Changing the educational climate: children, citizenship and learning contexts?

Abstract

The changing climate of children's education at the turn of the twenty-first century through sociocultural and global political changes is my focus of attention. I will discuss the changing social context and environments for research on children and education, considering various transformations in the social and policy contexts that have led to new forms of research, new ethical procedures and the ways that social diversity has influenced research and policy on equity questions. One key context is how the British New Labour Government from 1997 to 2006 attempted to transform the education policy agenda towards personalization or individualization and children's services and rights, with new discourses about teaching and learning, social exclusion or inclusion and equality. I will also address the changing sociocultural climate of increasing social diversity and how new moral responsibilities and political values underpinning these personal, private and public issues are addressed within education. However, I will conclude that these policy measures remain ambivalent about wider sociocultural changes and the evidence amassed from research about how to improve teaching and learning. Policy developments sustain traditional political values rather than empowering children and young people.

Education for Global Competencies

“…The student and child community was diverse, but none of the students made any reflections on it (Cleghorn & Prochner, 2003;David, 2007). Only one comment came from a student who was placed at a French-speaking child care and another from a student who practised in a primary school instead of an early childhood institution.…”

“…The visiting staff must arrive at the same time to diminish extra work. Another keyword is thus preparation (Eastmond, 2004), especially cultural preparation, for students and faculty for integrating exchange students into existing programmes and student cohorts (David, 2007). The preparation phase should include an orientation on living abroad, specific country orientation and cultural awareness, language requirements, and information about safety and security when abroad.…”

“…The preparation phase should include an orientation on living abroad, specific country orientation and cultural awareness, language requirements, and information about safety and security when abroad. The decisions about placements of the students should be done by the home university to avoid peer groups with difficulties to change patterns and socialize with other students and widen their perception of the world (David, 2007;Silberfeld, 2006;Verma et al, 2007). The final comment to this project arrives from a teacher: Despite the heavy workload, I would be pleased to do it again!…”

“…One strategy to prepare teachers for the multicultural classroom, at home or abroad, is to provide them with international experience by linking them to other countries within the European Union as well as to countries in other parts of the world. The aim of such international experience is to widen their perception of the world (David, 2007;Silberfeld, 2006). One question that will be addressed later on is if such international experience enough?…”

Being and Becoming Cosmopolitan in Early Childhood Curriculum: ‘Roots’, ‘Wings’ and Cosmopolitan Citizenship

“…They develop roots (a sense of belonging), and also wings (a sense of becoming) to further explore the self in the world. This modern understanding of identity as belonging and becoming continues to shape concepts of 'individualised learning' and the 'individual learner' in contemporary post-industrial contexts (David, 2007).…”