Community-Based Learning and Further Education - Assignment Example

COMMUNITY BASED LEARNING AND FURTHER EDUCATION Introduction Further education (FE) is an extension of educational level that is gained at the secondary school. The idea of further education is to support an educational system for those people who cannot attend regular college after secondary school. Another reason for the presence of these institutions is to give an opportunity for those who have not been able to complete secondary school system. Good practices are disseminated by The Further Education Research Association (FERA). According to which research findings and policy evaluation relevant to the further education and training sector are done. (Omotara et al 2004 pp. 18)FERA sponsors the international journal Research in Post-Compulsory Education that is freely accessible to FERA members. A collection of documentation revealing different issue as issues such as workforce development in practice, national frameworks for achievement and credit and engaging and supporting learners, are also presented there.” The Further Education Research Association (FERA) disseminates good practice, research findings and policy evaluation relevant to the further education and training sector in the UK……. There is also an archive of presentations on issues such as national frameworks for achievement and credit, engaging and supporting learners, and workforce development in practice.” (qtd. In Omotara 2007 pp.297) According to the Research in Post-Compulsory Education, Volume http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t716100718~db=all~tab=issueslist~branches=13 - v1313, Issue 2 July 2008 . Research Further education institutions have a different approach towards education and the students attending these institutions have the opportunity to somewhat tailor their educational program according to their needs and constraints. Whereas mainstream colleges and universities have a common system for the vast array of students that attend these institutions, further education infrastructure provides a more flexible approach to students with hard jobs, disabilities and other variables that may hinder them to attend a regular college. As, such students may be reluctant to face the other students, who as compared to them, are more strong not only physically but also financially. Such students, due to their lack of courage discontinue their studies. For such a situation, further education provides the best possible circumstance for these students to continue their studies and to serve the nation in better ways. As according to Thomas Jefferson to Joel Barlow, 1807, "People generally have more feeling for canals and roads than education. However, I hope we can advance them with equal pace." So there is a need to introduce the importance of education as well as provide it in all possible ways. (Miller & Innis 1990 pp. 75) Furthermore, the further education institutes provide a ground for those students that have not been able to make the foundation to attend a regular university. These students attend further education institutes to cover up for any skills in academia that would enable them to attend a university and understand the academic methods that are required. Further education institutes also provide the opportunity for many people who are well above the average age of a university student to comfortably seek skill building and education. (Talbert & Mclaughlin 2002 pp. 200)Many researchers have shown that further education institutes have provided the environment in which people over thirty years of age may feel more comfortable in returning to a school environment than actually going back to a proper school. So here the further education again plays a vital role, as it provides the education to the people who are willing to take education but lack enough resources to attend regular institutes.As the Dr Edward Sallis, Principal and Chief Executive Highlands College, Jersey said: 'Our partnership with the University of Plymouth is extremely important for the community in Jersey. It provides the opportunity for higher education for people who, because of family or work commitments, could not otherwise reap the benefits of a university education. The partnership makes the terms access and widening participation come to life. It gives Highlands College an enhanced status in the community and helps to raise the expectations and the aspiration of our students.” (qtd. In Macdonald 2001 pp.79) Much of the functionality of the further education institutes has been based on social behaviour of people and researchers have shown that community education has a substantial role in the development of culture and values in the society. The further education institutes are studied according to the following guidelines to elaborate on the need and success of their existence: 1. Why do people attend community based learning institutes? Students are often fond of the manner in which the workshop is designed. Students feel easy to design and build their works there. Students’ approach is that they can get the first hand experience as the students experience is needed. (Cantor & Roberts 1983 pp. 200) Together with schools and higher education, Further education is also progressively more being known as an important causative constituent of the education system? A variety of educational and professional qualifications are provided by these further educations both to youthful citizens with the age 16 to 19 and to adults of all ages weather they are in their studying phase or workplace. According to Charles Perfetti, "...we should not necessarily conclude that higher-level strategic skills are somehow the critical issue. It is exactly these processes that are most vulnerable to specific knowledge failures. We think these processes are important, but we suspect that they develop ordinarily in tandem with the gradual accumulation of knowledge...” (qtd. In Hinde 2005 pp. 234) So, in order to move violently with up-and-coming world competitors, the center of further education is more and more stirring towards providing up to date talent preparation. In the Foster Review 'Realizing the Potential', its importance has been highlighted. And it is also revealed and considered the future role of further education colleges. Recommendations are set out for how further education can go up to the proficiency confront facing the country. (ainscow 2007 pp. 50) 2. What constraints are there for different social group and sub-cultures that may not allow a person to attend a regular college? There are many different constraints that compel many students not to go to the school. The major of them is the social classes among the society. Children belonging to the lower classes are hesitant to go to the schools as the behaviour of upper class children is often degrading towards them. Due to which, these lower class children feel inferiority complexes and are reluctant to go to school. Sometimes the teachers’ behaviors are also not favorable. They used to give protocol to the students that are often from high class or whose parents status is inspiring, just ignoring that lower class student despite he is intelligent or outstanding. (Miller & Innis 1990 pp. 75)These social classes may also affect the studies of students as in some places the teachers due to their personal favoritism or getting under the pressure of the parents give more protocol and opportunities to some high class children and the other ones are left behind. Different sub cultures are also having the same affect on student’s career. As we have often seen the discrimination of classes among the societies according to their financial status. The upper class uses to enjoy all the respect and others have just a very low ranking in the society. So the children belonging to the inferior classes feel ashamed