'Do We Really Need to Know This?' The challenge of developing a global learning module for trainee teachers

This article explores some of the challenges of developing a module on global learning with primary initial teacher education (ITE) students studying at a UK university. The research, which employed a mixed methodology, involved around 550 students and eight members of staff over a three-year period. The findings indicate that many students developed their thinking about global issues, albeit on a surface level. A small but significant minority proved much harder to reach. The discussion highlights the complexities of global learning, the significance of underlying values and beliefs, and the impact of the wider professional and cultural context. A key issue that emerges is the importance of recognizing barriers and inhibitors to global learning.