Education For International Understanding Research Articles

A review of curriculum in the UK: internationalising in a changing context

The present article focuses on the growing emphasis on international dimensions of the curriculum in the UK. Educators and policymakers increasingly grapple with the thorny issue of how best to prepare future generations for life in a world changing so rapidly that no‐one is able to predict precisely what knowledge and skills will be relevant for the adult of tomorrow. Overlapping with debate relating to the national context is that pertaining to the global environment, which manifests itself in current educational discourse relating to a growing number of concepts such as global citizenship education, international education, development education, world studies, and education for international understanding. Beginning with consideration of the curriculum context, this article highlights the growing number of international curriculum programmes being developed and offered worldwide, and in the UK in particular, before considering some of the reasons behind this growth and the implications of increased interest in programmes with an international focus.

Modes of discourse about education, peace and human rights in the 1974 UNESCO Recommendation

How do culturally, politically, and economically different actors define education in the UNESCO 1974 Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms? This exploration of the document aims to increase understanding of the work of organizations such as UNESCO, as well as stimulating new attention to the area of education for international understanding, peace, and human rights. The text of the Recommendation is analysed discursively, and five repertoires are identified: instruction, principled, factual, stand-taking, and adjusting, as well as a wider discourse of rationality. Repertoires construct positions for the speaker, here the General Conference of UNESCO, and for those to whom the Recommendation is addressed (member states). The adjusting discourse, in which member states are given opportunities to define alternative modes of implementation, is especially important. Identifying the modes of discourse used in the document helps to explain implicit aspects of the normative texts drafted by UNESCO and by international organizations generally. This analysis also provides a basis for reflection on the interaction between international organizations, education policy makers, and educators in this area.

“The Peaceful and Constructive Battle”: UNESCO and Education for International Understanding in History and Geography, 1947–1967

From its beginning, UNESCO made education for international understanding in school history and geography a priority. As these were the areas where children were most likely to encounter nationalism in state schools, a reform of these subjects was critical to the success of education for international understanding. The experience of two world wars and the threat of further conflict created a sense of urgency that sometimes allowed historical scholarship to be sacrificed for ideological ends. The major contributions of UNESCO in history education were pedagogical and involved new ways of organizing the subject for school instruction.

Education for International Understanding and its Contribution to Higher Education

Beginning with a brief history and account of the philosophy underlying education forinternational understanding, this paper examines why education for internationalunderstanding (EIU) is central to the mission of both UNESCO and higher educationinstitutions. It argues that EIU has much to contribute to the revitalisation of highereducation, and that higher education has much to contribute to the development ofEIU. An analysis of examples of good practice in higher education precedes a set ofsuggestions as to the strategies that might be employed to mainstream EIU in highereducation.

Postcolonialism and critical review of education for international understanding in Korea

Postcolonialism and critical review of education for international understanding in Korea

Education and the possibility of outsider understanding

In education issues to do with insider and outsider understanding arise in debates about religious education and about certain areas of research, and in argument about education for international understanding. Here I challenge the dichotomy between insider and outsider, arguing that a more collectivist view of human identity combined with elements of ‘the self which we share with our fellows’ means that we always stand in part as an insider and in part as an outsider in relation to others. I argue further that ‘understanding’ needs always to be thought of in the plural, as a matter of ‘understandings’, since members of any community, and even any one individual, have different understandings at different times. Against what may seem the strong case in favour of the superiority or exclusivity of insider understanding, I note the force of claims in a variety of theoretical traditions (expressed notably in the Marxist tradition in the notion of ‘false consciousness’ and in psychoanalytic attention to the unconscious) concerning the limitations of the exclusively insider perspective and in contrast the particular authority of the outsider perspective. Finally, I acknowledge the discomfort with which people respond to outsiders’ claims to understand them, especially where such understanding fails to support their own self-understanding, and identify ethical considerations, which might shape sensitive negotiation between insider and outsider perspectives.

A Study on the multicultural education as a Korean Language Education: reality and methodology

This paper researches to view the problems of a multicultural society, which is an emerging global problem, from the view of multicultural education. First, I analyzed the various aspects of Korean language education taking place within the scenes of multicultural education. For the analysis, international understanding education of the 7th national curriculum was taken into account during the process until multicultural education bacame reflected in the 2007 revised national education curriculum. Furthermore, I revealed that different methods and goals existed according to the students who learn multicultural education, the education content, and the scent of the education. Also, I suggested that content and method of language education as part of multicultural education should be divided into different types, including Korean language education as a mother tongue, Korean language education as a second language, bilingual education, and Korean language as a foreign language, according to the student, the contents that are taught and learned, and the scene of teaching and learning. Lastly, I emphasized the fact that in multicultural education, practive is more important that exercise, and also an educational method of practice based on assumption should be sought after. Also, I argued that the direction of education needs to be shifted, to a form that teachers about understanding minorities to a student group of the majority. From this point of view, we emphasized the need to remember the idea of 'thinking globally, acting locally.'

