2006 Volume 73 Issue 2 Pages 125-136
The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of IT on a higher education system using e-Learning and globalization as key words: 1) the relationship between the Internet and globalization, 2) globalization of e-Learning in higher education promoted by market mechanism, 3) the reactions of nation states to globalization of e-Learning, and 4) the relationship between some intrinsic educational issues and globalization of e-Learning. The Internet has come into wide use since the 1990's. It offers a technological base for globalization and specifically contributes to the development of the knowledge industry. It becomes important to develop knowledgeable workers resulting in higher education being regarded as important for this society. IT promotes globalization in the form of e-Learning in the field of higher education. Because of regional imbalance of higher education demand and supply, e-Learning becomes widespread. Transnational e-Learning flows from English speaking developed countries where the social prestige of higher education degrees is high to developing countries where higher education demand can not be met within their countries. It is notable that globalization of e-Learning is lead by different category of business organizations such as for-profit universities and media conglomerate. Nation states stipulate guidelines or regulations to assure the quality of transnational e-Learning. Those reactions seem to make use of globalization of e-Learning in order to enhance national power. Nation states find that education is an effective policy instrument. The scenario in which nation states lose their sovereignty and power in globalization does not come to realization. It is because nation states keep the rights to authorize the degrees which higher education institutions issue. No organization authorizes the degrees of which higher education institutions does not affiliate with any states. International educational organizations i.e. UNESCO or OECD have no way to treat that problem. Such higher education institutions, however, may not increase in the future. Globalization of e-learning reveals some complicated educational problems, not a simple relationship between economics and politics. For instance, it is possible to make guidelines and criteria to assure e-Learning quality in terms of educational methods, not educational contents. As e-learning is one form of educational methods, it is hard to make comprehensive guidelines and criteria in terms of educational contents of e-Learning. There is criticism stating that the globalization of e-Learning is U.S. imperialism and that it promotes the spread of U.S. higher education all over the world. However, globalizing the US accreditation in a specific field such as business education also plays a key role of quality assurance of transnational e-Learning in terms of contents. The developing nations actively introducing e-Learning in English speaking nations start to export e-Learning courses which they themselves have created for other developing countries. The flow of transnational e-Learning may become multiple. We can find that another phase of globalization happens when we deeply pursue the quality issue of transnational e-Learning. We must understand these complicated situations well and consider what type of education and society should be chosen for our future.
