3.1 Schools in Other Nations
Schools in other nations have different pedagogical styles. How are they viewed here? Are educational institutions in North America influenced by these differences? The following video: Schooling the World: The White Man’s Last Burden, offers a critical view on pedagogy throughout the world. The title would suggest a negative lens towards Western education, however, a critical look towards the other factors that influence education such as society, economy, and politics will be addressed.
Some questions from the video:
- Are there issues like these within North-American schools?
- Do the English-speaking experts in the film have a right to speak on these issues?
- Does this video present ideological undertones?
- Are there some benefits of a Western ideology?
- Is there a middle ground for pedagogy that enhances culture and economies?
It is important, as educators and members within a political-economy, that a wide array of discussion topics are examined in order to have the clearest and most concise points without the burden of a particular ideology.
The film showed some of the pedagogical forms that took place in other areas of the world. What are some other impacts that geography can have on education? A localized approach found that education may suffer, depending on the socioeconomic status of a township or city, while at the same time, provides a deeper sense of community[1]. Furthermore, a study in the Netherlands reflects that mobility could be a factor for graduates in obtaining desired jobs related to their field. This correlates to a better workplace fit, leading to better wages[2].
A lot can be learned from this information. For instance, there are significant gaps in educational attainment on some local levels because of socioeconomic status. At the same time, mobilized individuals tend to find better work. Would it be prudent to say, for example, that someone wanting to be a doctor who lives in Churchill, Manitoba could find work there, but greener pastures would be found in a place like Winnipeg or in another province like Ontario? This example would hurt the local Churchill economy because it removes a graduate from the community, potentially leading to the cycle of socio-economic hardship. However, the individual is free to mobilize in order to find the best career location. Ultimately, the need for a middle ground is apparent to find answers to the complex questions of how to address the locations that fall behind in socioeconomic status, and to best accommodate the mobility of individuals and their job prospects. First, it is important to acknowledge the economic challenges, then use this to address these problems so that the tide of the location is lifted. Second, incorporating an industry that accommodates an economic driver of a geographic community should be established. This is just one option, of many, that can help to bridge the gap of this issue.
In order to address these situations, it is imperative to get a worldly understanding of how education happens in different geographic locations. Education can have many impacts, such as economic, political, and societal, so the connection between location and education helps to provide a conceptualization of teaching and learning so that the meaningful outcomes of learning can be developed.
Below is a map of the world. Click on the hotspots to learn about education in different areas across the globe.