China Study Tour
Visit China and discover what one of the world's largest education systems is doing to meet the needs of social transformation
Program Overview
The Penn GSE study tour aims to provide future American educators with a greater understanding of China in its educational, historical, social, and cultural contexts, which, in turn, will be passed on to American researchers in academia and more importantly, American children in the classroom. Sponsored in part by Hong Kong-based philanthropist Peter To, this study tour is an annual educational exchange program for up to 25 participants. They will be traveling to China for a three-to-four-week period for the purpose of learning firsthand about China's education policy and practice.
The Penn GSE study tour is designed with a special focus on China's educational reform efforts that address social problems and challenges in the era of the market-oriented economy. With probably the largest student population (over 200 million) in the world, China's coordination of a quality education system is a monumental undertaking, especially in the mist of social, economical, cultural political transformation. On the one hand, the recent 25 years of economic reforms and open policies has witnessed visible progress in improving living standard and educational levels on the whole. On the other hand, the imbalance of development between the urban and the rural, between the majority Han ethnic group and ethnic minority group, between the affluent eastern coastal areas and the under-developed west inland areas, poses serious inequity and social justice issues. For a socialist country like China, the dichotomy between the rich and the poor has never been felt as keenly as it is now. Meanwhile, China also faces the question of how to maintain and develop its own cultural and historical identity in an era of modernization and globalization.
This study tour program is an excellent opportunity for US educators to observe how new or recurring issues, such as inequity, diversity, grass-root initiatives, are being dealt in a country with 5000 years of history, rich education philosophy and tradition. A better understanding of China's education system and reform may bear new insights to address educational issues close to home. The study tour is an engaging and interactive experience to learn from and with Chinese counterparts in the educational field on topics of mutual interests. It is a first step to build bridges and forge cooperation between the U.S. and China.
Participants
This program was initially designed with graduate students of education in mind. It is now also open to K-12 educators and university faculty. The tour will be relevant to numerous fields of practice and inquiry, including international education, comparative research, cultural and historical foundation of education, English as a second/foreign language, policy and reform, and professional development.
Prior to their departure to China, participants will receive a bulkpack of readings, and are encouraged to attend eight to nine weekly group meetings featuring talks by Penn faculty specializing in various related disciplines in order to learn about the historical, social, political and economic contexts in China. While in China, participants will meet with policy makers, attend lectures and presentations by Chinese faculty, visit local schools and higher education institutions, and explore various elements of Chinese culture and history. At the conclusion of the tour, a reflection paper or a curriculum design portfolio (or other projects, with permit from the faculty advisor of the program) is required.
Enrollment is limited to no more than 25 participants per year.
Fill out an Application Form here.
Costs
The approximate cost of the 2006 study tour is $2400. (Final cost will be announced in early January 2006). This fee includes tuition and fees, education materials, housing, meals, local transportation within each destination in China, and admission for sightseeing and cultural activities. In addition, participants will be responsible for their own visa application fees, air fare to and from China, city to city transportation within China, and insurance.
Scholarships
Full-time graduate students in the field of education are eligible to apply for a very competitive scholarship that may cover or partially cover tuition, housing, meals and transportation within China. Priorities, though, will be given to PennGSE applicants.
[Please note: funding opportunity varies from year to year; any scholarship funds secured would not include airfare to and from China.]
Travel and Visa Requirements
Penn GSE International will be responsible to make arrangements for accepted participants to fly to and from Beijing as a group, and to process group visa applications through the Chinese Consulate in New York.
Required documents for visa application include a completed visa application form, a valid passport, an additional current passport-sized photo, and a money order to pay for the visa application fees.
The 2005 Study Tour
The 3rd China study tour took place from May 18 to June 13, 2005, led by Penn GSE Professor Kathleen Hall. This year's program was the third of its kind, following the successful pilot program in summer 2002 and the second program in summer 2004. Social justice issues were the theme for the 2005 program with a focus on rural and minority education. Our destinations this year included Beijing, Yunnan Province, and Xinjiang Autonomous Region. One week in each place was devoted to meetings with policy makers, educators, researchers, and site visits to local schools, educational organizations, etc. Cultural visits and trips are scheduled throughout the itinerary to provide participants with a general view of China and its people. The tour will cover the following primary topics:
Beijing: Overview of education system, policy and reform; NGOs' efforts in addressing the inequity issues in education; Children of migrant workers in big cities
Yunnan: Rural and minority education
Xinjiang: Minority education; Muslim education
Other topics include teacher training, higher education, bilingual education, etc. The program aims to accommodate participants' individual academic interests by arranging visits and activities accordingly upon request.
Click here to view our 2005 Itinerary: Beijing, Yunan and Xinjiang.