Globalisation, Ideology and Education Reforms: Emerging Paradigms. Globalisation, Comparative Education and Policy Research. Volume 20

This book analyses the nexus between ideology, the state, and education reforms worldwide. The research evinces the neo-liberal ideological imperatives of current education and policy reforms and illustrates the way these shifts in the relationship between the state and education policy are affecting current trends in education reforms and schooling around the globe. With this as its focus, the chapters represent hand-picked scholarly research on major discourses in the field of global education reforms. Offering a compendium of the very latest thought on the subject, this book is, like the others in the series, a state-of-the-art sourcebook for researchers, practitioners and policymakers alike. Not only do the chapters offer a timely analysis of current issues shaping education policy research; the work also contains ideas about future directions that education and policy reforms could take. By doing so, it provides a comprehensive view of the diverse and intersecting discourses on globalisation and policy-driven reforms in education. The book draws on recent studies in the areas of globalisation, education reforms, and the role of the state. Respective chapters critically assess the dominant discourses and debates on education and policy reforms. Using diverse comparative education paradigms, ranging from critical theory to historical-comparative research, they focus on globalisation, ideology and democracy, and examine both the reasons for and outcomes of education reforms and policy change. Foreword 7 Preface 8 Series Editor 10 Editorial by Series Editors 12 Contents 16 Contributors 18 Chapter 1: Globalisation and Education Reforms: Emerging Research Issues 21 The Changing Nature of Education Globally 22 Gobalisation and Neo-liberalism in Education Reforms 23 Standards-Driven and Outcomes-Defined Policy Change 25 Globalisation, Marketisation and Quality/Efficiency Driven Reforms 25 Globalisation, Educational Social Stratification and Social Inequality 27 Conclusion 29 References 29 Chapter 2: Analysing the (Mis)Use and Consequences of International Large-Scale Assessments 32 International Large-Scale Assessments and Their Aims 32 Some Views on ILSA Tests, Their Scores and Their Consequences 35 ILSA and Their Constructs 36 ILSA and Consequences 37 On the Relation Between Innovativeness and ILSA Results 38 On the Changes of Curricula and ILSA Results 39 Conclusion 41 References 42 Chapter 3: The Unintended Consequences of Governance of Education at a Distance Through Assessment and Standardization 44 Introduction 45 Globalisation, Supranational Organisations and Governance at a Distance 46 Room for Nation-States: Opportunity Structures as Possibilities 49 Metrics and Measurement 50 Standardization 52 Assessment and Indicators of Education 54 Conclusions 55 References 58 Chapter 4: Crisis in Economic Theory and the Implications for PISA Derived Education Policy 62 Introduction 62 Globalisation and Economics 63 The Influence of Economics on Education 65 PISA Influence on Educational Policy 66 Can PISA Data Be Trusted as ‘Perfect Knowledge’? 67 Causal Claims Justifying Systemic Reform 68 Evaluation 71 Conclusion 72 References 72 Chapter 5: Globalizations, Meta-ideological Hegemony and Challenges from Populism in Education 76 Globalisations, Meta-ideological Hegemony and Education Reforms in Sweden 76 Globalization 78 Education Reforms 82 Key Concepts 83 The most Influential Western Ideologies 84 Liberalism, Social Liberalism and Neo-Liberalism 84 Conservatism 85 Communism, Utopian Socialism, Syndicalism, Anarchism, Cooperative Socialism 86 Socialism and Keynesianism 86 Communitarianism and Populism 87 Meta-ideological Dimensions and Education 89 The Market-Oriented Paradigm 89 The Etatist-Welfarist-Oriented Paradigm 90 The Communitarian Paradigm and the Populist Perspectives 91 Meta-ideological Dimensions 91 Evaluation 95 Conclusion 95 References 96 Chapter 6: Social Change and Education Reforms in High Performing Education Systems: Policy Lessons from Singapore and Hong Kong 101 Social Change and Education Reforms in High Performing Education Systems: Introduction 102 Socio-Political Context of Education Development 103 Major Challenges Facing Education Systems 105 Economisation of Education 107 Educational Disparities 108 Meritocracy or Parentocracy? 