Globalization, as a complex process of increasing connectedness and interdependence of different countries, economies, and cultures, has significantly impacted multiple spheres of human life. In particular, one of the decisive fields where the influence of globalization might have far-reaching effects in education. Indeed, research shows that despite multiple benefits and opportunities, the transformations in contemporary education toward e-learning and more globalized approaches have generated significant concerns for local educational systems’ equity (Ghosal, 2021). Therefore, the study of the impact of globalization on the educational sphere of people’s lives is valuable for determining how it can affect individuals and society as a whole. The social lens is the most effective in the critical analysis of this topic. As part of this research paper, a description of the chosen topic, critical analysis, and reflection on how it informs personal life and experience will be provided.
Topic Description
First of all, it is necessary to determine the factors that influence the formation of the thesis statement of the research paper. The topic of globalization in the field of education is the basis of this work. It cannot be denied that this phenomenon has significantly affected this area of activity and the development of society. It represents the spread of mobility of students and education providers, which can contribute to multiple benefits for the educational sphere. Hence, some of them are sharing of experience and knowledge, the introduction of new learning strategies and technologies, and increasing inclusion and the general level of intelligence of society. Nevertheless, the main disadvantage of globalization is the universalization of culture, which negatively affects the preservation of traditions and cultural practices of different peoples. Regarding the origin of this issue, it is worth noting that it is relatively new since the concepts of globalization have spread on the border of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Thus, due to the novelty of globalization in the field of education, it requires in-depth and detailed research and analysis.
Population
The next aspect that is important for consideration is the population that is most affected by the effects of this phenomenon. Therefore, the central population within the framework of this research paper are students of educational institutions in developing countries aged from 6 to 17 years. The social identity of these children affects their attitude toward education, which does not allow them to be motivated to learn. This is due to the fact that globalization predominantly affects the availability of education for the younger generation, especially in less affluent and prosperous countries. In these regions, there is a significantly lower level of education quality, and enrollment rates are significantly lower than in the United States of America (Hossain & Hickey, 2019). Thus, this research affects the demography of individuals with different cultural practices and social identities since a variety of traditions, and cultural practices are practiced in the countries studied. At the same time, the main challenge is the difference in the availability of education for students, depending on whether the country is developing or not.
Influence of Society
Society has a notable contribution to globalization in education. This fact may be due to the fact that it largely contributes to the dissemination of awareness about the existing problem of lack of accessibility and inclusion in the provision of knowledge. Society is aware of the inaccessibility of education for many children from disadvantaged segments of the population. For example, Bonal & González (2020) identified parents’ awareness of the need to support children in online education. In a time of global peril, society has become acutely aware of the inequalities that divide parents to support their children and jointly face the challenges of online education. Students tend to support each other by helping with the technical side. Moreover, globalization and society are in direct connection with each other, as the phenomenon under study contributes to the improvement of relationships between people of different cultures, nations, and traditions while forming an awareness of the differences and similarities of these aspects. Moreover, it is reflected in the level of interaction between countries to achieve an increased level of literacy, which in turn affects their development and improvement.
Interdisciplinary Lens
The choice was not difficult since the study directly affects the social side of globalization. It is for these reasons that the interdisciplinary social lens was chosen to study globalization in education. Thus, this research work is aimed at studying the chosen topic from the perspective of society. In other words, the use of this lens will contribute to the examination of the state of society at the moment and ways to change and improve it. The choice of this concept is explained by the fact that it is best suited to facilitate learning in groups of students with cultural differences.
Moreover, it will provide an understanding of how society and globalization affect the inclusion and preservation, and value of culture. Juniarsih and Permana (2022) pointed out that people “need something that can maintain a culture through the learning process in experiencing all the cases and challenges that have existed both in the current era and in the future era” (p. 13). The issue implies that properly implementing globalization trends into educational systems worldwide might improve interpersonal relationships due to similarities and the introduction of the same context for the international community. From the perspective of the impacted social structures and systems, the topic is relevant to communities of young students and adult learners, educational organizations, governments, and international associations.
Thesis Statement
Based on the information given earlier, the thesis statement of this research paper will sound like this: “Analyzing globalization in education through a social lens contributes to gaining an understanding of ways to preserve culture and expand inclusion for students of developing countries.”
