Globalisation and Educational Policy

Summary

This video explores the profound influence of globalization on UK educational policy. It highlights how international interconnectedness has led to performance ranking through assessments like PISA, prompting nations to emulate top performers. The video discusses policy shifts, such as academization and free schools, influenced by global models. It also addresses the impact of globalization on teacher training, curriculum changes, and the rise of English as a second language. Critiques of globalization's narrow focus on certain skills and the challenges of implementing foreign educational models are also presented.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Globalization has significantly impacted educational policies, promoting international interconnectedness and influencing educational reforms.
• 📊 International ranking systems like PISA and TIMSS have become a measure of educational effectiveness, with the UK ranking 15-27 across subjects in 2015.
• 🔍 Nations with lower rankings often look to top performers like Singapore for inspiration to improve their educational standards.
• 🏫 The UK has been influenced by educational models from other countries, such as American charter schools and Scandinavian free schools.
• 💼 The introduction of national literacy and numeracy campaigns aims to equip students with skills for the global workplace.
• 💵 Additional funding has been allocated for teaching maths and science in response to the UK's lower PISA rankings in these subjects.
• 🏛️ Efforts to raise the knowledge base of UK teachers include extended training, longer qualification periods, and funding for advanced studies.
• 🛡️ The UK government has introduced 'British values' in schools to counteract radicalization and the grooming of young people into terrorism.
• 🌍 The spread of marketization and privatization in education has seen UK universities expanding overseas and educational trusts operating schools globally.
• 📈 Increased international student mobility has influenced tuition fee structures, with overseas students paying higher fees, contributing to the rise in UK tuition fees.
• 🔄 Globalization has also led to curriculum changes, including the introduction of new subjects and multicultural approaches, enhancing the educational experience for diverse student bodies.

Q & A

What is the definition of globalization as discussed in the video?

Globalization is defined as the process of greater interconnectedness between nations politically, culturally, and economically.

How does globalization impact education according to the video?

Globalization impacts education by influencing educational policies, introducing international performance rankings, and affecting the types of educational provisions available.

What are the positive aspects of globalization in education mentioned in the video?

A positive aspect is that it allows for the exchange of ideas and solutions from different cultures, which can improve educational systems.

What role do international assessments like PISA play in globalization and education?

International assessments like PISA help in ranking the effectiveness of education across different countries, which can lead to nations looking to top performers for inspiration to improve their own systems.

What were the UK's rankings in the 2015 PISA tests?

In the 2015 PISA tests, the UK ranked 15th for science, 21st for reading, and 27th for maths.

How does the video suggest that the UK could improve its education system?

The video suggests that the UK could look to nations like Hong Kong, Korea, Canada, Estonia, Finland, or the Netherlands for inspiration in improving their education system.

What are some direct influences of globalization on educational policies in the UK mentioned in the video?

Direct influences include the introduction of academies and free schools based on foreign models, additional funding for maths and science, and initiatives to raise the knowledge base of teachers.

How has globalization affected the curriculum in the UK schools?

Globalization has led to the introduction of subjects like Arabic and Polish, and an increase in multicultural approaches to education, which have improved the attainment of minority ethnic groups.

What criticisms are there regarding the impact of globalization on education as discussed in the video?

Criticisms include the narrow focus of ranking systems, the potential ineffectiveness of applying educational policies from one country to another, and the high cost and short-lived nature of some initiatives.

How has globalization influenced the growth of Western culture and neoliberal economics in education?

Globalization has led to the spread of marketization and privatization in education, with UK universities opening overseas campuses and educational trusts operating schools globally.

What are some less direct impacts of globalization on educational policy mentioned in the video?

Less direct impacts include the introduction of British values in schools to combat radicalization, and the increase in funding for ESOL and EIL programs due to the influx of international students.