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Journal of Educational Change

, Volume 12, Issue 2, pp 267–279 | Cite as

Students as change partners: A proposal for educational change in the age of globalization

  • Yong Zhao
Article
First Online:

Abstract

This essay builds on the concept of students as partners in change proposed in The Fourth Way: The Inspiring Future for Educational Change by Andy Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley (2009) and points out why the current movement toward curriculum standardization and homogenization is counterproductive in preparing students to become competent citizens for the globalized world. Instead, the author suggests that education systems and schools should focus on students as the driving force of educational change. To do so, we need to view students as global entrepreneurs in the sense that they need to become owners of their own learning and develop a globally-oriented entrepreneurial spirit.

Keywords

Educational change Educational reform Globalization Students Curriculum 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.College of EducationUniversity of OregonEugeneUSA

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