What is the GTAN Global Guides Program?
The Global Teach Ag Network Global Guides program is a interdisciplinary educator professional development program focused on educator leadership and agency in advancing global issues. The Global Guides facilitation team is currently engaged in strategic planning to identify future steps for the Global Guides program. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please email Daniel Foster at foster@psu.edu.
From 2018-2024 this program included virtual sessions and a face-to-face, the program includes virtual sessions and a face-to-face immersion at the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa, and implements project-based learning to create opportunities for application.
What do Global Guides learn and do?
Enhance your impact through interdisciplinary collaborative project-based learning in four pillars:
- Food security education– Navigate tenets of global food security, learn about efforts to end world hunger, and identify opportunities for global impact through community action
- Enhanced instructional design– Join instructors who model innovative and effective pedagogies, access a library of reusable learning artifacts, and conceive new approaches to your discipline or context
- Immersive technology– Get hands-on experience with augmented reality and virtual reality tools; get coaching on the implementation and usage of innovative tools, and create digital assets
- Storytelling and communication– Practice messaging techniques to maximize engagement, enhance clarity and understanding for your audiences and learners, and see the impact of creative expression as a tool for shared experiences.
Our pedagogical approach relies on foundational frameworks including Experiential Learning, Global Competency models, The UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the Global Teach Ag Network family of programs.
What does this program include?
As a Global Guide, you will…
- Join a globally diverse cohort of educators from multiple disciplines assembled for a meaningful and innovative hybrid professional development experience
- Engage in virtual sessions and immersive experiences with instructors, scientists, policy makers, and hunger fighters to navigate issues in global learning and food security
- Participate in a face-to-face immersion experience focused on global issues
- Create and share educational resources and artifacts with peers in your cohort.
- Learn from peers in your cohort and implement resources and artifacts into your own community and context.
After your Global Guide program year, you will…
- Join a growing community of educators and collaborators as a Global Guide Alumni
- Amplify your work in global learning and food security through the relationships, partnerships, collaborations and opportunities you built as a Global Guide
- Participate in exclusive events in Global Teach Ag Network educator programs
What makes a Global Guide?
Global guides are influential leaders in education. Their contexts, disciplines, geographies, levels, and expertise are diverse, as are the Global Guides themselves. Global Guides are often (but not limited to) one of the following persons:
- Primary or Secondary teachers: Educators from multiple disciplines. Previous cohorts have included teachers of Math, Science, Agriculture, Art, Business, Career and Technical Education, Language Arts, Social Studies, History, Counseling, Health and Nutrition, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and other disciplines
- Administrators or educational support leaders: Instructional coaches, counselors, designers, Directors, Principals, and other leaders in administration
- Informal and nonformal educators: Youth development educators, 4-H leaders, extension educators, and other community educators
- Post-secondary educators: Lecturers, professors, program coordinators, and other college or university educators
Global Guides Roadmap
Each Cohort includes phases and program components in line with best practices for educational experiences. A typical cohort includes the following steps:
- Apply- Our competitive pool begins with applications due in March. Program leaders host informational webinars and ‘Ask Me Anything’ sessions to assist interested candidates. Global Guides are selected in May so they can inform school administrators and prepare for participation.
- Connect- Beginning in August, 3-5 virtual sessions allow Global Guides to meet each other, conduct pre-work and reflections, and prepare for the immersive experience.
- Attend- The Global Guides immersive experience is held each year in conjunction with the World Food Prize and the Norman E Borlaug International Dialogues each October in Des Moines, Iowa. Global Guides have a full week of in-person programming, experiences, exclusive interactions, and opportunities to engage the global food security community on one of the world’s largest stages. Meet internationally recognized scientists and world leaders. Learn from brilliant educators. Be inspired by hunger fighters from all over.
- Catalyze- Put your inspiration into practice through post-immersion activities including designing and implementing a reusable learning artifact in your context and community. Learn from others, and deploy partnerships to bring food security education to your students and school. Post-immersion events occur from January to March.
- Celebrate- Each March, our annual Celebration of Excellence provides a forum to share your work with other global guides, World Food Prize leaders, educators from around the world, and influencers from your community and context.
Questions? Ask Us!
The link below will take you to frequently asked questions about Global Guides Program. Feel free to email foster@psu.edu to ask any questions you have that are not addressed in this document.
WFPF Global Guides Cohort 5
Instructional Team
Past Cohorts
WFPFGlobalGuides Cohort 4: 2022-2023
2021-2022
2019-2020
Berndtson, Melanie, Agriscience, PA
Bright, Nicola, Science, Netherlands
Buchanan, Toni, Agriscience, MI
Bymaster, Abi, Science, ID
Davis, Jon, Agriscience, NC
Doeing, Dan, Agriscience, IA
Downs, Karla, Health/ Family & Consumer Science, IA
Dvorak, Ann, Agriscience, NE
Eddy, Matt, Agriscience, IA
Eisenberg, LaTissa, Health, TX
Foote, Elizabeth (Betsy), Agriscience, NY
Frankenbach, Sean, Agriscience, MO
Fritzell, Susan, Gifted & Talented, IA
Gabbert, Jacqueline, Agriscience, KS
Garwood, Bailey, Agriscience, MI
Gibson, Tina, Science, MS
Hong, Wang, English/ Language Arts, China
King, Morgan, Extension, NC
Lewis, Theresa, Language Arts, NY
Martin, Kevin, Biology, WI
Martin, Sarah, Agriscience, IA
Midthun-Hensen, Angie, Agriscience, WI
Moyer, Kim, Agriscience, MD
Murray, Cinda, Science, PA
Newman, Vincent, Agriscience, FL
Olivo Mockabee, Amarilys, Agriscience, NJ
Shunk, Ashley, Science, Honduras
2018-2019 Participants
Anglehart, Joseph, Agriscience, WI
Ankley, Joseph, Agriscience, MI
Baker, Jennifer, Social Studies, MI
Barkela, Debbie, Agriscience, IA
Bond, Chris, Social Studies, NJ
Debour, Sarah, Agriscience, IA
Dickerson, Aleesa, Agriscience, IN
Dillon, Jennifer, Agriscience, IA
Dralle, Eric, Chemistry, IA
Foudray, Jennifer, Agriscience, OH
Freeman, Greg, Agriscience, MI
Gast, Brian, Agrisciencece, MO
Gottlob, Brian, Agriscience, IA
Groff, Alexa, Science, IA
Gudderra, Leasa, Agriscience, MD
Homan, Dustin, Extension, OH
Lauer, Pamela, Science, MD
Lukes, Breanna, English/ Language Arts, IA
Lumi, Arlind, English/ Language Arts, Kosova
Lundberg, Lynne, English/ Language Arts, IA
Mahoney, Bridget, Agriscience, IA
Northard, Eric, Social Studies, MN
Orren, Lisa, Agriscience, MN
Roberts, Jonathan, Agriscience, AR
Rozeboom, Gretchen, Agriscience, WI
Sam, Rebecca, Science, IN
Schiller, Ernie, Science, IA
Snell, Cindy, Agriscience, IA
Spurgin, Brett, Agriscience, IA
