Paradoxical inscriptions of global subjects: critical discourse analysis of international schools' websites in the Asia–Pacific Region

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of Asia-Pacific international school web pages, and explores the expressed purposes of schooling, with regard to the kinds of students/subjects that the schools purport to produce. Using the concept of globalization as a 'master' analytical frame, it is argued that despite claims to offering students unique experiences, international school web pages reproduce similar discourses in the construction of the student as an individual, member of a community and world-changing global citizen. Importantly, it is argued that while such discourses are often contradictory, this is nowhere more exemplified than in the claims to produce global citizens.

¿Qué me Ofrecen las Páginas Web de los Centros Educativos? Estudio Exploratorio en Cantabria (España) / What do Websites of Schools Offer to Me? Exploratory Study in Cantabria (Spain)

“…Sin embargo, en el ámbito internacional existen trabajos (Du Preez, 2007;Hartshorne, Friedman, Algozzine e Isibor, 2006;Hartshorne, Friedman, Algozzine y Kaur, 2008;Honiges, 2013;Hu y Soong, 2007;Poock, 2005;Stewart, Jacob y Jensen, 2012;Tamatea, Hardy y Ninnes, 2008;Tubin y Klein, 2007), aunque el campo está relativamente inexplorado (Hartshorne et al, 2008;Hu y Soong, 2007;Tubin y Klein, 2007).…”

Between privilege and poverty: The affordances of mobility among aid worker children

“…While they are not assessed, a set number of hours on this programme needs to be completed in order for students to graduate. Especially the 'service' part of the programme is often explicitly linked to the schools' stated objective to educate their students for 'global citizenship' (see Tamateaa, Hardya & Ninnesa 2008).…”

The management of schools’ websites in Cantabria, Spain

“…Updating and constantly improving a website can be an arduous task if it falls to a single person, especially if there is no feedback to help identify ways of improving it. Today there are three major trends in official school sites: (1) a greater focus on the content, and a desire for thoroughness; (2) a focus on marketing, with the downside that a biased image of the school is sometimes provided (Honiges, 2013;Tamatea et al, 2008); and (3) a greater focus on communicating with visitors, which is the least developed trend so far (Du Preez, 2007;Hartshorne et al, 2008;Hu & Soong, 2007).…”

“…Schools therefore face the challenge of satisfying the curiosity of online visitors through their institutional website (Du Preez, 2007;Hartshorne, Friedman, Algozzine, & Isibor, 2006;Hartshorne, Friedman, Algozzine, & Kaur, 2008;Honiges, 2013;Hu & Soong, 2007;Poock, 2005;Stewart, Jacob, & Jensen, 2012;Tamatea, Hardy, & Ninnes, 2008;Tubin & Klein, 2007).…”