The effects of globalization phenomena on educational concepts

It is becoming more and more apparent that globalization processes represent, theoretically as well as practically, a challenge for educational sciences and therefore, it must be addressed within the sphere of education. Accordingly, educational conceptions have to adapt to globafization phenomena and focus more on alternative and innovative educational concepts. The observable phenomena that appear as part of globalization then lead to the following question： Is there still space for educational concepts like emancipation, self-determination, equal opportunities and fairness in distribution, democracy and common sense？ The most indispensable tools for the development of equitable and peaceful contemporary education perspectives are a differentiated reflection on globalization phenomena and consequences, an intensive analysis and disclosure to address （global） conflict lines, the questioning of well-established concepts, the formation and embodiment of visions of the global future and the articulation of innovative education concepts. Modern social and political structures and practices have to be reoriented to combat the negative effects of globalization processes through the incorporation of more humane, socially fair and ecological principles. Educational science is sure to make an important contribution in making this a reality.     

Learning for Vocation Apprentice Participation in Work Practice

The high drop-out rate in upper secondary education is a major challenge to European and US educational programmes. Upper secondary education in Norway faces a similar challenge, because in recent decades, around one-third of the students drop out of the educational programmes. The majority of the drop-outs are students in vocational programmes, and a substantial number are apprentices at the workplace. With these high drop-out rates and the ensuing personal, social and economic consequences, it is vital to address how upper secondary education systems can keep students connected throughout the programmes. By thoroughly analyzing learning environments and the experiences, interactions and processes which youth deal with during vocational education, insights into how characteristics of the learning environments relate to dropping-out and connectedness may be brought into educational discussions. The case study presented in this article explores how workplaces constitute learning environments and how apprentices participate in the learning environments of work according to their dispositions, aims and life plans. The findings show that the apprentices had different agencies and that they were involved in two distinct participation patterns at the workplace： a collaborative pattern and an executive pattern. Our findings also suggest that strong agency for the vocation may keep apprentices connected throughout the educational programme, although they are aftbrded an executive participation pattern. Based on our findings, it is appropriate to raise questions as to whether an unclear agency for the vocation, together with affordance of executive participation patterns, may suggest one possible answer for the high drop-out rate among apprentices.     

Economics of Language behind Catchwords

The integration of linguistics and economics, economics of language, is a new peripheral subject based on theory of west ern human capital and educational economics. Catchwords which reflect many theories of economics of language enter into people’s scope of research. Study of catchword is of great significance for the enrichment of research of human language.     

Inclusive education in Bosnia and Herzegovina

This paper describes the different challenges faced by all members of the local community who are directly or indirectly responsible for the educational reform regarding the process of inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Yugoslavia education system is regulated in canton legislature. Each canton has its own law on preschool, elementary school, high school and university education, with more than 30 laws covering the area of education. General and special education are separately regulated, thus violating the rights of children with special needs to be educated in the mainstream schools closest to their home. Negative attitudes, prejudices and stereotypes, educational standards non supportive for the inclusive education, lack of engagement of university facilities and negligence of scientifically based research are also considered in this study.     

Questions in the answers to primary school educational reconstruction in Sierra Leone

The purpose of this paper is to review current issues in pre- and primary school reform and to pose questions on the long-term implications of present day solutions. Such an exercise will open up discussion on the probable effects of educational policy decisions with a view to minimize negative effects brought on by new policies. Because data collection in Sierra Leone is embryonic and unreliable, it is difficult to be definitive in planning future reform in education based on available data. The civil war between 1989 and 1999 practically shut down the educational system. Some of the obvious steps taken to ameliorate the situation included mandatory compulsory primary education in 2004 and completing the construction of 500 new classroom buildings by 2008. School enrolment doubled between 2001 and 2005 and the Gross Enrolment Ratio （GER） was about 160 percent. It is important to join in a discussion of the long-term implications of short-term solutions to educational development in Sierra Leone. The paper is organized under the following headings： （1） The context of pre and primary school development; （2） Current education system; （3） Issues in pre-primary and primary education; （4） Government statements on education and jobs respectively; （5） Questioning as a way to improve education quality; （6） Discussion; and （7） Recommendation.     

