EDPS591

	EDPS 591 Lec. X1 Foundations of Education: Perspectives on International Issues Fall 2003
	Wednesdays: 18:00-21:00 Location: Education North 7-102

Department of
Educational Policy
Studies

Instructor: Ali A. Abdi, Ph.D.
Office: 7-133K (Education North)
Office hours: by appointment
Tel. 492-6819; E-mail: aabdi@ualberta.ca

Education, when undertaken with a comprehensive and inclusive project of social justice and equity, is the great engine of national development.

Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom (1994)

…. school tends to be increasingly anti-democratic. Perceived as a source of upward social mobility, it is desired by everyone, but it actually serves people who are already 'educated', thus becoming the preserve of a small minority.

Joseph Ki-Zerbo, "The Insular School" (1997)

It is important not to confuse modernization with development. The former, atlhough it may affect certain groups in the "satellite society" is almost always induced, and it is the metropolitan society which derives the true benefits from it. A society which is merely modernized without developing will continue - even if it takes over some minimal delegated powers of decision - to depend on the outside society. This is the fate of any dependent society, as long as it remains depenedent.

Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed (2000 [1970])

General introduction

This course critically examines the role of education in the problems as well as the prospects of international development. As an inclusive construct, development comprises enhancements in the economic, social, political, cultural and technological well-being of people's lives. Two focus areas are treated in the course. The first deals with generalized discussion and related analyses of contemporary societal issues that influence and/or are influenced by educational policies and programs. These would include the conceptual, theoretical and policy-related debates that pertain, but not limited, to education and globalization; democracy, citizenship, and education; education and social transformation; education and indigenous learning systems; the construction and politics of knowledge; women's education; and the emerging forums of educational technology. The second systematically looks, but again with underlying theoretical assumptions, at regional perspectives such as Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Oceana-Pacific region, the Caribbean region, and communities indigenous to different parts of the world. The two focus areas are expected to complement one another with concepts and theories thematically refining and discursively crystallizing pertinent contexts of education and social development that could analytically explain the best uses of learning programs in given tempo-spatial requirements and needs.

General Objectives:

to introduce students to the conceptual and theoretical foundations of the relationship between education and international development;
to examine the interplay of education, globalization and such related themes as democracy, citizenship, social transformation, indigenous systems of knowledge, and women’s education;
to systematically investigate the historical as well as current problems and prospects of educational policies, programs and objectives in different zones of the world;
to help participants partake in the analysis as well as the knowledge construction processes of education and international development;
to raise the general awareness of participants in global issues that pertain to the overall state of human development and underdevelopment; and
to generally problematize the taken-for-granted role of education in social development by raising questions of relevance that are geographically, politically, and even discursively located.

Course material

There is a course pack that is now available in the SUB bookstore. The class will be conducted in a seminar format with limited, focused presentations by the Instructor followed by inter-group discussions, analyses and debates. Students are expected to read the articles, and come to class prepared to fully partake in the organized and, at times, disorganized in-class treatment of topics under consideration. All students will assume, as many sessions as possible, the important and central role of discussion leaders by introducing descriptive as well as analytical synopses of some articles, and by formulating pertinent questions, from those articles and related literature, for class discussions and debates.

Evaluation

Class participation

Reflective essay

Seminar presentation

Research paper

15%
15%
30%
40%

The daily presence as well as each student's contribution to class "life" will represent 15% of your total mark. This is your class, and without your presence and ongoing contributions, we may not realize our individual and group objectives.
Write a short reflective essay (maximum 5 double-spaced pages) that is exclusively based on your understanding of the role education should play in enhancing people's lives in today's globalized world environment. This could be an analytical, experiential or location-specific discussion/criticism of educational possibilities that you find interesting and would like to share with us. The reflective essay is due on October 8^th.
Two students will choose a topic that is centered either around one of the theoretical themes, or on specific cases of education in one country or region, and will undertake a formal, in-class presentation that consists of current information, pertinent observations and analyses, as well as any prospects for ameliorative measures that could be relevant for the situation. Presentations should start on September 17^th.
A research paper of 12-15 pages (typed, double-spaced & including references) should be written on a specific topic/area of education that falls within the parameters of our course objectives. As graduate students, you are expected to formulate your ideas clearly, and make your presentations in a gender-neutral, coherent and analytically constructive manner. In a nutshell, the paper is not long, so it must be qualitatively 'superior.' This paper is due on December 10^th, with 2 points/day deductions for all late papers.

