Globalization and Education

Globalization is a broad term which essentially describes the spread of technology, trade, and democracy across the globe. As such, it has had a long reaching effect on world development in both developed and underdeveloped countries. In the field of education, technology has had a particularly strong impact as it brings new teaching and learning resources to different parts of the world. Globalization has also broken down barriers to education like poverty and discrimination. In the classroom, students are increasingly encouraged to adopt a global mindset so that they will be better prepared to live and work in an interconnected world.

Keywords Cultural Identity; Development; Global Citizenship; Globalization; International Education; Nation-State; Nationalist Education; Primary Education; Western Education System; World Bank

International Perspectives > Globalization & Education

Overview

Defining Globalization

The word "globalization" is significantly broad and encompasses a multitude of different ideas. Schaeffer (2003) stated that most global analysts define globalization as the spread of technology, democracy, and trade across the globe (p. 1). Yet much of globalization has to do with money; Zhao (2007) defined globalization as "the increasing integration of world economies through trade and financial transactions, involving movements of goods, people, and money across national and geographical borders" (p. 8). This process has been made possible by technological advances which allow for greater communication and dissemination of knowledge and ideas between nations. Through this global exchange of work forces, goods, and profit, great changes have been brought about in education, human rights movements, health and prosperity issues, and governmental systems (Carnegie Endowment, n.d.) Schaeffer (2007) states that although globalization scholars disagree on the precise definition of globalization, virtually all agree that there are a minimum of five key components of globalization:

• Democracy

• Technology

• Trade

• Investment

• Production (p. 2-3)

Additionally, globalization has to do with removing boundaries and barriers so that people see themselves not just as belonging to a particular country or region but instead view themselves as taking part in a global citizenship. This mindset, as Eckersley (2007) argues, brings virtually all aspects of what humans do, all "key domains of human activity" into focus (p. 10). Eckersley has called globalization "the mother of all social studies topics" (p. 18). This is perhaps the best way people can view globalization, as the most complex and interconnected social studies topic available for scrutiny.

Globalization actually began centuries ago, when people started trading goods with different countries, making use of travel routes such as the Silk Road (Carnegie Endowment, n.d.). However, Schaeffer (2003) stated that there are several different globalization theories: some people argue that globalization is an old idea, some argue it is a new phenomena, and others argue that present-day globalization is rooted in older concepts but has taken on a new form today (p. 9). Perhaps Appadurai (2006) stated it best: "Historians and sociolinguistics…have long been aware that the world has been a congeries of large-scale interactions for many centuries. Yet today's world involves interactions of a new order and intensity" (p. 179).

The Globalization of Education

A major area that globalization has directly impacted is education, and this impact is multi-faceted. Technology has brought new teaching and learning resources to many parts of the world. International charities send teachers to other countries, sponsor international students, and provide financial assistance to help the education cause. Additionally, globalization helps break down barriers to education such as poverty or gender discrimination. Globalization not only helps disadvantaged people in remote parts of the world, it also influences students in developed countries by teaching them to have a global mindset and see the connection between themselves and the rest of humanity. Globalization links teachers, students, and scholars around the world so that they can pass on new ideas, further the spread of knowledge, and donate resources, all which creates a global community of learners.

Influence of the World Bank

To demonstrate why education is a crucial part of globalization, Spring (2004) devoted a chapter of his book How Educational Ideologies Are Shaping Global Society to examining the World Bank, the world's largest education funds provider. The World Bank provides developing countries with grants, low-interest loans, and credit to fund various educational, public health, and development projects (The World Bank, 2007). In providing financial assistance to countries in need, the World Bank is seeking to build a global society and help the poor and disadvantaged improve their places in life, primarily through education and vocational development. Spring (2004) stated that the World Bank upholds the vision of a world in which goods and profits are produced through factories, corporate farms, and mass production instead of independent farms and private businesses (p. 40).

This means that in order for workers to be able to function successfully in the global workplace as envisioned by the World Bank, they must have at least a basic education and be able to learn new vocational skills. Often this learning process is lifelong, because new business innovations and philosophies are constantly being discovered and transmitted, and workers must be continually taking in new information and training. The difficulty is, as Spring (2004) stated, that "many countries have not reached a high enough level of economic development to participate in this mass consumer society. The role of education is to help them make this leap" (p. 41).

Globalization has made the issue of education crucial. In a globalized world, education is necessary for workers to find adequate employment, but education also has many other benefits. Educating the citizen of the world helps reduce poverty and unemployment, and also helps eliminate epidemics, child mortality, gender discrimination, population growth problems, and environmental problems. While globalization is undergirded by economics, trade, and commerce, its effects overshadow the whole scope of human existence. Education, necessary for vocational success in a globalized world, is also necessary for removing most of the barriers people face.

