Publisher's Synopsis
Since the second half of the twentieth century, comparative and international education has been regarded as an academic field of study within universities around the world. While never being wholly defined, comparative and international education has often been described as an amorphous field that relies on other disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, political science, philosophy, economics, history, and psychology to meet its objectives. Its interdisciplinary content has widened its field and has also provided flexibility for how and within which various academic programs the subject is taught. Although there are many benefits of incorporating comparative and international education courses into teacher education curricula, information or evidence about such programs is void. In fact, it is uncertain how many teacher education programs include a course on comparative and international education. To date, a number of scholarly articles have reflected on the purpose, stance and contents of comparative and international education programs. Comparative and International Education: Issues for Teachers explores major issues in education today through international and intercultural research. The worldwide contributors focus on comparative research including history and philosophy of comparative education, the right to education, teacher formation, alternative pedagogues, testing, multiculturalism, gender, conflict resolution, and global citizenship. It reflects the broad scope of comparative education, which can include all the areas that fall within the field of education. It also illustrates the different pedagogical approaches, theories, themes, and content and views regarding the benefits of incorporating comparative and international education in teacher education programs and how after completing the class, they perceived themselves to be more effective and globally competent teachers. Portraying a vivid portrayal of global educational practices, contributions from eminent researchers and scholars, and invaluable teaching resources, this volume is essential reading for teachers, teachers-in-training, and comparative education scholars.