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The subject guide has been updated with the changes mentioned here
| SUBJECT NAME |
| SUBJECT NAME |
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION: POLITICS AND POLICIES |
| CODE |
| CODE |
63024160 |
| SESSION |
| SESSION |
2026/2027 |
| DEPARTMENT |
| DEPARTMENT |
HISTORIA DE LA EDUCACIÓN Y EDUCACIÓN COMPARADA
|
| DEGREE IN WHICH IT IS OFFERED |
| DEGREE IN WHICH IT IS OFFERED |
|
|
|
GRADO EN PEDAGOGÍA
|
| COURSE - PERIOD - TYPE |
-
CUARTO
COURSE
-
SEMESTER 1
- OPTATIVAS
|
|
GRADO EN EDUCACIÓN SOCIAL
|
| COURSE - PERIOD - TYPE |
-
CUARTO
COURSE
-
SEMESTER 1
- OPTATIVAS
|
| CREDITS NUMBER |
| CREDITS NUMBER |
6 |
| HOURS |
| HOURS |
150 |
| LANGUAGES AVAILABLE |
| LANGUAGES AVAILABLE |
CASTELLANO |
International Education: Politics and Policies provides students the opportunity to learn about key issues related to Comparative, International and Political education from an international perspective. This subject will encourage students to study central topics about Education through English from a global and late modern approach. The cultural and social phenomena of globalization and postmodernism currently determine the western world, and both have deep implications in all elements of the educational field. This subject focuses on the study and critical analysis of key elements of international education that have suffered and experienced the impact of these two phenomena in the last decades. The teaching staff of this subject will guide and help students throughout their learning process. The teaching staff of this subject will guide and help students throughout their learning process.
This subject is an elective subject (6 ECTS) that belongs to the field of International and Comparative Education and that is offered at the first semester of the fourth year of both degrees (Pedagogy and Social Education), and it is related to other subjects such as Educación Comparada (Comparative Education) or Derechos Humanos y Educación (Human Rights and Education) that are part of both degrees as well.
Studying this subject will provide students with essential and relevant information about the professional possibilities for both pedagogues and social educators in those professional spheres related to International Education, its further development, the role of International Organisations such as UNESCO and OECD in relation to educational policies, etc.
In relation to the study and the analysis of the content of the subject International Education: Politics and Policies, three main suggestions must be made for the best capitalization of the learning process of the students:
- Recommendation of a deep and sincere interest of students in the fields of Comparative and International Education, as well as Political Education.
- Recommendation of having addressed and passed chronologically other subjects like, very especially, Comparative Education and Political Education before enrolling in this subject.
- Recommendation of holding, at least, a B2 English level, in order to be able to successfully follow the teaching and learning processes for this subject.
María José García Ruiz - Profesora Titular de Universidad
Address
UNED - Facultad de Educación.
Departamento de Historia de la Educación y Educación Comparada.
Calle Juan del Rosal, 14. Office 2.69. 28040 Madrid.
Phone number: (+34) 913986998
e-mail: mjgarcia@edu.uned.es
Office hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 4-8 p.m.
Virtual Campus
Alicia Sianes Bautista - Profesora Permanente Laboral
Address
UNED - Facultad de Educación
Departamento de Historia de la Educación y Educación Comparada.
Calle Juan del Rosal, 14. Office 2.30. 28040 Madrid.
Phone number: (+34) 913986994
e-mail: alisianes@edu.uned.es
Office hours: Wednesdays from 12 to 2 p.m. and 3-5 p.m. Other availability can be arranged under previous request.
Virtual Campus
En el enlace que aparece a continuación se muestran los centros asociados y extensiones en las que se imparten tutorías de la asignatura. Estas pueden ser:
Consultar horarios de tutorización de la asignatura 63024160
Horarios de
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION: POLITICS AND POLICIES
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The subject of International Education: Politics and Policies promotes de following general and specific skills and competences the students enrolled in this subject. These skills are retrieved from two documents: the General memory for the degrees Grado en Pedagogía (Bachelor in Pedagogy) and Grado en Educación Social (Bachelor in Social Education)
PEDAGOGY
General skills
CG2 - To develop higher cognitive processes.
CG4 - To communicate effectively both orally and in writing in all aspects of professional activity with all types of audiences.
CG7 - To develop ethical attitudes in accordance with professional ethics.
CG8 - To promote attitudes in line with human rights and democratic principles.
Specific skills
CE01 - To understand the theoretical, historical, socio-cultural, comparative, political, environmental, and legal frameworks that constitute the human being as the protagonist of education.
CE07 - To develop strategies and techniques to promote participation and lifelong learning.
CE10 - To evaluate educational policies, institutions, and systems.