The Spread of Western Educational Models

How education is delivered is important to note. In particular, Spring (2004) stated that Western education models are becoming increasingly more common throughout the world: "For better or worse, Western models of the nation-state and schooling now dominate global discussions of education" (p. 2). Western education involves separating large masses of young students from their surrounding community and placing them in a government-controlled environment where they can be taught a standardized form of education; the curriculum is designed to form people who can build and serve their society as a whole (Spring, 2004, p. 2). In doing so, students are exposed to Western mindsets and ways of thinking which may be quite different from the culture in which they were raised.

One of the reasons why Western education models are becoming more popular around the world is that Western education embraces the concept of educating as many people as possible in a free, government-sponsored setting. This can be a dramatic change for many cultures and areas of the world where traditionally, girls have been barred from education, and education was reserved for a select few, usually boys of higher class families. Poverty has also been a major barrier to education, and access to free education dramatically improves one's chances of being educated. Globalization requires that all workers receive an education, and the process of globalization brings with it a focus on human rights and opportunity. Because of these factors, it is understandable that Western models of education are spreading.

A key component of Western education that is also an important factor in globalization is the ability to develop new ideas to meet rising challenges. In the changing world of today, creative and innovative skills are particularly important, and education needs to foster these abilities. Zhao (2007) said that the American style of education has done an excellent job in teaching its students to be free, innovative thinkers and function as autonomous beings, in contrast to other cultures (Asian for example) that emphasize the collective and do not encourage free thinking as much.

Another reason why Western models of education are becoming so international dates back to the 18th through the 20th centuries when Western colonialism was spreading across the world. Appadurai (2006) writes that technology and innovation allowed the creation of many European colonies within non-European countries (p.179). Spring (2004) said that Japan took on Western education models as a way of resisting Western colonialism, and Japan's influence spread Western education models across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Australia. Against this powerful force, Islam stood as a strong opposite force, but even Islam could not escape Western education's influence, since a good percentage of Islamic leaders have spent time in Western universities (p. 2).

The effect of Western education models on the rest of the world can be seen in the increasing spread of the English language. For better or worse, English is essentially a world language - even so, as Scholte (2000) wryly pointed out, many English speakers will never actually enter a native English-speaking country (p. 199). The global spread of English eases communication within the global education community and allows knowledge to be spread more rapidly and efficiently. It creates a demand for English instructors, therefore sending native English speakers throughout the world where they transmit ideas to and from different people and culture groups. Because communication barriers are a great hindrance to spreading ideas and breaking down barriers, a lingua franca such as English helps reduce some of these problems.

Other Influences

It is a mistake to think that the global spread of education is solely rooted in Western culture and is little impacted by the communities it reaches. The education that is spreading across the globe is best seen as a web with many connections and links between educational institutes, schools and classrooms around the world. Peters (2006) said that education in a postmodern world is a developing process directly connected both to technology and networks (p. 152). Technology gives instructors and students access to information and learning tools in a way unimaginable a few decades ago. Today, there are a multitude of different networking organizations for scholars and teachers across the globe which allows new pedagogical ideas to be developed and disseminated. Because of globalization, Western culture and education impacts the rest of the world, but it is also affected and changed when in contact with influences from other cultures and countries.

This web of connectivity and focus on global issues has had many positive impacts on students in America and other developed countries. For example, in 2003 and 2004, America was host to just over half a million international students. By 2013 there were approximately 820,000 international students, which represents a 7 percent increase from 2012; the largest group of these students are from China, followed by India. Students around the world , from primary level learners to doctorate candidates, have the unique opportunity to interact with a diverse body of students from many parts of the world. International study abroad programs provide unique encounters with different cultures and learning styles. Scholte (2000) said that many school textbooks today are "transworld" and used by many countries (p. 198). Globalization allows educators and students from around the globe to help further the spread of knowledge and the development of ideas and create an environment where everyone can learn from one another.

Viewpoints

Some Are Still Left Behind

Schaeffer (2003) has argued that globalization is not nearly as widespread as people imagine. He pointed out that the majority of the world's people have little access to technology, sell and consume most of their products locally, and live in non-democratic governments. He stated that globalization is really "selective," not "inclusive" (p. 4-5). Despite many impressive advances in recent years, technology and education have yet to reach many places, and the world's population is not as connected as it may seem. Eckersley (2007) echoes this, stating that globalization is a "deeply uneven process" (p. 11).

