International and Comparative Education Commons^™

“My Classroom Is A Bigger Place”: Examining The Impact Of A Professional Development Course On The Global Perspective Of Experienced Teachers, Steve Sider, Mary Ashun

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

How do experienced teachers develop a global perspective through a professional development course and how can this perspective impact classroom practice? These are the two key questions which this paper examines. We utilize Guskey’s (2002) model of teacher change as a framework for understanding the results of a study involving experienced teachers who took a professional development course which had a focus on global education. The participants engaged in a number of activities four months after the completion of the course to explore how the course had impacted their classroom teaching practice. Common themes were identified through participant reflective papers …

Book Review - Educating Children In Conflict Zones: Research, Policy And Practice For Systemic Change. A Tribute To Jackie Kirk., Allyson M. Larkin

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Educating children in conflict zones: Research, policy and practice for systemic change is a volume dedicated to the memory of Jackie Kirk, an educational researcher who was killed while working in Afghanistan. This collection of research articles is an excellent contribution to the field of education, conflict and development studies, Kirk's area of expertise. The initial article is by Kirk and is a seminal piece in the field of education and conflict studies, and subsequent contributions by leading researchers in the field such as Lyn Davies, round out a volume that both adds to the growing knowledge of the contested …

Commentary: Cultivating A Defiant Global Research Imagination In International Education, Jane E. Kenway

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Reconceiving International Education: Theorizing Limits And Possibilities For Transcultural Learning, Paul Tarc, Aparna Mishra-Tarc, Nicholas Ng-A-Fook, Roopa Desai Trilokekar

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This multi-voiced paper explores the micro-level dimensions of human learning and becoming from transcultural encounters, lessons and/or curriculum under heightened transnationalism. It posits that mainstream approaches to conceptualizing the ‘education’ of international education lack sufficient theorization of difference, sociality, history and learning in trans-local spaces and suggests that there are expanding networks of transcultural engagements to be examined under the umbrella of international education. To explore this reconceived pedagogical landscape of international education three specific cases are presented: an auto-ethnographic reflection on coming into and making sense of one’s international experience, a conceptual framing of internationalizing preservice education curriculum and …

The Role Of Language In Processes Of Internationalization: Considering Linguistic Heterogeneity And Voices From Within And Out In Two Diverse Contexts In Ontario, Julie Byrd Clark, Eve Haque, Sylvie A. Lamoureux

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This multi-voiced paper considers the role of language and linguistic heterogeneity in relation to larger discourses and processes of internationalization and globalization in Canadian higher education by examining two particular educational contexts in Ontario: newly arrived adult students participating in Immigrant language training programs; and Franco-Ontarian students transitioning to post-secondary schools and gaining access to higher education. The authors argue for a multidimensional conceptual approach to theorizing internationalization; one that takes into account the significance of language from the global, transnational and local levels of the social world whereby linguistic heterogeneity is viewed as the “norm” and one that allows …

North-South International Education Partnerships: Two Canadian Projects With Tanzania., Aniko Varpalotai, Chantal Phillips, Marian Roks

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Abstract

The following is a review of two Canadian-Tanzanian international partnerships working in Tanzania within the education sector. Project TEMBO (Tanzania Education and Micro-Business Opportunity) supports the development of formal and non-formal education for girls and women in collaboration with other local and international non-governmental organizations. The Huron University College/University of Dar es Salaam project is strengthening post-secondary educational opportunities in collaboration with civil society organizations and local government. Both projects are focused on literacy in the broadest sense to achieve critical skills in civic engagement, poverty reduction, problem solving, decision-making and reducing gender imbalances, and as such are in …

‘Headmasters Become Noblemen’: Mainland Chinese Teachers’ Perspectives On Changes In Education In The Post-Mao Era, Lorin G. Yochim

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

In this article I report findings of research into the lives and work of Mainland Chinese teachers of English in a broader context characterized by market economic reform. I draw on transcriptions of group interviews to describe and discuss teachers’ lives and work, and forward a critical analysis that posits a connection between teachers’ accounts and the re-structuring of social relations in post-Mao China. The article details one of several themes treated in the study, specifically the broad category of ‘effects of educational reform.’ I suggest that the compliance and resistance apparent in these accounts reveals Chinese teachers to be …

New Curriculum Reform In China And Its Impact On Teachers, Linyuan Guo

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

China, the developing country with the largest and oldest public education system, is transforming its education system through a nation-wide curriculum reform. This large-scale curriculum change signifies China's complex and multi-dimensional processes and endeavors in empowering its educational system to meet the challenges and opportunities in the era of globalization. This paper reports on an interpretive case study with a particular interest in understanding the impact of the nation-wide curriculum reform on teachers in urban areas. Findings from this study present the complex dimensions of teachers’ lived experiences during this dramatic education change and shed new insights on the current …

Teaching In Northwestern China Under A Market Economy: Opportunities And Challenges, Gulbahar H. Beckett

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This article discusses a case study that explored the impacts of a market economy on some Northwestern Chinese teachers’ working and living conditions as well as opportunities and challenges the new economy presented from teachers’ perspectives. Analysis of surveys, interviews, and documents revealed that the participants believed they had benefited from the market economy, citing pay raises as well as improved working and living conditions. Participants thought opportunities under the market economy included additional earnings as well as improved national and international professional development. However, the participants found the shift from the traditional teacher-centered pedagogy to a more student-centered approach …

Teaching English For Economic Competiveness: Emerging Issues And Challenges In English Education In China, Yan Guo

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Under China’s market economy, English language learning has been adopted as a strategy to promote the nation’s economic competitiveness in a global economy. This development reflects a discourse of linguistic instrumentalism. Based upon individual interviews of 24 English teachers in Zhejiang Province, China, the study reveals that teachers question the assumptions of linguistic instrumentalism, the gatekeeper role of English, the impact of the increasing dominance of English on Chinese language, and their students’ internalization of the belief in the superiority of Anglo culture. In addition, the study suggests that as a result of globalization, the delivery of English education in …

Globalization, Market Economy And Social Inequality In China: Exploring The Experience Of Migrant Teachers, Shibao Guo

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This study explores the experience of migrant teachers in China. In particular, it examines how China’s market economy might have impacted on the status and living and working conditions of migrant teachers. The study adopts a case study approach, drawing on personal interviews with 21 school teachers in Shenzhen and Zhuhai of Guangdong Province. The findings reveal that despite China’s economic miracle, migrant teachers’ status and teaching and living conditions have not improved. On the contrary, they have deteriorated. Migrant teachers are paid less, live in poor housing conditions, and face heavy workload. Many teachers have to tutor outside of …

Editor's Note, Eva Krugly-Smolska

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Postcolonial Perspectives Book Review 41 (1)

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Doing Democracy Book Review 41 (1)

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Who Is Guilty And What To Do? Popular Opinion And Public Discourse Of Corruption In Russian Higher Education, Ararat Osipian

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Corruption in higher education in Russia is a growing problem. This paper considers scholarly and popular discourse in Russia around this corruption and the discussion examines its context within the overall corruptness of the society and reflects on measures of comprehensive educational reform. Drawing upon a theoretical framework linking popular opinion and public discourse, discussion in the scholarly and popular press between 1998 and 2011 is analyzed, and the themes of the discourse are traced. Results focus on the reasons for corruption in the higher education sector, as well as on current and potential ways to tackle corruption, including the …

Chinese Immigrant Parents’ Communication With School Teachers, Fan Jiang, George Zhou, Zuochen Zhang, Clinton Beckford, Lan Zhong, Fan Jiang

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Parent-teacher communication has great influence on children’s school performance. Using Walker et al.’s model of parent involvement as a theoretical framework, this study investigated Chinese immigrant parents’ communication experience with teachers and the psychological factors that influenced such communication. The study collected data through survey and revealed that Chinese immigrant parents recognized their responsibility to maintain regular communication with school teachers and believed that such communication could bring beneficial outcomes to their children’s education. The study found that Chinese immigrant parents had more frequent communication with teachers than those recorded in previous literatures. Among the five psychological factors, communication self-efficacy …

Finding Hope In The Darkness: Stories Of Two Chinese Newcomers Enrolled In A Canadian High School, Yi Li, Denise J. Larsen

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Hope has been described as the ability to envision a future in which one wishes to participate. A burgeoning body of research consistently points to the vital role hope plays in learning and successful change. Employing narrative inquiry (Clandinin and Connelly, 2000), in this paper, we explore two Chinese newcomer students’ stories of hope as they face the many challenges of undertaking a Canadian education. Findings indicate the value of communicating teachers’ belief in students, making hope more visible by inviting students to tell their stories of hope, and understanding hope as a process that evolves as students’ lives unfold.

A Model For A Sustainable Partnership: Connecting Chinese Visiting Scholars, The University And The Community, Marilyn Miller Dr., Dongyan R. Blachford Dr.