On the policy structure and orientation of governing the school choice problem in China＇s basic education

The paper analyzes the nature of the basic education, and points out that the scarcity, disparity and exclusiveness to a certain degree form the inner reasons of school choice in China. In review of the policy evolution of governing the school choice problems, and analyzing the policy framework of the current stage, the paper holds that expanding public expenditure is the basis of providing adequate, fair and quality compulsory education and high school education, and the role of social forces should be brought into full play so as to promote the diverse ways of delivering educational services. In reality, the significant institutional guarantee to govern the problem of school choice in China is to transform the government function and build the government more public service oriented, implement the government accountability system and build transparent public debate sphere.     

Bridging the gap between higher education and the Telecommunications Engineering Sector

In this paper, the growth of the telecommunication sector in Pakistan and consequent development in the related professional education is studied. The widening gap between the telecommunication industry and associated education sector is identified. The higher educational programs in Pakistan have grown very rapidly to meet the needs of the explosive growth in the telecommunications＇ engineering sector but this growth is not in synchronization with the requirements of the industry due to non-existence of collaboration and co-operation between the two. The professional education in telecommunication in Pakistan and the higher educational degree programs are very precisely focused on producing quality graduates with refined technical and mathematical skills While the telecom sector in Pakistan is in principle a service provider and a consumer market that mainly requires engineers for operation and maintenance related activities. As such the skills imparted by the education sector are rarely utilized, which results in dissatisfaction among the telecommunications＇ engineers. A survey of both the telecommunication sector and the academia has been conducted along with detailed discussions to explore the reasons for this ever-increasing gap, ways and means to arrest this trend and future course of action for the academia and the telecom sector to develop. A study related to other emerging technical fields like computer science has also been made for the comparison. On the basis of this extensive exercise outlined above, measures have been suggested to bridge the gap between the education and the industrial needs of the telecom sector. By adopting these measures not only our education sector will become more beneficial to the industry, but the industry would also get the advantage of immense potential of young graduates and the academic research.     

Overcoming of the stereotypes and prejudices for Roma students and their integration in school

The most significant aspects within this taking place in the educational system regarding to paper are overcoming the stereotypes and prejudices that are Roma children. In addition to this, there are couples of explorations which explain the way of how the Roma children are integrated and socialized within the school borders and more concrete within a class. In that context, it gives the marks, at the same time, the visions of the Roma students in creating a comfortable atmosphere where they would find themselves to be motivated and show their best optimal school results, as well as support and encouragement for their increased activity, motivation and initiative within the school. Also, the author presented some project experiences from Sweden and Macedonia. As a pattern of an informal education from Faculty of Pedagogy in Skopje, which is very interesting, offers possibilities for development of capabilities and awareness of unity, mutual respect, tolerance ethnic harmony and building up of the consciousness of the existence of the other, especially for Roma students. The human ideas like being the first to love and taking initiative without wanting to be loved are accessible to everyone and are especially useful for youngsters.     

Modern Foreign Languages at key stage 2

The contribution of modern foreign languages to the primary school curriculum The learning of a foreign language in primary school provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for all pupils. Pupils develop communication and literacy skills that lay the foundation for future language learning. They develop linguistic competence, extend their knowledge of how language works and explore differences     

Abstracts

In the history of educational thoughts, there are mainly three analysis paths about the purpose of education which are ＂Con- structivism＂, ＂Functionalism＂and＂Education with no purpose＂. In the view of＂Constructivism Education＂, the purpose of education is to realize person＇s own value. This analysis path include two branches, one believes that the purpose of education is to develop human＇s nature, the other claims that happiness is supreme. In the view of ＂Functionalism Education＂, the purpose of education is what the person could realize outside themselves but not the person own. For example, we could realize human socialization, political integration, economic growth or social equality through education. In the view of the ＂Education with no purpose＂, the purpose of education is to get more and better education, there is no other purpose besides education. Though there are many differences among those three analysis paths, they have a common point which is also the ulti mate target of education, it is to ＂educate full development person＂.     

Post-Modernizing Education on the Periphery and in the Core

The political economics of educational change are central to understanding reform in developing countries because of the role that education plays in relationship to economic and social policies. Given the uncertain association between the expansion of education and economic development, this paper explores the role which modernization policies of the State play in promoting contemporary conflicts between private and public interests in education. By first introducing Best's concept of the "New Competition" this paper examines the economic consequences for education in the larger context of the global market. Through case examples of Mexico and the US state of Oregon the effects of modernization policies are examined to understand how modernization policies are inappropriate to meet the social, political, and economic needs of both the periphery and core countries. The paper concludes by addressing the potential consequences for the public good of modernization efforts that promote the privatization of education on the basis of human capital theory rather than on that of a more comprehensive and humanistic approach to the development of social capital.     

