Skip to main content

Go to our other sites

Change language / country

Cambridge Assessment International Education

Main navigation

  • About us

    About us

    • What we do
    • Our management team
    • Our regional teams
    • Our standards
    • Careers
    • Examiners
    • Our history
  • Why choose us

    Why choose us

    • Benefits of a Cambridge education
    • Where do Cambridge qualifications take you?
    • Support for schools
    • Information for parents and students
    • Find a Cambridge school
    • Online education
    • Join Cambridge
    • Cambridge Associates
    • The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award
    spacer
    Material from Join Cambridge Welcome pack

    Join Cambridge

    Find out how to become a Cambridge school

  • Programmes &
    qualifications

    Programmes & qualifications

    • Cambridge Primary

      • Curriculum
      • Classroom support
      • Assessment
      • Resource list
    • Cambridge Lower Secondary

      • Curriculum
      • Classroom support
      • Assessment
      • Resource list
    • Cambridge Upper Secondary

      • Cambridge IGCSE
      • Cambridge O Level
    • Cambridge Advanced

      • Cambridge International AS & A Level
      • Cambridge Pre-U
      • Cambridge AICE Diploma
      • Cambridge IPQ
    • Other

      • Recognition and acceptance
      • Cambridge Global Perspectives
      • Bilingual education
  • Exam
    administration

    Exam administration

    • Cambridge Exams Officers' Guide

      • Phase 1 - Preparation
      • Phase 2 - Entries
      • Phase 3 - Coursework and Moderation
      • Phase 4 - Before the exam
      • Phase 5 - Exam day
      • Phase 6 - Results and certificates

    Other

      • What to expect on exam day
      • Results
      • Private candidates
  • Support & training
    for schools

    Support & training for schools

    Support and resources

    • Teaching and learning during Covid-19
    • Support for teachers
    • Support for new schools
    • Teaching Cambridge at your school
    • Endorsed resources
    • Communications toolkit

    Professional development and conferences

    • Professional development courses
    • Professional development calendar
    • Cambridge Professional Development Qualifications
    • Cambridge Schools Conference

    Other support

    • Resource Plus
    • Test Maker
    • Cambridge Personal Styles Questionnaire
    • Great teaching toolkit
  • News & blog

    News & blog

    • Latest news
    • Blog
    • Newsletters
    • Sign up to our eNewsletters
    • Media contacts
    • What's new February 2022
    spacer
    Cambridge Outlook magazine front cover

    Cambridge Outlook magazine

    Keep up to date with news from Cambridge and its schools around the world.

  • Help

Programmes & Qualifications

  • Teacher and student stories
    • Danish Malik and Muhammad Bin Amjad
    • Ian Mills
    • Isabella Moreno
    • Mason Arnold
    • Zhiqin Chen
    • Oksana Melendez
    • Sakina Bharmal
    • Wilson Woltersdorf
    • Spandan Mehta
    • Talha Gul Khan
  • Teacher and student stories
    • Danish Malik and Muhammad Bin Amjad
    • Ian Mills
    • Isabella Moreno
    • Mason Arnold
    • Zhiqin Chen
    • Oksana Melendez
    • Sakina Bharmal
    • Wilson Woltersdorf
    • Spandan Mehta
    • Talha Gul Khan
  • Home
  • Programmes and qualifications
  • Cambridge Global Perspectives
  • Case studies
  • Teacher and student stories
  • Oksana Melendez

Oksana Melendez

Oksana Melendez - imageThe open nature of Global Perspectives – with a focus on critical thinking and research skills rather than a set series of topics – was a big attraction for US student Oksana Melendez. It allowed her to follow her passions, from hot political issues to more obscure areas of research.

‘I really liked the idea of independent research. In most of my classes we don't get to do something very independent and if we do, it's got to be very specifically tailored to whatever that class is.

‘I think Global Perspectives is a great opportunity for students that have interests that don't align with their school’s standard courses. You can do research on whatever you want.

‘While I was brainstorming for my final project I went through a bunch of topics, starting with rock climbing and through to something in astronomy, because I want to major in astronomy.

‘I learnt lots of tiny little facts, like rock climbers are something like 20 per cent more likely to get Dupuytren's disease (where there are problems with the finger joints), so it made me more aware of lots of different things.

‘I did my presentation in Cambridge International AS Level Global Perspectives on the opioid crisis. I wanted to find something that was extremely global, and I thought that something medical that impacts health would be a good way to find that.

‘I had heard a lot about the opioid crisis after the 2016 election here. It was a hot topic and I knew it was a big issue but I didn’t know why exactly. I thought it was super interesting and something I’ve never really learned about before.

‘I'm not a medical person. I'm into politics but not to the point where I would want to be a politician, but Global Perspectives gave me the chance to do more research on the issue and find out more about it.’

Skills for study and for life

The course has also helped her develop techniques that she can use across the curriculum, and when she moves on to university and work.

‘We did a lot of independent research, particularly in the first semester, and it helped me to learn how to navigate different databases, and figure out like what sources I should use - which ones are reliable, which ones will be more beneficial for the point I'm trying to make in my paper.

‘It's also helped in my regular classes like English, where we have to write papers. Finding sources for my papers has been much easier since doing Global Perspectives.’

Oksana Melendez studied Cambridge International AS & A Level Global Perspectives at John Overton High School, in Nashville, Tennessee in the United States. The school has around 2000 students, and offers some Cambridge IGCSE courses as well as the Cambridge AICE Diploma, which is a group award made up of Cambridge International AS & A Levels.

About us

  • What we do
  • Help
  • Our social media channels

Useful links

  • Join Cambridge
  • Book a training course
  • Communications toolkit
  • Log in to secure sites
  • Careers
Cambridge University Press & Assessment logo

View Related Sites

  • School Support Hub
  • Cambridge Primary support site
  • Cambridge Lower Secondary support site
  • Cambridge International Direct
  • Submit for Assessment
  • Online Learning – professional development
  • Assessment Specialist support site
  • Online Learning – student support

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022

  • Sitemap
  • ISO 9001 Certificate
  • Privacy and legal
  • Accessibility and standards
  • Statement on Modern Slavery
  • Contact us
Back to top
We use cookies. By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies Accept