111 Education Policy Actions for Social Change 112 Education for Life 112 Every School a Good School 114 Compassionate Meritocracy 115 Policy Lessons Learnt from Singapore and Hong Kong 117 Context 117 Culture 118 Competence 119 Conclusion 120 References 120 Chapter 7: Globalisation and Current Research on Teaching Values Education 125 Globalisation as a Multi-faceted Phenomenon: Implications for Values Education 125 Cultural Origins of Values 127 Global Models for Values Education 128 Local and National Values 129 Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Model 129 James Banks and His Model for Multicultural Education 130 Values Education in Schools 130 The Nature of Values in Schools 130 The Politics of Values Education 131 Moral Dilemmas 132 Incorporating Values into the History/HUMANITIES Curriculum 134 Values Education in Humanities and Social Sciences 134 Objectives of Values Education in the Classroom 134 Classroom Strategies for Teaching Values 135 Values Education and Academic Achievement 137 Evaluation 138 Conclusion 139 References 139 Chapter 8: Constructivist and Constructionist Epistemologies in a Globalised World: Clarifying the Constructs 143 Introduction 144 Constructivism 144 Origins and Epistemological Premises 144 Ontology 146 Purpose 148 Constructionism 148 Origins and Epistemological Premises 148 Ontology 150 Purpose 150 The Implications and Contribution of Each Epistemology to Research in Education in a Globalised World 152 The Contribution of Constructionism to Globalisation 153 Conclusion 154 References 154 Chapter 9: Reflections on the Legacy of Nelson Mandela and the Relevance for Educational Transformation Globally 157 Introduction 157 Education and Transformation in South Africa 159 Education and Societal Change for Reparation and Reconciliation: Working with Students 162 The Overarching Need for Education in South Africa, and Everywhere 163 The Born Free Generation, Political Expediency, and Mandela’s Legacy? 165 Conclusion 168 References 169 Chapter 10: Research Priorities and Developments in Education Reforms Globally 172 Research Priorities and Developments in Education Reforms Globally: Introduction 173 Globalisation and Competitiveness-Driven Reforms 173 Globalisation and Finance-Driven Reforms 173 Market Forces–Driven Reforms for Dominance Globally 174 Equity-Driven Reforms 174 Standards-Driven and Outcomes-Defined Policy Change 175 Globalisation, Marketisation and Quality/Efficiency Driven Reforms 176 Current Developments in Education Reforms: Case Studies 177 Conclusion 178 References 179 Index 180 Front Matter ....Pages i-xxi Globalisation and Education Reforms: Emerging Research Issues (Joseph Zajda)....Pages 1-11 Analysing the (Mis)Use and Consequences of International Large-Scale Assessments (Stefan Johansson)....Pages 13-24 The Unintended Consequences of Governance of Education at a Distance Through Assessment and Standardization (Risto Rinne)....Pages 25-42 Crisis in Economic Theory and the Implications for PISA Derived Education Policy (Vince Wright)....Pages 43-56 Globalizations, Meta-ideological Hegemony and Challenges from Populism in Education (Holger Daun)....Pages 57-81 Social Change and Education Reforms in High Performing Education Systems: Policy Lessons from Singapore and Hong Kong (Michael H. Lee, S. Gopinathan)....Pages 83-106 Globalisation and Current Research on Teaching Values Education (Joseph Zajda)....Pages 107-124 Constructivist and Constructionist Epistemologies in a Globalised World: Clarifying the Constructs (Brendan Hyde)....Pages 125-138 Reflections on the Legacy of Nelson Mandela and the Relevance for Educational Transformation Globally (Diane Brook Napier)....Pages 139-153 Research Priorities and Developments in Education Reforms Globally (Joseph Zajda)....Pages 155-162 Back Matter ....Pages 163-171