Education for Europe? Professionalization between effectiveness and autonomy

Abstract

This paper assumes that there has been a discourse shift in the understanding of internationalization from an idealistic view on overcoming national narrow-mindedness to an economic view of effectiveness and self-improvement, which also affects the discourse on Europeanization and building Europe by education. Against this background, the question of which consequences this discourse shift has for education and professionalization, is asked. In the end, two contradictions are pointed out as boundaries of professionalizing European education: the first lies in the opposed understanding of Europe and education for Europe; and the second in the replacement of politics by education (understood not only as bottom up control of political aims by education but also as a specific idea of humanity).

Citizenship-as-competence, what else? Why European citizenship education policy threatens to fall short of its aims

“…This evolution is often perceived as a shift of scale, linked to the broad category of effects of globalisation, internationalisation and Europeanisation (Hummrich, 2018) that surmount and blur national boundaries and identities in a seemingly ever more interconnected Europe, and, by extension, world. In this context, established, national concepts of democracy, citizenship and CE have been challenged as being limited or narrow-minded (Hummrich, 2018) since they no longer meet the demands of the current global order (Löden et al, 2014). Education, and specifically citizenship education, at a European level is now considered of crucial importance for building Europe by helping young people to become active, engaged, informed and responsible citizens.…”

“…CE is thus promoted as a key contribution to 'building' Europe by safeguarding and promoting fundamental democratic values and social cohesion in Europe. This building metaphor of CE, however, also extends to an economically driven goal of making Europe a/the strong(est) competitor in the global knowledge economy (Hummrich, 2018). In this context, CE is presented as a solution to both societal and economic concerns, displaying a conviction by policymakers that the health and stability of the European democratic project depend to a large extent on the civic engagement and capacity of European citizens (Bîrzéa et al, 2004) and specifically identifying young people in schools as in need of such education (Naval et al, 2002).…”

“…Whereas both education and citizenship have, traditionally, been considered as matters related to and under the authority of the nation-state, policy on these matters has been increasingly shifting towards supranational policy formation at the level of the EU and its (related) institutions over the last two decades (Ioannidou, 2007), now considering European-level policymaking as complementing, influencing and co-existing with national policies (Keating, 2009;Walkenhorst, 2008). This evolution is often perceived as a shift of scale, linked to the broad category of effects of globalisation, internationalisation and Europeanisation (Hummrich, 2018) that surmount and blur national boundaries and identities in a seemingly ever more interconnected Europe, and, by extension, world. In this context, established, national concepts of democracy, citizenship and CE have been challenged as being limited or narrow-minded (Hummrich, 2018) since they no longer meet the demands of the current global order (Löden et al, 2014).…”

Teachers in Transition. A Biographical Perspective on Transnational Professionalisation of Internationally Educated Teachers in Germany

“…In contrast to the fact that the topic of internationally mobile teachers is connected with the discourse on migrant and minority teachers, there are no signs of a connection to the dynamics of educational internationalisation concerning global and/or European teacher education policies in terms of quality assurance, standard-based teaching and school management (e.g. European Commission, 2007; OECD, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2018; for critical analyses see Ball, 2007; Waldström, 2015; with a focus on Europe see Hummrich, 2018; for a post-colonial perspective see Bagchi et al, 2014). These macro level developments are not related to or seem to have effects on the formal regulations for internationally educated teachers in Europe so far.…”

Students’ and teachers’ voice on the outcomes of a citizenship education curriculum

“…Citizenship is a concept that is complex and fluid and has different meanings for different people (Joppke, 2007). Citizenship education as presented in schools currently seems to no longer meet the needs of society, and has been commented as being limited (Hummrich, 2018). Most of the traditional citizenship education curricula focus on legal aspects of being a citizen, rather than on the skills and dispositions necessary to become a citizen (Larrain et al, 2021).…”