Global Educational Needs and Values
Global Educational Needs and Values
Globalization affects several areas of life including education (Banks, 2004). Developing countries are witnessing growth in education facilities due to expansion of institutions from the west. Education is experiencing dynamic changes under the influence of globalization. The impacts of globalization on education cause rapid developments, in communications and technology. The dynamism in education unfolds in the form of changes in ideas, knowledge, values creating a change in the roles of teachers and students. Overall, the society changes from industrial systems towards a society based on information.
Globalization and Educational Culture
Globalization reflects the evolution in culture bringing a new form of cultural imperialism (Bevins, 2011). The emergence of cultural imperialism shapes students into global citizens and intelligent people equipped with global knowledge and skills essential for a competitive, information based society. Technological changes and globalization enhances access to the world, and, so, the world is becoming flat. Therefore, education programs should reflect global outlook and innovations. The widening racial, ethnic, cultural, language and religious diversity in global education settings is forcing policy makers and educators to reanalyze the prevailing notions of nationality and citizenship (Banks, 2004).
In order to experience cultural freedom and democracy, unification of a nation must occur around a set of democratic values such as equality, justice, and diversity (protection of the rights of diverse groups) (Carano, 2010). It is an opportunity to improve the standards of education in developing countries in line with the level of education in the developed world. Globalization of education provides an opportunity to synchronize education systems and create a platform for fair competition for the world resources.However, some people believe that globalization of education is an invaluable opportunity for the emergence of a universal, western society (Hufford, 2007). The world is highly interconnected due to technological innovations and globalization. However, education systems do not reflect the phenomenon of globalization.
Global education represents a system whose proponents advocate an education that embraces globalization through the provision of education components essential for students to live and thrive in a highly interconnected system (Carano, 2010). Global educators have a common belief and goal as advocates for the development of a global perspective in the classroom. Since its inception, education plays a vital role in the advancement of societies, both socially, and technologically (Banks, 2004). The global economy experiences fluctuation with time, but the world continues to witness innovations, breakthroughs, discoveries and the standards of the quality of life. In line with the development of new technology, educational change that corresponds to technological change is essential to enhance human capital (knowledge and skills) (Hufford, 2007). Training and education must be dynamic and responsive to the technological innovations.
Globalization poses several, known effects on educational communications systems and technology (Banks, 2004). It changes the ways teachers deliver education and the roles played by both students and teachers. Technology transforms the society from an industrial economy to knowledge based economic systems (Bevins, 2011). Globalization, however, has a dark side coming from the open nature of technological systems. While developed countries grow rich, developing countries fall back. Education, information, and income gaps widen. This creates trade imbalances, structural adjustments, and economic crises that shred the moral fabric of families, communities, and societies. This precipitates violence, youth unemployment, racism, drug abuse, suicide, and antisocial behavior in schools.
Conclusion
Future programs of education reflect the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s concern to enhance and protect cultural diversity in the society driven by globalization of the economy and progress of the digital knowledge (Hufford, 2007). The multicultural, multilingual societies of the 21st century in which we live celebrate cultural diversity while challenging the population to think in a creative way the way in which we educate the future citizens (Ibid). Technology brings people closer together and facilitates immense possibilities for exchange and understanding. However, the world risks losing the uniqueness and richness of individual, cultural identities. UNESCO advocates for the prioritization of an education philosophy that embraces the many languages, civilizations, and cultures that inhabit the earth. Through respect of language, knowledge, and culture of the learner, we can build literate and educated societies, in which lifelong learning is the norm.
References
Banks, J. (2004). “Diversity and citizenship education: global perspectives” San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass.
Bevins, S. (2011). “STEM: Moving the Liberal Arts Education into the 21st Century”. Technology and Engineering Teacher, 71(4): 10-3.
Carano, K. (2010). “Through the Lens of Global Educator: Examining Personal Perceptions Regarding the construction of World-Mindedness”. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest LLC.
Hufford, L. (2007). “Educating for a worldview: focus on globalizing curriculum and instruction”. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, Inc.
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