The factors that have contributed to English education acting as a primary driver for internationalisation in higher education in Japan reveal a complexity of issues that permeates across the societal, higher education sector, and institutional (campus/classroom) spectrum of Japan. In this study, this context was analysed from a comparative case study perspective. This relates to the ways in which the different sets of data were compared from vertical and horizonal perspectives. The horizontal focus was on the social practices of policy planning actors, such as teachers and students, contextualised in relation to the vertical policy planning activities of higher education institutions and governments. These practices and structures were analysed through a transversal lens related to the global and historical factors that influence language education policy planning initiatives. One particular strength of a comparative case study (hereafter CCC) is related to the flexible structure of this kind of approach. Historically, case study research would focus on the narrow-bounded parameters of a particular research phenomenon. Further, studies are often characterised as case studies that bare little relation to its traditional conceptions and offer limited rigour in research approaches. In contrast, CCC approaches cultural and contextual complexities from a fluid and multidimensional perspective. In the presentation, this CCC methodology will be explained and evaluated as a flexible framework to support complex educational policy planning research. Overall, this innovative heuristic supports studies that connect local and global situated language policy planning initiatives.

Authors:
Robert Higgins, Kwansei Gakuin, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Robert Higgins is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at Kwansei Gakuin in Japan

See this presentation on the full schedule – Friday Schedule

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