Cross-Cultural Blog

«International Education is a Key Component
of Globalization that Russia Risks Losing»

While Russia is currently committed to solving the problems of the previous century, more prosperous countries are focusing on securing the prerequisites for global leadership in the 21st century on the basis of their own national interests. Previous attributes of nations' leadership, such as industrial and military might, access to mineral resources, and integrity in geopolitical alliances, are being pushed aside in favor of the new attributes of the information age: access to decision-making resources, telecommunications and other key technologies, global competency, and modern education.
Russia was not an exception and in 2005 Russia’s State Exam was introduced as an experimental step before making it compulsory

Question

Are there specific areas in education that were affected most as a result of globalization process?

Alexey Sobolev: The Impact of Russia’s State Exam on the System of Russian Education

The introduction of Russia’s State exam as the only way to assess the knowledge of Russian pupils who are leaving schools has become one of the most controversial issue recently. The idea of such a novelty is to ease the life of the school leavers giving them an opportunity to pass school leaving exams and university entrance exams having just taken Russia’s State exam in certain subjects. The officials claim that such a system exists in most developed countries and Russia, being a part of the global system (or at least preparing to be such a part), should introduce similar objective methods in assessing the knowledge of school leavers. Another objective is to reduce corruption since the test is supposed to be checked by independent experts and computers. As far as I know, similar system exists in the US. The problem is in the content of this exam as well as the method of evaluating the knowledge of our pupils. Exams in practically all subjects are in the form of tests and doing them students are often asked to provide factual information, formula and some kind of date, especially when doing the test in history. At the same time, no opportunity is given to students to express their own views and ideas, particularly if to speak about humanities. As far as we know at least European system of education has already revealed the fact that tests cannot provide a serious assessment of knowledge, because of objective limits for a comprehensive knowledge review that the test form sets. Thus there is a serious concern whether or not Russia’s State Exam will be able to replace the previous system where the major role of evaluating students’ knowledge was played by the teacher, who probably were not objective enough, but clearly provided pupils more chances to express their personality and individuality. The way out may also be in incorporation of two ways of evaluating the pupils

Questions

1) Do you think there should be some alternative ways of evaluating student’s knowledge or there should be a single system?
2) How do teachers evaluate your knowledge both when your finish school and study at the university? Do you think it’s fair? Efficient?

Elvira Gaifullina: Globalization in Russian education

Education is an investment in human capital that leads to higher economic growth.
I truly believe is that education plays crucial role!
Last year I had a chance to go to study abroad, to the US. It was one year of a new experience. So now, when I see something different, I think I have a right to compare.
In Russia we observe new trends in education like all others, for instance,
- new forms of education (like “get degree on-line”, distant education),
- a big range of qualifications and majors,
- more international programs, more students going abroad, more universities inviting and hosting international students
- emphasis on continuing education (just school education is no longer enough)
- integration of educational systems (like creation of European University Association (EUA) in 2001)
Russia is a member of Bologna declaration that was signed by 29 European countries. The purpose of it is to create a single European higher education area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe.
But Russia is a Eurasian type of country and it’s really hard for it to adjust to just European or Asian educational mentalities.. For example, Europe is associated with more self-education, the central figure is a student, flexible schedules and programs; Asia: the central figure is a teacher, strict schedules, rules and plans, orientation is on success, good marks. So from that perspective I can say that Russia belongs more to Asia, than to Europe
Some differences of Russian education:
1) the problem of the core and the periphery. This problem doesn’t exist in US. Historically, the intellectual potential of Russian education was concentrated in the leading Moscow Universities. The creation of scientific, educational centers in Russia requires money and time. It’s more prestigious to study in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg Universities. Schools are larger and more expensive, of course.
2) The problem of shift toward two-level education (bachelor and master).We don’t have such a system. We have 5 years in University after which we get a specialist diploma that gives us opportunities to get practically any kind of job (I mean the rank). You can be a minister having a specialist diploma.
3) The immobility of professors. In Russia, as a rule, one teacher belongs to one university. It has its advantage because it creates commitment and scientific basis in school. But on the other hand, it limits professional contacts
4) The problem of language barriers. Students are taught translation techniques but are not really able to communicate when they find themselves in language environment.
Russian education has always been one of the best education systems and Russian professionals are working all over the world. So, globalization in Russian education might be seen as integration into international education and also as a starting point of destroying national educational system

Questions

1) Do you think globalization of education has more negative or positive aspects?

2) How do you think American educational system has changed in globalization process? Is America turning its education to become more internationalized or is it concentrated on American issues and phenomena?

Guan Ke

When we compare the Chinese basic education with America’s, then most people’s opinion are that Chinese education is for foundation education, and American education is for the cultivation of students’ creativity. In China, “seventy three percent of people agree, and twenty four percent disagree with this. Also, another three percent think Chinese education is a foundation education, but student may be not learning much, while American education is for cultivating students’ creativity, but it can let students learn more.”

China and America have totally different traditions in education

CHINA: Chinese education focuses on the knowledge to accumulate and indoctrinate on how students use and manage the knowledge they got at school and on how to understand the knowledge system and structure

AMERICA: Americans care more about how students use knowledge in society. It lets students challenge the knowledge, animadvert ideas, and focus on exploiting or creating knowledge

RESULT. These two types of attitude about education show us the different ways to understand knowledge, and also to show two countries with different education opinions

CHINA: Chinese think it is basic to have calculation skills so everybody has to remember the entire concept. So, from elementary school to high school you are not allowed to use a calculator

AMERICA: American education focuses on improving student assuredness, self-determination, independence, and Chinese education focuses on strictness and preciseness. Good foundation education can improve creation; also it can improve student’s thinking. Good preciseness can improve comprehensive thinking. Also, it could be an enemy to thinking

RESULT. The differences between China and America is mostly an education and knowledge difference

RESULT. The good American education system may not be good for Chinese society. So, different education has to follow the society background. Because different society backgrounds and different culture helps humans create a different country in the world, American education should be following the American’s culture. Also, Chinese education has to follow Chinese culture. Education is culture, and different educations show different societies’ culture

However, education system in China is undergoing tremendous changes as a result of China’s great participation in the global economy and cultural interactions. A lot of Chinese students are highly encouraged to go to China in order to get university education and learn the culture and traditions of other countries. This is very beneficial for Chinese students, especially because they get a good deal of intercultural communication experience which makes them be ready for creating professional ties on the international level.

At the same time, the whole world is learning about China nowadays: Chinese has become one of the most popular foreign languages to learn in order to get career advancement and prestigious job, a lot of foreign students come to China to learn the language as well as Chinese culture and in their turn be prepared to interact professionally once they graduate from their university.

Concluding, it is important to say that China is opening for the rest of the world and this influences the as a whole and education in particular. At the same time, many countries are so involved in dealing with China in a variety of spheres that they also can’t help feeling the Chinese influence. This, especially when talking about education, can help “the interacting parties to acquire the best from the systems depending on their further needs and preferences when they grow professional. One fact is undoubtful: as a result of globalization we got this chance of learning about each other’s education, get this education and improve our own system!