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Participatory Lecture by Dr. Justine Su Comparative Education Why, How, and What? Why do you want to study comparative education? How have you experienced the world? What kind of international experiences would you like to have? Describe Comparative and International Education In your own words, please write down your definition or descriptions of comparative and international education on note cards. Share your descriptions with someone sitting next to you and exchange note cards Present your classmate’s descriptions in class Definitions from scholars who claim to know the field From Erwin Epstein: Comparative education refers to a field of study that applies historical, philosophical, and social science theories and methods to international problems in education. Comparative education is primarily an academic and interdisciplinary pursuit. Phillips & Schweisfurth - Authors’ definition on comparative education The study of any aspect of educational phenomena in two or more different national or regional (can be in the same nation) settings in which attempts are made to draw conclusions from a systematic comparison of the phenomena in question. Summary by Eckstein: Comparative Education serves to combat provincialism and ethnocentricity, to motivate study of the history and development of school systems, and to increase awareness of the interplay between schools and their social and cultural environments. Fundamental Purpose Learning lessons on the basis of the informed understanding of other systems is a fundamental purpose of comparative education. Major purposes of Comparative education To promote knowledge – build up comparative ed. as a field of study. To assist reform and development To improve knowledge about one’s own educational system To transfer good ideas and practices from one setting/country to another. To promote international attitudes and goodwill. Comparative Education Challenges and Opportunities Challenges – hard to define: Too immense - it is about all aspects of education in every country of the world throughout all time. Too generic - it is a context, not a discipline. Opportunities – to create and to collaborate: Give you the most freedom to create and to work with your ideas and with other people’s ideas. Different disciplinary backgrounds and different degrees and types of experience provide different perspectives and introduce different methodological approaches. Therefore scholars from different fields can work together in a team on comparative and international studies– i.e., IEA and OECD studies. International Education International education fosters an international orientation in knowledge and attitudes and, among other initiatives, brings together students, teachers, and scholars from different nations to learn about and from each other. It suggests an applied approach. International education also includes the analysis and description of such activities. Many practitioners of international education are experts on international exchange and interaction. Their activities are partly based on a knowledge of comparative education. Internationalization of higher education Student mobility - study abroad students increased by 50% in the past decade to 3.7 million in 2009. International curricula has an international orientation in content, aimed at preparing students for performing in an international and multi-cultural context. See Su’s efforts to internationalize teacher education at CSUN. International collaboration in research – example of Dr. Su’s and other faculty’s work with Chinese scholars. Europe’s example – exchange & common framework of qualifications for all degree programs across nations. Borderless edu. -New York Univ. Shanghai Campus, etc. Distance education – online programs, virtual classroom. International education research - through different lenses Insider & Outsider Research – example: study on preschool in three cultures – combination of both perspectives. You are an “outsider” for American education. Research employing international frameworks – human capital theory; diploma disease, transition to democracy; various international agreements – Education for All, etc. Globalization studies – political, economic, cultural and educational globalization Education and development studies – education in developing countries , strong applied dimension; problem with the concept of development & developing country. Are you a global citizen? - Global Education or GCE Global Citizenship Education - GCE or Global Education seeks to cultivate in learners an international outlook and a sense of belonging to, and responsibility towards, the global community. Knowledge – facts about the world, understanding of social and physical geography, citizenship, sustainable development, social justice, values and perceptions, diversity, interdependence, conflict resolution and human rights. Skills – ability to communicate inter-culturally, to analyze critically, to explore the nature of conflicts, and to provide solutions for resolutions Can also consider GCE in terms of attitudes and behaviors. Intercultural competence Do you have the following intercultural skills: Critical reflection on one’s own culture; Curiosity about other cultures; Empathy for people from other cultures; Linguistic skills; Analytical awareness that allows understanding beyond superficial representations. These skills, combined with comparative perspectives, are essential for success of comparative education researchers. Comparative & International Education complement each other International education is dependent on comparative expertise. Dr. Hawkins and Dr. Su are good examples. Comparative studies are usually international in nature, and international studies are implicitly comparative. Comparative and international education are essentially complementary - interdependent, allowing academics and practitioners in both fields to collaborate closely. Many scholars are both comparative education expert (research) and international education administrators (practice). Multiple vs. single-country comparative studies Multiple-country comparative study – examining two or more educational entities or aspects/practices by putting them side by side and looking for similarities or differences between or among them. Examples – Tobin et al. study of preschools in three cultures; Dr. Su’s comparative study of science education in