Critical Analysis
Globalization has provided a large number of advantages for the education system. This is due to the fact that it has influenced the expansion of boundaries for education and the gaining of students’ knowledge through increased mobility and interethnic interaction. Thus, research stated that “there is a belief that globalization has made the world a small village by dividing time and space through the new technologies’ facilitation of interconnectivity” (Gu, 2021, p. 152). Thus, society was also greatly affected by the changes that occurred through the development of the phenomenon under study. Many individuals have the opportunity to interact directly with different cultures and nationalities. On the one hand, it has a positive effect on the development of concepts such as cultural awareness and tolerance. On the other hand, it is essential to understand that such a mixture of cultures can lead to their unification. Thus, it is possible to erase the boundaries between distinctive data and valuable differences between people.
Impact of Institutions
Of particular importance when considering the topic of globalization in the educational sphere are various institutions, such as the family, learning facilities, economics, and politics. This may be due to the fact that countries, through constant interaction and knowledge exchange, are implementing various policies and strategies to improve these areas of people’s lives. In addition, students have been given the opportunity to get acquainted with the political systems of various countries, as well as family values and educational programs. Despite these positive trends, one example of unification is the use of an international language to ensure communication. In modern realities, this is becoming the English language, which allows students from different countries to exchange knowledge effectively. Nevertheless, this is the reason that in the educational sphere of countries, especially developing ones, the mother tongue falls into the background.
Beneficial Element
The main element that can most benefit from change within the topic of globalization in education is inclusivity among students. This is due to the fact that this aspect is valuable in the framework of international cooperation. With various student exchange programs, problems may arise related to misunderstanding, discrimination, and bullying, which may be provoked by rejection or lack of knowledge about foreign cultures. Thus, it critically affects the effectiveness of teaching and building a favorable environment in the school setting.
Globalization is becoming one of the main drivers of the development of interethnic relations between people. Thus, with close work and interaction, people gain knowledge about the culture and characteristics of other representatives of society. Due to the acquisition of this aspect, multicultural awareness has been strengthened from the earliest age. Therefore, it can be said that globalization also has a positive effect on the cultivation of a new tolerant and respectful generation, which will contribute to an even greater rapprochement of countries.
Potential Obstacles
The main potential obstacle that could interfere with the population’s engagement with the examined topic is the emergence of discrimination and intolerance among some members of society. This problem has been given quite close attention in the field of research on globalization, education, and society. Therefore, research indicated that “nations are concerned with maintaining their mainstream identity in the face of diversification, while on the other hand, they struggle to maintain cooperation and coherence among their diverse parts” (Shwed et al., 2018, p. 645). This aspect may imply the fact that some countries may be overprotective about their own culture, which will contribute to reducing inclusion in educational institutions. This may happen due to stressful and conflict situations that may arise due to students’ hostility towards foreigners who have different cultural values and practices from them. Thus, the study and consideration of this barrier will provide an opportunity for more productive and efficient mobility of society.
Affecting Factors
The main factors that could impact the topic of globalization in education may be biases and various values. Thus, bias can become an obstacle when performing any kind of research since it is based on the intervention of personal judgments in constructing points of view and conclusions. Further, a biased specialist may believe that globalization has no significant disadvantages for culture, society, and education, which will affect how scientific work will interpret the collected data. Henceforth, in order to limit this aspect, it is necessary to study multiple points of view and ensure the absence of bias at the expense of several researchers conducting the work.
Due to the fact that globalization in education is closely related to culture and inclusion, values become the second aspect that can contribute to the topic under study. In addition, they can have both a positive and a negative impact, depending on how different members of society relate to the phenomenon being studied. Hence, if the preservation of culture is valued above all in the country, then there is less likely to be an easy integration of foreign students or practitioners. On the other hand, if the community is more open to the products of globalization and its possible impact on education and culture, then the productivity of these interventions can show success.
Benefits and Challenges
While various individuals and organizations might promote globalization, addressing it has benefits and challenges. Their consideration is critical, as it directly affects the development of policies and strategies that will emphasize the positive parts and limit the negative ones. Two main advantages are associated with analyzing globalization, including understanding how new cultures are accessed and how innovation and technology are spread. Henceforth, by addressing globalization, one can appreciate how new cultures are acquired, such as the adoption of foreign foods, clothes, and even music by foreigners. Additionally, globalization analysis can track the spread of innovation and technology since they get information about how people move from one country to another with new knowledge and innovative ideas. Moreover, it is possible to determine the degree of use of innovations in countries, their prevalence and accessibility to the population for educational purposes.
