The Ethical Dilemma of Early Global Childhood Education

Background

This chapter investigates the notion of ethical dilemma associated with early childhood education in Confucian Heritage countries. It draws on literature in philosophy, psychology, sociology, and anthropology in concluding that sociocultural distinctions between Eastern and Western civilizations amount to an ethical dilemma, which threatens to prevent a basic epistemology as well as a pedagogy for the education of children in the context of globalization and the information technology revolution.

Curriculum designs and objectives vary by country and to some extent culture or civilization (Hatano & Inagaki, 1998; Lee, 1998; Stigler & Stevenson, 1992; Tweed & Lehman, 2002). Whereas Confucius and Socrates espoused the importance of knowledge or learning as virtue, Confucian cultures have weaponized learning through its instrumental implementation for socialization and control. Group orientation is seen as a Confucian Heritage cultural attribute, which is contrasted with the individualism of Western culture. Unlike students from Confucian cultures, Western students have not limited their educational objectives to subjects that maximize economic and financial utility. Most of the graduate degrees sought by Asian students are in science and engineering (Tweed & Lehman, 2002). The arts—dance, painting, music, philosophy, and the like—are often less pursued by learners from Confucius heritage countries than by learners from the West. It should be noted that in the United States, Australia, and many other countries, the term kindergarten refers to a grade level prior to grade 1. Formal learning in these countries begins at age 5 (usually for birthdays before September 1st) and is not always compulsory. In other countries, kindergarten refers a pre-primary or preschool stage for four-year-old children. It may or may not be compulsory, but is often not considered as part of the formal school experience, which, for them begins in grade 1 at age six. The terms nursery schools or preschools are often used for early childhood programs: nursery school (daycare) might include infancy to age three, preschool ages three to five, and pre-primaries for ages four to six.

The social contexts in which learning takes place can and do vary in many ways. Lev Vygotsky was known for his sociocultural theory focusing on cultural development that is immersed in “values, beliefs, customs, and skills of a social group” (Berk, Mann, & Ogan, 2006, p. 24). Vygotsky’s group learning has been adapted into group learning of social and academic skills. Gaskins and Labbo (2007) argued that Vygotsky’s theory should be applied to early literacy learning through scaffolding of skills for students until they can accomplish them successfully on their own. Through carefully designed play activities, students begin to understand the authentic purpose behind reading and writing skills through a familiar context (Bodrova & Leong, 2006). Similarly, Urie Bronfenbrenner devised a theory of learning through relationships within a larger context of the environment as a series of nested structures, including but also extending beyond the home, school, and neighborhood settings in which children spend everyday lives. Children development is powerfully impacted by each layer of their environment (Berk et al., 2006).