The Globalisation of Education Policy Flashcards
Global education league tables
> League tables have begun to compare education outcomes in pupils from across different countries of the world.
One organisation that is responsible for such world rankings is PISA (Programme for international student assessment). Based in Paris, it compares the performance of schools across 70 countries in maths, science and reading.
In 2016, the UK ranked 27th place, but there was a notable trend for countries in Asia to rank at the top.
As a result of these international comparisons, the government continue to introduce reforms to their education policies in a determination to improve the UK’s ranking in the world. This is a form of international marketisation at work.
EVALUATION:
> If too much emphasis is put on UK’s international rankings, it can overlook the fact that scholarly (academic) performances in East Asia might have contributed to the area’s low birth rate.
> This might cause economic harm in the future, where PISA scores cannot make up for the fact that a failing supply of workers fails to generate economic prosperity.
> Systematic errors and oversights in the calculating of PISA scores have resulted in scores being ‘valueless’. While it is possible to change errors, this undermines the credibility of the programme and may mean that people lack confidence in its worth.
The internationalism of Higher education
> This involves universities in the UK forming links and partnerships with universities overseas.
> This allows universities in the UK to access a broader range of students, including those from overseas for more disadvantaged backgrounds who can benefit from world-class education.
> Universities can also gain staff from different parts of the world, building their reputation.
