The curricula of the Choices for the 21st Century Education Project at Brown University are designed to make complex international issues understandable and meaningful for students. Understanding the Significance of History Each Choices unit provides students with a thorough introduction to the topic under consideration.
Students gain an understanding of the historical background and the status of current issues.
In this way, they see how history has shaped our world. With this foundation, students are prepared to thoughtfully consider a variety of perspectives on public policy. Each Choices unit is built around a framework of alternative policy options that challenges students to consider multiple perspectives and to think critically about the issue at hand. In groups, students explore their assigned options and plan short presentations. The setting of the role-play may be a Congressional hearing, meeting of the National Security Council, or an election campaign forum.