Category Archives: Sendy Ramos

DQ #12

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I know we are all busy these last few weeks but if you have 17 minutes, you can watch a Tedx Video on Dutch Policy and the Future of Education in the Netherlands.

According to the article, what is the reason behind the policy and why is this question never asked?  Is the reason really enlargement of scale in order to lower production costs which will then lead to a growing number of students with competitive capacities? Or is this something fictional?

What is your opinion on Europe’s world-wide standardization of “values” produced by each national higher education system? Do you feel it’s needed in order to make European Universities more competitive? What are the advantages? Disadvantages?

DQ#10 Regional Influences

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What , if any are some of the internal and external challenges which the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) faced? Do you agree with Canadian academics who stated that DFAIT’s approach was ‘‘wrong headed’’ and appalling in supporting foreign scholars with Canadian tax dollars, particularly in the absence of support for Canadian scholars and students wishing to study abroad?

 

Why do you feel coherent policy development related to the internationalization of higher education in Canada has been difficult to develop and implement? Do you think other countries have these issues also?

 

 

DQ #9 World Englishes

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English has now acquired the title of the world’s leading “global language” (Crystal 2003, 1) because it is used for business, science, and politics. The term Standard English suggests that we all share a similar under­standing of exactly what this means. However, the issue is not as straightforward as we may think it is. There is neither an agreed upon definition of Standard English, and there is no agreement on what students of ESL need or want to learn. So the question remains what English should teachers teach ESL students?

In addition to exposing learners to differ­ent varieties of English, what else should teachers focus on teaching in order to prepare students to have the competent skills, which will help learners adjust their speech to interlocutors from a wide range of backgrounds? How can teachers effectively do this?

Crystal, D. 2003. English as a global language. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

I found this video and thought I should post it. I will post some questions soon 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rexKqvgPVuA&feature=related

DQ# 8 21st century competences

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The article mentions that the nature and depth of the educational changes accompanying the introduction of 21st century competences in the curriculum varies from country to country, what reasons are provided to support this finding?

What are some reasons why a professor/institution have an intended curriculum, and but in reality implement a different curriculum? Where would this be most common? Doo you think this happens often? Should it? How do you regulate this?

DQ #7 The Great Mismatch

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The article indicates that in several weaker economies, jobs have been sacrificed in the name of the public good, to avoid government default on debts. What is your opinion regarding this decision? Is it really for the “public good”? What do you do with all those workers that got laid off? How do you think they feel? Are they satisfied knowing that they got let go of so that the economy would heal? Is this even ethical?

The article mentions “Globalization and technological innovation are bringing about long-term changes in the world economy that are altering the structure of the labor market”, there for what should education be focusing on? How do we manage to keep talented employees without paying an arm and a leg for them? Would you consider a cap on salary?

If you have time, watch this video:

 

DQ #5

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My article referred to the IB curriculum as “AP courses on steroids”, because students in the IB program took not just one but all courses that forced them to think critically and be well rounded students, is this an issue that should be addressed or a benefit that should be emphasized more?

Establishing IB program requires investment of time and money, are the results worth it? Should this money be invested else where? Are the benefits greater than the down falls?

http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=15351

DQ #4 Bologna Process

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What exactly is the Bologna Process? Is more than a document, what exactly does it consist of and what is expected from its participants? How is this regulated/measured? Why is this process of interest to other nations?

Can you describe what a “veto player” is? Does it refer to one person or a group? Do they aid policy of slow it down? Why should we take them into consideration? Can a president be a veto player?

Long Walk to School…

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There are certain communities that require the “demonstration effect” before choosing to invest in initial low-return years. What exactly is the “demonstration effect”, and how can this become problematic? Any suggestions on how to change this?

Can policymakers actually influence enrollment rates in a meaningful degree and can somehow be measured? How much of the variation in enrollment rates across countries can be attributed to variation, which is beyond policymakers control, and how much to transition speed created by policies?

 

Here are a few discussion questions (Knight, 2004)

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  1. Can anyone describe what Internationalization means according to Knight and other authors quoted?  Why has it been so challenging to form one generic definition?
  2. What are the main differences (if any) between National, Sector and Institutional Levels?
  3. Globalization is a word that we hear often, however, what does it mean in and how does it relate to education? Also, why do many use it interchangeably with Internationalization?
  4. There are many different approaches to addressing the process of internationalization. What aspects of “approach” do you find to be relevant?  For example, is it more than a definition, it digs deeper into why and what is being done.
  5. The article listed several rationales that drive internationalization (academic, economic, social, or political) which aspect or rationale do you feel deserves to be taken into consideration by educational institutions and why? Why do you feel Nation Building and Social and Cultural Development not carry the same weight as other “economic” rationales?