Globalisation and Education - Literature review Example

Globalisation and education (Name) (Institution) (Course name) (Course code) (Module) (Instructor’s Name) Date of submission Introduction Globalisation has taken centre stage in the global agenda in trade, economics, technology, environment, climate change, terrorism, drug use and most recently education. However, the impact of globalisation has been great on many fronts though little research has been conducted to assess its actual impact on education in the long term (Gouwens 2009). In this age of high technological growth, the modes of delivering education have increased beyond the classroom. Teaching and learning can be conducted online via the internet from the comfort of home or elsewhere. This has tremendously increased accessibility to education for those who have access to such technology. The increased global interactions which are the major platforms for globalisation such as technology and social cultural interactions have brought with them opportunities and challenges to education which fundamentally affect education policies. It is in this sense that this paper assesses the challenges that globalisation poses to education from the technology and socio-cultural interactions front and gives recommendation on addressing these challenges. These challenges are theoretical, practical and policy related. The problem in the definition of globalisation is a problem to education. This is because by lacking a clear definition of the term, it becomes hard to assess the level and extent of influence of globalisation on education. Robertson et al (2007) cites Scholtes on definition by saying that definition is not everything…everything involves definition. A muddled or misguided core concept compromises our overall comprehension of the problem. In contrast, a sharp and revealing definition promotes insightful, interesting and empowering knowledge, an understanding that helps us shape our destiny in positive directions” (Scholte, 2002: 3). The current research in education uses globalisation in a rather loose and deterministic way. For instance some scholars prefer to say globalisation causes integration or globalisation does this and that thereby treating it as process without a subject or agent. Robertson argues that it is best to treat globalisation as combination of various agents such as economics, trade and culture which together their effects and differentiation and integration have brought about what is know as globalisation. From this perspective then, education and international education specifically is a tradable service; a social good. Globalisation calls for a change in education curriculum and policy to match the pace of socio-cultural and technological changes. Education leaders should be at the forefront in providing a vision that the education system should pursue. Psychologists and business managers differentiate the role of education leaders and student by articulating that leaders in general should provide long term goals and sketch out a plan that managers should follow. Suarez continues to say that a new kind of education should be put in place for “lifelong cognitive, behavioural and relational engagement with the world” (Geouwns p. 111) which is becoming more and more integrated under globalisation. Dimmock and Walker (2004) say that the culture of a people entails how they tell their history, how they do their art, pass on knowledge and how they write their books. This implies that with globalisation, education has to change, but has there been change really? This is one of the greatest challenges to education. Sociocultural changes Socio-cultural changes are transformations that take place within the society and its cultural ways. These two, society and culture are very close terms and highly related but cannot be used interchangeably. Dimmock and Walker (2004) differentiate them by saying that society is a system of interrelationships while culture is the glue that holds the people together through a shared and common understanding of an accepted way of life distinguishable from other groups of people. Therefore, changes in these interrelationships are bound to affect the dissemination of knowledge and the learning process as it will in its most basic element affect how the teacher and the learner relate and even how educational leaders relate with other stakeholders in education. Globalisation from a society perspective then is the expansion of these interrelationships to an international level while cultural globalisation would imply sharing of an accepted way of life on an international level. Such developments imply that education has to keep on changing. Such changes require constant evaluation and review of curriculum and syllabus and constant consultations with foreign education systems to understand and interpret these changes appropriately. Globalisation calls for recognition of the differences in culture while education is moving towards teat. According to Dimmock and Walker (2004, 13), this is because “in a globalising world, recognition of the influence of societal culture and cross-cultural similarities and differences becomes more, rather than less, important”. The authors continue to say that, “consequently, the inclusion of societal culture as a factor in comparative or international investigations covering such themes as the curriculum, teaching and learning, leadership and school-based management is seen as imperative for the future development of the field” (Dimmock and Walker 13). A number of authors agree that the existing theories on education and education leadership strategies used around the world are suited and developed to go with the Anglo-American context which places non Anglo-American countries at a disadvantage (Chinnammai 2005; Gouwens 2009; Dimmock and Walker 13). Conventionally it would appear that globalisation would allow a more universal socio-cultural system but this is not the case. A globalised world implies that societies are more aware of the differences among them hence a growing demand for a ‘customised’ educational system that matches with their context. While internalisation of education is channelling energy towards a common education system, globalisation is pushing in the opposite direction by calling for customised/localised educational systems. Globalisation undermines the socio-cultural structures of non-western societies which are key in education policy formulation. In his paper ‘Education for Globalisation; Modern Western Education System’, David Orr (1999) claims that western education has replaced indigenous education which forms the foundations of society and its cultural ways (Channabhai 2005). Affected societies are being gradually transformed into dummy western societies that worship and adore all western perceptions of knowledge and phenomena. In his paper, the author notes that the western education system being copied by other societies around the world has led to loss of local knowledge in the affected communities. Chinnammai (2005) supports this view by saying that the western education system which is being popularised by globalisation is designed to meet the needs of the western societies and hence the non-western societies leave their needs unattended. The western system stand accused of focusing on creation of money and passing of exams with little attention to preservation of culture. The integration of culture globally does not point to any superior culture that will absorb other cultures. This implies that one system of education will be absorbed. The conventional way has it that the Anglo-American system is superior to all the others and for these reason other educational systems such as those used in Africa are deemed inferior. Educational leaders are mandated to provide the guideline in achieving a middle position that will ensure recognition and preservation of local/vernacular knowledge and at the same time allow local education systems to benefit from other education systems elsewhere. Globalisation is exposing domestic educational systems in different countries to a number of systems around the world. This definitely presents a dilemma to educational leaders who are torn between preserving vernacular knowledge and embracing the more acceptable globalised knowledge which as it stands is interpreted as the Anglo-American system. This dilemma is most apparent in higher institutions in Asia and Arab world. The Anglo-American education is perceived superior both by employers and students alike. Those economically endowed are enrolling in international schools in the west. Globalisation strives to make the western culture and education universal. For non-western students like me who are being exposed to the western education that is designed for and promotes western culture are facing a cultural identity crisis not anticipated by education leaders. Internationalization of education is taking place at a different pace with socio-cultural internationalisation. Culture plays a fundamental role in education and learning and by thus ignoring its alignment with changes in education, then there is bound to be chaos in the learning process. Dimmock and Walker (2004) claim that internalisation of education breeds ethnocentrism whereby the Anglo-American education system is an ambassador of the western culture. There is bound to be cultural misunderstanding especially where the non aligned cultures and educational systems interact. Zadja (2005) warns educational leaders against unplanned sampling of foreign educational systems with out a proper plan. The author quotes Sadler (1979) who says that In studying foreign systems of education we should not forget that the things outside the schools matter even more than the things inside the schools, and govern and interpret the things inside. We cannot wander at pleasure among the educational systems of the world like a child strolling through a garden, and pick off a flower from one bush and some leaves from another, and then expect that if we stick what we have gathered into the soil at home, we shall have a plant. A national system of education is a living thing, the outcome of forgotten struggles and difficulties and ‘of battles long ago’. It has in it some of the secret workings of national life (Zadja 2005, 24). Among the things that should also not be forgotten by education leaders is how the educational system blends with the local culture and society before considering adapting the same system. Recommendations Stakeholders should develop a common approach to education internalisation and globalisation at large. Regional trade blocks have been formed by countries and have been instrumental in promoting interrelationships among nations which are the core binding element of globalisation. These countries have left it to individual institutions to form partnerships with local industries players and other foreign institutions. These relationships are small in nature as they include industrial attachments and internships, tailor made courses and exchange programmes. The level of investments and involvement of such arrangements are minute compared to the government involvement in formation of trade blocks and signing of trade treaties. This is a clear indication of poor government support in internationalisation of education. For instance, if the Australian federal government is willing to partner with Brazil in mining and exploration programmes, the same level of commitment and involvement between the two countries should be extended towards education. Increase the level of exchange programmes to promote cultural and educational sharing and understanding. The current trend in internationalisation of education seems to be driven towards making knowledge universally similar. However, this drive should not ignore the local cultures that make education valuable. Education to local communities is used in teaching their moral and cultural beliefs as well as passing down their history. To achieve this, institutions of higher learning should be at the forefront in promoting student exchange programmes with other foreign institutions. Educational leader should be at the fore front in enabling this sustainable move. Internationalisation of education should be geared towards recognising the differences in culture and knowledge issues rather than ignoring them. Promoting the western education system as superior to others undermines other education systems. A look into the filed of business management shows that players in this industry better recognise the importance of the differences in culture and knowledge and their influence on management styles. As an education leader, I suggest that the same approach be used in education. This would imply that as a beneficiary and product of the western education system, I can be able to function well in another region using a different education system by adapting and customising the core issues in education leadership to the cultural beliefs of the particular people and country to meet their local needs. Technology – virtual learning Technology use in education has placed underdeveloped countries at a disadvantage. Educational institutions especially in the developed world have been at the forefront in embracing the new inventions in technology while their counterparts in underdeveloped counties have been left behind. Education leaders more so in private institutions are using the technology platform to market their institutions on national and international level. Ball and Goodson (2007) say that learning institutions are using technology to enhance old pedagogies to give an impression of cutting edge curriculum innovation which is not always the case. Education leaders are blamed for this misrepresentation of information. The authors add that increase use of computers in the learning process does not change the curriculum if the curriculum itself is not changed. This is one of the biggest challenges that institutions face; the wiliness to adapt to new developments in technology while the curriculum remain unchanged to match with the new technology and also the job requirements in the labour market. Hands-on experience is gaining popularity among employers while technology is facilitating theoretical learning via the internet and the class situation. The growth in popularity of online learning threatens the conventional classroom. Educational leaders should be aware of this threat in many ways. As a beneficiary of e-learning, I am aware of the tremendous benefits that I enjoy and the convenience it afford me in catering for my family and attending to domestic chores and also attending my classes at the comfort of my home. A few years back, this would have been impossible and I would probably miss my opportunity in schooling. Nonetheless, education leaders should be aware of the both the benefits and the challenges that a globalised technology that allows students in Africa to attend online lessons in colleges and universities in the UK or elsewhere in the developed world. This exposes to learners foreign educational systems that probably do not match the needs of the economy and the provisions of the educational system in use in their home country or even the social and cultural environment. There is bound to be a level of conflict in that case. The question that arises is, are educational leaders well prepared and developing enough mechanisms to deal with globalisation of education? A number of scholars agree that there are limited mechanisms to deal with the globalisation as a whole and the internalisation of education presently. A good example is the use if various languages in teaching and learning. A look at Saudi Arabia’s educational system indicates that international schools that follow western education curriculums have been established (Arnove & Torres 2007). The schools differ a lot in curriculum and even the language used by the teachers and students. Conventional Saudi schools use Arabic and education in their case is based on imparting cultural and religious views students rather than academic issues per se. in the spirit of globalisation, globalisation of education means that relatively harmonised academic curriculum will be used by all countries. Technology such as computers and the internet have worked towards enabling the sharing and consultations between various systems while computer lessons have emerged in classrooms as another mark for internationalisation of education, it is upon the current crop of education leaders to oversee this transition. The transition to e-learning has met resistance from some teachers. Opponents of e-learning as cited by Maeroff (2002, ¶) claims that they “characterise e-learning as inhuman and inhumane, a mechanistic, robotic approach to education that cannot possibly be the equal of a teacher in a classroom with a group of students.” Such opposition is based on the human experience in the classroom experience. While this is largely centred on the quality of education, the opposition to this mode of learning and teaching do not deny the benefit that virtual learning promotes in this era of globalisation. However, teaching using new education systems influenced by different cultures could at least be done in person to facilitate better understanding than in the online scenario. Educational leadership, globalisation and e-learning are all relatively new entrants in the education field and they can support each other in growth (Zhao 2009). The author argues that these aspects can work together in that they may face the same toothing and adaptation problems. The author argues that these concepts should be presented in the field of education as a package. Some institutions around the world have taken cue and offer educational leadership courses online exposing foreign students to new cultures and elevating the issue of globalisation to another. By allowing future education leaders to experience the influence and significance of technology in education, then the world is being better prepared for the future that is going to be more technology advanced and dominated. However such drastic changes in education in will destabilise and may be a potential cause of chaos in education. It is better to roll out changes gradually to avoid destabilising the whole sector and even theories in education. Recommendations Education should be powered towards innovation in order to support globalisation. Hallinger (2003) says that the new conceptualisation of education leadership focuses on the ability to innovate rather than the conventional coordination, control and supervision. Education especially higher education is moving towards the virtual environment especially for non science and practical subjects. This implies that governments should be quick in facilitating technology growth by laying down the necessary technological infrastructure such as the internet while institutions will individually developed courses to offer in the classroom or online depending on the needs of the students and those of the course. References Arnove, R. & Torres, A. (2007). Comparative education: the dialectic of the global and the local. Sydney: Rowman & Littlefield Ball, T. & Goodson, I. (2007). Education, Globalisation and New Times. Melbourne; Taylor & Francis Channammai, C. (2005). Effects of globalisation on education and culture. ICDE Conference paper, Nov 19-23, New Delhi Dimmock, C. & Walker, A. (2004). Educational leadership: culture and diversity. London: Sage Gouwens, J. (2009). Education in crisis: a reference handbook. London: ABC-CLIO, 2009 Hallinger, P. (2003). “Leading Educational Change: reflections on the practice of instructional and transformational leadership.” Cambridge Journal of Education Vol. 33, No. 3, November 2003 Mearoff, G. (2002). “Standing in the Middle of a Cyclone: Online Education Comes of Age.” Technos quarterly winter 2002 vol. 11 no. 4. http://www.ait.net/technos/tq_11/4maeroff.php Robertson, S. et al (2007). Globalisation, education and development: ideas, actors and dynamics Suarez-Orozco, M. & Qin-Hilliard, D. 2004. Globalization: culture and education in the new millennium Zadja, J. 2005. International handbook on globalisation education and policy research: global pedagogies and policies. Zhao, Y. 2009. Preparing global citizens; globalisation and education. 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