Four stories: confronting contemporary ideas about globalisation and internationalisation in higher education

There is a common distinction between globalisation and internationalisation in higher education scholarship. Globalisation is seen as an over‐arching social and economic process where as internatinalisation is understood as the ways in which institutions of higher education respond to globalisation. This conceptual distinction has also worked its way into the practice of university administration around the world. Drawing on the theoretical work of Foucault and Giddiness, this conception the consequences of the globalisation / internationalisation distinction are analysed through four of higher accounts education strategies.     

Social changes and the revival of liberal education in China since the 1990s

China’s higher education placed exclusive emphasis on narrowly specialized education and neglected liberal education before the 1990s. However, along with the dramatic social changes since the 1990s, liberal education has revived in China. This paper first examines the characteristics of higher education in China before the 1990s, and then explores the ideas, policies, and specific measures in higher education reform since the 1990s within the larger social context, and thirdly, with a case study on the “liberal education curriculum” introduced by Peking University in 2000, it investigates the ideas, contents and characteristics of liberal education. Finally, it reveals the rationale for the liberal education revival in China.     

东亚文化之根与教育再造

东亚文化立根于数千年前,兴盛于隋唐时期,裂变于明治维新之后,它是多元文化的结晶,蕴含着人类未来发展和复兴的潜在规则和重要价值,同时又带有浓厚的封建特性。这些特性使得东亚文化对当今社会的发展具有正负两面效应,这种效应也深入细致地体现在教育的各个方面和环节。伴随着社会前进的脚步对这一文化背景中的教育进行再造是实现东亚振兴的必要条件;从人类发展的历史长河中正确认识这一文化是正确地对教育进行再造的前提。东亚文化中的现实个体不可能跃过,但需要用更为宽广的视野来再造这种教育,再造这种文化,才有可能为东亚乃至全人类寻觅到更加光明的未来。     

School rituals and their educational significance in the Joseon period—Rituals as one of the pedagogical pillars of Confucian school education*

Abstract

This paper aims to argue that school rituals played critical roles for the educational purpose in Confucian school education in the Joseon period. Diverse rituals were performed in Confucian schools of the Joseon period, and these rituals formed a comprehensive ritual system of the school education. These school rituals can be read to manifest the ideals of Confucian philosophy of education and to be also utilized as one of the important educational tools or programs through which to hand down the Confucian values. Based on this interpretation, this paper asserts that school rituals were in no way irrelevant to their educational function for the society then nor that they served only for the political edification, but constituted part of a comprehensive system of education in pursuit of the formation of the Confucian personhood as one of the important pillars of Confucian school education in the Joseon period.     

中美两国高等教育学生规模的比较与思考

中美两国高等教育在校学生数、招生数和毕业生数这三个绝对指标方面,中国均远远高于美国;毛入学率和每十万人口在校大学生数两个相对指标方面,中国与美国还有不小的差距。但是,由于这两个相对指标的局限性和计算错误,导致了对两国间高等教育学生相对规模差距的高估。因此,在进行中外高等教育学生规模比较时,对毛入学率和每十万人口在校大学生数要合理使用和客观判断。     

Religious education in Russia: a comparative and critical analysis

RE in Russia has been recently introduced as a compulsory regular school subject during the last year of elementary school. The present study offers a critical analysis of the current practice of Russian RE by comparing it with RE in Sweden, Denmark and Britain. This analysis shows that Russian RE is ambivalent. Although it is based on a non-confessional religious studies approach, Russian RE also serves the interests of the Russian Orthodox Church, which aims to educate students into Orthodox Christianity, as well as the interests of the Russian state itself, which turns RE in a kind of citizenship education focusing on the patriotic upbringing of students.     

The social condition of higher education: globalisation and (beyond) regionalisation in Latin America

This article aims to discuss the relationship between higher education (HE), globalisation and regionalism projects focusing on HE in Latin America and Brazil. It is claimed that HE has predominantly taken the diverse, yet concerted and co-ordinated routes of globalisation and regionalisation and, by doing so, been profoundly transformed. The first section considers a set of theoretical categories in relation to the phenomena of globalisation and regionalisation. The second section analyses the global and regional dimensions of HE in Latin America, exploring: (1) the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR), along with the processes and mechanisms put into place to settle MERCOSUR's Educative Sector. It is argued that despite the political relevance of this regional project, its major developments are still harbouring important but preliminary preparations for future regional positioning and empowerment; (2) it is argued that the commodification, privatisation and ‘marketisation’ of HE, having occupied the centre stage in determined nations of the world, have become the founding conditions of a global market in HE; and (3) the Brazilian HE policies are examined in order to develop an argument about the decisive role played by national government in promoting and adjusting the process of globalisation and the regionalism project for HE.     

