EDUC 296 - Special Topics in Education

Fall 2021: Special Topics in International and Comparative Education

We live in a world that is interconnected and interdependent. There is a need to address the global forces and factors that affect educational practices in different countries. Learning about ‘other’ educational contexts around the world challenges us to think outside the box. This course explores educational goals, policies and practices around the world through a comparative lens and therefore offers a broad look at many cultural approaches to education. Using an equity/equality framework, this course begins by building a broad knowledge base in order to frame education in the current global context. The course then moves into regional examinations of educational issues to deepen students’ knowledge and to situate global educational issues. The first part of the course will serve as an introduction to the field of comparative and international education. We will critically examine the colonial and postcolonial roots of comparative education and the distribution of power among the actors in the field. The second part of the course will focus on examining a range of important topics in the field including racial/ethnicity -equality issues in education across nations. Students will read educational texts, theoretical articles and empirical educational research studies. They will access digital resources (videos, audios, websites, podcasts etc.) and engage in small-group book clubs to support their learning. By the end of this course, students should situate their own school or educational system within a global context and have a solid understanding of comparative education. 

May be repeatable for credit.

Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically