High school students' perceptions of and attitudes toward globalization: an analysis of international baccalaureate students in Estado de Mexico, Mexico, and Texas, U.S.A.

by Brown, Jennifer Gayle

As the last few decades have seen a proliferation of debate concerning todayâ��s international system referred to as â��globalization,â�� education has seen an exponential rise in curriculum (such as that promoted by global education, international education, and the International Baccalaureate Organization) that instills students with â��international understandingâ�� and â��global perspectives.â�� Through a two-site, interpretive study, this dissertation explored the nature of 15 studentsâ�� international understanding and their grasp of globalization. Qualitative techniques for data collection involved open-ended questionnaires and interviews, and emergent category designation was employed for qualitative data analysis. International Baccalaureate students from Estado de M�©xico and Texas revealed complex, yet well-developed, perceptions of globalization that spoke of a system which privileges the powerful and leaves the developing world behind. Both U.S. and Mexican students were skeptical of the United Statesâ�� position as the dominant player in world politics, economics, and global culture, and students from both sides of the border lamented local culture loss in globalization.