Religious education legislation in an atheist state: towards a typology and policy analysis for contemporary China

ABSTRACT

The rule of law presents a new path for understanding and handling religious affairs in contemporary China. The field of religious education is no exception and current legislation has to be improved so that China’s religious education can be further promoted. This research examines the legislation and legislative regulations governing China’s diversified and dynamic religious education, which includes professional religious studies, religious education embedded in ethnic education, missionary religious education, religious education included in general education, and education on religious policies and regulations. It argues that how to understand and implement the principle of separation of education and religion stands out as the core issue, as China requires a more dialectical and pluralistic religious education.     

对加拿大和中国教师教育的探究:一个跨文化的对话

This article compares teacher education in China with Canada, with the aim of fostering a cross-cultural dialogue between the two systems. Using case studies the article attempts to address the following questions: What can the two countries learn from each other? Can Canadian teacher education be a possible alternative model for China? Can Canada’s teacher education curriculum be used to enhance greater pedagogical preparation and more pre-service teaching practice for China? Is Canada’s move towards strengthening professionalism in teaching of value to China?     

Changes in Chinese education under globalisation and market economy: emerging issues and debates

Fuelled by forces of globalisation, China has gradually shifted from a centrally planned economy to the ‘socialist market economy’. This study examines changes in Chinese education under globalisation and market economy, focusing on the teaching and living conditions of teachers. The study reveals that the profound transformation of social and economic life has resulted in significant changes to education in China, as manifested in curriculum reform, increased disparity between rural and urban education, marginalisation of minority education and lack of accessible and affordable education for the children of migrant workers. The recent changes have also had tremendous impact on teachers in terms of their workload, payment, wellbeing, social status and teaching and living conditions. The study contextualises the concept of globalisation by examining its impact on China through marketisation and privatisation. Its analysis demonstrates a withdrawal of the state from provision and financing of public education. It also reveals a number of social injustices and inequities whose reduction and elimination require the Chinese government to take immediate and active measures.     

我国研究生教育规模发展分析

改革开放以来我国研究生教育规模发展的基本历程显示,我国研究生教育规模呈现从单一类型的数量扩张逐步走向多样化发展,且部分实现了结构优化。我国研究生教育规模的跨越式发展,得益于国家经济实力的迅速增强、政府的强力支持、社会的巨大需求以及高等教育自身的快速发展和培养能力的提高等因素。     

A shared vision of human excellence: Confucian spirituality and arts education

Abstract

Spirituality encourages the individual to make sense of oneself within a wider framework of meaning and see oneself as part of some larger whole. This article discusses Confucian spirituality by focusing on the spiritual ideals of dao (Way) and he (harmony). It is explained that the Way represents a shared vision of human excellence that is embodied in the guiding discourse inherited from one’s cultural predecessors. The Confucian Way covers all the manifestations of Zhou culture, including its knowledge base, values, beliefs and practices that have been passed down through the generations. The Way is achieved through harmony where human beings find inner peace as well as co-exist with one another and their surroundings. Harmony encompasses an appreciation of beauty, joy and ethical values that may be obtained from arts education. The essay further illustrates an application of Confucian spiritual ideals through music education in a school. A Confucian aim of learning, the article concludes, is one that fosters spiritual development and contests the performativity agenda and school culture.     

Game theory and educational policy: Private education legislation in China

This article presents a game theory analysis of legislating private education in China, based on set of primary and secondary documents related to this issue. The article argues that shaping educational legislation is a dynamic, repeated game of negotiation, cooperation, and/or competition on multiple occasions among various interested actors, including lawmaking institutions, each with its own goals, authorities, information sources, and strategies. This article suggests that game theory complements existing models for understanding the politics of educational legislation in China, and it elucidates the implications and limitations of using this approach to understand the dynamics and complexity of educational policymaking.     

