Saint Mary’s to host panel discussion about global education issues Nov. 14
On Wednesday, Nov. 14,
the Under-Told Stories Project, Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting and Saint
Mary’s University will host a forum on “Closing the Global Gap: The complex
issue of education in a global era.”
In America today,
there is concern about a persistent achievement gap in our education system.
Whether it is a drive to maintain global competitiveness or a desire to catch
up, efforts are underway in many countries to rethink and modernize education.
The mastery of reading, writing and math are no longer enough. Students need to
think critically, reason, problem-solve and communicate effectively in a global
economy.
The public forum —
scheduled for 7 to 8:30 p.m. — will include a digest of the latest reporting on
issues associated with youth education. International journalist Fred de Sam
Lazaro will lead a distinguished panel and moderate a discussion with the
audience. De Sam
Lazaro is director of the Under-Told Stories Project, a program that combines
international journalism and teaching at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. He
is a regular contributor to PBS’ “NewsHour” and the network’s “Religion and
Ethics Newsweekly.”
Panelists will
include:
• Nathalie
Applewhite, managing director of the Pulitzer Center
• Dr. Efe Agbamu,
executive director, English Language Learners, St. Paul Public Schools
• Brother. Ed
Siderewicz, assistant to the president for First-Generation
and Lasallian Initiativs, Saint Mary’s University
The event is free and
open to the public and will be held in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the
SMU Performance Center. For more information, go to www.smumn.edu/globalgap.
