Comparative Education Comparative Education Studies:Studies:

Current Trends around the Current Trends around the WorldWorld

Mark Bray

Director, UNESCO-IIEP

President, WCCES

Comparative Education Comparative Education Studies:Studies:

Current Trends around the Current Trends around the WorldWorld

Mark Bray

Director, UNESCO-IIEP

President, WCCES

IntroductionIntroductiono My own background and

perspective

o UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP)

o World Council of Comparative Education Societies (WCCES)

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Headquarters in Paris, and with global network of regional bureaus, cluster and national offices

Established 1945

UNESCO’s Education-Sector UNESCO’s Education-Sector InstitutesInstitutes

• International Bureau of Education (IBE); Geneva, Switzerland

• UNESCO Institute for Education (UIE); Hamburg, Germany

• International Institute for Educational Planning

• Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE); Moscow, Russia

• International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America & the Caribbean (IESALC); Caracas, Venezuela

• International Institute for Capacity-Building in Africa (IICBA); Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The IIEP Created in 1963 on an innovative model100 staffheadquartered in Paris Buenos Aires branch opened 1997

Three main domains Three main domains of of IIEP work:IIEP work:

Training Research Operational

activities

Website:www.unesco.org\iiepwww.iipe-buenosaires.org.ar

Enrolment RatesFounded 1970

Comparative & International Education Society (CIES) (USA)Comparative Education Society in Europe (CESE)Japan Comparative Education Society (JCES)Comparative & International Education Society of Canada (CIESC)Korean Comparative Education Society (KCES)

The WCCES and its Member The WCCES and its Member SocietiesSocieties

Enrolment Rates

Now 35 societies:27 national and sub-national6 regional2 language-based

The WCCES and its Member The WCCES and its Member SocietiesSocieties

Enrolment Rates

World Congresses, every 3 years1998: South Africa (Africa)2001: Korea (Asia)2004: Cuba (Latin America)2007: Bosnia & Herzegovina (Europe)

WCCES ActivitiesWCCES Activities

Enrolment Rates13th World Congress:3-7 September 2007

WCCES ActivitiesWCCES Activities

WCCES MembershipSome regions are better represented than others

Location of WCCES MeetingsThe locations of meetings influence which societies can attend, and so whose voices are heard

Balances and Opportunities in the Balances and Opportunities in the Operation of a Global BodyOperation of a Global Body

Changes over timeThe field is making important progress, but needs further strengthening and leadership

The evolving field of The evolving field of comparative educationcomparative education

Comparative education scholars in different parts of the world have different focuses and emphases: different themes for research

different theoretical frameworks

different countries (and other units) chosen for analysis

Comparative Comparative EducationEducation

International International EducationEducation

Foci of EnquiryFoci of Enquiry

Overlapping fields

Dominance of countries

Also much focus on continents/world regions

Units of Analysis in Units of Analysis in Comparative EducationComparative Education

A cube for multilevel comparison

Units of Analysis in Units of Analysis in Comparative EducationComparative Education

UK Journal: Comparative Education

A pair of benchmarksA pair of benchmarks

1977 special issue

2000/01

millennial special issue

follow-up special issue

Growth of the field

Stronger optimism

New tools, e.g. in information technology

New themes, e.g. globalisation

More varied and multi-level units of analysis

Some salient points:Some salient points:

Heavily dominated by social sciences, and therefore influenced by shifts in paradigms.But limited use of social-science tools. Many studies based on literature review; relatively few based on survey; almost none based on experimental methods.

Methodology and Focus in Methodology and Focus in Comparative EducationComparative Education

Qualitative studies more common than quantitative onesBut different emphases in different parts of the world: Comparative Educations

Methodology and Focus in Methodology and Focus in Comparative EducationComparative Education

Methodology and Focus in Methodology and Focus in Comparative EducationComparative Education

Paulston (1997):

Plurality in the field partly arises from paradigmatic differences between different groups of scholars.

Differences may be exacerbated when those scholars are from different countries and work in different languages.

Methodology and Focus in Methodology and Focus in Comparative EducationComparative Education

ConclusionsConclusionsComparative education is an exciting field in which we can learn from each otherMuch needs to be done to improve quality of scholarship and to promote networkingIn this, we can each play a role!

The end

• www.unesco.org/iiep

• www.hku.hk/cerc/wcces