Education Quality – Johnstone
September 22, 2010
All the articles offer varying definitions of quality of education, in reviewing these definitions are there any common themes?
While “Defining Quality in Education” dealt directly with this topic, the other articles gave a particular focus to the question and elaborated on the complexity of the issue. Taking into account the context of the articles and their focuses, some disagreements such as to whether or not to promote a national identity and a language, whether to centralize or decentralize education, or whether to increase or reduce standardized testing were noticeable. In the aggregate, the articles agreed about the need to prepare students for a more globalized world and emphasized the importance of teacher training, curriculum improvements, increased access to vocational education, improvement of school facilities, increasing communication between the different administrative levels, and promoting peace education, among other changes. While, a basic recipe may be shared, the difficulty originates in regard to properly administering limited resources. In order to be successful, policies need to be adequately contextualized.
Should we focus on educational access for all or quality of education? Why?
While access to education has increased in recent years, access to education in rural areas in some areas around the world remains limited. Increasing access to education to these children is particularly important within the current economic system. Otherwise, we may be creating a group of second (or fourth) class citizens. Education should bring down barriers and serve as a way in which individuals can develop their talents instead of a stratified system with a glass ceiling for some. As stated by Morrow and Torres (2000), some areas of the world are increasingly being geographically excluded, becoming members of a “Fourth World” (pg. 14). Yet without increasing access to quality education, some students will be limited to climbing a restricted staircase of social advancement.
Why should a government focus on either one? While economies deal with limited resources, if a government is truly interested in long term sustainable development a greater share of the GNP should be committed to education. Methods such as those utilized by the Nueva Escuela Unitaria (NEU) in Guatemala have attempted to solve some the problems faced by a country with limited economic resources (DeJaeghere 2004). If a government is truly interested in having a competitive advantage and a favorable economy in the 21st century, then EFA and increasing the quality of education of the educational system should both be considered priorities.
Miske (Unicef, 2000) has noted that we are still relatively uncertain about what happens in classrooms in development projects. What is a remedy to Miske’s concern?
There should be a periodic assessment of the project as well regular staff meetings, together with proactive leadership. This leadership should start within the educational ministry, or if possible with a true commitment from the country’s administration. Within the particular project, promoting solidarity and cooperation between the teachers, the students, the parents, and the community can greatly influence a program’s success. If there are funds, exit evaluations should be conducted. If the country in question conducts standardized testing prior to the program, during the course of the program and at the end of it, this statistical data can provide an additional variable of analysis. The program should have a degree of flexibility.
What are the resource constraints that development projects face when attempting to capture what happens in classrooms?
The primary constraint is financial. Also the context may provide additional limitations as to what reforms will be acceptable to the community and which are likely to be sustainable. Even in countries with resources that can afford to monitor their teachers through enhanced technology, the use of cameras can feel invasive to an instructor, increasing uneasiness and compliance due to fear. Cameras can be useful, but only on certain cooperative environments which promote constructive criticism.
Describe a research study that you might conduct within a particular context familiar to you. How might you better understand what is happening with learners, environment, content, and processes?
My study will likely focus on the growing use of ICT in Latin America, most likely in the Dominican Republic. The study will evaluate what technologies are being utilized in classrooms throughout the island, as well as how are the teachers trained to use this technology, what hardware and what software is available for the students and teachers, what initiatives and curriculum programs are being implemented, what are their major problems and achievements. I am also interested in researching and comparing online learning culture in Latin America.
