Comparative Education

1
Comparative Education
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Educational Concerns

• Egalitarian need for equality and opportunity
  for all
• Economic prepare for future competency and
  skill in the workplace
• Civic educate citizens who can participate in
  public life
• Humanistic develop the whole person for
  lifelong education

(Kubow Fossum, p. 3)
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Rationale for Studying Comparative Education

• Broaden ones perspective and sharpen ones focus
• Understand issues from different perspectives in
  different contexts
• Cultural
• Social
• Political
• Need to understand the theoretical and
  philosophical assumptions of each country
• Can then begin to understand each countrys
  educational practices.

(Kubow Fossum, p. 5)
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What is Comparative Education?

• Draws on multiple disciplines
• Sociology
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Anthropology
• Examine the role education plays in the
  individual and national development
• Examine how societal values influence attitudes
  about how we educate

(Kubow Fossum, p. 6)
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What is the Purpose of Education?

• Is education a benevolent agent of change?
• Is education a mirror of the larger society,
  manifesting through its structure, curriculum,
  and pedagogy inherent inequalities?
• Do educational practices maintain social status
  quo?

(Kubow Fossum, p. 6)
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Education and Culture

• Education plays an important role in national
  progress and globalization
• Comparative education provides an opportunity to
  study foreign cultures and their educational
  systems
• Comparative education allows you to examine and
  appraise your own culture and educational system
• Analyze home cultures/systems and compare with
  others

(Kubow Fossum, p. 6)
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Comparative Education as a Field

• Comparative education is a field not a
  discipline
• Discipline dedicated to a specific set of rules
  and standards
• Field draws on varous disciplines to understand
  the complexity
• Extends and deepens our understanding of the
  world
• Helps educators decide
• What issues are important?
• What factors should be considered to improve
  education?

(Kubow Fossum, p. 7)
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Historical Stages of Development

• Travelers tales observatons of cultural
  practices and customs
• Educational borrowing 19th Century
• Observations of foreign school systems
• Identify useful techniques/practices
• Systematic scientific study 20th Century
• Examine forces shaping foreign educational
  systems
• Use quantitative methods to explain education
• Period of international cooperation today
• Necessary for world harmony
• Improve the quality of citizens lives

(Kubow Fossum, p. 9)
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Perspectives

• Interpretive
• Focus on concepts and theories
• Explain educational phenomena by considering
  cultural, philosophical, and historical context
• Normative
• Examine differing value positions
• Develop own values about education
• Critical
• Develop ability to question contradictions and
  inconsistencies in educational beliefs, policies,
  and practices.

(Kubow Fossum, p. 21)
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Comparative Perspective Taking

• Expand understanding beyond own localized
  perspective
• Cross-cultural investigation
• Make sense out of the new or unknown by comparing
  to own frame of reference
• Multiple interpretation of the issues
• Avoid dichotomous thinking
• Widen conceptual lenses
• Develop the critical thinking skills of a global
  citizen
• Systematic critique and reflection must accompany
  curiousity

(Kubow Fossum, pp. 26-27)
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Value of Comparative Education

• Alerts students to enduring social questions
• Helps teachers function as citizens of their
  countries as well as citizens of a global society
• Encourage a sprit of exploration transcending
  local boundaries
• Awareness that educators in different parts of
  the world are wrestling with similar issues
• Educators are part of a global professional
  community

(Kubow Fossum, pp. 26-27)
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Benefits

• View educaton from multiple perspectives
• Contribute to social change and educational
  process
• Foster international understanding
• Opportunity for global cooperation and critique

(Kubow Fossum, p. 27)