GLOBALIZATION AND EDUCATION: A PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE ON INTELLECTUAL ADAPTABILITY
GLOBALIZATION AND EDUCATION: A PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE ON INTELLECTUAL ADAPTABILITY

Summary/Abstract: One of the recurrent themes in education in general and philosophy of education in particular is the question of the aim of education. The issue is, however, much more immediate and pressing for developing countries because of not only limited, and in many cases scarce, resources but also their almost involuntary absorption into the ever-expanding global economy. As a specific test case, this paper looks at the Caribbean countries among the developing nations and focuses on their attempt in dealing with the twofold task of managing resources and globalization vis-à-vis their educational system. The paper starts with the observation that whatever one’s detailed views on the aim of education are, minimally an educational system must be able to cultivate intellectual versatility or adaptability in its clientele – specifically, abilities such as critical thinking, creativity, and imaginative thinking. Yet, these are exactly the capacities that tertiary students generally shun, and they frequently gravitate towards learning by rote and memorization. The paper is then organized into two parts in accordance with the following two questions: (i) how can an educational system end up encouraging rote learning?, and (ii) what remedial measures could be taken to correct such a serious shortcoming? The paper subsequently examines various possible diagnoses and explanations for this educational problem and attempts to chart a way out of the predicament.

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