How Does Global Competency Look Like in Malaysian Teachers? Issues and Suggestions

Abstract

Global competencies have received attention for their important role in shaping global citizens who can compete on the world stage and contribute to the universal sustainability of a volatile, unpredictable, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world.  Teachers are facilitators in implementing global competencies among students and producing students who will become active global citizens. Hence, teachers first need to be equipped with full global competencies. However, discussions on the issue and suggestions to improve teachers' global competence are still limited and need further exploration. By reviewing the existing research on teacher’s global competency in Malaysia, this concept paper aims to discuss the related issues and suggest suggestions for improving teachers' global competence in Malaysia. The methodology of this paper observing and analyzing already present information and related to abstract concepts or ideas. The major findings were three main issues discovered are limited studies on teachers' global competence, weaknesses in developing teachers' global competence programs, and deficiencies in integrating global elements in teaching and learning. The solutions to these issues are to increase the study of Malaysian teachers' global competence, strengthen the teacher global competence development program, and integrate global competence elements in teaching and learning. This discussion has implications for better understanding teachers' global competencies to the public. This concept paper will enlighten the authorities on the current issues related to global competency in Malaysian teachers and help the community understand the challenges of instilling global competence in education. Suggestions for improvements to strengthen the global competence of Malaysian teachers include multiplying teacher global competence studies, strengthening teacher global competence development programs, and integrating elements of global competence in education. Further studies can be conducted by first measuring the actual level of global competence among Malaysian teachers and then recommending professional development programs tailored to the real needs of teachers to integrate global elements in teaching and learning.