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  2. EDU A801

Education Policy Analysis and Research in Comparative Perspective
EDU A801

Course Information

Description

How can policy analysts, leaders, consultants, and social entrepreneurs help improve educational opportunity around the world? How can policy analysis help poor and marginalized children get a relevant and meaningful education, that matters to their future life prospects and to the development of the societies in which they live? How can education support the development of inclusive and sustainable societies? This course examines key contemporary educational global challenges and debates, focusing on options to effect systemic change in public education systems. We will discuss current global efforts to increase the quality and relevancy of education. We will examine the role of international agencies and governments in advancing policy reform, and study various approaches to shaping policy reform. Students will conduct a policy analysis for a client examining how to align education policy to advance social equity, strengthen democracy and address climate change. The course may be of interest to students interested in education policy and leadership roles in system level reform in global contexts and in learning to draw lessons from international and comparative education.

School Graduate School of Education
Credits 4
Cross Reg

Available for Harvard Cross Registration

Department Education
Course Component Regular Course
Instruction Mode In Person
Subject Education
Grading Basis HGSE Student Option (Letter Graded, Sat/Unsat)
Learning Goals This course is designed to help students develop policy analysis skills and acquire knowledge about the implications of comparative and international education research for policy analysis. Specifically the course will: 1. Familiarize course participants with the field of comparative and international education and with contemporary global education challenges and policy alternatives to improve education internationally. 2. Develop an understanding of the process of policy formation, and of methodologies to assess education needs and to formulate policy priorities. 3. Develop course participants’ skills to draw policy implications from comparative educational research on school purposes and curriculum, teacher quality, school leadership and system reform. Students will conduct a policy analysis for a real world client examining how to strengthen education's contributions to social equity, democracy or climate resiliency. Students will be invited to present final projects at a Global Education Conference, where their work will be discussed by leaders of thought and practice in the field of international education. Teams that write excellent papers will be invited to continue to work on those, after the course completion, towards publication of a book.
Career Focus This course will support the development of policy analysis skills on contemporary education challenges around the world. It will be of use to those who plan to pursue careers in government, international development organizations, education foundations and other organizations supporting system level transformation.