools for Collaboration: Utilize digital translation, scheduling, asynchronous communication, and collaborative workspace tools to safely and effectively engage with peers and experts across cultures. [Global Collaborator]
• Demonstrate Cultural Competence: Evaluate personal perspectives and respect diverse backgrounds, customs, and abilities, explaining how they shape different human experiences of global issues. [Global Collaborator]
• Practice Professional Digital Outreach: Draft professional, asynchronous communications to local organization experts and establish coordinated roles within a collaborative virtual workspace. [Global Collaborator]
• Design Inclusive Solutions: Co-create a digital pitch that blends localized community research with global datasets, purposefully embedding accessibility standards like alt-text, contrast, and closed captioning. [Creative Communicator]

What are the Global Goals?

The UN's Sustainable Development Goals are 17 big goals that countries around the world agreed to work toward by 2030 (not that far off), like ending poverty, stopping hunger, protecting the environment, and making sure everyone has a fair chance at a good life. The idea is that governments, companies, and each of us can all pitch in to make the world a healthier, fairer, and safer place for everyone. 

Play the video below to learn more about the Global Goals.

Direct link (3:00 min.)

Moving Forward

You will be using the UN’s Global Goals site throughout this Thing.

At the end of Thing 20, you will submit a 20.Global Changemakers Digital Showcase Portfolio. For directions on how to begin your student portfolio, you can review the Student Showcase Portfolio here. Watch for “Add this to your portfolio” in each Quest.