Comparative Education:
Education and National Development in a GlobalContext
(Postgraduate level)
Chuing Prudence Chou
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OBJECTIVES:
1.To broaden students’ vision about comparative methodology on education, social sciences and national development in a global era from theoretical and practical perspectives.
2.To showcase how education and human resource policies can affect national development from global and comparative perspectives.
3.To encourage two-way communication and participation in the class and provide hands-on experience in evaluating educational policies and practices in Asia, Europe, and other regions of interest.
4.To relate students’ personal educational experiencesin their home countrieswith critical pedagogy.
5. To prepare students for future careers in public policy and participation from a global perspective.
DESCRIPTION:
While the adoption of neoliberal, free-market economic policies and the subsequent deregulation of education began in the 1980s, its influence in recent years has only continued to increase. Over the last decade, these trends have continued to put pressure on many education systems throughout Europe, North and South America, and Asia. As a result, the increasing gaps between rich and poor on the individual, school, national and international scales are obvious, and they continue to intensify ethnic conflict, cultural disputes, gender inequality, and social instability.
Secondly, in the global environment, increasing competitiveness and accountability have become the priority for many educational institutions. Accelerating competition between and within schools has run rampant and become the norm with which administrators, educators and students must all comply. Emphasis on benchmarking has become increasingly pervasive in all aspects of education systems. For students, this has been realized through international assessments of student academic achievement, such as the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), as well as standardized testing at the national and sub-national levels. For educators and higher education institutes, world-class university rankings and the proliferation of publication indices as quantitative indicators of faculty and university performance, described as the SSCI syndrome, have continued to shape policies at all levels.
In addition, the rise of information and computer technology has brought forth a new revolutionary trend in learning. The dominant role of the Internet in students’ lives inside and outsidethe classroom has challenged conventional schools and classrooms in an unprecedented way, so that all educators, teachers and parents are forced to comply with the trend of change.
In this context, it is worthwhile to analyze some case studies of education reforms in Asia, Europe, and North America, and compare their outcomes in the context of globalization and localization. This is the reason why the instructor tends to correspond to displaying some cases of education reform policies in the last two decadesfrom comparative perspective as an ideal testimony to observe how long-lasting effects of educational policies can occur in response to efforts to enhance national development.
Participants of this class will be able to discuss a wide variety of education issues from comparative, international and even personal perspectives. There will be two-way and interactive discussions between instructor and students, which intends to invite more critical ideas and inspiration about the topics. It is hoped this class will help students acquire knowledge/skills on comparative methodology and use educational policies/practices from their own countries as comparative pedagogy.
CLASS SCHEDULE:
This is aseminar of 45 hours with lectures, discussions, and in-class activities. Weekly readings will be provided in advance for each session.
Week 1: Introduction – 2/23
Week 2:The Comparative Mind – 3/9
Facilitator: ______
Bray, M., Adamson, B., & Mason, M. (Eds.) (2014). Comparative education research: Approaches and methods, second edition. Hong Kong: Comparative Education Research Centre, University of Hong Kong and Dordrecht: Springer.
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: Actors and Purposes in Comparative Education
Eckstein, M. A. (1983). The comparative mind. Comparative Education Review, 27(3), 311-322.
Discussion questions:
1.What kind of cross-national and/or intra-national comparisons can you think of? Use the Bray/Thomas' cube. In both cases you may draw on the experience of your own country's education system.
2.Think of any example of "educational policy borrowing" in your country. Is your country a source of educational models for other countries or merely a borrower?
Week 3: Units of Comparison in Comparative Education (1/3) – 3/16
Bray, M., Adamson, B., & Mason, M. (Eds.) (2014). Comparative education research: Approaches and methods, second edition.
Facilitators:
Chapter 4: Comparing Places______
Chapter 5: Comparing Systems______
Chapter 6: Comparing Times______
1.Facilitator overviews (5–10 minutes each):
a.Units of analysis
b.Examples from text
c.Examples from elsewhere (your country, region, province, state, city, district, etc.)
2.Brainstorm (class): Using aspects of education that you are familiar with, what are some examples of possible comparisons between each level/unit of analysis?