CE19 - To identify educational approaches and problems, investigate them: obtain, record, process, and interpret relevant information to formulate reasoned judgments that allow for the improvement of educational practice.
SOCIAL EDUCATION
General Skills
CG1 - Autonomous and Self-Regulated Work Management
CG1.1 - Management and Planning Skills
CG1.1.1 - Initiative and Motivation
CG1.1.2 - Planning and Organization
CG1.1.3 - Effective Time Management
CG1.2 - Higher-Order Cognitive Skills
CG1.2.1 - Analysis and Synthesis
CG1.2.5 - Critical Thinking
CG2 - Management of Communication and Information Processes
CG2.1 - Expression and Communication Skills
CG2.1.1 - Written Communication and Expression
CG2.1.3 - Communication and Expression in Other Languages
CG2.2.2 - Competence in Searching for Relevant Information
CG2.2.3 - Competence in information management and organization.
CG4 - Ethical commitment and adherence to the norms of university life.
CG4.1. - Knowledge and application of the rules of academic work.
CG4.2. - Ethical commitment and professional ethics.
CG4.3. - Knowledge, respect, and promotion of the fundamental values ¿¿of democratic societies.
Specific skills
CE1 - Understanding the theoretical, historical, cultural, comparative, political, environmental, and legal frameworks that constitute the human being as the protagonist of education.
CE2 - Identifying and making reasoned judgments about socio-educational problems to improve professional practice.
CE10 - Promoting processes of cultural and social development.
CE14 - Managing and coordinating entities, facilities, and groups, according to different contexts and needs.
CE17 - Advise on the development and application of socio-educational plans, programs, projects and activities.
The learning outcomes that students are meant to achieve throughout the teaching-learning processes within the subject International Education: Politics and Policies, according to the General memory for the degrees Grado en Pedagogía (Bachelor in Pedagogy) and Grado en Educación Social (Bachelor in Social Education), are the following:
PEDAGOGY
- Analyze the educational phenomenon and the role of the agents directly involved in the educational processes, and their areas of action.
- Analyze the social functions of education and interpret the educational challenges facing society.
- Understand and value the need for education to address local and global social, cultural, economic, and environmental problems.
- Knowledge and analyze educational policies and legislation in contemporary Spain.
- Analyze the reciprocal influences between education, economics, and politics.
- Understand and interpret the historical nature of educational events and the factors that explain their development, with special reference to Spain.
- Compare the fundamental characteristics of current educational systems and analyze the main educational problems in the world today.
- Knowledge and understand the current problems of educational systems in national and international contexts.
- Identify future pedagogical scenarios and demands. • Understanding the main international trends in prospecting and evaluation.
- Planning and organization.
- Effective time management.
- Written and oral communication and expression of a scientific and technological nature.
- Information management and organization.
- Ethical commitment.
- Professional ethics.
- Respect for democratic principles.
- Recognition of Human Rights.
- Social commitment.
SOCIAL EDUCATION
- To understand the changing nature of education policies in an international context.
- To be able to read and analyse about global trends in education in an age of Globalization, Postmodernity and Postcoloniality.
- To be able to research ressources and to identify bibliographical sources (primary, secondary and auxiliary) needed to develop a written research in this international education field.
- To develop written skills so as to be able to write extensively in the themes analysed in this subject.
1.- Comparative Education, Modernity and Postmodernity
Currently, since the begining of the 21st century, all educational issues must be analysed in the frame of the phenomena of Globalization and Postmodernism. These are the first aspects that will be addressed in the first chapter.
The epistemological heritage of Comparative Education in the 19th and 20th centuries reveals markedly modern features and have been constructed according to the aims of objective science, morality and universal law, typical of Modernity. Cowen states that 'Comparative Education has never quite recovered from this orientation'. For many academics the Postmodern critique (especially the one related to Eurocentrism and the consideration of 'the other') is just a corrective to the Modernity Project that can be perfectly well incorporated to it. With such correctives, the Modernity Project and many of its metanarratives are still absolutely valid. This is the view of intellectuals such as Habermas. Postmodernism still needs time and maturity to define in order to enunciate its Project.
Students will become familiar with concepts such as eurocentrism, globalisation, modernity, and postmodernism, among others.
2.- Tradition versus reform in education during the 21st century
In the area of Pedagogy, in the first years of the 21st century it is possible to perceive the coexistence of elements from both the formal and the progressive pedagogical models in educational systems, educational legislation, and educational practice. Some analyses of excellent education systems (ie. Finland, Korea) have uncovered a greater presence within the systems of specific elements of formal pedagogy, especially those linked to teachercentrism and to hierarchical order. It would be desirable to have both visions working side by side in current education, given the presence of positive elements in both perspectives. Excellent educational systems prove the importance of preserving both characteristics as a guarantee of educational quality: social consensus and achieving a balance between continuity and change, ensuring that nothing of proven educational worth is modified.