Conversely, the most challenging aspects of addressing globalization include foreign worker exploitation and loss of cultural identity. Most foreign workers are paid wages below stipulated standards and are often overworked. This is due to the low level of education among the population and the low level of economic development of developing countries. Due to the inability to support families, people often send their children to work instead of receiving the proper level of education. Thus, a large part of the young population becomes deprived of opportunities to acquire the necessary knowledge. Additionally, individuals lose their cultural identity by adopting new traditions and cultural practices.
Recommend Strategies
Conducting a critical analysis of the problem of globalization in the field of education is necessary for a more effective process of finding strategies for meeting personal and professional goals. The two main approaches that can have the greatest benefit and effectiveness are multicultural education and the encouragement of cultural competence (Segal, 2019). Therefore, the first step to reducing disparities in access to education will be to raise public awareness of the problem. Education providers should focus on developing respect and knowledge about different cultures and traditions of peoples for students. This is especially true for representatives of developing countries who have less access to education. This will help to develop cultural awareness and tolerance, which subsequently limits discrimination and bias on the part of the younger generation.
In this assignment, critical analysis skills, information selection, and search for cause-and-effect relationships were acquired. The acquired skills can be used to solve the problems of globalization, helping to find, select and present information to a wide range of people, raising their awareness of the existing situation. The acquired skills can also be used in everyday life, such as selecting truthful news to develop an informed opinion on important issues. Furthermore, the acquired skills benefit professional development, as they are the basis for any scientific research. Searching and analyzing information for a professional must be developed significantly to be a specialist who uses an evidence-based approach.
Reflection
Conducting a critical analysis of the issue of globalization in education, to a large extent, informed my individual framework of perception. I realized that public prejudice and ignorance are major obstacles to resolving the negative consequences of globalization in education. While people in developing countries do not see much value in education, people in developed countries do not think that some children are deprived of potential access to learning. The skills of searching, selecting, and analyzing information will help collect relevant and representative information that can be presented to the general public.
Further, this contributed to a change in my opinion regarding the community around me and the world. I realized the value of education, especially cultural enlightenment, and what a leading role it plays in the fight against the opposing sides of globalization. To prevent the unification of cultures around the world, it is necessary to implement educational programs and policies that will strengthen students and the whole society to appreciate their own cultural characteristics and bring them into the process of knowledge exchange. It is worth noting that at the beginning of this research, I did not have a significant bias regarding the topic of work. I understood that globalization has both advantages and disadvantages. However, the most important thing is the correct use of this phenomenon for the improvement and development of society and international interaction while having preventive measures in case of issues. Therefore, awareness of one’s bias can change the perception of people.
The analysis of the topic of this research work provides an opportunity to significantly influence the field of study and my profession. It allows paying attention to the values that distinguish and, at the same time, unite people. Thus, cultural competence contributes to the acquisition of knowledge about the culture of other countries and peoples and to use of them both in everyday and professional communication. Regarding the educational sphere, the study of the significance of globalization makes it possible to identify existing problems regarding the availability of education and inclusion in various countries and develop strategies to limit them. Thus, studying globalization can inform the understanding of the next big topic of study.
Within the framework of this work, a social lens was used, the use of which allows for tying the problem of educational disparities under the globalization issues with the social outcomes in both long- and short-term perspectives. Using the humanities approach could transform the main focus of the work on how people perceive their own culture and practices while maintaining the focus on the value of inclusivity in education. Analyzing globalization can help interactions with people with a different viewpoints, culture, or perspectives by gaining awareness about the cultural and national traditions of representatives of different countries.
References
Bonal, X., & González, S. (2020). The impact of lockdown on the learning gap: family and school divisions in times of crisis. International Review of Education, 66(5), 635-655. Web.
Ghosal, M. S. G. (2021). Globalization and education-a critical inquiry. Galaxy International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 9(10), 300-308.
Gu, Y. (2021). The impact of globalization on education. International Journal of Social Science and Education Research, 4(3), 152-157.
Hossain, N., & Hickey, S. (2019). The problem of education quality in developing countries. The Politics of Education in Developing Countries: From Schooling to Learning, 1, 1-21. Web.
Juniarsih, Y. S., & Permana, H. (2022). Globalization and competitiveness in meeting the problems and challenges of education and cultural management SMPIT Gameel Akhlaq Bekasi. Dirasah: Jurnal Studi Ilmu dan Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 5(2), 11-22. Web.
Segal, U. A. (2019). Globalization, migration, and ethnicity. Public Health, 172, 135-142. Web.
Shwed, U., Kalish, Y., & Shavit, Y. (2018). Multicultural or assimilationist education: contact theory and social identity theory in Israeli Arab–Jewish integrated schools. European Sociological Review, 34(6), 645-658. Web.