I can use the information I am learning in this course to inform my teaching approach as I welcome new students into my classroom from other school systems. I can look at their educational background through the lens of a researcher. I can also look at the cultures of the families in my classroom and take into consideration their educational experiences in their country of origin. I realize that comparative education has also impacted the grade level and state standards that students are expected to learn throughout their school career. One thing I can do is go to the states’ websites and look at the standards students in fourth grade are expected to learn and find the scope and sequence of these standards. This will help me evaluate whether the gaps in their learning are due to a lack of exposure versus a lack of understanding. Comparative education is necessary as we try to bridge gaps and move our society forward in their education. 

This module is about understanding the historical development of curriculum and education, pointing out differences from international studies. Through the assigned readings, I learned about the five distinct stages of comparative education and how comparative education can also be used as a political tool to create educational policy and drive education forward in society.

This assignment helped me gain a better understanding of how comparative education has evolved overtime and how it has impacted society overall. It made me reflect on the education system in my county and others in our country.

Reflecting on classmates' responses has broadened my perspective of what educators' experience in other grade levels and school systems.

I can use the information I am learning in this course to inform my teaching approach as I welcome new students into my classroom from other school systems. I can look at their educational background through the lens of a researcher. I can also look at the cultures of the families in my classroom and take into consideration their educational experiences in their country of origin.

Through the readings, I learned the difference between International and Comparative Education. Researching Comparative Education degrees at different institutions was also helpful as many were of those schools also offered International Education degrees and I was able to compare and contrast them. I now see that comparative education can provide a much needed tool to help understand some of the complex issues that have been present in multiple educational settings and time periods.

The tasks for this module help me to envision how this course may effect my perspective on educational practices and therefore impact the way I teach in my classroom. The readings bring to mind learning about different methods such as the Montessori method, the Reggio Emilia approach, and the Paideia approach. Since I was an undergrad, I have always been fascinated by different approaches to what learning should look like for young children. I hope to benefit from learning about other approaches to early childhood education, and art education for young children in particular.

This module taught me to define comparative education and what types of courses of study may exist for someone who is seeking a career path in comparative education.  This module helped me to understand that comparative education is a complex field that seeks to help students learn by researching and applying what may work in another country.  I also learned that the limitations of comparative education can not always be seen through statistics and researchers or readers of comparative education should think critically about what nuances may not show in quantitative statistical data. 

I thought we would learn about education in other countries and then compare this to The United States. I am still curious about what other countries are doing that works and why it works, but for now I have mainly learned how broad this field is and how it has changed over time. I like the categories Novoa used for where we were to where we are now: knowing, understanding, constructing, and measuring other countries.  (Novoa, 2003) Since researching two institutions, I learned that one was about increasing the understanding of the learner, the other about preparing for action.

I will look at role differently. Since I know education is being used to some extent for social change and some parents are resistent to change, I can understand the pressure school leaders are under to make everybody happy. I will do my best to see all sides and be respectful of the opinions of others. I also feel a seed of curiosity growing about what it would be like to work in public policy and what good I could potentially do.

This module has described in detail, the term “comparative education”. It has shown me the value of comparing educational systems. I now know that comparing educational systems isn’t just international, but also intranational. That aspect is new to me. However, it has opened my eyes and sparked an interest in comparing educational systems between my hometown in SC and Cobb County, where I now reside and work. I’ve also learned that everyone does not share the same definition of urban. Having a solid understanding of the term will garner great results within the educational field in the success of students.

I will use this information to get a better understanding of my students, as we are a diverse school. I will use what I’ve learned to change my teaching styles for some of my students. As an interventionist, all my students are 2-3 grade levels below their grade level in reading. I am hopeful that I will be able to see the value of further differentiation that will help my students succeed. This module has made me reevaluate myself as a teacher.

I was, and am still, hoping to be able to look at what other countries are doing that works and compare that to what we are doing in the US. However, in this module, I have learned the history of comparative education and how it has changed over time. I also learned of the various organizations involved in global educational studies, as well as the assessments and their associated costs.

