1. Blurring Boundaries: The growing visibility, evolving forms and complex implications of private supplementary tutoring Blurring Boundaries: The growing visibility, evolving forms and complex implications of private supplementary tutoring Mark Bray University of Hong Kong

2. IntroductionIntroduction B ackground and links to the conference theme  The field of comparative education  Educational change in the global context  The focus of this lecture B ackground and links to the conference theme  The field of comparative education  Educational change in the global context  The focus of this lecture

3. Private Supplementary Tutoring What do we mean?  academic  for financial gain  additional to the provision of mainstream schooling May be one-to-one, in small groups, large classes, or huge lecture theatres; and now includes internet tutoring What do we mean?  academic  for financial gain  additional to the provision of mainstream schooling May be one-to-one, in small groups, large classes, or huge lecture theatres; and now includes internet tutoring

4. Private Supplementary Tutoring Why is it important?  Huge financial investments by households  Maintains and exacerbates social inequalities  Backwash on mainstream schools Yet the topic remains under-researched Why is it important?  Huge financial investments by households  Maintains and exacerbates social inequalities  Backwash on mainstream schools Yet the topic remains under-researched

5. A Shadow Education System Why a shadow?  Private tutoring only exists because the mainstream exists.  As the size and shape of the mainstream changes, so does that of the shadow.  In almost all societies, more public attention focuses on the mainstream than on its shadow. Why a shadow?  Private tutoring only exists because the mainstream exists.  As the size and shape of the mainstream changes, so does that of the shadow.  In almost all societies, more public attention focuses on the mainstream than on its shadow.

6. ScaleScale  Korea: 73% primary, 56% middle school  Hong Kong: 45% of primary, 35% lower secondary, 70% upper secondary  Egypt: 52% in rural primary schools; 64% in urban primary schools  Azerbaijan: 92% of senior secondary  Cyprus : 86% of secondary students  England: 27% at some time by the end of secondary  Czech Republic: ??  Korea: 73% primary, 56% middle school  Hong Kong: 45% of primary, 35% lower secondary, 70% upper secondary  Egypt: 52% in rural primary schools; 64% in urban primary schools  Azerbaijan: 92% of senior secondary  Cyprus : 86% of secondary students  England: 27% at some time by the end of secondary  Czech Republic: ??

7. ScaleScale Prevalence:  long been vigorous in East Asia  lower numbers but also deep roots in Eastern Europe  emerging in Africa  also emerging in Western Europe North America, Australia Prevalence:  long been vigorous in East Asia  lower numbers but also deep roots in Eastern Europe  emerging in Africa  also emerging in Western Europe North America, Australia

8.  Greece: €1.7 billion (2007)  Germany: €1.5 billion (2009)  Turkey: US$2.9 billion; 1.0% of GDP (2004)  Korea: US$24 billion; 2.8% of GDP (2006)Costs

9. Who provides tutoring and how?  Professional tutors, working as individuals or for companies  Teachers, on a supplementary basis after school hours  University and secondary students  Retired teachers  Professional tutors, working as individuals or for companies  Teachers, on a supplementary basis after school hours  University and secondary students  Retired teachers

10. Who receives tutoring and why? - Not necessarily the weak students – more common among the strong ones; - A lot of peer pressure and anxiety, both among students and among parents. - Not necessarily the weak students – more common among the strong ones; - A lot of peer pressure and anxiety, both among students and among parents.

11. Implications Implications Pupils:  If tutoring helps students to pass examinations, it can be a very good investment: they stay longer in the education system and have greater lifetime earnings  But has major implications for social stratification  Also pressure on young people  If tutoring helps students to pass examinations, it can be a very good investment: they stay longer in the education system and have greater lifetime earnings  But has major implications for social stratification  Also pressure on young people

12. Implications Tutors:  Provides incomes and employment for professional tutors  Where salaries of mainstream classroom teachers are low, it can compensate  But also distorts the teaching and learning processes?  Provides incomes and employment for professional tutors  Where salaries of mainstream classroom teachers are low, it can compensate  But also distorts the teaching and learning processes?

13. An agenda for comparative education research Blurring Boundaries: The growing visibility, evolving forms and complex implications of private supplementary tutoring Blurring Boundaries: The growing visibility, evolving forms and complex implications of private supplementary tutoring

14. Shadow education research network (ShERN) Comparative Education Research Centre The University of Hong Kong www.hku.hk/cerc mbray@hku.hk Shadow education research network (ShERN) Comparative Education Research Centre The University of Hong Kong www.hku.hk/cerc mbray@hku.hk An agenda for comparative education research