Globalization and Education Policy

• Globalization


  The process of greater interconnectedness between nations politically, culturally and economically
• Positive aspect of globalization is that we increasingly look to other cultures to find solutions to problems, and the education system is no exception
• Performance ranking


  International ranking schemes rating the effectiveness of education in different countries
• Performance ranking process


  1. Students sitting a specific test such as PISA or TIMSS

  2. Comparing the scores of those students and results in other nations
• In 2015, the UK ranked 15th for science, 21st for reading and 27th for maths in the PISA rankings
• Nations who require improvement in education

  Look to nations who are consistently at the top of the rankings for inspiration in improving their education
• The UK could look at nations such as Hong Kong, Korea, Canada, Estonia, Finland or the Netherlands to improve the teaching of mathematics
• Academization


  The first wave of city center academies was based loosely upon the American charter school system
• Free schools


  Introduced in 2010, based upon Scandinavian equivalents in Sweden and Finland who were consistently topping rankings at that time
• Initiatives to raise the knowledge base of teachers in the UK

  1. Extending initial teacher training programs

  2. Introducing longer qualification periods for qualified teacher status

  3. Funding for teachers to study education at masters level, similar to their colleagues in Scandinavian schools
• Austerity cuts to education and the application of market principles in the UK education system


  At odds with many of the programs to raise the knowledge base of teachers
• Globalization has led to the growth of western culture and neoliberal economics, which has led to anti-global, anti-globalization movements and in some cases, terrorist activity
• The UK government has reacted to the threat of terrorism by introducing British values and preventing to schools, initially to combat the possibility of young people being groomed into terrorist organizations
• Globalization has led to the spread of marketization and privatisation in education, with many UK universities now having overseas campuses in less developed nations and a growth of UK educational trusts operating schools overseas
• Globalization has led to increased travel and with the UK having some of the highest ranked universities in the world, has naturally attracted students from across the globe
• The increased movement into the UK from other nations has also led to increased funding for ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and EIL (English as an Additional Language) speakers to obtain up to level 2 or GCSE equivalent qualifications in English and maths to enable them to become part of the UK workforce
• Increased cooperation in educational research has meant that teaching and learning activities are influenced by global research into education, whether that is growth mindset, cognitive load theory, or many other techniques
• Migration has led to changes in the curriculum, particularly in the early part of the 21st century, with subjects such as Arabic and Polish being offered to students in the UK, while multicultural approaches to education have increased the attainment of some minority ethnic groups in the UK
• Critics argue that the ranking systems have too narrow a focus on skills with only science, reading and maths tested
• Critics argue that the application of educational policies from one area of the globe to another may not have the desired effects due to external constraints
• Critics argue that the Finnish system, which is reliant upon heavy educational spending and personal autonomy for teachers, is not suited to the application of market values to education in the UK
• Critics argue that testing students' performance on three tests every three years is not an effective way to measure the success of the education system
• Critics argue that initiatives from other nations are often costly and short-lived, with many ideas being abandoned due to political changes
• Academies were first introduced under New Labour in the year 2000 to drive up standards and improve equality of opportunity
• Academies under the coalition and the new Tories have been more about creating a quasi market in education
• Academy schools


  State funded schools which are independent of Local Education Authorities (LEAs), unlike 'community schools' which are subject to more Local Education Authority control and receive their funding from them
• Academies


  • Receive their funding directly from the government
  • Have the freedom to manage their own budgets, fire and hire staff, set their own daily timetable and term dates
  • Do not have to follow the national curriculum
• Every academy is required to be part of an academy trust (AT), which is a charity and company limited by guarantee
• Academies can seek additional funding from companies, philanthropists, charities or religious organisations, and are non-profit organisations
• Academies were first introduced under the New Labour Government


  Late 1990s
• Academies have gradually replaced schools managed by Local Education authorities
• Multi-academy trust (MATs)


  Several schools run under one centralised management structure
• Most of the early academies chose to become academies, but some have been forced to convert away from LEA control to academies following an 'in need of improvement' grading by OFSTED, many of these converter academies having to choose an MAT to manage them
• Like community (LEA) schools academies are inspected by OFSTED and follow the same nationally imposed rules regarded exclusions and Special Educational Needs provision
• Types of Academy


  • Sponsored
  • Converter
  • Free schools
• Sponsored Academies


  Underperforming schools which have failed an OFSTED inspection and have been required to move away from LEA control and become academies
• Converter Academies


  Already existing schools under Local Education Authority control which have voluntarily chosen to become academies
• Free Schools


  Newly created schools which are run as academies, typically established by local interest groups who want a better standard of education for their children
• City Academies were first introduced under New Labour


  2000
• Academies saw a rapid expansion under both the Coalition (2010-2015) and Tory governments (2015 to present day)