Please note that your final mark will be based on the new, University approved letter grading system (A+, A, A-= excellent; B+, B= good; B-, C+= satisfactory; and C, C-, D+, D & F= Failure).

Faculty of Education Equity Statement

The Faculty of Education, U of A, is committed to providing an environment of equality and respect for all people within the university community, and to educating faculty, staff, and students in developing teaching and learning contexts that are welcoming to all.

Course Calendar

Sept. 3 Introduction of general concepts and discussion of theoretical perspectives.

Sept. 10
Select philosophical analyses

Mill, J.S. (1997). Inaugural address at Saint Andrews. In S. Cahn, Classic and contemporary readings in the philosophy of education. Toronto: McGraw-Hill.

Nyerere, J. (1968). Education for self-reliance. In Freedom and socialism. London: Oxford University Press.

Freire, P. (1993 [1970]). Chapter one, Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.

Sept. 17
Social transformation, globalization and education

Fletcher, S. (2000). Universalist approaches to emanciapatory educational theory, in Education and emancipation. New York: Teachers College Press.

Bacchus, K. (2002). Curriculum, employment and globalization with special reference to the developing countries. Unpublished paper.

Tikly, L. (2001). Globalisation and education in the postcolonial world: towards a conceptual framework. Comparative Education, 37(2), 151-171.

Sept. 24
Select contemporary issues in education

Enslin, P. et al. (2001). Deliberative democracy, diversity and the challenges of citizenship education. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 35(1), 115-130.

Giroux, H. (2002). Democracy, freedom and justice after September 11th: Rethinking the role of educators and the politics of schooling. Teachers College Record (Online: www.tcrecord.org).

Apple, M. (2000). Cultural politics and the text, in Official knowledge. New York: Routledge.

Stromquist, N. (1998). The institutionalization of gender and its impact on educational policy. Comparative Education, 34(1), 85-100.

Oct. 1
Issues in African education

Semali, S. (1999). Community as classroom: dilemmas of valuing African indigenous literacy in education. International Review of Education, 45(3/4), 305-319.

Arthur, J. (2001). Perspectives on educational language policy and its implementation in African classrooms: a comparative study of Botswana and Tanzania. Compare: A Journal of comparative Education, 31(3), 347-362.

Abdi, A. (2002). Postcolonial education in South Africa: problems and prospects for multicultural development. Journal of Postcolonial Education, 1(1), 9-26.

Oct. 8
Issues in Asian education

Bray, M. (2000). Financing higher education: Patterns, Trends, and options. Prospects XXX(3), 331-348.

Chan, D., Mok, K. (2001). Educational reforms and coping strategies under the tidal wave of marketisation: a comparative study of Hong Kong and the Mainland. Comparative Education, 37(1), 21-41.

Ghosh, R., Talbani, A. (1996). India. In G. Mak & E. Beauchamp (Eds.), Women, education and development in Asia: cross-national perspectives. New York: Garland.

Oct. 15
Issues in Central and Eastern European education

Stern, B. (1999). From Marxism to free markets: curricular change in the Russian education system. Educational Forum, 63(3), 219-228.

Majorek, C. (2000). A society and education in transition: Poland. In K. Mazurek, M. Winzer & C. Majorek (Eds.), Education in a global society: a comparative perspective. Toronto: Allyn & Bacon.

Polyzoi, E., Cerna, M. (2001). A dynamic model of forces affecting the implementation of educational change in the Czech Republic. Comparative Education Review, 45(1), 64-84.

Oct. 22
Issues in Latin American and Caribbean education

Tatto, M. (1999). Education reform and state power in Mexico: the pradoxes of decentralization. Comparative Education Review, 43(3), 251-282.

Henales, L., Edwards, B. (2000). Neoliberalism and education reform in Latin America. Current Issues in Comparative Education, 2(2) (Online: www.tc.columbia.edu).

Bryan, B. (1998). Defining literacy for Jamaica: issues in theory and practice. Caribbean Journal of Education, 20(1), 54-67.

Whiteley, P. (1997). Quality assurance at the University of the West Indies. Caribbean Journal of education, 19(2), 191-210.

Oct. 29
Issues in Oceana and Pacific Islands education

Gary, M. et al. (2000). Trends in indigenous (Australia) educational participation and attainment, 1986-96. Australian Journal of Education, 44(2), 101-117.

Ninnes, P., Burnett, G. (2001). Postcolonial theory and science education: textbooks, curriculum and cultural diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 36(1), 25-39.

Vlaadingerbroek, B. (2000). Education, inequality and development: schooling in Papua New Guinea. In K Mazurek et al. (Eds.), Education in a global society. Toronto: Allyn & Bacon.

Nov. 5
Guest speaker: general perspectives on education and international development

Nov. 12
No class –Fall Term break

Nov. 19
Issues in First Nations (Canada) education

Kirkness, V. (1999). Aboriginal Education in Canada: a retrospective and a prospective. Journal of American Indian education, 39(1), 14-30.

Chamberlin, E. (2000). From hand to mouth: the postcolonial politics of oral and written traditions. In M. Battiste (Ed.), Reclaiming indigenous voice and vision. Vancouver: UBC Press.

Battiste, M. (2000). Maintaining Aboriginal identity, language and culture in modern society. In M. Battiste (Ed.), Reclaiming indigenous voice and vision. Vancouver: UBC Press.

Nov. 26
Special topic: educational technology issues

Grotzer, T. (2002). Expanding our vision for educational technology: procedural, conceptual, and structural nowledge. Educational Technology (March-April), 52-59.

Earle, R. (2002). The integration of instructional technology into public education: promises and challenges. Educational Technology (January-February), 5-13.

