国際・地域Ⅰ(PEAK)

* The schedule is subject to change depending on our progress. Week 1 (Online) — Course Guidance & Introduction: Comparative Education as Research and Practice •Understand the course goals, schedule, learning format, and assessment. •Identify major approaches and units of comparison in comparative education. Week 2 — Global Trends in Education: UNESCO GEM, OECD Education at a Glance, etc. •Recognize how international organizations (UN, OECD, etc.) shape education discourse and data. •Learn what global indicators and reports measure (and what they do not measure). •Interpret basic comparative statistics and connect them to policy debates. •Discuss how “global agendas” influence national education policies. Week 3 — Educational Systems in Different Countries (A): Japan × United States Focus: decentralization, diversity, inequality, and accountability Describe key features of education systems in Japan and the United States (structure, governance, transitions). •Compare how decentralization/centralization shapes curriculum, assessment, and resource allocation. •Analyze how diversity and inequality are addressed (or reproduced) through policies and school practices. •Practice making a context-sensitive comparison using evidence from readings and/or basic indicators. Week 4 — Educational Systems in Different Countries (B): United Kingdom × Germany Focus: selection/tracking and vocational pathways •Explain how selection and tracking operate in the U.K. and Germany, including timing and mechanisms. •Compare academic and vocational routes and their transitions to upper secondary and higher education. •Critically discuss implications for equity, social mobility, and “merit” in both contexts. •Strengthen comparative reasoning by linking system design to social outcomes and debates. Week 5 — Educational Systems in Different Countries (C): Singapore × South Korea (and Japan) Focus: high achievement, competition/selection, shadow education, national strategy, and school culture •Identify major drivers of high achievement in Singapore and South Korea (policy, governance, curriculum, assessment). •Analyze how competition and selection are organized and legitimized in each context. •Examine the role of shadow education (e.g., private tutoring) and its implications for equity and well-being. •Discuss how national strategies and school culture shape student experiences and public expectations. Week 6 — Educational Transfer & Policy Borrowing (with Case Studies) (Examples: holistic education/competencies; school cleaning) •Understand key concepts in policy borrowing/educational transfer. •Analyze why and how policies/practices change when introduced into new contexts. •Apply theoretical frameworks to interpret case studies and discuss “what travels” and “what does not.” Week 7 — Culture and Education: Moral, Social, and Cultural Development in Primary Schooling •Examine how schooling conveys norms, values, and social expectations. •Analyze everyday school practices as cultural and institutional phenomena. •Discuss benefits and tensions of culturally embedded schooling. Week 8 — Gender and Education •Identify how gender norms are reproduced and/or challenged in schooling. •Compare gendered patterns across contexts and interpret them with context sensitivity. •Connect micro-level school practices with broader social structures. Week 9 — Minorities and Education: Ethnic Minorities, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants •Understand key issues of equity, recognition, language, and belonging. •Critically analyze systemic bias and institutional mechanisms. •Compare policy responses and international evaluation. Week 10 — Schoolteachers and Teacher Training •Compare teacher professionalism based on the OECD data. •Connect teacher policy to governance, accountability, and resource arrangements. Week 11 — International Students & Higher Education in a Globalized World •Analyze the rationales and tensions of internationalization in higher education. •Discuss student mobility, inclusion/support, and institutional responsibilities. •Connect international student experiences to policy debates. Week 12 — Comparative Education Toolkit (Methods & Evidence for the Final Report) •Develop a feasible comparative framework for the final report (what/how/why to compare). •Practice building an argument using appropriate evidence (indicators, policy documents, academic research, cases). •Produce a one-page “answer map” (thesis + comparison lens + evidence plan + limitations) aligned with the chosen question. Week 13 — Final Report Clinic (Synthesis, Peer Review, and Writing Support) •Refine the final report structure and improve clarity through peer review and feedback.

Lecture and Group/Class Discussion The lecture will introduce key concepts, frameworks, and examples, and students will then apply them through collaborative activities (e.g., guided discussions, small-group tasks, and short reflections). Reading materials will be shared in advance for most weeks to support lectures and discussions. Students may choose how much to read depending on their confidence and interests. Required readings, if any, will be clearly indicated. To support students with different English proficiency levels, discussion tasks will include clear guiding questions and optional templates, and groups will be encouraged to share roles (facilitator, note-taker, presenter, timekeeper) so that everyone can participate meaningfully. Key terms and instructions will be provided in writing in advance, and students may use brief notes and visuals to communicate their ideas; the instructor will also provide feedback focused on clarity of ideas as well as academic communication.

•Attendance: 20% •Discussion Reflection: 30% Students will participate in group discussions in most class sessions. Each student is required to submit one reflection on a group discussion of their choice (once during the semester). The reflection must be based on a discussion held no later than Week 11 (Week 11 is the last eligible session). The reflection should be 400–600 words in length and must be submitted via UTOL by July 7 (7/7). At the beginning of your reflection, clearly specify (1) the week number/topic of the discussion and (2) the discussion question(s) you are responding to. In the reflection, students should summarize key points from the discussion, explain what they learned and how their thinking developed, and connect their ideas to course concepts and/or evidence from the readings. •Final Paper: 50% Students are expected to choose one question from the list of essay questions and answer it with a focus on one or two countries/societies. The paper must be no more than 2,000 words (references are not included in the word count). The list of questions will be distributed in Week 2. The final paper is due on Sunday, July 26 (7/26) via UTOL.

A reading list will be provided in advance. Students who wish to prepare more thoroughly are encouraged to read the recommended materials before class. Required readings (if any) will be clearly indicated for specific weeks. All core materials needed for in-class activities will be shared via the course Google Drive (announced on UTOL).