American and Chinese high schools; teaching in elementary schools in the U.S. and China; training of school principals in the U.S., China and Australia. Single country study - observation of education and schooling through “foreign eyes” or sub-regional comparison Chinese National Ministry of Education’s efforts to compile reports on “Chinese Education Through Foreigners’ Eyes.” Dr. Su’s study on “Chinese education through American eyes” and “American education through Chinese eyes” Comparison of urban vs. rural education or comparison of mainstream vs. minority education within a country. See many other examples of multi-country and singlecountry studies in education journals such as Comparative Education Review, Comparative Education, and Compare. Brain storm on your own ideas Think and write down some ideas on multi-country and/or single-country comparative studies and share with your classmates. History of Comparative Education Origins began in the early years of the 19th Century in Europe and the U.S. – e.g., Victor Cousin in France, Michael Sadler in England, William Torrey Harris & Horace Mann in the U.S. By the 1960s, it was common for universities and colleges to offer courses in comparative education. More education borrowing in 19th Century – learn good lessons from other countries’ schools More systematic and scientific analysis in 20th Century –explore factors contributing to success or failure Noah & Eckstein – Five stages of development 1. Travelers’ tales – superficial descriptions 2. Travelers with a specific educational focus; learning through example, improving circumstances at home – policy borrowing, intelligent observers, 3. Understanding of other nations; detailed accumulation of information –by data gathering; educational exchange Marc-Antoine Jullien 1816 proposed a systematic empirical investigation by means of a questionnaire Victor Cousin and Horace Mann also produced thorough knowledge on education in Germany Noah & Eckstein – Five stages of development 4. Study of “national character” (socio-economic dimension of education) and its deterministic role in shaping national systems of education - factors contributing to education systems 5. Quantitative research; explanation of educational phenomena – detailed “scientific” analysis of educational phenomena to provide explanation and to improve performance. i.e., OECD – PISA One stage does not simply replace the other, but adds to layers of sophistication, so that it has evolved into a multidimensional field of educational inquiry. Postmodernism Postmodernism favors a pluralistic view and different perspectives from some individuals and groups – three major strands of critique are feminist, culturalist, and class. Post –colonial perspectives are associated with postmodernism, in contrast to colonialism and neocolonialism Work of Marx, Weber, Durkheim or Foucault can provide illuminating perspective on particular topics of inquiry in education. CIES (1956) and WCCES (1970) CIES - Comparative and International Education Society, the oldest and largest, holds annual meetings. WCCES – World Council of Comparative Education Societies holds regular world congresses. Major Journals & References International Review of Education by UNESCO Comparative Education Review Compare Comparative Education International Encyclopedia of Education Prospectus – 教育展望 by UNESCO in China Policy Transfer Is at the Heart of Comparative Education Some key questions: What can be learnt from an examination of educational provision in other countries, and how this learning can be transferred to education policy and practices in one’s home country? What implications does the example of the “other” have for a particular nation or region? What ideas/policies might be successfully imported? What are the processes involved in such transfer? Compare Chinese and Japanese Experiences of Learning from the West Japan – the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912) – government’s efforts to investigate and learn from the west China – 辛亥革命 1911 Revolution, and many Chinese students went to study abroad, in Japan and western countries, including some key leaders and education scholars– Deng Xiaoping, Zhou Enlai, Tao Xingzhi, etc. 杜威访问中国 John Dewey visited and lectured in China from 1919-1921 and had tremendous impact on the development of democracy and education Do you think the following “transfer” or “borrowing” would be effective? If China adopts some of the features of American higher education system, will China improve the quality of higher education, therefore further enhancing its economic development? If the U.S. adopts some of the features of Chinese elementary education system, will the U.S. improve the quality of basic skills education for all students, therefore enhancing their performance at upper level schools and colleges? Finnish Lessons Long experience with 9-year comprehensive schools Focused attention to pupils with special needs Local autonomy in education A highly professional and well-qualified teaching force. Teaching in Finland is so attractive that only 10% of applicants can get into teacher training program, and all teachers have master’s degrees. Praises and Criticism of “Surpassing Shanghai” Impassioned pleas to implement global best practice Criticism of the book from some comparative education scholars: Deepen pre-existing policy preferences Reflect local predilections of a privileged few Authors lack the knowledge of theory, training in methods, and experience that move beyond the confines and consequences of a limited worldview Do you agree with such criticism? Keep these in mind when you read the book and PISA report. PISA will dominate discussions of the future of education globally PISA – Program for International Student Assessment conducted by OECD – Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, since 2000. China joined the study in 2009 and 2012, and Shanghai schools ranked No. 1 in the World both times, in all three areas – language, math and science. U.S. ranked average and below average in PISA. Watch out for outcomes of the 2015 PISA, which will have an additional focus on creative problem solving. PISA will reveal who has the world’s best education system and why. Do you agree that the basis of all knowledge is comparison & comparison should serve as a basis for education decision-making? Congratulations on becoming a comarativist! Enjoy a comparative Way of life now! Way to go!