Dec. 3
Conclusion and discussion of final projects

General Bibliography

Theoretical perspectives

Freire, Paulo (1993 [1970]). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Seabury.
Freire, Paulo (1998). Pedagogy of freedom: Ethics, democracy, and civic courage. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Stromquist, N., Monkman, K. (Eds.) (2000). Globalization and education: Integration and contestation across cultures. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Mazurek, K., Winzer, M. (1999). Education in global society: A comparative perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall PTR.
Torres, Carlos (1997). Democracy, education and multiculturalsim: Dilemmas of citizenship in a global world. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
Torres, C., Burbules, N. (1999). Globalization and education: Critical perspectives. New York: Routledge.
Jones, P. W. (1998) Globalisation and internationalisation: Democratic prospects for world education. Comparative ducation 34(2): 119 –130.
Brock, Colin (Ed) (1996) Global perspectives in teacher education. Wallingford: Triangle Books, Oxford Studies in Comparative Education
Spring, Joel (2001) Globalization and human rights: an inter-civilizational analysis. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Ball. S.J. (1998) Big policies/small world : An introduction to international perspectives on educational policy. Comparative Education 34(2): 119-130.
Allman, Paula (1999). Revolutionary social transformation: Democratic hopes, Political possibilities and critical education. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey.
Mayo, Peter (1999). Gramsci, Freire, and adult education. Possibilities for transformative action. London: Zed Books.
Pannu, R. & Toh, S.H. (Eds) (1996) Education and development: Past lessons, present crises, future possibilities. Alberta Journal of Educational Research 42(2), special issue.
Boulding, Elise (1988) Building a global civic culture. New York: Teachers College.
McLaren, Peter & Leonard, Peter (Eds) (1993) Paulo Freire: a critical encounter. New York: Routledge.
Archer, David & Costello, Peter (Eds) (1990) Literacy and power. Convergence 31(1 & 2) (1998) Special commemorative issue on Paulo Freire.
Jenkins, J. (1991). Re-thinking history. London: Routledge.
Grant, Carl A. & Lei, Joy L. (Eds) (2001) Global constructions of multicultural education. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum
Selby, David & Goldstein, Tara (Eds) Weaving connections: Education for peace, human rights and environmental justice. Toronto: Sumach
Bellamy, Carol (Ed) (1998) State of the World’s Children , 1999: Education. New York: UNICEF.
Limage, Leslie J. (Ed) (2001) Democratizing education and educating democratic citizens. New York: Routledge.
Dewey, John (1926). Democracy and Education. New York: Macmillan.
Apple. M. (2000). Official knowledge: Democratic education in a conservative age. New York: Routledge.
Dei, G., Hall, B., Rosenberg, D. (2000). Indigenous knowledges in global contexts: Multiple readings of our world. Toronto: University of Toronto.
McGovern, Seana (1999). Postmodern analysis and the re-viewing of indigenous knowledge: Power, culture and knowledge relations. In S. McGovern, Education, modern development and indigenous knowledge: An analysis of academic knowledge production. New York: Garland Press.
Agrawal, Arun (1995). Dismantling the divide between indigenous and scientific knowledge. Development and Change, Vol. 26, 413-439.
Welch, A.R. (1998) The cult of efficiency in education: Comparative reflections on the reality and rhetoric. Comparative Education 34(2): 157-175.
Walsh, V. (1996). Breaking boundaries: Women in higher education. London: Taylo And Frances.
Hill, M. Anne (1993). Women’s education in developing countries: Barriers, policies, and benefits. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Stromquist, N.P. (1998) The institutionalization of gender and its impact on educational policy. Comparative Education 34(1): 85-100.
Johnson, L. (2001). Media, education, and change. New York: Peter Lang.
Jonassen, D., Peck, K., Wilson, P. (1998). Learning with technology: A constructivist perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
D’Oyley, V., Blunt, A., Barnhardt, R. (Eds.) (1994). Education and development: Lessons from the third world. Calgary: Detselig Enterprises.
Fagerlind, I., Saha, L. (1985). Education and national development: A comparative perspective. Toronto: Praeger Publishers.

