Global competence – Does the new OECD competence domain ignore the global South?

Abstract

Global Competence is a domain developed for PISA 2018. We ask whether it ignor es voices from the Global South. Criteria are taken from Robertson, known for the theory of glocalisation as well as the educational scientist Seitz. Further criteria are added from a 21st century perspective. The discourse analysis uses documents available to the public since the PISA tender was launched by OECD in 2013. This includes minutes and drafts of an expert group, a webiar on the results of the consultation, held by Schleicher in 2015 and the final brochure on global competence. Results show that from the expert group towards the final brochure voices and theories from the Global South have been eliminated step by step during the procedure or are referred to in extra boxes (Ubuntu). Global competence levels are specified. Level one is described in a deficit-oriented terminology. Overall, the western, cognitive and rational, late modern discourse seems to be dominant while it silently disqualifies the areas ascribed as non-scientific, like religious, emotional, bodily issues (most of them being constructed as ‘female’ rather than ‘male’ and ‘colored/south’ than ‘white/male’). This happens even though the earlier document interestingly does reference on postcolonial, queer, feminist and moral theory.

Keywords:

• Globalisation
• literacy
• global competence
• global citizenship education
• new literacy studies

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 http://www.diss-duisburg.de/Internetbibliothek/Artikel/Durchfuehrung_Diskursanalyse.htm, published later (Jäger (1999).

2 Webinars are on line slideshows, presented live and offering a follow-up acoustic discussion.

3 Wie viele Sklaven halten Sie?

4 Unfortunately, we cannot summarise here the well-known approach by UNESCO, Global Citizenship Education, because it is simply too large. We understand it as aiming at humanism by peacekeeping and sustainable use of resources.

5 https://de.slideshare.net/OECDEDU/a-proposal-for-the-pisa-2018-assessment-of-global-competence

6 http://www.oecd.org/general/conventionontheorganisationforeconomicco-operationanddevelopment.htm

7 http://www.oecd.org/social/urgent-action-needed-to-tackle-rising-inequality-and-social-divisions-says-oecd.htm

8 Jacques Derrida points at the term ‘globe’, which suppresses the historical development of the world, while the French term ‘monde’ takes this into consideration. The French language knows both terms, and Derrida claims the term globalisation currently suppresses the older, francophone and differently understood term mondialisation. (Li 2007).

9 http://southasastateofmind.com/

10 document number: EDU/PISA/GB(2014)16, p. 8

11 Naomi Miyake passed away in 2015.

12 http://de.slideshare.net/FondapCOES/david-kerr-46451008