Sunday, June 8, 2008

EDC 668 - Week 6 Blog

How does globalization change the needs and demands on US, K12, higher education and corporate learning environments?

Us: Globalization changes the needs and demands of us because information is flowing on a larger scheme than before. Globalizing ourselves means being sensitive to other cultures, countries, and the changes that take place between them. Rather than natural disasters of other countries being "their" concern, we have now made it our concern because of a higher invested interest.

K12: If we were truly global (which I wish we were... but we are getting there), our students would not be attending schools and seeing their worlds as apart from others. We do not educate our children in the same way as other countries... and although allowing for change within countries is the rights of their individual governments, states, countries, we must see ourselves as competitive with them while working to develop the best ways to raise our children. There may be alternate methods presented by different countries that vary in the way we educate our youth, but the underlying point is that regardless of country, all young people should be educated. We compete, but should moreso-- collaborate to ensure the best learning for our children. If another country prepares our children and we are made aware through globalization, we need to assess our own methods and grow to me more like those with the innovation.

Higher Education: In higher education, I HOPE that globalization hits soon. I recall reflecting with my cadremates about the excitement of online learning in higher education to be global. Rather than attending one University, being given the option to attend multiple Universities within the world--- actually learning about Chinese culture from a Chinese professor in Tapped In or Skype from Beijing... all that would truly mean global learning and enrichment for all.

Corporate Learning: In the corporate world, if globalization is truly in place, job performances are benchmarked globally, not locally. This means that people are hired and remain valuable based on their assets, regardless of time zone or location. I see this out of all four levels discussed here to be to most current and updated. This really happens. In Wikinomics, this same view is shared and in an array of books exposing globalization of work-- ever called a product company lately and spoken to someone in India-- globalizing our corporate world is already there. Whatever is more effective and efficient will = what our markets are headed towards.

No comments: