Globalization brings many changes to people’s lives all over the world. There are several definitions of globalization however the Merriam-Webster meaning is as follows. Globalization is the process by which businesses and other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale. From shifting social norms around the globe to changing how countries do business, technological advances, and intensifying competition in the workforce, as well as, the educational field; effects of globalization are everywhere and far reaching (Carnoy, 2002).
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Globalization effects education all over the world. For example, due to intricate technological advances many jobs have been digitized. This means that the skill set that’s required for jobs have changed dramatically. Subsequently, jobs that could once be sustained by someone with a high school diploma or less have disappeared. These global and economic changes cause shifts in the job market and are essentially changing what is needed from the education system. We now need to prepare students for jobs that require different skill sets. Employees must now be knowledgeable on foreign languages, cultures, and overall way of business to be successful in their career. For the most part the United States has been a leader in education compared to other countries. Being the first country to achieve mass collegiate education, the United States of America always had the highest number of qualified people in its labor force. This is how the American economy was able to thrive and take advantage of the global market. But does this globalization led to development or division in education? (Welch & Mok, 2003) Well, in recent years countries around the world have refocused on expanding education, many of the smaller, more impoverished countries actually working together to do so. Since graduating high school is now the standard in most countries, many are now setting goals to increase the number of college attendees even working with the United Nations to provide education for all countries! Although the United States has a greater number of older workers that are well educated, many other countries have a greater number of young workers with college degrees. Nonetheless, with more high school graduates chasing college degrees and older people pursuing higher education after so many years of being out of school; this is changing too. People of all ages are pursuing higher education all over the world and with education standards changing as well, we are truly living in an era like never before. We are all preparing for an interconnected world that globalization has brought to us and education is just one small stepping stone for the high skill economy of the future (Young 1998, Brown et al. 2001).
The growing importance of education is more than wanting our citizens to be smart. Countries are wanting their citizens to get educated in order to build for a future in which we are one global citizen class that works together economically and otherwise to grow our countries. This can help with foreign policy and international business transactions and trades. To be knowledgeable of a certain country is to be more accepting and understanding of said countries culture and beliefs. Appearing welcoming and friendly to different cultures will attract investments from foreign countries. This will boost the country’s economy (see OECD 1998, Campbell 2000). With a larger economy a countries revenue with increase and strengthen the country (ideally). This is another reason why the quality of education is so important.
While education systems all over the world are working on improving and developing new ways to teach people; there is another way people are gaining more and more knowledge in today society. The internet. Not only is the use of computers and the internet now more common in the classroom it has also grown more common in everyday life (Martin Carnoy, 1999, pp.15-17). By using the internet society has access to different kinds of information instantaneously. This makes gaining knowledge for students as well as non-students easier and faster than ever before. This is great when used as a means for students struggling to comprehend course material or certain concepts, but with such a wide variety of information available, and it is important learners are able to distinguish between dependable and untrustworthy resources. However for countries such as China or Iran who have limited to no access online; this can make a learning different concepts or gaining certain knowledge difficult because their governments often block or edit information. Therefore citizens of those countries or countries similar may actually have a skewed since of the truth because not all information is given to them. In a way this widens the gap between the education progress of a developed country and an underdeveloped country/country who may be banned from viewing certain material. With technological advances making their way all around the globe (globalization), eventually all countries will have access to any information they desire.
Globalization is a powerful and important process that influences economies, education systems, politics, and even social customs. With a growing sense of oneness; or “we are all global citizens in one world” outlooks, globalizations positive and increasing impact on education and societies growing desire to become more educated is obvious.
REFERENCES
Globalization. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2017, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/globalization
Lloyd, C., & Payne, J. (2003). The political economy of skill and the limits of educational policy. Journal of Educational Policy, 18(1), 85-107.
Pang. N. S. (2013). Globalization in the one world: Impacts on education in different nations. BCES Conference Proceedings, 11, 17-27.
Suarez-Orozco, M. (2007).Learning in the global era: International perspectives on globalization and education. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, Ltd.
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