Ancient Chinese civilisation developed two ideas about the ordering of large human spaces. The first was tianxia or 'all under heaven', the inclusive and cosmopolitan world as a whole, with no exterior, and governance on the basis of shared values and benefits, which first shaped statecraft in the Western Zhou dynasty (1047-1771 BCE). Second, the…

There has been little real progress in finding feasible approaches to addressing global knowledge asymmetries, especially in the social sciences and humanities. With China's new global role, how Chinese experiences could contribute to global theoretical construction in the human and social sciences becomes the order of the day? As the most valued…

In the globalized age, Chinese kindergartens are exposed to numerous western curriculum perspectives and practices. To construct a kindergarten-based curriculum (KBC), Chinese kindergartens tend to borrow western ideas. Using the Reggio Emilia approach (REA) as an example, this focused ethnographic study conducts an empirical investigation into…

The discourse regarding globalisation and particularly 'global competition' has appeared in a range of socio-economic areas and higher education is no exception. Global competition has been the policy context in which a range of national excellence initiatives have been developed. These have often involved competitive processes with significant…

This article responds to the work by Marginson and Yang in this special issue from an epistemological lens. It focuses on how to observe China and Chinese education. After offering an overall review of contemporary social sciences, it then reminds us of the need for overcoming dichotomous mode of thinking in social research in the context of…

The internationalization of United States higher education has been described as a "two-way street" where students arrive at knowledge transfer. That transfer occurs through a curriculum deemed "unidirectional" with no relevance to local issues or needs and results in limited application and educational colonialism perceptions.…

This paper focuses on an emerging group in Chinese higher education -- students in transnational higher education (TNHE). Recent research has documented much about students' motivations for attending TNHE institutions. However, the impact of such institutions on student outputs remains under-researched. This study conducted interviews with 78…

This paper focuses on the Reciprocal Learning Programmes between Western and Eastern educational systems through a Sister School project as well as, a Reciprocal Learning Programme through preservice programs between a Canadian university and a Chinese university. Benefits of the Reciprocal Learning Programs include reflective practice of…

This chapter is a comprehensive discussion of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across the globe (e.g., United States, China, Brazil, Japan and Turkey). Topics that are discussed include the following: diagnostic criteria and approaches; international perspectives of ASD; western and eastern assessment practices; cultural considerations of assessment…

Based on anthropological and historical inquiry, this book proposes and illustrates a new approach to the comparative analysis of educational policy. It investigates cultural conceptions of human potential as they inform social and economic goals of education by reviewing the transitions of Western countries, Japan, and the People's Republic of…

This unit of study focuses on belief systems from China. It is crucial that students understand there are different ways of viewing the world, all of which may be valid. The 20 lessons in the unit stem from the presumptions that place students in the role of "historian" for the duration of these China studies. The unit is divided into…

This updated set of lesson plans focuses on Confucius and Confucian thought, especially Confucian ethics. The lesson plans are divided into the following chapters: (1) "How do the Analects embody the ethical framework of Confucian thought?"; (2) "How does Confucianism affect behavior, attitudes and beliefs?"; (3) "How did…

This two day lesson plan for middle school students examines Marco Polo's travels and trade during the Middle Ages. The unit consists of four activities: (1) journal entry/brainstorming; (2) lecture on trade items of the Middle Ages and Marco Polo; (3) simulation of Marco Polo's Journey; and (4) a writing assignment. It provides step-by-step…

This essay, prepared with the western reader in mind, attempts to provide a general introduction to the foundations of Chinese intellectual and educational thought and to the unique characteristics that helped form Chinese civilization. Specifically, four factors that influence current Chinese society, and that also interplay with two millennia of…

Five distinct images of the educated person are examined: the well-educated American (representing the Western world), the Indian guru or yogi, the Confucian scholar or Mandarin, the socialist comrade from the People's Republic of China, and the "new human being" (a futuristic view of the holistically educated person). These concepts are…