The entrepreneurialisation of school work as a central theme in present educational changes: the Portuguese case

It is assumed in this paper that the main trend in global education policies is based on an entrepreneurial model intended to submit school work to the same logic that prevails in economic systems at large. Thus, I try to recognise such a model in current educational changes in Portugal. Two paths for the entrepreneurialisation of school work were identified, both of which have a strong influence in this country. As it is the rule in a global context, slogans such as ‘educational excellence’, ‘success for all’, ‘lifelong learning’ or ‘acquisition of essential skills’ are the cornerstones of the educational policies nowadays in Portugal. The continuous improvement of school productivity appears to be the main goal of the public education system in these policies.     

Pedagogies of Globalisation

Today, pedagogical methods are primarily determined by the needs of nation states to prepare workers for the global economy. Nations have combined economic and educational planning into an educational security state where pedagogy is controlled through a system of assessments of students and teachers. Both teachers and students become subservient to an industrial–consumer paradigm that integrates education and economic planning. This educational model has prevailed over classical forms of education such as Confucianism, Islam, and Christianity and their concerns with creating a just and ethical society through the analysis and discussion of sacred and classical texts. It has also prevailed over progressive pedagogy designed to prepare students to reconstruct society. In the 21st century, national school systems have similar grades and promotion plans, instructional methods, curriculum organisation, and linkages between secondary and higher education. Most national school systems are organised to serve an industrial–consumer state. As later explained, the industrial–consumer state is premised on the idea that a good society involves economic growth resulting from increased production and consumption of goods. In the industrial–consumer state, education is organised to serve the goal of economic growth. The purpose of this article is to explain the globalisation of the common characteristics of national school systems and instructional methods and their potential consequences for human life. Despite the similarities of national school systems, there continues to exist classical and progressive pedagogies that are often in conflict with the goals of the industrial consumer state. These alternative pedagogies continue to play important roles in global educational discussions.     

Perspectives on human and social capital theories and the role of education: An approach from Mediterranean thought

Current discussions about education suggest that a transformative pedagogy that goes beyond the acquisition of knowledge and skills is needed. However, there is no agreement as to the inputs needed for a correct development of the educational model. In this sense, we can identify the presence of two different approaches to human and social capital which embody distinct educational worldviews. On the one hand, the ‘Marketable Human Capital’ or ‘Personal Culture’ approach, and on the other hand, the ‘Non-Marketable Human Capital’ or ‘Civic Culture’ approach. The first, which is linked to mainstream economic theory, sees education as any stock of knowledge that contributes to an improvement in the productivity of the worker and individual well-being. The second, which is rooted in the Mediterranean tradition of political thought, highlights the role of civic virtues, reciprocity, and public action within the educational process and its influence on public happiness. In this article, we analyse these connections in order to introduce the eighteenth-century Mediterranean tradition of economic thought into discussions about human and social capital theories and the role of education in them. Focusing on education through these prisms, national and international agendas must be reoriented towards the integral development of people to include broader global debates.     

How Do National Economic Competitiveness Indices View Human Capital?

Economic competitiveness is at the top of national, regional and global political and economic agendas. Several countries in all regions of the world have established policies and institutions devoted to economic competitiveness, including in developing and transition countries. This leads to the question of how to define national economic competitiveness and, as a logical consequence, how to measure it. This article provides a critical analysis of two major global indices measuring national economic competitiveness, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), with a special focus on the index published by the WEF due to its broader global coverage. The article shows that human capital has been given relatively little explicit recognition, despite the large weight of human capital in the WEF index. This article asserts through simulations based on WEF data that countries performing poorly in national economic competitiveness rankings can improve their standings significantly by focusing reform efforts on raising quality of education and on expanding access to education and training. The simulations also show that the potential improvements in national economic competitiveness are unequally distributed across the globe, and that in terms of national economic competitiveness, developing and transition countries stand to gain relatively most from improving their education and training systems compared to developed nations. Suggestions for improving measurements of education and training in the WEF index conclude the article and it is shown that educationalists can help refocus policy discussions on how to improve education and training systems through discussions on substance.     

