The Impact of Globalisation (AQA A-Level Sociology): Revision Notes
The Impact of Globalisation
What is globalisation?
Globalisation refers to the compression of time and distance, making the world feel like a smaller place. Through increased movement of people and ideas, education policies have become influenced and shaped by other cultures and practices from around the world.
This concept of "compression" means that geographical distances become less significant barriers to communication, trade, and cultural exchange, fundamentally changing how societies interact and learn from each other.
How globalisation affects education
Globalisation has created two main effects on education systems:
Two Key Effects of Globalisation on Education:
1. Increased flow of educational ideas Politicians, education specialists and teachers now learn about alternative approaches to teaching, learning and assessment from different countries. This cross-pollination of ideas influences domestic education policy.
2. New challenges for education systems The global economy creates fresh demands on education.
The global economy creates fresh demands on education, including:
- Workers need to use technology effectively
- Skills must be adapted at a much faster rate
- Greater geographical mobility may be required
- Different work practices emerge
- Schools must support increasing numbers of immigrants and provide adequate school places
These challenges mean educators must prepare students for a rapidly changing working environment whilst also adapting to serve more culturally diverse student populations.
Policies that reflect globalisation's influence
Emphasis on lifelong learning
Modern economies with fast-changing technological advances require a flexible workforce capable of responding to change. This has led to policies that recognise knowledge and skills are not fixed but must be continuously updated.
Examples include:
- New Labour's programme to help mothers return to work with childcare funding so women can update their qualifications
- Expanded adult education with greater access courses and wider participation of mature students at universities
The concept of lifelong learning represents a fundamental shift from traditional education models where learning was concentrated in early life, to a continuous process that spans entire careers.
Greater emphasis on individual learning
The increasing individualism in society is reflected in education policy. Students are encouraged to think about their personal learning styles and develop skills and qualifications that suit them individually, rather than simply following a standardised general education approach.
This shift recognises that different students have different strengths and learning preferences that should be accommodated.
Policies promoting global awareness
Several policy areas demonstrate education's response to globalisation:
Global curriculum content
- Inclusion of global issues within the curriculum
- Learning about cross-cultural practices and ways of life
- Understanding globalisation's influence on society
International student recruitment
- Policies to enrol more international students at all education levels
- Recognition that diverse perspectives enhance learning
Citizenship education
- Citizenship studies increase students' awareness of what it means to be a UK citizen
- Recognition and value of the UK's increasingly multicultural nature
- Encouragement of a global worldview through active citizenship and engagement with different cultures
Diversity and inclusion policies
- School policies focusing on equality, diversity and inclusion
- Reflexion of students' increasingly diverse cultural backgrounds
- Ofsted inspections assess schools' effectiveness in embracing diversity
- Greater emphasis on supporting students with English as a second language
Key sociological perspectives
Important Theoretical Perspective:
Morrow and Torres (1995) - postmodernist sociologists who examine cultural values transmitted through education and social policies. They argue that discussing class, gender and ethnicity separately is no longer valid. Instead, individual interpretations of education should be understood alongside a broader view of education across developed societies.
Research focus: Education for all?
Garrod's research investigates global participation in education, highlighting that despite initiatives like the Millennium Development Goals (2000) aimed at reducing extreme poverty, substantial educational inequalities persist worldwide.
Research Findings: Global Educational Inequalities
Key findings from Garrod's research:
- In 2012, one-fifth of young people aged 15-24 failed to access or complete primary school, lacking basic work skills
- Gender inequality has improved in some areas - Afghanistan saw girls' school enrolment rise dramatically from 5,000 in 2001 to 2.7 million by 2011
- However, global targets for educational participation remain unmet, particularly for primary school children
Contemporary example: International education comparisons
Case Study: Michael Gove's Scandinavian-inspired Reforms
The case of Michael Gove's Scandinavian-inspired reforms illustrates globalisation's influence on UK education policy. Despite Finland and Sweden's declining performance in international league tables, Gove defended his reforms by pointing to successful systems in East Asia, where teenagers in Shanghai, Singapore and Korea showed improvement in mathematics, science and reading.
This demonstrates how policymakers increasingly look to international evidence when justifying domestic education changes, reflecting globalisation's influence on policy formation.
Key Points to Remember:
- Globalisation affects education through increased idea sharing and new economic challenges for schools
- Three main policy responses: lifelong learning, individual learning approaches, and global awareness programmes
- Modern education must prepare students for flexible, technology-driven global careers
- Cultural diversity in schools requires policies supporting inclusion and English language learners
- International comparisons increasingly influence domestic education policy decisions