I teach second grade in a school with a large Latinx student population. My goal as a teacher is to be as effective as possible so that my students can reach their full potential. I could use this information to access articles that provide more effective instructional ideas, proven by data, that I could use with my students.

Upon contemplating how to integrate elements of comparative education into my physical education classes, I have landed on a few ideas. These ideas include introducing students to sports and activities from various parts of the world, comparing physical education programs across different countries, investigating global health and wellness practices, fostering critical thinking and self-evaluation, and incorporating successful strategies from diverse nations. By adopting this approach, I aim to establish a more varied and captivating learning environment. Not only will it enhance students' physical fitness and overall well-being, but it will also nurture cultural awareness and a broader global perspective.

From the readings, I now have a better understanding of what to expect from this course. The text revealed and defined comparative education, the history and evolution of comparative education, and finally how one can use the information as a career path or to aid in an already existing career.

From this module, I have learned that Comparative Education is an established academic field that examines education in one country or group of countries by using data and insights drawn from their practices. As I was reading the textbook, I kept thinking about the similarities and differences I could point out between my time as a student in Peru and my time here in the United States. The fact that social, political and economic conditions are all involved in shaping educational systems and determining outcomes became even more obvious as I made the comparison.

I teach at a school where 98% of the students are ELLs. I believe that by obtaining a better understanding of cultural influences, I will be able to develop better assessment techniques. In addition, by being able to compare and contrast different education systems, teachers like myself can identify best practices. This will allow for innovative approaches that can be adapted to improve my current teaching style. My overall goal is to establish an educational program that is culturally sensitive and effective. I am currently part of the International Center at my school. I teach students who are new to the country. While I primarily serve Central American students, I do have a few South American students. The educational background difference between these two groups is huge. This has gotten me very interested on how these two groups differ from each other.

Phil Dutko

Phil Dutko

Besides learning what comparative education actually is and how useful it can be to make improvements among educators, this reading in this module also emphasizes how comparative education is essentially a study in international education. The video we watched was evidence of the advantages that technology has provided to the modern education environment, something that the reading supported as well. Technological advancements have enabled educators around the globe to coordinate to reach solutions to common educational problems, but also to collaborate in sharing solutions that have been attained in the teaching world.

As a world language teacher, the particular aspect of comparative education that makes it similar to international educational studies interested me very much. Specifically, the fact that there are databases with research studies from around the world from which I could garner successful strategies and ideas that could positively impact foreign language instruction in my classroom, my school, and my district. The methods and ideas I could collect from these databases would be very helpful in the instruction of French or Spanish in my classes that reflect the cultural diversity of my high school. Using comparative studies, I could employ best instructional practices to create a more engaging learning environment while also using more comprehensive and effective assessment strategies.

Although the name seems self-explanatory, this module introduced us to the real concept of comparative education. Comparative education uses information from educational organizations from around the world to make changes or to continue current teaching practices. The research and analysis task allowed me to see that although comparative education is a subfield in the larger field of education, there are university programs that focus on this course of study. These university programs are found at prestigious colleges and prepare students to deal with the diversity and challenges in the education world. This module also presented us with the types of research that experts use in comparative studies to gather data they employ in conversations with comparativists from around the world. 

As a Spanish high school teacher, a very big component of my job is to expose my students to the cultural diversity of their community. This diversity is increasingly reflected in the international connections that we make in the world language classroom on a daily basis. Comparative studies help me realize that I need to stress the importance of acquiring a second language because our world is increasingly interconnected. I can engage my students in their language-learning journey by using innovative teaching techniques that can enable them to have a richer linguistic and learning experience. With an increasing amount of students who are going to college, my hope is that they use their enhanced cultural sensitivity to be successful in college and maybe even pursue some studies in comparative education. 

I learned first off what comparative education is. To be honest when I saw the name of the class I simply thought that it would be comparing educational practices. In this module I have learned that it is so much more then that. Outside of defining comparative education and that it can be synonymous with international education I learned that a majority of counties, 65%, do not take part in international testing. This is likely due to the cost to administer the testing.