Regional perspectives

Nwomonoh, J. (1998). Education and development in Africa: a contemporary survey. San Francisco: International Scholars Press.
Harber, C., (1997). Education, democracy and political development in Africa. Portland, OR: Sussex Academic Press.
Makudi, Edith (1999). Public funding of primary funding in Kenya: Recent trends, challenges and implications. International Journal of Educational Reform, 8(4), 383-3-87.
Hartshorne, Ken (1999). The making of education policy in South Africa. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Abdi, Ali A. (2002). Culture, education and development in South Africa: historical and contemporary perspectives. Westport, CT & London: Bergin & Garvey.
Abdi, Ali A. (2001). Integrated Education and Black Development in Post-apartheid South Africa: critical analyses. Compare: A Journal of Comparative Education, 31:2, 229-244.
Abdi, Ali A. (1998). Education in Somalia: history, destruction and calls for reconstruction. Comparative Education, 34(3), 327-340.
Njeuma, Dorothy (1998). An Overview of Women’s Education in Africa. In J. Nwomonoh (Ed.), Education and Development in Africa. Bethesda, MD: International Scholar’s Press.
Nwagwu, Cordelia (1997). The environment of crisis in the Nigerian education system. Comparative Education 33(10, 87-95.
Kallaway et al. (Eds.) (1997). Education after apartheid: South African education in transition. Cape Town: University of Cape Town Press.
Chan, D., Mok, K (2001). Educational reforms and coping strategies under the tidal wave of marketisation: A comparative study of Hong Kong and the mainland. Comparative Education, 37(1), 21-41.
Ordonez, Victor, Maclean, Rupert (2000). Open file: Education in Asia. Prospects: Quarterly Review of Education (Special Issue), 30(3).
Levin, Keith (1998). Education in emerging Asia: Patterns, policies and futures into the 21st century. International Journal of Educational Development, 18(2), 81-118.
Crook, N. (1996). The transmission of knowledge in South Asia: essays on education, religion, history and politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Tilak, J.B.G. (1994). Education for development in Asia. Delhi: Sage.
Morris, P., Sweeting, A. (1995). Education and development in East Asia. New York: Garland Publishing.
Emirates Center for Strategic Studies (1999). Education and the Arab world: Challenges of the next millennium. Dubai, UAE.
La Belle, Thomas (2000). The changing nature of non-formal education in Latin America. Comparative Education, 36(1), 21-36.
Tatto, Maria (1999). Education reform and state power in Mexico: The paradoxes of decentralization. Comparative Education Review, 43(3), 251-282.
Torres, C., Puiggros, A. (1998). Latin American education: comparative perspectives. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Psacharopoulos, G., Ng, Ying (1995). Earnings and education in Latin America. Education Economics, 2(2), 187-207.
Brock, C., Tulasiewicz, W. (1999). Education in single Europe. New York: Routledge.
Halasz, G., Sadlak, J., Beauchamp, E. (1998). Education reform and policy in East-Central Europe. New York: Garland Publishing.
Howe, Glenford (2000). Higher education in the Caribbean: past, present and future directions. Kingston: University Press of the West Indies.
Inter Press Service Online (2000). Caribbean: “Education for all” goal eludes regional governments (available at: www.oneworld.org/ips2/mar00/09_18_023.html).
McCourtie, Lena (1998). The politics of Creole language education in Jamaica: 1891-1921 and the 1990s. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 19(2), 108-127.
Miller, Errol (1997). Education for all in the Caribbean: A mid-decade review of Issues. Caribbean Journal of Education, 19:1, 1-35.
Bailey, B., Brown, M. (1997). Reengineering the primary curriculum in Jamaica: Improving effectiveness. Caribbean Journal of Education, 19:2, 147-161.
World Bank (1993). Caribbean region: access, quality, and efficiency in education. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.
Marginson, Simon (1993). Education and public policy in Australia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Oliver, Douglas (1995). Native cultures of the Pacific islands. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
Swatridge, Colin (1988). Delivering the goods: Education as Cargo in Papua New Guinea. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Battiste, Marie (1998). Enabling the autumn seed: Toward a decolonized approach to Aboriginal knowledge, language and education. Canadian Journal of Native Education, 22:1, 17-27.
Kirkness, Verna (1998). The critical state of Aboriginal languages in Canada. Canadian Journal of Native Education, 22:1, 10-15.
Wilson, Stanley (1997). Honoring spiritual knowledge. Canadian Journal of Native Education, 22.