Sex education in modern and contemporary China: Interrupted debates across the last century

Since the late 1980s sex education has been widely promoted in the PRC, but this is not the first time in China's modern history that attempts to develop sex education have been made. The present essay traces the development of sex education debates over the last century, identifying the historical, political and social contexts in which they originated. It looks at contemporary sex education as part of a fragmented history characterised by thematic and ideological continuities as well as interruptions. In its focus on contemporary debates, this essay shows that sex education in China is largely dominated by an ‘abstinence only’ approach which remained scarcely questioned until recent times.     

Globalisation and internationalisation of teacher education: a comparative case study of Canada and Greater China

This article begins with a brief overview of the relationship between globalisation and the internationalisation of higher education. This serves as a backdrop for the focus of the article, which is the internationalisation of teacher education. In order to see the diverse ways that teacher education programmes have been internationalised over the past 15 years, a case study comparing internationalisation initiatives in Greater China and Canada is presented. This comparative case study demonstrates how different globalising processes influence various forms of internationalisation. Comparison also sheds light on the importance of attending not only to broader, global processes, but specific, local contextual factors. Rather than consider internationalisation as one set of practices that have been taken up globally, this article suggests that there are many different forms of internationalisation in teacher education that are influenced by both global and local contexts. In this respect, the study moves us towards a more nuanced and complex understanding of how teacher education institutions across diverse settings are being internationalised in the twenty-first century.     

Criticality's affective entanglements: rethinking emotion and critical thinking in higher education

ABSTRACT

Critical thinking is often understood as a set of tangible, transferrable and measurable skills and competencies. Yet, it is also an intensely affective experience that is complex, contingent and contextualised. Using interview, focus group and observation data conducted with 15 first-year undergraduate social science students at a UK research-intensive university, this paper explores how students negotiate the complex knowledge practices that constitute critical thinking, particularly the affects of being and becoming critical. The theoretical tools offered by Karen Barad and Sara Ahmed allow a conceptualisation of critical thinking as a complex phenomenon of socio-material and affective practices. This paper turns to Barad and Ahmed to explore the potential of their clashing theorisations for thinking through the affective territories of critical thinking. It will argue that acknowledging the way(s) critical thinking feels (as well as what it is and what it is for) opens up new imaginaries for feminist scholarship about criticality.     

The hybrid professional: an examination of how educational leaders relate to,with and through managerialism

This paper examines how one particular class of educational leader – international school Heads – relate to managerialism. Representing a novel site of new theorisation, the independence enjoyed by these leaders allows a ‘purer’ view of managerialism as experienced ‘in here’ (inside the subject), not just as a reaction to what is ‘out there’ (i.e. to policy). Through analysis of twenty-five face-to-face interviews, they were found to have relationships to managerialism that are not compliant or transgressive, educational or managerial, but hybridic. Some Heads relate to managerialism pragmatically; they reluctantly ‘do’ managerialism but avoid, segment and/or moderate managerial influences on their identities. Other Heads proactively use managerialism to discipline their staff and organisations; they draw power from managerial discourses; and they claim its values as their own. Seen through the lens of hybridity, educational identifications remain important, indeed they remain paramount, but for some subjects, they have been conjoined with complimentary managerial ones.     

Condescension and critical sympathy: Historians of education on progressive education in the United States and England

Although progressive education was an international phenomenon, historical interpretations of it may be affected on the national level by academic and institutional contingencies. An analysis of how US and English historians of education interpret progressive education reforms in their respective countries identified a strain of condescension toward progressive education in history of education scholarship in the US, which often resulted in misrepresentations of the historical record. English historians of education tend to regard progressive education with critical sympathy. These findings are possibly explained by different institutional and academic circumstances of historians of education in England and the US.     

中日学前教育面临的主要问题比较

本在对当代中国和日本学前教育面临的的主要问题分别进行分析和归纳的基础上，对当代中日学前教育面临的主要问题进行了分析和比较，指出二的共同点和不同点，并对造成中日学前教育面临的主要问题存在的差异进行了原因分析。     

当代中日学前教育制度的比较

本在介绍当代中日学前教育制度的基础上，比较了当代中日学前教育制度的异同，并对造成二异同的原因进行了初步的分析。