Frequently Asked Questions about The World in Transition

What is The World in Transition?
Who has supported The World in Transition?
How are The World in Transition materials developed?
Are The World in Transition materials linked to national and state social studies standards?
Who uses The World in Transition?
Are there evaluations of The World in Transition?
What are people saying?

WHAT IS THE WORLD IN TRANSITION?
The World in Transition (WIT) is a major initiative to improve international affairs education in schools nationwide. It includes teacher workshops and classroom materials.

WHO HAS SUPPORTED THE WORLD IN TRANSITION?
United States Institute of Peace, European Delegation of the European Commission, The Africa Society, Carnegie Corporation of New York, State of Georgia, Commonwealth of Virginia, State of North Carolina, State of Alabama, The Coca-Cola Company, The UPS Foundation, Delta Airlines, Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, Roberto C. Goizueta Foundation, Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation, Lettie Pate Evans Foundation, Dr. Jerome S. Tannenbaum, and others.

HOW ARE THE WORLD IN TRANSITION MATERIALS DEVELOPED?

ARE THE WORLD IN TRANSITION MATERIALS LINKED TO NATIONAL AND STATE SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS?
Yes, a correlation grid of the WIT series to national standards is available. WIT has also been correlated to the standards of a number of states.

WHO USES THE WORLD IN TRANSITION?

• Over 38,000 high school and middle school teachers have been trained across the country, reaching millions of students.
• The United States Air Force ROTC uses the materials to train all senior cadets in its officer-training program.
• Through a pilot program with the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, five colleges of education use the WIT program to train tomorrow’s teachers.

ARE THERE EVALUATIONS OF THE WORLD IN TRANSITION?

• In 1999, Dr. Michael Wesley Hickman concluded in his PhD dissertation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that the World in Transition materials “had a positive impact on teachers’ ability to teach social studies effectively and on the improvement of student performance in social studies at both middle and high-school levels.”
• In 2003, Dr. Sally Krisel, an education specialist at the University of Georgia, again independently evaluated the materials, focusing on Europe in Transition and Africa in Transition. She concluded that “classroom teachers at both the middle and high-school levels found the SCIS materials to be superior in many ways to the curricula they had used in the past to teach the same content.” Dr. Krisel also found clear evidence that student achievement gains were correlated with the extensiveness of WIT use.
• In 2007, the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Ft. Worth conducted a follow-up survey among Texas educators who have attended workshops on the World in Transition. Eighty-nine percent of teachers reported that they implemented the materials immediately or shortly following the workshops, and ninety percent observed improved student achievement on standardized tests after using the World in Transition materials.
• In 2007, the Academy for Educational Development (AED), under contract by the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), conducted a nationwide evaluation of education and training products in order to select the strongest products for classroom use in conflict resolution and peace building. The panel recommended both Africa in Transition and South Asia in Transition to be designated as “top products.” They declared the materials a prime example of effective tools to support conflict resolution and will include the World in Transition materials in a compendium of USIP’s “Best Products.”

WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING?
Africa in Transition provides “timely information and analysis on the oft-overlooked continent of Africa and indeed might be appropriate for students in Africa itself.” Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations

“The Southern Center for International Studies’ … wonderful outreach efforts have enriched the international educations of students in high schools and colleges and universities throughout our country. It is so important for the next generation of America’s leaders to understand America’s role in the world ...” Colin Powell, U.S. Secretary of State

“It is critical that all Americans develop an international perspective in today’s ever interconnected world. The Southern Center for International Studies World in Transition materials are an excellent way to bring high quality international affairs education to schools nationwide.” Neville Isdell, Chairman & CEO of The Coca-Cola Company

“… I have been extremely pleased that for the past three years we have been able to partner with the Center to incorporate the World in Transition series into our training program for undergraduate and graduate-level student teachers … We have selected these materials because they combine the highest quality area scholarship with the best practices in education.” Thomas C. Meredith, Chancellor, University System of Georgia

“The World in Transition series has been developed over the past ten years, and, during that time, evaluations have shown that teachers rate the effectiveness of the materials very highly and continue to use them year after year.” Kathy Cox, State of Georgia Superintendent of Schools

“The materials are some of the best that I have ever used in my 26 years of teaching … Student interest is very high.” Carl Siler, Director of Teacher Education, Taylor University, Indiana

“The tools needed to teach about today’s world … a teacher’s best friend.” Paul Horne, Director of Curriculum & Programs Review, State of South Carolina Education and Oversight Committee