Education for International Understanding: An Examination of the Japanese Approach in the Period for Integrated Study

This article examines the Japanese program of Education for International Understanding (EIU) which has as one of its purposes the understanding of global issues and different cultures. This program, usually taught during the period for integrated study instruction at Japanese schools, gives teachers and students opportunities to learn about international issues through the study of geography and the natural environment, often with the direct participation of foreign guests or experts. To gain insight into the theoretical foundations for the Japanese interdisciplinary approach toward EIU, this study examines the actual content and classroom activity within two lessons of the period for integrated study in Ousu elementary school, a typical municipal elementary school in Nagoya, Japan. A case study method based on participant observation was the primary methodological approach for data collection. A detailed description and analysis of the lessons are provided, examining in particular the responses of students to the lesson plans, and to interactions and discussion taking place between teachers, students and international guests. Overall feedback received from participants was positive, suggesting a high level of effectiveness for this model of EIU. The article includes a discussion of the international applicability of Japanese EIU as well as potential areas of further research.

Education for international understanding in Japan: Japanese self‐identification and the discourse of internationalization after the Second World War

The principal focus of this study is to shed light on how the notion of education for international understanding has developed in Japan, particularly in relation to outside views of Japan in the d...

APPROACHES TO GLOBAL EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM AND JAPAN

This paper analyses approaches to global education in the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan. The paper begins by looking at movements that preceded global education, such as education for international understanding, development education, multicultural education, and peace education. The rise and fall of these earlier movements is analysed in terms of the interplay between the international and domestic politics of particular countries. To identify the world views which under-pinned these pedagogic forms, the author discusses various discontinuities between the period up to the 1990s and thereafter. It is suggested that fresh forms of global education are emerging in — and because of — the changed world of the late 20th and early 21st century.

初等教育地理教科書類にみる第三世界 (途上国地域) 記述の変化

The United Nations has declared 1996-2005 as the decade to root out problems of poverty all over the world. Recently in Japan, education for international understanding has became very popular. However most students are only interested in developed countries, such as those in Europe and North America. Although Japan is located in Asia, Japanese people look down on developing countries; the Third World, like Asia, Africa and Latin America.It's not good for us to add to the North-South Problem. So we need to promote and spread the idea of Development Education. Through this type of education we can learn equal aspects about people of the Third World, and they have an equal right to development.I believe that Japan's negative image of the Third World started at the begining of the Meiji era, in the late 19th century. Until the end of the Edo era, almost all Japanese had been respectful of other Asian nations, like China and Korea.FUKUZAWA Yukichi (1835-1901) one of Japan's most prominent educators and propagator of Western knowledge, wrote SEKAIKUNIZUKUSHI in 1869 (World Geography for children and women). In this book he insisted that westernization was the most important factor for Japanese development. Also the first contemptuous expressions against the Third world can be found. Since that time, percentage of Europe and North America has increased in World Geography texts, compared with Third World areas.The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 was the big turning point for Japanese geographical education. From the outset of this war, Japan started other invasions overseas and aquired new territories, like Taiwan, Korea, Manchuria and other areas in Asia. So in Japan's World Geography textbooks the contents regarding Asia and Oceania gradually increased until the end of World War II. Subsequently the percentage of information devoted to Europe and North America decreased.The Greater East Asia Coprosperity Sphere (Dai Toa Kyoeiken) was a slogan used by the Japanese government during World War II to express the idea of a politically and economically integrated Asia, free from western domination.This idea had great influence on geographical education throughout the period of World War II. At that time geography teachings and textbooks also supported ultra-nationalism. So geographers and geographical educators shoud reflect on this in earnest.Today internationalization regarding the Third World is very important, especially in geographical education. We need to study and truly understand the harsh realities of the Third World, in order to eradicate the problem of poverty.In spite of these situations, the contents of World Geography have decreased in recent Social Studies textbooks. It is regrettable that elementary students have no chance to study World Geography; especially about Third World countries.In effect, the students' right to study has been taken away. I therefore hope for the comeback of World Geography in elementary school textbooks, including a Development Education point of view.