Students will become familiar with concepts such as lifelong learning, international organisations (UNESCO, OECD), formal and progressive pedagogy, artificial intelligence, ethics, and society of knowledge, among others.
3.- The recurrent debate of Comprehensiveness versus Stratification in Education in the 21st century
This chapter shows the success of comprehensive schools when elements from the paradigm of formal pedagogy are included in the internal pedagogical components developed in such schools (ie. Finland). In other cases (ie. Sweden, Spain) in which the shool model has revealed a marked tendency to progressivism, an important diminution of both the educational level and quality has been detected. Similarly, successful educational systems reveal the goodness of achieving some educational consensus and unity among the State, society, parents and teachers. By analysing the dichotomy tradition versus educational change in the case of Finland, it is possible to perceive the goodness of advancing with great balance and continuity in the transition among these two parameters, especially in Spain.
Students will become familiar with concepts such as comprehensive education, stratified education, equity, equality, academic freedom, among others.
4.- Higher Education: Statal national traditions and the impact of transnational education
This chapter deals with the theme of 'Higher education: Statal National Traditions versus the impact of Transnational Education'.
In the beginning of the 21st century, university models influenced by the Roman and the Saxon tradition of the State continue to be fully operative. Similarly, currently they are still operative the functional differences of the university of the three paradigmatic models of university in Europe: the German, the British and the French. The analysis of the university in current times has ratified the still predominance of the traditional institutional models. Beyond the current transformations experienced by the university, as well as the debates among modern and postmodern academics, modern tradition reveals a solidity and a social and professional value of centuries which, in no case could be eradicated only due to some years of postmodern revindications and argumentations.
Students will become familiar with concepts such as higher education, ethos, European Higher Education Area (EHEA), among others.
The methodology used for the teaching and learning process in International Education: Politics and Policies follows the lines of distance education. In other words, it requires high levels of autonomy and time management from students. Students are supposed to be active agents who may build their own knowledge progressively through the activities suggested, in order to a) achieve the learning outcomes, b) develop the skills and competences properly and, least but not last, c) succeed in the final evaluation.
The learning process will be especifically based on comprehensive reading, combining understanding concepts and critical analysis, as well as the proper study of the book chapters by students. This will help students develop a competent and critical opinion in relation to the educational contents and topics that are being addressed in this subject.
Students will have to work on their writing composition skills as well as expresing a properly founded critical analysis and perspective through writting essays. At the same time, the teaching staff will be available for students (email, phone, face to face in the Faculty of Education, online,...) in order to answer the questions that may arise throughout the teaching-learning process. In addition, the teaching staff will help students achieve both the main objectives and develop competencies within this subjects by providing periodical quantitative and quealitative feedback derived from their PEC.
ONSITE TEST
|
| Type of exam |
| Type of exam |
No hay prueba presencial |
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT TEST (PEC)
|
| PEC? |
| PEC? |
Si |
| Description |
| Description |
çAlong the first semester students may write four continuous assessment tests (Pruebas de evaluación Continua, PEC) which will represent the 100% of the grade (25% each PEC). It is required for students to write, upload and pass both PEC in order to pass the subject. Regarding both the objective of this subject, its learning outcomes, the specific features of each chapter, and the total number of ECTS, students must write, send and pass four essays: each essay will refer to each of the four chapters of the compulsory book. Below, students will find a timeline with the month in which the PEC must be uploaded, as well as when students will receive feedback from the teaching staff in relation to the PEC with the purpose of helping students improve for their next PEC. | | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER | DECEMBER | JANUARY | FEBRUARY | | PEC (Students) | PEC 1 | PEC 2 | PEC 3 | PEC 4 | | | FEEDBACK (Teaching staff) | | Feedback PEC 1 | Feedback PEC 2 | Feedback PEC 3 | Feedback PEC 4 | EXTRAORDINARY ASSESMENT (SEPTEMBER) In the first week of September 2026, students may submit not only those PEC which mark has been graded with a callification below 5, but also those PEC that have not been done nor uploaded on time. In this case, feedback between PEC will not be provided. |
| Assessment criteria |
| Assessment criteria |
Essays will be graded from 0-10 points. The assessment of students will be based on the rigorous comprehension of chapters, the consistency and solidity of their written argumentation, the correct use of language (orthography, grammar, etc.).
It is important to clarify that essays are not a mere summary of the contents within the chapters. Students may also include personal impressions, critical thinking, academic perspective, advantages and disadvantages, etc. related to the topics that are susceptible to being addressed, conclusions, and references (APA 7 guidelines).
