A Journey Into Comparative Education Policy and Educational Improvement

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André Rebeiz

Observing and understanding the context of education across OECD countries is important in crafting policy that supports education systems in mutual learning, the goal ultimately being to ensure that children in school learn for the future. This is one of the messages of the introductory session to the course “Trends in Comparative Education Policy” by Professor Beatriz Pont. 

The Importance of Context 

With this message in mind, it is important to consider that schools reflect the societies that they belong to. It is thus important to take into account the impacts of globalization, migration, inequality, and technology. Such issues impact education, or can be impacted by education, in the following ways:
  1. Globalization and Education: the interdependency of economies increases the need for transferable skills so that countries can be competitive. How can education systems, then, deliver what the labour market (or the labour market of the future) requires?

  2. Migration and Education: in considering the increasing proportion of migrants across OECD economies, how can education systems provide mechanisms for integration? Do different learning methods for students of different pedagogical or cultural backgrounds need to be implemented? Does the content of education need to be changed, such as the inclusion of religious aspects in curriculums?

  3. Inequality and Education: inequality can be shaped by education, but as Thomas Piketty suggests, it can also serve as a lever for raising disadvantaged students out of inequality.

  4. Technology and Education: technological shifts, such as the increasing number of Internet users, has required of education systems to adapt. At the same time, however, technology can also lead to the “collapse” of traditional systems, as seen through the rise of self-learning programs, the “pushing out” of the traditional role of teachers to that of “coaches”, and the creation of a “digital divide” between schools and between students that have access to IT tools and those that do not. 

Investing in Education 

These trends in the world today are important to consider, as education has proven to be a worthwhile and beneficial investment. For example, a myriad of studies demonstrate that better-educated adults participate much more in volunteer activities, are in better health, and have a higher probability of being employed. As a result, the observed benefits of education have led it to have more weight in society and the economy, implying mounting pressure across OECD countries to put in place effective reforms and to ensure that schools are not failing for children. 

Current Trends

In OECD countries today, some of the major concerns that are driving reforms include:
  1. Ensuring that all students reach a minimum level of skills, given that at least 1/4th of children in OECD counties do not have at least the basic skills (Level 2 proficiency) to participate in society,

  2. Ensuring that all youth complete upper secondary education, and

  3. Ensuring effective transitions to the labour market

Issues With No Measurable Objectives

The question remains, however, as to how to lead action on education issues for which there are no measurable objectives. Such issues include creativity, innovation, teamwork, skills for jobs that we do not know about yet, health and well-being, environmental knowledge, and social integration. A possibility is that issues that lack a measurable objective could be addressed through investments in education through public policy. 

Policy Approaches and Challenges 

However, while OECD countries are constantly carrying out reforms to achieve better education systems, the impacts are not always significant, do not lead to better results, or are simply not easy to measure. This complexity in the policy-making process is fuelled by the multiplicity of actors, perceptions, and resistances to reform that are present nationally and internationally. Thus, while comparative education policy can allow policymakers to develop better quality results by allowing them to know where systems stand in relation to others, education systems are ultimately context-dependent and cannot be transplanted to other systems. Overall, however, crafting effective educational policies is not a matter of how much is spent on education, but rather about how spending is allocated. This is especially true given that most systems spend better or worse with the same amount of funding. For example, it is generally agreed that investing in teachers – through regular professional development or through recruiting top individuals - is one of the most effective ways of spending an education budget. 

Class Discussion

My fellow classmates and I were also given the opportunity to share what we believe are some of the challenges education policymakers face today. The shifting of policy focuses from short-term to long-term results is one such challenge. In other words, how do we shift from “teaching to the test” towards providing students with a broad education that develops a broad range of talents? More largely, how do we preserve tradition while reforming education? The challenge of adapting educational content in increasingly diverse societies is also a concern. Policymakers in Ontario and Australia, for example, have led reforms that seek to include Indigenous history and culture in the curriculum, as well as to better integrate students of immigrant backgrounds into their respective education systems.

Sir Ken Robinson on “How to Escape Education’s Death Valley 

”The class concluded with a TEDTalk video by Sir Ken Robinson, who emphasizes that “the main principles on which human life flourishes” – such as curiosity and diversity - are effectively contradicted by education. In other words, education systems today need to reform in ways that (1) focus on diversity and individuality, (2) value relationships between teachers and learners, and (3) allow discretion for creativity. Robinson’s overall message is that “leadership is not about command and control”, and neither is education.





Pictures from:
https://traintheteacher.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/fullscreen-capture-11212011-42450-pm-bmp.jpg
http://oasishr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/trends.jpg
http://www.edutopia.org/sites/default/files/styles/share_image/public/slates/finley-class-discussions.jpg?itok=HQliySWT

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