ANZCIES Conference: Comparative Minds

I've just returned from the annual Australia and New Zealand Comparative and International Education Society (ANZCIES) Conference in Perth. I arrived Perth on Monday 24th in the evening and the whole flight experience was really shocking since there were, at least 5 crying babies on board! However, I spent all 4 hours reading some business magazines that I plan to read a long while ago.

The conference started on tuesday and this year there were a few delagated from the World Council of CIES, including Prof. Crane the president of the world council of CIES and Prof. David Turner from Wales. I really enjoy and was striked Prof. turner's keynote address on "comapartive method" as one of the key messages sending aroundto the audiences was "are we all comparing what we supppose to compare? If not, what will be the consequences of this malfunction of the approach?" That strikes me because in my current project, I am aiming to compare business learnig methods among fuinance, management, and accounting business but there are a number of contexts that I still haven't seriously considered to affect thee way these students learn in their classes.

The first day of ANZCIES conference was filled by a number of topics and presentations that broaden my ideas on the direction of higher education in different corners in this globe. For example, Brian Denman, the young president of the ANZCIES, led the key discussion on transnational education market and online modes of entry. Although this topic isn't new to me, I thought some of the info. on the spread of online ed. market in the global arena as discussed by Brian is well supported by the data.

The best paper - so far for me is ...of course my most favourite scholar Dr. Anne Hickling Hudson from Queensland Uni. Her topic on the collaborative project (trdae/development/education) from Cuba to Venezuela and other caribbean nations is really impressive and insightful. I mean I couldn't have any clues on quality of Cuban ed and the fact that this country is the leading nation among lativ american groups in trade and development. Good thing to share with my students in the class.

The funniest moment- my students' ponsan and our duet-presentation on social imaginary and globalisation in higher education policy in Thailand" It's fuuny because when i lloked at Ponsan I saw myself when I came back to ANZCIES for the first time in 2000 and of course I was nervours like hell! So was Ponsan and the time he presented his paper! The supportive collegiality of ANZCIES will immune my student for the future research activity! I know it will be good for him!

The hottest moment- Leslie vidovich and her presentation on "Trust in Higher Education" OMG! How could you spend 45 mins discussing "trust" in the context of the HE and Di cullen,the best mentor of the conference, from the australian catholic university started to point out role of university as public institution not profit making and its conflich with trust! hot hot hot!

Obviously, I have made a number of new contacts with "colleagues" from a number of institutions such as the University of New Wngland, Newcastle Uni., Macquarie, the World Bank, UWS etc. and I do feel this is going to be a long-term academic relationship.

2 good news: I was selected as Victoria representative for the ANZCIES! How exciting! I would love to organise and support the work of ANZCIES in Victoria and make it a better event! Secondly, Ponsan my student is nominated (and selected) as student representative for ANZCIES...well done!

My final word is there are a number of new theories (Southern theory, Human capital (in the context of comaparative ed) theory etc.) Godd learning experiences folks!

Data Collection is not easy!

I am now in the process of the data collection and last wee was the first group I conducted an interview. Like most researchers, when you act as the moderator of the interview, you really feel that you can't control the flow of conversation. Sometimes, when I threw a question to the participants (students) I wasn't sure if the response was right for the question. Again, there is no right/wrong idea in giving your ideas and feedbacks regarding online learning.



so far, technical aspects of the e-learning at RMIT has been raised quite repeatedly and that doesn't surprise me. Not because of the service isn't good but because of the visibility of this problem for all students. Some other pedagogical and cultural aspects were mentioned in the conversation. I hope to hear more of these points (and some other points) from the next round of data collection.

Next week, I'm scheduled to interview 4 more students to finalize the perspectives from management students and the preliminary findings will be presented at the Academy of International Business Australia and New Zealand at the University of Sydney in December.

ANZCIES Conference

The 2008 Australian and New Zealand Comparative and International Education Society Conference

Meeting of Comparative Minds: Education in all its forms
24 - 27 November 2008
Curtin University, Perth

Comparative and international education examines all aspects of schooling and education across the globe. Research analyses can range from single nation case studies to large cross-national studies, but they usually share commonalities in approach, method, or conceptual framework. As educational contexts, structures and practices become increasingly valued in a 'globalising' world, comparative analyses serve as potent vehicles for interpreting and discovering patterns among educational phenomena.

The primary aim of the conference is to promote dialogue on comparative and international education research throughout the Asia-Pacific region. As the region is comprised of countries with a wide range of educational systems, cultures, political regimes and levels of economic development, the conference is an ideal venue for critical analysis and interpretation.

Data Collection

I am currently preparing to collect data for this project. Basically, I need to interview students in the business portfolio (in accounting, finance, and management). The interview will be conducted in a group of 5-6 and will take 20-30 minutes. If you are interested in taking part in this project, please leave your message here.

If you are interested in international and comparative education, please participate in this year ANZCIES conference in Perth. See you threre.

Current Economic Affair

Much of the political discussion surrounding the $700 billion bailout passed by Congress last Friday has revolved around how the plan will affect ordinary “Main Street” Americans. Yet the financial crisis has had an impact world wide. Will the economic “base of the pyramid” — the three to four billion people in the developing world who earn under $3,000 per year — feel the pain?

It is estimated that large portions of many developing countries’ GDPs are held in the informal sector. In Nigeria, for example, it is estimated that two-thirds of the country’s economic output takes place outside of any economic and legal regulation. Unfortunately, this means that many people developing countries (90% in Nigeria, for example) have the dubious “advantage” of being unbanked. They draw income, pay expenses, and hold savings in cash and rarely engage with the formal capital markets in any direct way. While they may not be adversely affected by the financial crisis, people in developing countries are affected by other issues, such as the increase in food prices. That cost was up 40% in 2007 alone according to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization and it has effectively lowered the income of millions of people already living without a financial cushion.

The fact remains that an enormous swath of the world’s population has never had access to the wealth-generating power of capital markets that we, until recently, have taken for granted. This should prompt us to consider how we can best help the world’s poor access the wealth-magnifying capacity of well regulated formal financial markets without exposing them to the type of reckless behavior demonstrated by of some of the major American financial institutions in recent years.

The project has been approved by business portfolio's ethics committee

Good news for me to receive this info. from the portfolio that this project is approved. The last part of the letter of approval is interesting. It stated:

The RMIT Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) requires the submission of Annual and Final reports. These reports should be forwarded to the Business Portfolio Human Research Ethics Sub-Committee Secretary. Annual Reports are due in December for applications submitted prior to September in the year concerned. I have enclosed a copy of the Annual/ Final report form for your convenience. Please note that this form also incorporates a request for extension of approval, if required.