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Improving Education Systems in Developing Countries
EDUC E-101
Improving Education Systems in Developing Countries (23038)
(Website)
Fernando Reimers, EdD, Ford Foundation Professor of International Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Course tuition: noncredit and undergraduate credit $800, graduate credit $1,725.
Spring term
Online only, beginning Jan. 26. See Distance Education. Required sections to be arranged.
Lecture 1 video.
How can federal and state governments throughout the world support the work of teachers in ways that foster the academic success of all students? What kind of knowledge can best support effective policy reform? How can evidence-based educational research inform practical and workable strategies to improve the effectiveness of schools and to reduce quality gaps? This introductory course in education policy analysis examines how to draw on the results of quality research to compare policy alternatives. We examine what factors influence the opportunity to learn in schools in diverse national contexts. We also review alternative frameworks to think about the utilization of research to inform policy. We critically examine research on early-childhood education, language of instruction, teacher education, and school governance, as well as evaluate targeted programs to enhance the quality of schools attended by disadvantaged students. The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Graduate School of Education course A-801. Prerequisite: students must view sample online lectures before they register. (4 credits)