3.Research development (pairs): Choose two different levels of analysis and units of analysis for each. Discuss how they could be compared and then briefly summarize your ideas to the class.
a.Background
b.Units of analysis
c.Research questions (think of possible research questions you could ask in your term paper)
Week 4: Units of Comparison in Comparative Education (2/3) – 3/23
Bray, M., Adamson, B., & Mason, M. (Eds.) (2014). Comparative education research: Approaches and methods, second edition.
Facilitators:
Chapter 7: Comparing Race, Class and Gender______
Chapter 8: Comparing Cultures______
Chapter 9: Comparing Values______
1.Facilitator overviews (5–10 minutes each):
a.Units of analysis
b.Examples from text
c.Examples from elsewhere
2.Brainstorm (class): Using aspects of education that you are familiar with, what are some examples of possible comparisons between each level/unit of analysis?
3.Research development (pairs): Choose two different levels of analysis and units of analysis for each. Discuss how they could be compared and then briefly summarize your ideas to the class.
a.Background
b.Units of analysis
c.Research questions
Week 5: Units of Comparison in Comparative Education (3/3) – 3/30
Bray, M., Adamson, B., & Mason, M. (Eds.) (2014). Comparative education research: Approaches and methods, second edition.
Facilitators:
Chapter 10: Comparing Policies______
Chapter 11: Comparing Curricula______
Chapter 12: Comparing Pedagogical Innovations______
Chapter 13: Comparing Ways of Learning______
Chapter 14: Comparing Educational Achievements______
1.Facilitator overviews (5–10 minutes each):
a.Units of analysis
b.Examples from text
c.Examples from elsewhere
2.Brainstorm (class): Using aspects of education that you are familiar with, what are some examples of possible comparisons between each level/unit of analysis?
3.Research development (pairs): Choose two different levels of analysis and units of analysis for each. Discuss how they could be compared and then briefly summarize your ideas to the class.
a.Background
b.Units of analysis
c.Research questions
Week 6: Globalization vs. Localization: East Asian Education in the Context of Worldwide Education Reform – 4/6 (12:00–16:00)
Facilitator: ______
Chou, C. P., & Ching, G. (2012). Taiwan Education at the Crossroad: When Globalization Meets Localization. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Preface
Chapter 1: Globalization Versus Localization: Notion or Reality in Taiwan?
Chapter 4:East Asian and Taiwan Education in the Context of Worldwide Education Reform
Discussion questions:
1.What are the different phases of education reform identified?
2.How do these chapters connect to the units of analysis discussed in Bray, Adamson, and Mason’s book?
3.In countries that you are familiar with, what have been the different phases of education and political reform?
4.How could these be developed into a comparative education study?
5.How does education reform in your country (or any country of your choice) compare to education reform in the East Asian countries discussed in the readings?
Week7: Globalization and Education Reform Policies around the World – 4/13
Facilitators: All students
Stromquist, N. P., & Monkman, K. (Eds.). (2014). Globalization and education: Integration and contestation across cultures. R&L Education.
Chapter 1: Defining Globalization and Assessing its Implications for Knowledge and Education, Revisited
Selected chapters
1.Discussion question:
According to the authors, what are the impacts of globalization on education at different levels?
2.Facilitator overviews/discussions (10–20 minutes each):
a.Chapter overview and key points
b.Discussion questions (4–6 per chapter to facilitate class discussion)
Week8: Education Reform Policies in the US – 4/20 (12:00–15:00)
Facilitators: ______and ______
Ravitch, Diane (2010). The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education. New York: Basic Books.
Chapter 1: What I Learned About School Reform
Chapter 2: Hijacked! How the Standards Movement Turned Into the Testing Movement
Chapter 4: Lessons from San Diego
Chapter 11: Lessons Learned
Discussion questions:
1.What general similarities and what differences do you see between the American education system and the one in your country (or any country of your choice)?
2.See discussion questions for the relevant chapters in “Ravitch 2010 Study Guide for Death and Life”.
