A comparison of the internationalization of education in taiwan and japan: The perspective of elementary school principals

Abstract

Due to the increasing need to develop a globalized workforce, like many countries across the globe, Taiwan and Japan have extended the efforts to internationalize education to the elementary-school level. This study focuses on elementary school principals from both countries and explores the importance that these school leaders place on the level and ordering of various factors in the internationalization of education efforts. Using a questionnaire-based research design, a researcher-made instrument was administered to the principals of both countries, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) as well as descriptive statistics were used to compare the internationalization of education goals of both countries in terms of the effectiveness of ordering and practical implementation. Afterwards, the study utilized corresponding analysis (CA) to determine the views of the principals of both countries regarding the relationships between the goals and strategies of international education, which are summarized therein. Finally, through the data obtained and resulting discussion, the study offers some suggestions for the educational institutions and educators of both countries related to the implementation of an international education.