Big Ideas is a volunteer-run, free online program over one semester of the school year for incoming 9th, 10th, and 11th-grade students that promotes discourse and awareness about key global issues. Through the eight week session, students meet online twice a week for seminars led by college facilitators and discuss a new global issue each session- from the ethics of genetic engineering to economic inequality. Students have a chance to pose ethical questions, share their perspectives, and hear different ideas and stories. We are an interdisciplinary program, connecting and discussing issues in STEM, humanities, and the social sciences.
Why? 78% of teachers believe critical thinking as the most important skill a high school student can have. But if you remember back to memorizing vocabulary words for the SAT or cramming formulas for an AP exam, school & the college admissions process doesn't always promote that kind of thinking. Our goal is to get students to think critically and deal with ambiguity. Issues are complex, messy, and nuanced and that's what makes learning so interesting!
After our Summer 2020 pilot program, we're excited to provide students an engaging, structured program experience this fall. Thank you to our partners in schools, community education programs, and nonprofits for their support.
To give students a platform to share their voices & stories, while simultaneously getting exposed to different points of view
To expose students to global issues that everyone should know about, regardless of major/career interests
To foster a safe & supportive community where students get to build friendships & receive mentorships from college students
To provide free educational opportunities, particularly for students from underrepresented communities or backgrounds
| Dates | September 26th, 2020 to December 15th, 2020 |
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| Meeting times (PST) | Multiple session times offered |
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| Program components |
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What kind of topics do you discuss in the seminar?
We discuss the intruiging, often overlooked, ethical issues present at the intersection of fields. We take student input each week to ensure we cover topics relevant to each group. Past examples from our Summer 2020 pilot program include: COVID-19, data ethics, and environmentalism. You can find a log of our discussed topics on our facebook page.
What information about students do you collect and what measures are taken to ensure safety/privacy?
We collect only student & parent emails to communicate and send reminders and schedules. Only three people will have access to the emails: the program director, the communications director & the student's facilitator. We take privacy very seriously and will not share student or parent information with anyone else. Parents will be CC'd on any individual emails to students and will also receive updates about the program.
Does everyone who signs up automatically accepted into the program or is there a selection process?
Everyone who signs up, and attends the mandatory information session is accepted into the program. With that said, please still put effort into the questions as it will impact our planning & curriculum for the program.
Do you have a political agenda or leaning?
We are very intentionally a non-partisan group, and take bias very seriously. However, instead of avoiding controversy, we aim to give multiple perspectives to students and also allow them to come up with their own ideas and opinions. We have a curriculum development team that thinks very carefully about the topics, materials, and questions.
After you sign-up below, we will get back to you within a couple of weeks. There will be an informational session with more details about the program and after you attend, you can sign-up for a seminar timing. We have several different seminar timings (weekdays, weekends, mornings, evenings, etc) so you will likely find a time that works for you.
Dates and times for the Spring 2021 and Summer 2021 program are not yet determined, although the program will follow the same format as Fall 2020. We're accepting early sign-ups and will reach out several weeks before the start of the programs with further details.
As a near-peer facilitating model, the Big Ideas Program facilitators are college students. We're hoping that by having student facilitators, facilitators will have the opportunity to mentor students, and form informal relationships and friendships. Therefore, the majority of our volunteers are college students.
With that said, we are looking for other volunteers in two categories:
If you are interested in helping out in another way, please let us know. We would love to hear from you!
Meghana is an Economics & Public Policy student at UC Berkeley. She’s passionate about education & immigrant/refugee rights, and is hoping to combine her professional interests in finance & public policy. Outside school, she loves to sing and go on hikes!
Celine is a Neuroscience major at UC Santa Cruz. She aspires to attend medical school and go into the medical field. She plays for the UCSC women’s soccer team, enjoys playing piano and learning how to play the guitar in her free time. She spends a lot of time hiking and at the beach.
Ryan is a Molecular Cell Biology student at UC Berkeley. He is a foodie and loves experimenting with new recipes. He is passionate on issues of healthcare and equal representation.
Kristin is an Accounting & Information Systems major and Economics minor at Santa Clara University. She is passionate about contributing to communities that promote roles for women and other diverse groups within industries that combine business and technology. In her spare time, she enjoys taking film photos and scrapbooking them.
Shannon is a Computer Science major at Carnegie Mellon University. She is interested in disaster management and how technology can be used in humanitarian relief. Her hobbies include playing music and doing lighting design for theater.
For general inquiries, email global.issues.seminar2020@gmail.com. Otherwise, contact a specific team member with their email above. You can also message our facebook page: @bigideasglobalseminar.