海外日本人学校生徒の現地理解に関する研究

The purpose of this paper is to contribute for curriculum development in education of the area of students' residence in Japanese overseas school for geographical education attached importance to Students' “international understanding education”. In order to get this purpose the auther caught what students of Japanese school in Bangkok talked about thinking of the area of their residence, 1) living in Bangkok, 2) image of Thailand (about Thai culture—Thai cooking, Thai language), 3) image of South East Asia.The results were as follows, 1) Having lived in Sukhumvit Road, the students have hardly come in contact with Thai culture and people. They have lived in only Japanese community in Bangkok. 2) There is their individual difference whether they have taste for Thai cooking. But they all feel very hot in Thailand. And studying Thai language is difficult for almost Japanese students, except some of Thailand-born Japanese. 3) They show a friendly feeling for the countries around Thailand, Malaysia, Shingapore, Indonesia, in the friendly relations between Japan and South East Asia.It is nessesary for all Japanese people in Bangkok to try to understand culture and society about the area of their residence, because Japanese students are menber of Japanese community in Bangkok, which exerts a influence upon their understanding of the area of residence. The other hand, in Japanese school, the teacher should develop instructional materials for education about culture and society of the area of their residence positively. Besides it is effecitve to take up such their cross cultural experience as they employ Thai maid or Thai driver at home.Japanese school's curriculum and practice, developed in difffferent regions all over the world, will be good for curriculum development in geographical education coped with “internationalization”

Education for international understanding: A view from Britain

(1982). Education for international understanding: A view from Britain. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 21, Global Education, pp. 218-223.

Education for international understanding in Japanese schools

Japan is in a unique position regarding the question of education for international understanding: it participated actively in the Second World War, which is lost through the tragic events of which we are all aware. This dual heritage, from the war and then the post-war period, is clear in the two following articles which describe from very different viewpoints the role of eduction for international understanding in the national context. Reading them, in either order, should in our point of view not so much open a debate (who is against peace?) as on the contrary, stimulate thought on future action. The first article describes the evolution and current status of education for international understanding within the official school system. The second, theoretical, puts forth the point of view of those who work within the peace movement in Japan and who feel something more and different is needed from the formal school system. Such contrast, even tension, between two attitudes equally but differently aiming towards the same goal, is an excellent illustration of the fact that even though education for international understanding and peace, through its efforts, its successer or its inadequacies, is more than ever a question of foremost importance, it is one that no educational system can pretend to have definitively settled.

Education for international understanding

Education for international understanding

From international aid to international cooperation: Some thoughts in retrospect (I)

With the definition of learning as an individual act, the author sees the first stage of education as the provision of a local infrastructure, so that “international cooperation” in education becomes a second stage which has constantly to be tested against the original purposes, individual and local. Five stages in international cooperation in education can be distinguished. In the first, unilateral power of decision deprived the term “cooperation” of its sense. Immediately after 1946 came the period of reconstruction, when the rejection of war led to an awareness of the need for education for international understanding and the adoption of the Declaration of Human Rights.

How the USA and the USSR Look to the Children in a Japanese Community

If world tension is due, at least in part, to mutual misunderstanding and distrust among nations, and if the seeds of distrust and misunderstanding take root in childhood, then education directed toward international understanding may play an important role in achieving world peace. In 1956, UNESCO undertook the sponsorship of a ten-year project to promote mutual understanding of cultural values in the East and the West. This undertaking includes a project of education for international understanding and co-operation, a project in which six schools in Japan are taking part. To evaluate this venture, we questioned about a thousand boys and girls in primary and middle schools in Hiroshima. The children in the primary school are six to twelve years of age. The children in the middle school are twelve to fourteen years of age. Although our questions were not confined to attitudes toward the United States and the Soviet Union, the present report is concerned chiefly with the images of the USA and the USSR held by this group of school children in Hiroshima. Children's images of nations are probably the result of many influences, including mass media, informal talks, formal education, and personal contact with foreigners. Different images may be held by children of different social classes, experiences, localities, scholastic achievement, or in different international situations. Moreover, as

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

The Mexico City Conference of UNESCO allocated the following amounts to the program budgets: reconstruction, $614,141; fundamental education, $255,035; education for international understanding, $433,584; mass communications, $944,797; natural science field stations, $311,261; Hylean Amazon project, $55,750; study of social tensions, $159,732; exchange of persons, $130,420; exchange of information, $423,302; and national commissions and cooperating bodies, $52,109. Specific progress was made on a number of these projects during the period under review.