This information will not specifically change my educational practices. This information really brings attention to the discrepancy in opportunities available in different countries. Often when thinking about education we focus on the large countries and the education race of who is performing better and how we can get US students to perform the best or better then our developed counterparts. We attempt to take things that work in other educational systems an clone them in our education. Without having more information to compare the 65% of the world that doesn't use international testing are we missing out on educational practices that could better serve our current students.

I've learned that comparative education consists of more than I realized. Social justice, policy-making, peacekeeping, societal concerns regarding education, curriculum-making, educational research, and cultural awareness are all a part of comparative education. Another important aspect is that International Benchmarks gauge performance worldwide and help make decisions that impact global educational issues. There is so much we can learn from the different educational systems in our world.

As a fifth-grade ELA teacher, I will be aware of the social justice issues that impact my community of learners. I will also be more mindful of planning units and writing lessons with a cultural awareness lens. With educational change and policy-making, I think it is important to remember to look globally for common solutions that will support our schools.

I learned that what I thought would be a straightforward topic of study is really very multi-faceted with a rich history. There are challenges and benefits to researching educational systems around the world with qualitative and quantitative methods, and there are still some educational systems who are left out of the research due to inequities. Still, the efforts to learn of and from one another in educational systems around the world potentially make education a richer experience for our students.

I am moving from teaching third grade to teaching first grade in a Title 1 school with a very diverse group of students. With the quantitative statistics available - and perhaps with future qualitative, narrative information, as well - I can look at the countries where the students in my class come from to look at the similarities and differences in our school structure and curriculum design. Being aware of these similarities and differences will help me better understand students' and parents' educational background to bridge the gap between expectations and experiences, and it would be a unique experience to "borrow" from their home country strategies or activities and integrate them into my own classroom instruction.

When choosing this course, I honestly thought that we would be looking into the different educational systems in other cultures/countries and comparing those to our educational system in the United States. This had sparked my interest because I am an ESOL teacher, and we have had a large number of immigrant students enroll in our school in the last couple of years.

However, in this module, I gained a better understanding of what comparative education actually is. I was surprised at how far back the history of comparative education dates and that the first comparative education journal was produced in Germany in 1931. The thought of collecting statistics on national education systems in order for governments to make improvements, seems like a more modern-day advancement to me.

I am a K-2 ESOL teacher and local school ESOL coordinator in Jackson County. I am actually transitioning to a new school for the upcoming school year. It is a brand-new school that will relieve the growth we have experienced at three of our other elementary schools. So, I am definitely thinking about our school culture and what I can do to ensure my students and their families feel welcomed and supported in our new building. In today's reading, the "comparative pedagogy" is something I have already been thinking about. I have been working on learning the home cultures of the students I am expecting to enter our doors in August so that I have plans in place to support them. Some of those plans include: their mother country's flag hung in the hallway, a multicultural library (including books in their home language, bilingual books, and books with characters/settings related to their home countries), and country fact sheets (food, education system, current events. etc) to share with staff. As our school district diversifies, I feel it is important to ensure that teachers gain a better understanding of cultural differences when it comes to educational prior experiences and expectations. The were several points in the reading, especially in chapter 2, where I affirmed my thinking as I prepare for my new school.

I believe I knew what comparative education was when deciding on taking this course, but this module provided an in depth understanding of what it means and how it has evolved through history. I did not realize that governments analyze student/school data to make decisions about thier educational policies.

I saw recently on facebook a post that displayed some things Kindergarteners in China were doing. It was a type of physical education that reminded me of NFL football practice and life skills such as cooking. I don't remember exactly, but as a Kindergarten teacher, I felt like they were fostering independence in their students that we often don't see in ours. Of course, I don't plan on teaching my students anything extreme or having extreme expectations, but I will use this as a reminder to explore what others are doing that could add value to my own practice.

As I registered for the course, I initially thought comparative education meant comparing and contrasting two education systems or theories. This module revealed a different and detailed perspective on how the findings can impact or influence an educational setting and action plan. Though I was unaware of the influence of county-by-county or state-to-state variations on important issues, the American educational system is frequently compared to other nations and criticized for its stagnant progress. The phrase "educational borrowing" was not farfetched or surprising. I also did not realize that comparative education was a course of study. It was interesting to see the history unfold and how the profession has grown to include different employment avenues. After analyzing the curriculum and possibilities of Stanford University's graduates, I now realize the global impact of this course of study.