The Anti-Globalization Movement

There are many who would rejoice to hear this, for globalization has many detractors. In his discussion of the World Bank, Spring (2004) said that the organization has become a target for many anti-globalization organizations, two hundred of which make up a coalition against it. The reason these organizations have targeted the World Bank is because they believe globalization forces like the World Bank put their emphasis on product consumption and profit margin, often at the expense of the environment or human rights (p. 34). Because globalization as the World Bank has envisioned it results in a large-scale workplace, small farms and independent businesses are of lesser importance. One could argue that the World Bank's efforts will squelch an entrepreneurial spirit among many people and encourage them to join corporations instead of branching out and starting their own businesses. However, voices like Shaeffer (2003) have stated that this has yet to happen; most of the world's people work in family-owned businesses and farm operations.

Globalization has other negative effects on the work force and education in that it allows employers to search internationally for the best workers. This results in a constantly changing labor market in which workers need to be adaptable and constantly learning in order to be employable (Spring, 2004, p. 46). In practical terms, this could constitute a lifelong struggle for millions of people who merely want steady, gainful employment and a stable environment in which to raise their families.

Continuing education requires resources, funding, teachers, and facilities, and a large percentage of the world's population does not have reliable access to these resources. This, Spring (2004) says, is compounded by other issues; non-globalization organizations also argue that the World Bank and similar forces privatize education, thus making students pay for it and putting poorer students at a disadvantage (p. 35). If education becomes increasingly more important to compete in the job market but less accessible, problems will quickly arise.

Spring (2004) noted a final negative impact globalization has on education; Western education models stipulate mass education for many people, and this has the effect of focusing population loyalty on the nation-state rather than the individual family unit or tribe (p. 7). However, he also argued that globalized education is eroding the individual nation-state's identity. While Western education is meant to help build up a sense of national identity in its students, Spring argues that Western education and globalization are so focused on economical aspects that cultural identity has fallen far behind (p. 2). Furthermore, he stated that "The nation-state is being weakened…by global regulatory organizations, global mass media, and the global flow of populations" (p. 10-11).

Green (2004) however, argued that while nationalist education has become "more porous" in the last few decades by adapting new ideas and policies, taking in international students and sending students abroad, and becoming more similar to other national education programs, the focus of nationalist education is still on the good of the nation. Countering Spring (2004), Green (2004) argued that most national governments have control over their country's education system (p. 193-194). Even more so, Green (2004) stated that education is often supported by government systems as a way of covering up problems with unemployment rates or more contentious policy changes. Virtually all people understand that education is valuable for the individual and the state, so they rarely question their government's focus on education. Thus, Green (2004, p. 195) stated, a government can use education to serve its own ends rather than being weakened by the globalization of education.

Technology & Globalized Education

In a discussion of how globalization has affected education in general around the world, Scholte (2002) stated that globalization has had three key impacts on education:

• First, it has pulled attention away from narrowly-focused disciplinary studies and onto a more multi- or interdisciplinary approach to education.

• Second, it has changed some ways of how education is transmitted such as the introduction of on-line learning and the importance of computer literacy.

• Third, it has provided access to far greater amounts of research and source material and changed how people handle information (p. 197-200).

This affects education communities around the globe: schools in remote places of the world communicate via internet with people in other countries and receive resources from them while schools in developed countries adapt new policies to best serve the needs of immigrant children and focus on teaching students how to evaluate and utilize the wealth of information at their disposal.

Because technology is vital for globalization, it is becoming an even more important feature of international education. Internet access, on-line classes, and computer-based learning is appearing in many parts of the world, so much so that some argue that the traditional classroom will be less important across the globe in the years to come. However, Green (2004) pointed out that most primary education needs to take place under direct teacher supervision. While technology will most likely revolutionize many aspects of high school and college level learning, primary education will still demand a traditional classroom (p. 193-194). Considering that many people around the world lack even a primary education, it is clear that there will be a steady need for primary teachers and traditional classrooms. As organizations and charities help the spread of education and nations seek to improve their educational programs, care should be taken not to put too much emphasis on the technological aspect of education.

Are U.S. Students Keeping Up?

Additionally, Zhao (2007) states that the U.S. is failing to educate its students for a global society; he listed as evidence the fact that a high percentage of American students have poor geographical knowledge and no proficiency in any other language but their own. Part of the reason for the latter could be the fact that English is essentially a world language and, as Scholte (2000) stated, "native speakers of English have found it increasingly easy to get by in the world without learning other languages" (p. 200).

Teaching U.S. students about globalization presents many challenges. According to Eckersley (2007) "there is no settled theoretical framework for teaching globalization" (p. 14). Furthermore, she pointed out other problems inherent with teaching globalization. The topic itself is so broad as to be overwhelming; research about globalization is growing enthusiastically, and a good percentage of that information (Wikipedia, for example) might not be trustworthy. On the positive front, Eckersley (2007) stated that these same problems can be beneficial; the sheer scope of information ensures that students and educators will not grow bored with the subject and the amount of globalization literature will help students learn how to critically examine information for reliability (p. 14-15). Certainly the topic of globalization and world culture presents a virtually limitless number of topics to teach about, but how teachers in the U.S. and around the world are to go about doing so is clearly a question needing further insight.

