A Comparative Study of the International Perspectives of Six-Graders in Taipei and Shanghai

Abstract

With the emergence of globalization, it has become increasingly important for all citizens to possess an international perspective. The trend of internationalizing educational systems has also emerged in various countries. Thus, to explore the degree to which students can possess international perspectives is an important topic worthy of studying. The purpose of this study was to develop a questionnaire to investigate the current status of the international perspectives of and the differences between sixth graders in Taipei and Shanghai. A total of 1,300 sixth -graders were randomly stratified from the two cities, with 1,111 valid questionnaires returned for further analysis. A significant difference was found in sixth graders’ international perspectives between the two cities. Differences of their demographic characteristics were also identified. More similarities than differences in their backgrounds and experiences were identified. Both similarities and differences were also found in their parents’ level of education and occupation.

Keywords

• International Perspectives
• Internationalization
• Sixth Grader
• Comparative Education