Day: April 16, 2013

Are you interested in international comparative education from Anglo-Saxon,=  Asian-Confucian, Germanic, and Nordic perspectives?
 
The course International Comparative Education: Varieties and Commonalities=  in a Global World will address all of these themes. It will be offered in = Summer Term 1 (May-June). Enrolments are welcome.
 
 
EDST 565a (941)
Mondays and Wednesdays 4:30 to 7:30 pm
WMAX 216
 
International Comparative Education: Varieties and Commonalities in a Globa= l World
 
Instructor: Hans Pechar
hans.pechar@uni-klu.ac.at
 
A few decades ago, education at all levels was a matter of national and/or = provincial (state) policy with little, if any, interference from outside. T= oday education is part of a global network in which mobility, cooperation, = and competition among national systems is increasing steadily. As a consequ= ence, interest in various kinds of comparative educational research - drive= n partly by academic curiosity, partly by policy objectives - is growing.
In this course, we will take a theoretical and critical approach to compara= tive education. We will review the international policy discourse and discu= ss some of the fundamental puzzles, such as the following: What is the impa= ct of the early childhood learning environment on the literacy of adolescen= ts? How does the impact of parental socioeconomic background on educational=  achievement differ among countries? How do equitable opportunities and out= comes differ by gender? How do Aboriginal populations fare in an educationa= lly globalized world? In which countries is education primarily seen as a p= ublic good, and where are private benefits and responsibilities emphasized?=  What are the social and economic preconditions of "world class" universiti= es? Are such institutions desirable? What are different national approaches=  to lifelong learning?
 The course will be structured around four modules:
 *      First, based on OECD indicators we will identify various dimensions=
 in which substantive differences among nations can be observed (e.g., publ= ic versus private provision and funding of education, early streaming versu= s comprehensive schooling, participation rates in vocational and tertiary e= ducation);
 *      Second, we will consider conceptual frameworks that explain the dif=
ferences observed. As education has become included as part of the "welfare=  state," theories about differences in welfare provision provide a meaningf= ul framework for comparative educational research. Likewise, theories about=  "varieties of capitalism" explain how education systems contribute to the = comparative advantage of different regimes;
 *      Third, by combining empirical indicators and theory we will constru=
ct a global landscape of regional patterns, focusing on how these regions e= xert influence beyond their borders. Specifically, we will examine Anglo-Sa= xon, Asian-Confucian, Germanic, and Nordic patterns.
 *      Finally, we will discuss implications for policy and practice. What=
 insights can we glean about from international comparisons?
 
Hans Pechar Bio
 
Hans Pechar is a Professor in the Faculty for Interdisciplinary Studies, Al= pen Adria University, Vienna, Austria. The focus of his research is compara= tive higher education and economics of higher education. Currently, he repr= esents Austria in the governing board of OECD CERI. His recent publications=  address topics of policies of access to higher education, governance of Au= strian universities, and equity in education.