The International Organisations and the United Nations
Area
Soft skills
Duration
1 session
Dimension of the advised group of students
10-15 students divided in 4/5 groups
Specific objectives
α) define what international organisations are
b) define what the UN is, identify its purposes and distinguish its various bodies
Needed Materials
-Computers
-Internet Access
-Videoprojector
-Paper
Software
The activities are onsite but they can easily be adjusted to blended or online teaching.
Description
A learner-centred approach to the complex issue of international organisations in the first place and the United Nations in the second. It attempts to actively engage students in the learning process through collaboration and research with each other on a series of exercises, text study and digital tools (both synchronous and asynchronous).
The role of the teacher will be actively supportive, allowing students to take the initiative to understand what international organisations are, what their distinctions are, as well as to identify the purposes of the UN, distinguish its organs and define its objectives. All of the above will be introduced in a context of their connection to the contemporary reality where in many corners of our planet international law is being violated and international organizations, especially the UN, are called upon to take an explicit and clear position in favour of world peace and justice.
Procedure on how to put in practice
- activate prior knowledge about the international community, international law and international organisations such as the UN with short brainstorming activity.
- direct students to the UN website to discuss the purposes of the UN and the principles by which it operates.
- present the text of the UN Charter.
- describe how they will search for material on the Internet: by conducting a journalistic investigation. The aim is not only to work on the final texts but also to practice research and digital skills..
- enable students to participate in my library's bookcreator.com application and demonstrate how it works. Explain that this is where we will create the book. The pages can be filled by the students with the material resulting from their research: publications, images, videos, audio files, etc. The materials can be collected by the group leader.
- discuss the history of international organisations, their distinguishing features, the principles and objectives of the UN, their ability to intervene in crisis issues of the world community, the success they may have or the difficulties encountered by the states involved.
Debriefing question: is or is not the UN ultimately the pillar of world peace, as it proclaims in its Charter?
