Issues and Solutions of International Understanding Education in China

Abstract

School in China has actively implemented International Understanding Education to foster a cosmopolitan perspective. The educational principle is to respect people of various socio-cultural backgrounds through comparing China's culture with that of other countries. However, my survey revealed that such education in practice is limited to preparation for study in Anglophone countries because of parental requirements. Additionally, because teachers concentrate on education for understanding Anglophone countries and English, they think little of education for understanding minorities in China. I propose a solution to these problems, which cause other problems by ignoring the principle of respect for diversity. One such potential problem is failure of mutual understanding. Another is ignoring the poor. To resolve these issues, education should include student's practice to understand others from their internal framework of reference with knowledge of their cultures, and simultaneous critical analysis of capitalism, the pragmatic basis of their daily life. The elements included in the suggested program could solve the problems resulting from their current International Understanding Education comprising only preparation for study in Anglophone countries and could provide teachers time and materials for education on understanding minorities in China. Parents can provide overseas study as a benefit from capitalism. Additionally, as minorities in China tend to be poor, understanding the problems of capitalism could make students (future parents) and their parents change their perspective by understanding their domestic minorities.