Introduction to Comparative Education

Global citizenship, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice and Global Citizenship

Approaches to Comparative Education

Limitations to Comparative Education and Barriers to Policy and Practice Adaption

What can I learn about my practice and professional context from other systems?

A Recorded Professional Presentation

- A critical exploration of an approach to international education comparison, as relevant to your own professional context relating to, for example, policy, implementation and provision. Critically examine a relevant aspect of education in your country compared to another international context. This should then be related to specific ideas which could be developed within your workplace. You will record a short outline presentation of your findings. The presentation can be designed using any appropriate digital programme. You will then engage with a small audience of fellow education professionals to answer questions about your presentation.

Formative assessment:

Practice presentation with peers
Professional discussion on how ideas so far are informing your rationale for your research project

Sessions will combine interactive webinars with seminar discussions to explore comparative education theories, approaches, global policy influences, and system differences. You’ll engage in analysis of international contexts, giving consideration to strengths in relation to the system within which you work. From this you will consider challenges of measuring and identifying “best practice” as well as the extent to which this can be adapted into other education systems. Collaborative group tasks and peer presentations will share insights from international education to help you identify realistic and achievable development ideas support development within your own setting.

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of how an approach to international education comparison is relevant to your own professional context.

Knowledge & understanding

2. Critically examine a relevant aspect of education in your country compared to another international context.

Application & problem solving
Digital literacy

3. Drawing from your international analysis, justify specific credible developments in your own professional context to an audience of fellow professionals.

Communication
Reflection

Department for Education: International comparisons:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/international-comparisons-of-education
OECD Education and Skills: https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/education-and-skills.html

Comparative Education Journals (available from university library):

Comparative education (Online). Oxford, England: Pergamon Press.
Compare. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Carfax International Publishers.
International journal of comparative education and development.

Akkari, A. (2020) Global Citizenship Education: Critical and International Perspectives. 1st ed. 2020. Edited by A. Akkari and K. Maleq. Cham: Springer International Publishing. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44617-8.

Eckhardt Larsen, J. (2022) School teachers and the Nordic Model: comparative and historical perspectives. First edition. Edited by J. Eckhardt Larsen, B. Schulte, and F.W. Thue. Abingdon, Oxon ; Routledge.

Karseth, B., Sivesind, K. and Steiner-Khamsi, G. (2022) Evidence and Expertise in Nordic Education Policy: A Comparative Network Analysis. 1st ed. Edited by G. Steiner-Khamsi, K. Sivesind, and B. Karseth. Cham: Springer Nature. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91959-7.

Marshall, J. (2025) Introduction to comparative and international education. 3rd edition. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Nathan, L.F., Mendonca, J.F. and Rojas Ayala, G. (2024) Designing Democratic Schools and Learning Environments: A Global Perspective. 1st ed. Edited by J.F. Mendonca, G. Rojas Ayala, and L.F. Nathan. Cham: Springer Nature. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-46297-9.

Wolhuter, C.C. (2024) The Global South and comparative and international education: A leitmotif. Cape Town: AOSIS. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2024.BK434.

How can looking beyond your own education system transform your professional practice?

In this module, you’ll explore international approaches to education and develop your understanding of comparative education. You’ll examine global policy influences, different education systems, and approaches to inclusion, pedagogy, and equity. Critically evaluating international practice, you’ll identify what can be meaningfully applied within your own setting. This will support you in proposing informed, credible developments, strengthening your role as a reflective practitioner to support your education career progression.