Essays may not exceed 10 pages (not including references and front page), Times New Roman 12, justified text (justified text is text that's aligned on both the left and right margins), 1,5 space, and references must follow citation guidelines according to APA 7th Edition.
Essays that have not been properly sent on time or have plagiarism will not be graded. The teaching staff will provide students with both a quantitative numeric grade and qualitative feedback through comments in AGORA that will contribute to both the improvement of students’ writing skills and their preparation for the exam.
|
| Weighting of the PEC in the final grade |
| Weighting of the PEC in the final grade |
Each PEC will count with a maximum of 10 points (100%). Each PEC must have been graded with, at least, 5 points in order to undertake the final grade of the subject. |
| Approximate submission date |
| Approximate submission date |
See timeline |
| Coments |
| Coments |
|
OTHER GRADEABLE ACTIVITIES
|
| Are there other evaluable activities? |
| Are there other evaluable activities? |
Si |
| Description |
| Description |
In addition, students can present book/article reviews (2-3 pages max.) within the references of the complementary bibliography. This activity is not compulsory, but complementary, for those students that aim to get a higher grade(up to 0,5 points each). |
| Assessment criteria |
| Assessment criteria |
The assessment of students will be based on the rigorous comprehension of the chosen text, the consistency and solidity of their written argumentation, the correct use of language (orthography, grammar, etc.). It is important to clarify that book/article reviews are not a mere summary of the chosen text. It should be related to the subject and it may include personal impressions, critical thinking, academic perspective, advantages and dissadvantages, etc. related to the topics that have been addressed, as well as a final conclusion. Book/article reviews may not exceed 3 pages long (not including references and front page). Those book/article reviews that have not been properly sent on time or have plagiarism will not be graded. |
| Weighting in the final grade |
| Weighting in the final grade |
If the quality is accurate and well structured in form and in content (deep and critical analysis) it can sum up to 2 points to the final grade. |
| Approximate submission date |
| Approximate submission date |
Students must submit this activity when they have finished it |
| Coments |
| Coments |
|
How to obtain the final grade?
|
The final grade that students get in this subject will be the result of the ponderate mark of the continual assessment of the four PECs |
The subject will use the following book as the main compulsory reading and basic bibliography:
García Ruíz, M. J. & Sianes-Bautista, A. (2026). International Education: Politics and Policies. Sanz y Torres.
Further reading for chapter 1 - Comparative Education, Modernity and Postmodernity:
Tabrizi, S. (2016). Is International Education possible with a Postmodern Approach?, International Journal of Technology and Inclusive Education, 5(1), 722-778. https://infonomics-society.org/wp-content/uploads/ijtie/published-papers/volume-5-2016/Is-International-Education-possible-with-a-Postmodern-Approach.pdf
Cowen, R. (1996). Comparative Education and Post-modernity, Comparative Education, 32(2) Special number 18. https://www.jstor.org/stable/i355894
Rust, V. D. (1991). Postmodernism and its comparative education implications, Comparative Education Review, 35(4), 610-626. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/447066
Further reading for chapter 2 - Tradition versus reform in pedagogical paradigms in the 21st century:
Holmes, B. (1986). Paradigm Shifts in Comparative Education. En P. G. Altbach, P.G. y G. P. Kelly, New Approaches to Comparative Education, pp. 584-604. The University of Chicago Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1187187
McKinsey Report (2007). How the world´s best-performing school systems come out on top. McKinsey&Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/how-the-worlds-best-performing-school-systems-come-out-on-top
Further reading for chapter 3 - The recurrent debate of diversification versus comprehensiveness in education:
Simola, H. (2005). The Finnish miracle of PISA: historical and sociological remarks on teaching and teacher education, Comparative Education, 41(4), 455-470. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03050060500317810
Smith, R. & Wexler, P. (Eds.) (1995). After Postmodernism: education, politics and identity. The Falmer Press.
Further reading for chapter 4 - Higher Education: Statal National Traditions and the impact of Transnational education:
European Commission. (2006). Delivering on the modernisation agenda for universities: education, research and innovation. European Commission. https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/news/delivering-modernisation-agenda-universities-education-research-and-innovation
Smith, A. & Webster, F. (Eds.) (1997). The Postmodern University? Contested visions of higher education in society. Buckingham, SRHE and Open University Press.
As part of the educational process in the subject International Education: Politics and Policies, students will be provided with specific complementary materials and ressources that will help students delve into the study of each capter. Specific resources will include radio programs, videos, web pages and articles retrieved from high impact journals. In addition, teaching-learning processes will be monitored through the online platform ÁGORA.