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Using the case of Chinese visiting scholars at one western Canadian University, this two-phase research project explores how fostering collaboration between international visiting scholars, the host university, and the community promotes internationalization. The first phase examines the impact of the visiting scholars’ social interaction on and off campus on the satisfaction and success of their stay in Canada. Based on these findings, phase two addresses ways the community could benefit from interacting with international visitors. As a result, a partnership model is proposed which connects the interests of the university, international visitors, and the local community and emphasizes mutual benefit, …

International Volunteers’ Serving As Teachers In Rural Indigenous Schools In Ecuador: Challenges And Opportunities For Culturally Relevant Teaching, Julia A. Rao, Sarfaroz Niyozov

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This ethnographic study is situated in the complexities and dilemmas of international aid education (IAE), the volunteer sector and cross-cultural learning and teaching. It examines the challenges and opportunities faced by three international volunteers (IVs) teaching in Indigenous communities in rural Ecuador. Through onsite observations and interviews, along with discussions with principal participants (IVs), and secondary participants (three local teachers and the volunteer program director), we present a narrative of the IVs experiences, pedagogical approaches and the factors which affect culturally relevant teaching (CRT) practices. This illustration serves as a platform for a cross-comparative analysis of key themes and issues …

Editor's Notes And Front Matter, Suzanne Majhanovich

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

What Is Really New In The “New” Urban Environment?, Nombuso Dlamini, Natalie Davey, Audrey Hudson, Samuel Tecle

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Established in 2009, The Jean Augustine Chair in Education in the New Urban Environment presented the learning community opportunity to define new urbanism through debates, conversations and other learning encounters. As the inaugural chair, Dlamini began conversations with faculty, students and community in order to unpack the meaning of the new urban environment and its associated characteristics and encounters. This article follows ongoing conversations between, Dlamini and three graduate students from her urban education class, which tackled these and many other questions throughout the course. Following the seminar, we find ourselves continually questioning what is meant by new and if …

L’ÉDucation À La ToléRance Dans Les Programmes D’ÉTudes En Vigueur Au QuéBec, Simon Lavoie, France Jutras

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

Le contexte social actuel caractérisé par un pluralisme culturel grandissant interpelle directement l’école comme lieu de socialisation et nous renvoie nécessairement à la place de la tolérance dans notre accueil de la diversité. Or, est-ce que la tolérance fait partie des intentions éducatives du Québec? Où en retrouve-t-on des traces? Notre objectif est de relever et d’analyser les différents éléments présents à l’intérieur des programmes de formation québécois qui ouvrent la voie à l’éducation à la tolérance, en nous attardant de façon toute particulière sur le nouveau programme d’Éthique et culture religieuse, qui nous apparaît en être le principal véhicule. …

English Education In Italy: Perceptions Of Teachers And Professors Of English, Farahnaz Faez

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper examines the growing impact of English in Italy and in the Italian education system. The analysis focuses on issues of educational policy and practice and addresses discrepancies that exist across these areas with regards to English proficiency and use among Italians. The first part of the paper examines English dominance in non-Anglo countries, the education system in Italy and foreign language policy initiatives of the European Union that impact language policy and practice in Italy. The second part of the paper reports on findings of a survey completed by high school teachers and professors of English as well …

Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions Of An International Practicum Experience In Italian Schools: Benefits Of A Short-Term Placement With Faculty Support, Maria Cantalini-Williams, Mary Lynn Tessaro

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This study examines the perceptions of teacher candidates (student teachers) participating in a faculty-supervised, international teaching placement in Italian schools. Survey responses and journal reflections, supported by faculty field notes indicate that the benefits could be categorized in four main areas such as: the development of resourcefulness and resilience; increased familiarity with the conditions of international teaching employment; a greater awareness of cultural literacy and comparative education; and an enhancement of language sensitivities and strategies for communicating and teaching. Recommendations suggest that professional growth of the teacher candidates is dependent on sufficient preparation, faculty support and immersion in the experience. …

Teacher Perceptions Of Strategies For Improving Esol Students’ Academic English Skills: A K-12 Perspective, Jinyan Huang, Alexis Smith, R. Michael Smith

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This study investigates five North American K-12 classroom teachers’ perceptions of ESOL students’ challenges in academic English skills and strategies for improving ESOL students’ academic English skills. Seven distinct areas of interest emerged from the five interviews: 1) ranking of importance of academic listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills; 2) challenges that ESOL students face in the classroom; 3) strategies to help ESOL students in academic listening; 4) strategies to help ESOL students in academic speaking; 5) strategies to help ESOL students in academic reading; 6) strategies to help ESOL students in academic writing; and 7) strategies to assist ESOL …

Shifting Aims Of Aid To Education, Christian M. Dasilva

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper examines the profound and steady influence of aid and aid modalities on the education agenda in Africa and argues that, ultimately, the broader intent of Education for All as advocated at Jomtien and Dakar was narrowed to an almost singular focus on Universal Primary Education. This narrowing phenomenon is attributed to donor obsession with targets and comes at the expense of true ownership while compromising quality and upstream linkages in the education systems of Tanzania and other African countries. The paper concludes with some of the lessons learned and possible future orientations of aid to education for development. …

Book Reviews

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Cie Journal/Revue Eci 2011 Referees/Evaluateurs

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Editor's Notes And Front Matter, Suzanne Majhanovich

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.

Integrating Young People Of Different Religious And Ethnic Backgrounds In Our Schools, Ratna Ghosh, Denise Lussier, Gretta Chambers

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

No abstract provided.