Teacher counter stories to a citizenship education mega policy narrative. Preparing for citizenship in Chile

The present article focuses on the counter stories of two Chilean social studies high school teachers. Counter stories describe how teachers use their professional experience to confront those mega narratives composed of dominant educational policies that impinge upon their pedagogical practices. The mega narrative described in this study as a citizenship education mega policy narrative is composed by citizenship educational guidelines that have become influenced by other market-driven educational policies, and is not only present in Chile but has also been influenced by policies coming from countries such as England and the US. Therefore, the discussions that emerge from these counter stories on the nature of this mega narrative and the ways through which teachers can confront it through their teaching, and the implications that all this has for the field of citizenship education, do not only fill a gap in Chilean research but also contribute to discussions on counter and mega narratives in the field of citizenship education within a wider international scope.     

协调内蒙古教育发展与经济增长关系研究

发展教育事业对经济增长有重要作用。笔者通过对内蒙古地区教育发展和经济增长关系的定量分析,指出内蒙古地区教育和经济发展中的不足之处,提出协调教育和经济深入发展的一些对策:增加政府财政中教育支出的比重;政府经济政策的制定应加强对投资办学的鼓励和引导;发挥各方面的力量,确保教育支出的落实;提高教育的普及率,利用其外部性发展经济。     

试论我国教育演进过程中三重价值取向的交互作用

能力主义、社会资本和差异补偿是西方社会学的重要概念,以此三重价值取向来分析我国教育演进过程中的若干重大问题,有利于深入理解教育发展的基本规律,促进我国教育发展的科学决策。优先工农的教育政策中体现着差异补偿,但基本是在能力主义的前提下实施的。干部子弟学校的取消,目的在于限制特权势力,重点学校虽以能力主义为基础,差异补偿和社会资本均参与其中。取消学校考试制度导致能力主义的缺失,而特权势力的介入,必然导致大学生推荐制度瓦解。我国的高考制度是一种根据学习成绩优先录取高分考生的选拔考试,基本排除了家庭出身等遗传因素,因此可以保证社会的基本公正。本来具有促进教育平等意义的高校扩招,由于经济取向的过度干扰,必要的补偿机制又未能及时跟上,其促进平等的目标还任重道远。虽然一些教育优惠措施体现了补偿原则,但却是起点差异极大现实上的补偿,还不足以保证平等。择校的潜规则就是权力、人情加金钱,这是导致择校热的根本原因,也是造成社会不满的本质原因。建立以能力主义和差异补偿为基础,限制社会资本滋生的教育政策系统当是未来教育发展的愿景。大众教育和精英教育是国家高等教育发展的两个轮子,两者应当并行不悖。以能力主义为基础,兼施差异补偿的高考模式,可能是促进高考制度更加公平的一种改革思路。一种教育制度与人事制度相互衔接的新制度体系,立足于能力主义,学而优者通过严格考试可直接录用为领导干部或高层管理人员。我们应当将效率限定在经济范畴之内。而在判断平等与公正时,可以采用能力主义和差异补偿的价值工具:只有在能力主义的基础之上,教育平等才可能实现;只有在机会均等的条件下,采取差异补偿的措施,教育公正才可能存在。     

Beyond the poverty of national security: toward a critical human security perspective in educational policy

This article examines the intersecting logics of human capital and national security underpinning the corporate school reform movement in the United States. Taking a 2012 policy report by the Council on Foreign Relations as an entry point, it suggests that these logics are incoherent not only on their own narrow instrumental terms, but also more importantly in terms of progressive ideals of human and educational flourishing. The article proceeds to draw on discussions within the fields of international relations and critical security studies in order to think through what it might mean to reframe educational policy within the terms of human security rather than human capital and national security. It further explores both the possibilities and distinct limitations of extant human security discourses and policies in relation to global neoliberal governance and biopolitics. The article concludes by advocating for a critical human security framework in educational policy along three conceptual lines: (1) A Human beyond Human Capital; (2) Symbiotic Parallelism; and (3) Altersecurity. Ultimately, it suggests that human security for educational flourishing might offer insight into transcending the idea of security altogether.     

我国研究生教育对经济增长的贡献率——基于1996—2009年省际面板数据的实证研究

利用1996-2009年省际面板数据,对我国研究生教育对经济增长的贡献率进行实证分析,结果发现:1996-2009年间,我国研究生教育对经济增长具有正向促进作用,年均拉动GDP增长0.46个百分点,对GDP年均增长的贡献率为4.11%;研究生教育或者说知识资本和人力资本对经济增长的贡献率远低于物质资本的贡献率;忽略研究生教育的作用将会导致高估物质资本而低估人力资本的作用;我国研究生教育对经济增长的影响作用弱于美国研究生教育的影响作用。