HED4806
Assignment 1 2025
Unique #:
Due Date: April 2025
Detailed solutions, explanations, workings
and references.
+27 81 278 3372
, QUESTION 1
1.1.
1.1.1 Heterodoxy
Heterodoxy refers to a situation where multiple, often conflicting ideas exist
together instead of everyone agreeing on a single theory or way of thinking. In the
context of Comparative and International Education (CIE), heterodoxy became
important during the 1970s and 1980s when scholars started to question the
earlier belief that education automatically leads to progress and economic growth.
Previously, most researchers followed ideas from modernisation theory and
structural-functionalism, which saw education as a neutral force for good.
However, after the economic crisis of the 1970s, many began to argue that
education could also reinforce inequality and serve the interests of powerful
groups.
New perspectives such as world-systems theory and reproduction theory
challenged the traditional views. These ―conflict paradigms‖ suggested that
education helps the rich and powerful keep control, while the poor remain
disadvantaged. At the same time, other thinkers introduced ―micro-paradigms‖
that focused on individual experiences in classrooms rather than big social
structures. As a result, CIE entered a period where many different theories
existed side by side, often clashing. This phase of debate and disagreement is
called heterodoxy, and it helped expand and diversify the field by introducing new
viewpoints and methods for understanding education in society.
1.1.2 Heterogeneity
Heterogeneity means the presence of many different types, ideas, or approaches
within a field or system. In Comparative and International Education (CIE),
heterogeneity refers to the growing diversity of theories and research
perspectives that emerged from the 1990s onwards. Unlike the earlier period of
heterodoxy, which was full of conflict and criticism among opposing theories,
heterogeneity is about recognising and accepting that multiple viewpoints can
coexist and enrich the field.
Varsity Cube 2025 +27 81 278 3372
, By the 1990s, scholars were no longer spending most of their time attacking each
other’s paradigms. Instead, there was a growing understanding that different
theories could offer valuable insights. For example, structural-functionalism could
help explain how systems are organised, while conflict theory could show how
inequality is maintained. Ethnomethodology and phenomenology provided tools
for understanding learners' everyday experiences in classrooms. As a result, CIE
became more open to interdisciplinary work and welcomed new paradigms as
long as they added value to understanding education in various contexts.
This mix of perspectives allowed for deeper, more complex analysis of
educational systems around the world. It also made the field more flexible and
adaptable, helping researchers to address challenges such as inequality,
globalisation, and the digital divide from different angles.
1.1.3 Global North
The term Global North is commonly used in Comparative and International
Education (CIE) to describe a group of wealthier, more developed countries that
hold power in global politics and economics. This group includes countries in
Western Europe, North America, and developed parts of Asia like Japan, South
Korea, and Singapore. These nations often have strong education systems,
advanced technology, and large economies. In the field of education, they are
usually seen as standard-setters, creating models that other countries are
expected to follow.
However, using this label also highlights the unequal power dynamics between
the Global North and the Global South. The Global North often influences
educational policies, development aid, and international rankings, shaping how
education is viewed and delivered across the world. Critics argue that this
dominance can lead to a one-sided or Eurocentric approach, where the
experiences and knowledge systems of other parts of the world are ignored or
undervalued.
In CIE, recognising the role of the Global North is important because it helps
scholars understand how historical, political, and economic inequalities shape
Varsity Cube 2025 +27 81 278 3372
Assignment 1 2025
Unique #:
Due Date: April 2025
Detailed solutions, explanations, workings
and references.
+27 81 278 3372
, QUESTION 1
1.1.
1.1.1 Heterodoxy
Heterodoxy refers to a situation where multiple, often conflicting ideas exist
together instead of everyone agreeing on a single theory or way of thinking. In the
context of Comparative and International Education (CIE), heterodoxy became
important during the 1970s and 1980s when scholars started to question the
earlier belief that education automatically leads to progress and economic growth.
Previously, most researchers followed ideas from modernisation theory and
structural-functionalism, which saw education as a neutral force for good.
However, after the economic crisis of the 1970s, many began to argue that
education could also reinforce inequality and serve the interests of powerful
groups.
New perspectives such as world-systems theory and reproduction theory
challenged the traditional views. These ―conflict paradigms‖ suggested that
education helps the rich and powerful keep control, while the poor remain
disadvantaged. At the same time, other thinkers introduced ―micro-paradigms‖
that focused on individual experiences in classrooms rather than big social
structures. As a result, CIE entered a period where many different theories
existed side by side, often clashing. This phase of debate and disagreement is
called heterodoxy, and it helped expand and diversify the field by introducing new
viewpoints and methods for understanding education in society.
1.1.2 Heterogeneity
Heterogeneity means the presence of many different types, ideas, or approaches
within a field or system. In Comparative and International Education (CIE),
heterogeneity refers to the growing diversity of theories and research
perspectives that emerged from the 1990s onwards. Unlike the earlier period of
heterodoxy, which was full of conflict and criticism among opposing theories,
heterogeneity is about recognising and accepting that multiple viewpoints can
coexist and enrich the field.
Varsity Cube 2025 +27 81 278 3372
, By the 1990s, scholars were no longer spending most of their time attacking each
other’s paradigms. Instead, there was a growing understanding that different
theories could offer valuable insights. For example, structural-functionalism could
help explain how systems are organised, while conflict theory could show how
inequality is maintained. Ethnomethodology and phenomenology provided tools
for understanding learners' everyday experiences in classrooms. As a result, CIE
became more open to interdisciplinary work and welcomed new paradigms as
long as they added value to understanding education in various contexts.
This mix of perspectives allowed for deeper, more complex analysis of
educational systems around the world. It also made the field more flexible and
adaptable, helping researchers to address challenges such as inequality,
globalisation, and the digital divide from different angles.
1.1.3 Global North
The term Global North is commonly used in Comparative and International
Education (CIE) to describe a group of wealthier, more developed countries that
hold power in global politics and economics. This group includes countries in
Western Europe, North America, and developed parts of Asia like Japan, South
Korea, and Singapore. These nations often have strong education systems,
advanced technology, and large economies. In the field of education, they are
usually seen as standard-setters, creating models that other countries are
expected to follow.
However, using this label also highlights the unequal power dynamics between
the Global North and the Global South. The Global North often influences
educational policies, development aid, and international rankings, shaping how
education is viewed and delivered across the world. Critics argue that this
dominance can lead to a one-sided or Eurocentric approach, where the
experiences and knowledge systems of other parts of the world are ignored or
undervalued.
In CIE, recognising the role of the Global North is important because it helps
scholars understand how historical, political, and economic inequalities shape
Varsity Cube 2025 +27 81 278 3372
