This study explores the notions of globalization as embodied in Japanese educational reforms. Modern institutional discourses of educational reform in Japan have shifted over time and all of these reform movements have been constructed by particular social and historical trajectories. Generally speaking, it has been taken for granted that the…

In the present study I describe the 150-year history of school-based English language assessment in Japan. The history is divided into four major periods according to the purposes of English language education set by the government in the different periods: (1) 1860 to 1945, when English was first introduced and taught in schools mainly for elite…

The Han sphere, including Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China, adopted Han characters and classical Han writing as the official written language before the 20th century. However, great changes came with the advent of the 20th century. After World War II, Han characters in Vietnam and Korea were officially replaced by the romanised "Chu…

This paper examines the development of educational theory in Japan from 1945 to the present in five time divisions: (1) postwar "new education" and its critics (1945-52); (2) revisionist educational policy versus the people's education movement (1952-61); (3) the formation of "postwar pedagogy" as a self-reflection of the…

Using the political-economic analysis of globalisation and education as well as a culturalist approach to education policy borrowing, the paper analyses the role of local actors, specifically, national newspapers and the Ministry of Education, in mediating the potentially homogenising curricular policy pressure of globalisation exerted through the…

This report presents topics addressed at the December 2000 seminar on Capacity-Building for Curriculum Specialists from East and South-East Asia. Part 1, "Rethinking the Framework and the Capacities Needed for Curriculum Reform," gives some perspectives on trends and issues in curriculum change for the 21st century, both internationally…

Examines the impact of Japanese nationalistic thought on the administrative systems and structures of colonial and modern higher education in Korea and analyzes Japanese educational policy in Korea in the colonial period (1910-1945). Identifies beneficial and negative impacts of the Japanese colonial education system. (SLD)

Political, economic, and social explanations of higher education reform, and the very definition of "reform," are the main departure points of this volume. The introduction uses the examples of Canada, Austria, Germany, and Japan to show that in all these countries, reform has meant reduced state funding and control and increased…

This paper explores the impact of policies and institutions on employment and unemployment of OECD countries in the past decades. Reduced-form unemployment equations, consistent with standard wage setting/price-setting models, are estimated using cross-country/time-series data from 21 OECD countries over the period 1982-2003. In the…

Paradoxically, Japan presents both a difficult and promising setting for the advancement of critical thinking skills. One deep-rooted obstacle stems from anti-rational ideological traditions and prejudices. Another comes from the rigidly hierarchical, conformist nature of Japanese society, which does not encourage divergent opinions or their…

Reviews Japan's educational system in terms of three major time periods: the Meiji Period 1868-80, Occupation Period 1945-52, and from 1978 to the present. Discusses strengths and weaknesses of education in each time frame. Concludes that Japan's educational system is in need of reform once again, but questions whether it has the ability to reform…

Noting the emerging global policyscape toward creating global information networks, this article analyzes policymaking across Europe, the United States, and East Asia. Employing a political-economy perspective, it compares seven countries' networks, highlighting the state's role and varying relationships among education, economy, and society, and…

The problem of measuring efficiency in higher education is of increasing importance due to changes in socioeconomic conditions and rising enrollment rates. Problems of definition are discussed that occur in comparative studies of efficiency. Illustrations are drawn from formulations of the problem in several countries with different socioeconomic…

National patterns of power and control in higher education are key determinants of the conceptions of academic excellence and equality that prevail in particular systems. This paper examines five countries with predominantly state-controlled systems of higher education--West Germany, Italy, France, Sweden, and Japan--and two with mixed control…

Introduces two Japanese models of mass media effects: (1) the "joho kohdo" (information behavior) model which suggests that people use extracted information to check the credibility of mass media information; and (2) the tripolar "kuuki" model which suggests that the mass media have effects as part of the triadic relationship…