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Perspectives on International Education

Module description

We live in an increasingly complex, ever-changing and interconnected world where we face tensions that directly affect the ways we understand education. We will critically explore this complexity as part of this module.  

The module will offer you a unique opportunity to consider education in terms of its local and global dimensions, as well as to explore connections and tensions between them. Your study will involve critical examination of a wide range of social, economic, cultural, political and environmental factors which are considered to shape, and be shaped by, education. There are no pre-requisites for this module. 

Module aims - intentions of the module

The principal aims of this module are:

• To enable you to explore, and build a sound knowledge base, from which to critically evaluate a selection of key global educational issues
• To critically consider a range of theories, methodologies and research projects which question and unpack ideas about international education and its different manifestations.
• To encourage you to critically consider the role which education might play in creating a more just, equitable and sustainable world
• To offer you the opportunity to examine the linkages, fragmentations and tensions between the global and local and to consider the ramifications which these might have for education
• To enable you the opportunity to reflect on your own cultural ideas and background and explore similarities and differences with different societies across the world in the context of education.  

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate sound understanding of the theories and methodologies which have underpinned the study of education in a global society
• 2. Demonstrate ability to understand and critically consider the diverse range of social, economic, cultural, political and environmental policies, practices and perspectives which inform education, both locally and globally

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Demonstrate ability to compare and contrast education systems from a range of different national contexts and to draw sound conclusions from related empirical research about their potential similarities and differences
• 4. Apply a systematic approach to the synthesis and analysis of ideas in relation to the field of international education

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Construct organised, structured, critically reflective and analytic writing
• 6. Synthesise and organise ideas to present an argument, demonstrating critical and analytic thinking
• 7. Undertake both directed and independent study to recognise, justify and analyse key ideas in the literature and relate these to research, theory, policy and practice

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover the following topics:

• Education for global citizenship
• Discourses of globalisation
• Approaches to education in diverse countries/contexts
• Equity, diversity and inclusion
• Conflict and violence
• Human rights
• Marginalisation
• International agencies and their role in global education
• Non-formal education
• Questions of quality in global education
• Gender
• Education for sustainability
• Global policy
• Culture and cross-cultural perspectives
• Curriculum
• The nation and national development
• Politics and policy

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Apple, M.W., Kenway, J. and Singh, M. (2005). Globalizing Education: Policies, Pedagogies and Politics. Peter Lang.

Rivzi, F, and Lingard, B. (2010) Globalizing Education Policy. Routledge.

DfES (2005) Developing a Global Dimension in the School Curriculum, London: DfES.

Whitty, G. and Furlong, J. (2017) Knowledge and the Study of Education: an international comparison. Oxford: Oxford Studies in Comparative Education, Symposium.

Phillips, D. & Schweisfurth, M. (2014) Comparative and International Education: an introduction to theory, method, and practice, 2nd edition. Bloomsbury

ELE – vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Key words search

Global, Education, International, Policy, Comparative Education, Local