Week9: Midterm Book Review Presentations – 4/27 (12:00–16:00)
Week 10: Education Reform Policies in Europe – 5/4
Facilitator: ______
Bleiklie, I., & Michelsen, S. (2013). Comparing HE policies in Europe. Higher Education, 65(1), 113-133.
Dakowska, D., & Harmsen, R. (2015). Laboratories of reform? The Europeanization and internationalization of higher education in Central and Eastern Europe.European Journal of Higher Education, 5(1), 4-17.
Discussion questions:TBA
Week11: The Global Achievement Gap – 5/11
Facilitator: ______
Wagner, Tony (2008). The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don't Teach the New Survival Skills Our Children Need - and What We Can Do About It. New York: Basic Books.
Chapter 1: The New World of Work and the Seven Survival Skills
Conclusion
Discussion questions:
1.Why are schools at risk in the global era?
2.From a comparative perspective, why is the global learning gap widening?
3.TBA
Week 12: World-Class University Rankings and International Assessments – 5/25
Facilitator: ______
Shin, J. C. (2013). The world-class university in different systems and contexts. In Shin, J. C., & Kehm, B. M. (Eds.), Institutionalization of world-class university in global competition (pp. 1-13). Dordrecht: Springer.
PISA. (2015) PISA Results in Focus. OECD Programme for International Student Assessment.
Discussion questions: TBA
Week 13: Alternative Education Models and Emerging Technologies – 6/1
Facilitator: ______
Yuan, L., Powell, S., & CETIS, J. (2013). MOOCs and open education: Implications for higher education.
Spangler, J. (2016). Impacts of online education on existing education models: Empirical evidence from Taiwan. In Chou, C. P., & Spangler, J. (Eds.). Chinese Education Models in a Global Age (pp. 177-192). Singapore: Springer.
Discussion questions: TBA
Week 14: Final Presentations – 6/8 (12:00–16:00)
TEACHING METHOD:
Participants of this class will be able to discuss a wide variety of education issues from comparative, international, and personal perspectives. Classes will be conducted in a two-way and interactive format between instructor and students, which aims to encourage more shared ideas and greater inspiration about the topics. It is hoped that this class will facilitate student learning through the integration and application of comparative and international education theories and practices in education and national development from comparative perspectives.
ORIGINAL WORK:
Students are expected to produce original work in their midterm book reviews and final projects. All information derived from other sources should be cited based on accepted standards for academic references. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.
ASSESSMENT:
1.Attendance (10%) – Students are expected to attend and arrive on time for all sessions.
2.Participation (10%) – Students must complete the weekly readings, be prepared to answer the relevant discussion questions, and actively participate in the seminar.
3.Facilitation (15%) – Students are expected to facilitate several classes during the semester and should be prepared to lead discussions during those classes. Students must also share a cultural or educational exchange case study during one of the class sessions.
4.Book Review (25%) – Students must write a book review of a recently published book, find a target journal for publication, and submit their book review for consideration in that journal.
5.Final Presentation and Project (40%) – Students must write an academic article, conference paper, book chapter, or dissertation proposal. Final projects must be directly related to the content of the course.
ADDITIONAL READINGS
Chou, C. P. (2014). Bray, M., Adamson, B., & Mason, M.(Eds.)(2014). Comparative education research: Approaches and methods. Hong Kong: Comparative Education Research Centre, University of Hong Kong and Dordrecht: Springer. [Book review]. CEPS Journal, 4(3), 131-136.
Enders, J., De Boer, H., & Weyer, E. (2013). Regulatory autonomy and performance: The reform of higher education re-visited. Higher Education, 65(1), 5-23.
Spangler, J. (2015). The SSCI Syndrome in Higher Education: A Local or Global Phenomenon, by Chuing Prudence Chou (review). The Review of Higher Education, 38(2), 326-329.
Spangler, J. (2014). Chou, C. P., & Ching, G. (2012). Taiwan education at the crossroad: when globalization meets localization. History of Education, 43(5), 716-718.
Voogt, J., & Roblin, N. P. (2012). A comparative analysis of international frameworks for 21st century competences: Implications for national curriculum policies. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 44(3), 299-321.
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