Implications of globalization for education is topic of inaugural Landscape of Urban Education lecture, Oct. 4

Implications of globalization for education is topic of inaugural Landscape of Urban Education lecture, Oct. 4 September 24, 2007Patrick Farrellpmfarrel@syr.edu

The Syracuse University School of Education is committed to addressing the crucial societal challenges that face education today, including how to bring outstanding young people into careers in teaching, how to improve technology in education, how to make schools successful and inclusive, and other challenges that relate to essential questions of social justice. To better understand these issues and inspire enlightened dialogue about how to address them, the school has invited several of the most creative thinkers in the field of education to the SU campus as speakers for the Landscape of Urban Education lecture series.

This season’s first speaker is Yong Zhao, University Distinguished Professor in the College of Education at Michigan State University and executive director of MSU’s Confucius Institute. Zhao will present his lecture, “What Knowledge is of the Most Worth: Implications of Globalization for Education,” on Oct. 4 at 4 p.m. in Room 220 of Eggers Hall (Public Events Room). The lecture is free and open to the public.

Zhao’s study of both Chinese and U.S. education policies and his examination of developments in other countries reveal that movement in school reform is in different directions as new balances are struck in different settings between more or less content, autonomy, tradition and depth. Zhao has found that different strategies are being pursued to achieve transformation in education: Approaches in the East tend to be more knowledge-centered, centralized, discipline-based and outcomes-oriented, while those in the West are often characterized as more child-centered, decentralized, activity-based and process-oriented. Despite these stereotypes, differences and paradoxes, important common challenges exist, especially around globalization and the digital revolution, which Zhao explains in his presentation.

While in Syracuse, Zhao also will give a keynote address on Wednesday, Oct. 3, to be videoconferenced between the School of Education and the New South Wales (Australia) Department of Education. The conference begins at 7:15 p.m. and is open to the public. Because space is limited, those planning to attend are advised to contact the Continuous Education & Global Outreach (CEGO) office at (315) 443-4696 to reserve a seat.

The next Landscape of Urban Education series speaker will be Lorene Cary, writer, senior lecturer in creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania and founder of Philadelphia’s Art Sanctuary. Her lecture, “Will the Stories We Tell Set Them Free?” draws parallels between freeing and oppressing narratives in the home and school. The lecture is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 17, at 4 p.m. in Room 220 of Eggers Hall.

For additional information about the 2007-08 Landscape of Urban Education lectures and other upcoming School of Education presentations, call (315) 443-4696 or visit http://soe.syr.edu/lecture_series/index.cfm.