Terms & Concepts

Global Citizenship: A mindset that all people belong to a global community and are thus united with common interests and goals.

Globalization: The process of technology, trade, products, democracy, and investments being spread across the world: the connection of nations and the sharing of ideas. Globalization is a very broad term, and scholars disagree about exactly how to define it.

International Education: Approaching education from an international perspective by focusing on the people of the world and encouraging students to see themselves as "global citizens." International education encourages students to see subjects, particularly historical events, from other perspectives. Cultural sensitivity and world knowledge are key focus points.

Nation-State: A certain area with defined boundaries containing a central governing body that is supported by its citizens.

Nationalist Education: An education system focused on building nation and state loyalty and creating citizenship that serves the needs of the government.

Primary Education: The equivalent of six years of quality schooling approximating a 6th grade level.

Western Education System: The mass education of people, usually children, which involves taking them out of the community and placing them in a classroom under the direct supervision of a teacher. This education is provided free of charge and is standardized, with the intention of creating citizens capable of serving their community and government.

World Bank: The largest education financial provider in the world. The World Bank consists of two development institutes which together provide loans and grants to poor countries in order that they may build schools, health facilities, and other infrastructures.

Bibliography

Appadurai, A. (2004). Disjuncture and different in the global cultural economy. In H. Lauder, P. Brown, J. Dillabough, & A. H. Halsey (Eds.), Education, globalization, & social change.(pp. 179-188). Oxford: University of Oxford Press.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. What is Globalization?. Retrieved August 23, 2007, from http://www.globalization101.org/What_is_Globalization.html

Eckersley, R. (2007). Teaching and learning about globalization. Ethos, 15, 10-18. Retrieved August 23, 2007 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=24833254&site=ehost-live

Green, A. (2004). Education, globalization, and the nation-state. In H. Lauder, P. Brown, J. Dillabough, & A.H. Halsey (Eds.), Education, globalization, & social change. (pp. 192-197). Oxford: University of Oxford Press.

Institute of International Education. (2004). Open doors: Report on international education exchange 2004. New York: Institute of International Education.

Lehner, D., & Wurzenberger, J. (2013). Global Education—an educational perspective to cope with globalisation?. Campus—Wide Information Systems, 30, 358–368. Retrieved December 5, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=91564171

Peters, M. A. (2006). Building knowledge cultures: Education and development in the age of knowledge capitalism. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.

Schaeffer, R. K. (2003). Understanding globalization: The social consequences of political, economic, and environmental change (2nd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.

Scholte, J.A. (2000). Globalization: A critical introduction. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Spring, J. (2004). How educational ideologies are shaping global society: Intergovernmental organizations, NGO's, and the decline of the nation-state. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

Tarc, P. (2012). The uses of globalization in the (shifting) landscape of educational studies. Canadian Journal Of Education, 35 , 4–29. Retrieved December 5, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=89123438

The World Bank (2007). About us. Retrieved August 23, 2007, from http://www.worldbank.org

Zahabioun, S., Yousefy, A., Yarmohammadian, M., & Keshtiaray, N. (2013). Global citizenship education and its implications for curriculum goals at the age of globalization. International Education Studies, 6, 195–206. Retrieved December 5, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=84953203

Zhao, Y. (2007). Education in the flat world: Implications of globalization on education. Edge: The Latest Information for the Education Practitioner, 2 , 2-19. Retrieved August 23, 2007 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=24333021&site=ehost-live

Suggested Reading

Giroux, H., & Mclaren, P. (1994). Between borders: Pedagogy and the politics of cultural studies. London: Routledge.

Guilherme, M. (2002). Critical citizens for an intercultural world: Foreign language education as cultural politics. Tonawanda, NY: Multilingual Matters Ltd.

Havlicek, J., & Pelikan, M. (2013). The globalization of higher education—be responsible and survive the changes. International Education Studies, 6, 217–224. Retrieved December 5, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=87080465

McMahon, W. (1999). Education and development: Measuring the social benefits. Oxford: University of Oxford Press.

Oikonomidoy, E. (2011). Reinventing aspects of multicultural education under the shadow of globalisation. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 19, 329–344. Retrieved December 5, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=66825655

Rizvi, F., & Lingard, B. (2006). Globalization and the changing nature of the OECD's educational work. In H. Lauder, P. Brown, J. Dillabough, & A.H. Halsey (Eds.), Education, globalization, & social change. (pp. 247-260). Oxford: University of Oxford Press.

Singer, P. (2004). One world: The ethics of globalization. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.