Globalization has significantly improved the quality of education: the exchange of knowledge between the countries has led to the teaching of empathy through the interpenetration of cultures. On the other hand, globalization has finally established the dominance of the English language, which lead to discrimination against foreign students. The most serious negative consequence of globalization has been the widening gap in access to education.
Thesis: Globalization limits access to education for students from developing countries, widening the economic and cultural gap, from the social lens of general education.
Origin of the Problem
The gap in the accessibility of education began with the advent of new technologies and the popularization of online education. As Dawidziuk et. al (2021) underlined, despite the apparent increase in the availability of education to students from remote regions, the students still must have a certain level of well-being. The minimum requirements include Internet access, computer and technical equipment. Many students do not have access to technologies, which makes access to education more privileged.
The Essence of the Problem
Globalization, which promotes distance learning, is widening the gap in access to education. The COVID-19 pandemic showed the seriousness of the globalization problem. According to Matrani et al. (2022), many students were unable to continue their studies due to inadequate infrastructure and ignorance of the new form of education. According to Mathrani et al. (2021), educational institutions in low- and middle-income countries have found it difficult to fully implement innovative solutions. Thus, the pandemic has made the gap in access to education due to globalization evident.
Main Points and Details
For a full disclosure of the topic, it is necessary to study the origin of the problem and the cultural layers affected by globalization. It is necessary to determine what factors continue to widen the gap in access to education. It is important to be aware of what specific long-term negative consequences will follow from the identified problem to address the importance of resolving it. It is expected to develop a strategy to minimize the gap in access to education at the global level.
Population Group
The population of study interest includes students from developing countries. For example, according to UNICEF (2020), 1.6 billion children have been affected by school closures. Such students may have cultural backgrounds in which higher education is not a necessity. It is suggested to select a group of students from 5 to 17 years old. The social identity of these children affects their attitude towards education, which does not allow them to be motivated to learn. The main problem is the unavailability of quality education for these students.
Society Influence
Society is aware of the inaccessibility of education for many children from disadvantaged segments of the population. For example, Bonal & González (2020) identified parents’ awareness of the need to support children in online education. In a time of global peril, society has become acutely aware of the inequalities that divide parents to support their children and jointly face the challenges of online education. Students tend to support each other by helping with the technical side.
Educational Interdisciplinary Lens
The study will use the lens of social sciences in education. The choice was not difficult, since the study directly affects the social side of globalization. In particular, social identity theory will be explored as an approach to enable cultural integration. Shwed et al. (2018) concluded that the approach based on the theory of social identity allows the recognition of the importance of ethnicity for building interethnic communications. The choice of this concept is explained by the fact that it is best suited to facilitate learning in groups of students with cultural differences.
Conclusion
Thus, despite the positive aspects of globalization, applicable to education, this process significantly increases the gap in the availability of learning. New technical requirements prevent students from developing countries from accessing education. A group of students aged 5-17 was selected as the most affected by this process was selected for the study. The social science lens will be used to explore the topic and find solutions to the problem.
References
Bonal, X., & González, S. (2020). The impact of lockdown on the learning gap: Family and school divisions in times of crisis. International Review of Education, 66(5), 635-655. Web.
Dawidziuk, A., Kawka, M., Szyszka, B., Wadunde, I., & Ghimire, A. (2021). Global access to technology-enhanced medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of students in narrowing the gap. Global Health: Science and Practice, 9(1), 10-14. Web.
Shwed, U., Kalish, Y., & Shavit, Y. (2018). Multicultural or assimilationist education: Contact theory and social identity theory in Israeli Arab–Jewish integrated schools. European Sociological Review, 34(6), 645-658. Web.
Mathrani, A., Sarvesh, T., & Umer, R. (2022). Digital divide framework: Online learning in developing countries during the COVID-19 lockdown. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 20(5), 625-640. Web.
UNICEF. (2020). How many children and young people have internet access at home? Web.