Globalization and Education
It is interesting to discuss about globalisation and its implications in humans’ life, which are mainly about economic, trading and financial sectors throughout the world, have led to the constant changing of educational systems and curricula in many countries as well. There are also many different aspects can be explored from this topic, but this summary will focus on elaborating two main different ideas around comparisons and differences of education systems in two different countries, Indonesia and Australia, as well as the work of twenty-first century students and previous generations.
One first main difference is that Indonesian education systems and curricula are mainly centralised, where all schools from thirty-four provinces should have the same standards of teaching and learning process. It is acceptable that the Indonesian government is trying to adapt with the development of the world and matches how education outcomes can meet international demands. However, there are a number of problems raising because of this, such as the inability of schools and students in villages apply the national standards. The problem is also supported by the report of The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for Indonesian education that ‘equity of access and outcomes remains a critical issue’ (2013, p. 102). OECD explains that the shortages of teachers and inadequate resources as well as access particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas are main challenges that Indonesia is facing.
On the contrary, its neighbour country, Australia maintains a strong structure of western education system. ‘Australia does not have a unified education system, as each state is responsible for its educational provision’ (Connell et al. 2013, p. 288). Although Connell et al. admit that there is also a particular ambivalence towards the different perception of national curriculum, it seems to me that this decentralisation has successfully accommodated the needs of each state in Australia by allowing the stakeholders from those areas to control and supervised their own situatedness. In relation to the globalisation, Australian education has long utilised sophisticated technologies in assisting their students achieve the goals and ensuring the country produces both high learning and labour market outcomes. Meanwhile, Indonesia is still struggling with collecting budgets to provide advanced learning devices for students and with distributing technologies equally in all areas.
Moving on to another point, there are of course many differences between the work of students in past and today especially in Indonesia. It can be firstly through educational systems and curriculum. Despite challenges that Indonesia face, Indonesian education is believed to have improved where students in the past were supposed to learn merely from teachers by copying all materials, while at present students are required to be independent learners and think critically about lessons being delivered by enriching their own learning sources, called student centred. In addition, they should also raise their awareness of international ideas and issues in the globalisation era. In this case, teachers are facilitators assisting their students accessing as much learning materials as possible. Another important aspect is that education in the past was conventionally delivered inside the class rooms. On the contrary, students at present are accommodated with advanced technologies where resources are provided online and self-study process can be more flexible. Besides, the global contexts being involved not only about economy and international relations, but also about international environmental issues appearing.
In my personal and professional experience, this global situation has allowed me to learn western educational systems as well as to work together with foreign educators in my country in order to help improve education quality in Indonesia. The most invaluable experiences were the opportunity I had to engage several times in pre-service teacher trainings held by the US Embassy in Indonesia both as a participant and a counsellor and my participation representing Indonesia, delegated by Regional English Language Officer (RELO) from the US Embassy, to attend an International Leadership Program in several states in America. I found myself now ready and confident to use various kinds of teaching techniques and advanced technologies when teaching students in class rooms and new different methods of teaching in order to attract students’ attention and to raise their curiosity during the learning process. In addition, through the global context also I am honoured to experience the Australian educational system for this Master Study which will improve my professionalism and open large opportunity for international teaching careers. Obviously, globalisation plays important roles not only for my country generally but also for myself individually.
Reference List
Connell, R. et al. 2013, Education, Change and Society, Sydney, Oxford University Press
OECD/Asian Development Bank 2015, Education in Indonesia: Rising to the Challenge, OECD Publishing, Paris. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264230750-en
Note: This essay was written on purpose of the Discussion for “Contemporary Issues in Education and Training (EED6001)” unit, Master of Education, Victoria University, Melbourne – Victoria, Australia.