I work at a predominately ESOL school as an HPE teacher for grades K-5. As an educator at a highly diverse school, I often research health-related topics in other countries to build connections with my students about their cultures. As we study different health units, I will incorporate teaching strategies from other countries to remain culturally responsive. Our last unit was about food groups. I incorporated food pyramids and cuisines from different cultures to ensure students knew familiar foods to give them the nutrients and vitamins necessary for a balanced diet. I aim to create a safe learning space where everyone's unique experience is celebrated.

After reading this module's chapters and articles, I now have a deeper knowledge about the field of comparative education. It was fascinating to learn about the historical development and how it dates back to the 1880's or ancient times of Greek, Roman, and even Chinese education. Comparative education has developed and changed throughout time. It started with the purpose of "borrowing" best practices from one place to another. Then it expanded to predicting and finding solutions as well as analyzing approaches to ensure success. Comparative education has contributed to our understanding and improvements of education and has helped reduce inequity among societies.

I teach all subjects in my second-grade special education/ESOL inclusion class at West Jackson Elementary in Hoschton, Georgia. It is my job to differentiate and meet the needs of my diverse students on a daily basis. Not only do the students vary in academic ability levels, but they also come from different cultures and backgrounds. Jackson County has recently experienced a great amount of growth with many ESOL students enrolling. It is important for us to enhance our knowledge and understanding of others and to view education "from a global rather than an ethnocentric perspective" (Marshall, 2019, p. 19). One way I celebrate the diversities in my classroom is through interactive read alouds. I choose a variety of meaningful texts that relate to the students and their families. I also choose texts that offer new and different perspectives of people to promote awareness and acceptance.

Comparative Education was a new term for me. After watching the video, reading the article, and the 2 chapters in Marshall, I have a much deeper understanding of what the term means. Looking at education and all it involves in the different comparative/international education societies, countries/cultures, scholars working together around the globe to solve problems that affect learners everywhere is an amazing concept. Filtering all of this information down to making sense in my school 2nd grade classroom is going to be both challenging and an exciting opportunity.

I work at a city school in West Georgia. We have an diverse student population with many of our students being dual language learners and some speaking no English at all. By broadening my global view of education and the issues being faced by other schools/countries, as well as the ever changing geopolitical climate, I will be able to make deeper connections with my ESOL students and their families.

I honestly did not know what comparative education was before beginning this course. This module provided an overview of comparative and international education and gave me an understanding of why it is necessary. I enjoyed the video and hearing all of the positives of comparative education from perspectives of scholars around the world. I learned that it is about comparing and learning from people in other countries and societies so that we can learn about what works and what doesn’t.

I am honestly very intrigued now and want to learn more about educational systems and practices in other countries. I am a second grade teacher in Jackson County, which is one of the fastest growing school systems in the state. I teach a mixed classroom, including English language learners. We are seeing a rise in this population of students in our school and in our county. I can use the information I have learned to research the educational systems in their countries to understand how I can better serve them and their parents and help them to be successful. 

I would not have been able to explain what comparative education to anybody before this class. I would have been able to explain a vague idea. I have not only learned what it is but also that it has a long history. I think it is amazing that as long as people have been traveling, we have been sharing stories and comparing what educational strategies we all use. Through the research activity, I also learned how so many ideas are wrapped up in comparative education.

I teach a severe and profound classroom in a rural middle school. It is hard to know what other classrooms are doing for their students much less the lack of resources. I am so interested to learn more about Comparative Education to be able to research more on my population. I know that each student is different, but I would love more strategies to utilize in class.

Before this module, I was clueless as to what comparative education was. It was a term in education that I had never heard. I learned not only what it is, but the history that goes back to "ancient" times according to the text. I also learned about all the ways that you can use a comparative education degree.

This upcoming school year, I will be teaching a music class. Using my new knowledge of comparative education, I am excited to do some research to learn about music that is taught in other countries. I hope to incorporate some of those ideas into my educational practice.