Globalisation Educational Transformation And Societies In Transition

Globalisation processes are currently having a powerful and far-reaching influence upon all societies worldwide. At the same time, many communities are ever more forcefully acknowledging their distinctive characteristics and celebrating their cultural differences. In this turbulent era, societies that have undergone particularly rapid political, economic and social change have a collective experience from which others have much to learn. The analysis of such ‘societies in transition’, and their efforts to transform educational policy and practice, is one focus for this volume. The collective studies are also concerned with the impact of the processes of globalisation and geopolitical change upon the related transitions of post-colonial societies; and upon the implications of the analysis for international agency policy and practice throughout the developing world. Contributors are drawn from a wide range of professional and academic backgrounds representing national governments, international agencies, research bodies, policy makers, researchers and practitioners. All have extensive first-hand experience of the issues and contexts that they deal with. Together they report upon original field research, theoretically informed analyses, political perspectives and recent professional and practical experience. Specific national contexts considered in depth include the European states of Estonia, Poland and Germany, the new Republic of South Africa, contemporary Brazil, the transitional phases of Hong Kong and Macau as ‘remnants of empire’, and the small states of Eritrea and Belize. In broad scope the volume highlights the tensions that exist between powerful global agendas and efforts to improve the quality and relevance of educational provision in vastly different sociocultural contexts. As such, the book will be of direct interest to a wide range of researchers, students, policy makers, consultants and development agency personnel involved with comparative and international studies in education and across the social sciences.

Framed against the background of educational change, this book proposes to examine the relationship between curriculum change, teacher professional development, policy reform and the processes of educational change. The main aims of the book are to: (1) focus on educational changes and reconstruction in transitional societies that have undergone political, economic and social change in the past two decades, (2) provide a forum for the dissemination of research on education reconstruction and reform in transitional societies, (3) disseminate ideas that enhance both the practical and theoretical aspects of educational changes in these societies, (4) further knowledge and understanding of emerging trends and issues in education in these societies, (5) reflect the realities of educational scenarios in each transitional society. The book presents an in-depth exploration of educational reconstruction in 15 transitional societies. In each chapter, the authors have provided an overview of educational processes in the country, a distillation of education change or reform, and/or reconstruction in each transitional society. Collectively, the chapters in the book have attempted to contribute to a better understanding of the educational system in respective countries by identifying the challenges and obstacles, the policy implications, the teacher professional development needs and curriculum reform efforts.

This text provides an overview of the sociology of change and transition, exploring how global transformation processes impact on everyday life by examining a number of 'hot spots' of change in contemporary society: the city, the workplace, patterns of consumption, politics, broader areas and the environment. It engages with a range of theories and concepts, in order to investigate the interplay of continuity and change in contemporary society, and assesses their usefulness. It also speculates on the shape of emerging social orders.

Globalization, the information age, and the rise of the knowledge-based economy are significantly transforming the way we acquire, disseminate, and transform knowledge. And, as a result, knowledge production is becoming closer and more directly linked to economic competitiveness. This evolution is also putting new and urgent demands on academic institutions to adjust to the changing needs of society and economy. In particular, there is growing pressure on the institutions of higher education and research in developed economies to find and affirm their new role in the national innovation system. Their counterparts in developing economies need to define their role in supporting emerging structures of the innovation system. This book examines the role of universities and national research institutes in social and economic development processes. Featuring contributions that showcase initiatives and innovations from around the world, including China, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Scandinavia, Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Western Europe, it offers timely insight that will be of interest to policymakers, university administrators, economic and social leaders, and researchers alike.

This volume makes an important contribution to the growing literature on the transition from school to work. It provides a unique perspective on the global changes that have transformed school-to-work transitions since the 1970s; offers an integrative conceptual framework for analysis; and promotes a comparative, cross-national understanding of school-to-work transitions in a changing social context. The articles assembled in this volume compare and assess variations in school-to-work transitions across Europe and North America, providing empirical evidence on how young people negotiate the different options and opportunities available and assessing the costs and returns associated with different transition strategies. Unlike many other volumes on this subject - which are pitched at either the macro or micro level - this volume attempts to integrate both perspectives, capturing the complexity of this critical life course transition. Furthermore, the authors address policies aimed at improving the capacity of individuals to make effective transitions and at enabling societies to better coordinate educational and occupational institutions.

How has globalisation affected educational thought and practice? This volume presents a fascinating exploration of the impact of globalisation on education. The authors consider the changes - sometimes subtle, sometimes revolutionary - that arise when ideas, practices and experiences are discussed and analysed by people of contrasting cultural backgrounds. Through a series of case studies, they examine the dilemmas and contradictions, as well as the new ideas and opportunities, that globalisation offers to individuals, to states and to intellectual cultures. Key areas of discussion include: ¢ The effects of globalisation on individuals ¢ The contradictions embedded in the process of globalisation - especially in the economic sphere ¢ The impact on education of globalising ideas, thoughts and values ¢ The relationship between globalisation and culture.

This handbook presents a global overview of current research in education and education policy reforms during the last decade. It provides an accessible, practical and comparative source of current research that examines the intersecting and diverse discourses of this important issue. It first examines globalisation, education and policy research and reforms in higher education, including coverage of main trends in education and policy reforms globally, as well as specific policy issues such as gender, equity, minorities and human rights. Next, the handbook offers a comparative perspective that evaluates the ambivalent and problematic relationship between globalisation, the state and education reforms globally. It features coverage on curricula issues and education reforms in schools around the world, the curriculum in the global culture, as well as globalisation and education futures, with respect to social justice and human rights. The handbook contributes to a better and a more holistic understanding of the education reforms and research nexus—offering possible strategies for the effective and pragmatic policy planning and implementation at the local, regional and national levels. It will serve as a vital sourcebook of ideas for researchers, practitioners and policy makers in education.

This study posits that global change is being driven mainly by financial forces, new patterns of economic growth and market ideology. It then goes on to examine the forces opposing such globalizing processes, such as religious and ethnic/social movements throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America.