Sept. 2003

Sept. 3	Introduction of general concepts and discussion of theoretical perspectives.
Sept. 10	Select philosophical analyses Mill, J.S. (1997). Inaugural address at Saint Andrews. In S. Cahn, Classic and contemporary readings in the philosophy of education. Toronto: McGraw-Hill. Nyerere, J. (1968). Education for self-reliance. In Freedom and socialism. London: Oxford University Press. Freire, P. (1993 [1970]). Chapter one, Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.
Sept. 17	Social transformation, globalization and education Fletcher, S. (2000). Universalist approaches to emanciapatory educational theory, in Education and emancipation. New York: Teachers College Press. Bacchus, K. (2002). Curriculum, employment and globalization with special reference to the developing countries. Unpublished paper. Tikly, L. (2001). Globalisation and education in the postcolonial world: towards a conceptual framework. Comparative Education, 37(2), 151-171.
Sept. 24	Select contemporary issues in education Enslin, P. et al. (2001). Deliberative democracy, diversity and the challenges of citizenship education. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 35(1), 115-130. Giroux, H. (2002). Democracy, freedom and justice after September 11th: Rethinking the role of educators and the politics of schooling. Teachers College Record (Online: www.tcrecord.org). Apple, M. (2000). Cultural politics and the text, in Official knowledge. New York: Routledge. Stromquist, N. (1998). The institutionalization of gender and its impact on educational policy. Comparative Education, 34(1), 85-100.
Oct. 1	Issues in African education Semali, S. (1999). Community as classroom: dilemmas of valuing African indigenous literacy in education. International Review of Education, 45(3/4), 305-319. Arthur, J. (2001). Perspectives on educational language policy and its implementation in African classrooms: a comparative study of Botswana and Tanzania. Compare: A Journal of comparative Education, 31(3), 347-362. Abdi, A. (2002). Postcolonial education in South Africa: problems and prospects for multicultural development. Journal of Postcolonial Education, 1(1), 9-26.
Oct. 8	Issues in Asian education Bray, M. (2000). Financing higher education: Patterns, Trends, and options. Prospects XXX(3), 331-348. Chan, D., Mok, K. (2001). Educational reforms and coping strategies under the tidal wave of marketisation: a comparative study of Hong Kong and the Mainland. Comparative Education, 37(1), 21-41. Ghosh, R., Talbani, A. (1996). India. In G. Mak & E. Beauchamp (Eds.), Women, education and development in Asia: cross-national perspectives. New York: Garland.
Oct. 15	Issues in Central and Eastern European education Stern, B. (1999). From Marxism to free markets: curricular change in the Russian education system. Educational Forum, 63(3), 219-228. Majorek, C. (2000). A society and education in transition: Poland. In K. Mazurek, M. Winzer & C. Majorek (Eds.), Education in a global society: a comparative perspective. Toronto: Allyn & Bacon. Polyzoi, E., Cerna, M. (2001). A dynamic model of forces affecting the implementation of educational change in the Czech Republic. Comparative Education Review, 45(1), 64-84.
Oct. 22	Issues in Latin American and Caribbean education Tatto, M. (1999). Education reform and state power in Mexico: the pradoxes of decentralization. Comparative Education Review, 43(3), 251-282. Henales, L., Edwards, B. (2000). Neoliberalism and education reform in Latin America. Current Issues in Comparative Education, 2(2) (Online: www.tc.columbia.edu). Bryan, B. (1998). Defining literacy for Jamaica: issues in theory and practice. Caribbean Journal of Education, 20(1), 54-67. Whiteley, P. (1997). Quality assurance at the University of the West Indies. Caribbean Journal of education, 19(2), 191-210.
Oct. 29	Issues in Oceana and Pacific Islands education Gary, M. et al. (2000). Trends in indigenous (Australia) educational participation and attainment, 1986-96. Australian Journal of Education, 44(2), 101-117. Ninnes, P., Burnett, G. (2001). Postcolonial theory and science education: textbooks, curriculum and cultural diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 36(1), 25-39. Vlaadingerbroek, B. (2000). Education, inequality and development: schooling in Papua New Guinea. In K Mazurek et al. (Eds.), Education in a global society. Toronto: Allyn & Bacon.
Nov. 5	Guest speaker: general perspectives on education and international development
Nov. 12	No class –Fall Term break
Nov. 19	Issues in First Nations (Canada) education Kirkness, V. (1999). Aboriginal Education in Canada: a retrospective and a prospective. Journal of American Indian education, 39(1), 14-30. Chamberlin, E. (2000). From hand to mouth: the postcolonial politics of oral and written traditions. In M. Battiste (Ed.), Reclaiming indigenous voice and vision. Vancouver: UBC Press. Battiste, M. (2000). Maintaining Aboriginal identity, language and culture in modern society. In M. Battiste (Ed.), Reclaiming indigenous voice and vision. Vancouver: UBC Press.
Nov. 26	Special topic: educational technology issues Grotzer, T. (2002). Expanding our vision for educational technology: procedural, conceptual, and structural nowledge. Educational Technology (March-April), 52-59. Earle, R. (2002). The integration of instructional technology into public education: promises and challenges. Educational Technology (January-February), 5-13.
Dec. 3	Conclusion and discussion of final projects