facing their school fellows of high status, and deny going to the school. (Omotara et al 2004 pp. 18) 3. What are the behavioral factors that lead to the increasing attendance of FE’s as a part of the evolving community educational resource? For the most part contributors had progressively augmented the numbers of learners from beginning to end by self-governing hard work. There was sometimes withholding of students within the system, which was difficult. But the main reason behind the increasing attendance of further education institutes is the limited approach for regular colleges because of the tour problems, course fees, family and work errands and short of the self-assurance to attend a college or other official educational centre. A scarcity of tutors also sometimes caught up the development of provision. Mostly learners are not able to give more time in coming to college or other institutes that is why they prefer going to the further educations where attendance is not taken as s strict rule. (Hinde 2005 pp. 143) 4. What makes a community chose to have such institutes in contrast to focusing more on higher education in relation to the implications of learning? There are many factors that make a community chose to have such institutes in contrast to focusing more on a higher education in relation to the implications of learning. One of them is that due to the social and economic classes or because of any other factors students had been reluctant and hesitant to go the schools at their childhoods. As they grow up they feel a need to study. The official schools, colleges and institutes have age limits, so in order to get education these students prefer to join further educations. Another reason for choosing further education is that the formal institutes’ course fee are very high, students cant always bear these expenditures so they join these institutes that fulfill their requirements of getting knowledge with less or no money. Some workers, due to the less availability of time, do not afford to go to the official institutes, so they chose to have further educations. For example, a person who is intermediate is working in any firm, but wants to get education, will drop this idea because he cannot miss his working hours and the same timing is for the regular institutes. So further education makes it easy for the people to get education without risking their works, and at the time which is suitable for them. There are factors like traveling problems, distant schools, colleges, accommodations problems or some family matters that also have an influence in getting admitted to such further institutes rather then those higher educations. People in the distant areas or villages, cannot afford their children to travel so long or some people do not have much resources to bear the expenditure of hostels. Still they want their children to be educated, and then the only way left with them is the further education, which facilitates their children to get their degree by sitting at their homes. (Lumby 2001 pp. 179)As the David Percival, Principal of Plymouth College of Further Education said: 'We're really pleased to be offering university education in a college setting so our students get the best of both worlds. The UPC network means we can offer exciting work-related foundation degrees within a friendly and welcoming environment. We're looking forward to the opportunities this will bring to enhance the routes to higher education for the people of Plymouth. (qtd. In Talbert 2002 pp. 254) Discussion: We can find lots of research work on Further Education. One of them is by IFF research ltd. IFF is specialized for researching business, marketing and public policy issues. It was founded in 1965. This paper is about the conclusions read by the reading of a Study of Learners in Further Education (FE). This research is performed by IFF Research. The search was accomplished with the telephone interviews with students of the FE that were ageing 19 and above. 4,003 interviews were conducted, in total. Out of the total interviews 3,186 were with FE students and 817 were others. Many of the FE learners which were being interviewed, at the time of interview, were in Further Education no longer. On the whole the left were the real respondents of the interviews. (Demant & Ostergaard 2007 pp.519) The key way is the paid work which helps them through learning. There are many full time and part time learners whose wages accounts are 55% and 63% respectively. Full-time learners have the opportunities to get into occasional paid-employment. (Omotara et al 2004 pp. 18) According to this report, Governments’ policy is to increase the engagement in education and to extend the educational goals. This policy is for all level of citizens and all the sub groups of society. Within this policy, the specific focus is on adults learning, particularly through further education, with many a methods and initiatives that have been taking place now. The improvement of FE is also under consideration. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, DUIS, has its own further education and is continually striving for the betterment of the Fe, as it stats "Britain can only succeed in a rapidly changing world if we develop the skills of our people to the fullest possible extent, carry out world class research and scholarship, and apply both knowledge and skills to create an innovative and competitive economy. Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is to work with our partners to meet these challenges." (qtd. In ainscow 2007 pp. 89) The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is busy in reviewing the structure and functionality of further education, and the role played by it in the society. It is also taking care of the financial support to the adult learners during their studies at FE. (Demant & Ostergaard 2007 pp.519) According to the data collected by this report, students are categorized into three groups. These are improvers, repeaters and consolidators. Improvers are those that tend to take more qualification than that they already have taken, or we can say that further education to the already highest degree they hold. Repeaters are the students repeating, or studying the same level of education they already have, whereas, the consolidators are those students that are learning below they level of study/ degree of studies they already hold. (ainscow 2007 pp. 50) It was considered that how learners came to be in FE, through as the time of decision to become a learner in FE, what were they doing and what encouraged them to come to FE? What were the concerns to become a student at FE, and what was the extent of financial concerns among them? The learners’ appointments in paid work and caring responsibilities were continued to what extent? What was the working motivation of students while they were studying? (ainscow 2007 pp. 50) According to Kahlil Gibran, "For remember, my friend, the son of a shepherd who possesses knowledge is of greater worth to a nation than the heir to the throne, if he be ignorant. Knowledge is your true patent of nobility, no matter who your father or what your race may be." (qtd. In Bloomer 2000 pp.58). So the concern of study could always be found. Every one has a desire of living a better life and more respect in the society, and for this purpose education is necessary. It is not always possible to get the education from the regular institutes, so in order to fulfil their needs they need to join the further educations. (Bloomer & HodKinson 2000 pp. 39) As Thomas Jefferson said, "A plan of female education has never been a subject of systematic contemplation with me. It has occupied my attention so far only as the education of my own daughters occasionally required. Considering that they would be placed in a country situation, where little aid could be obtained from abroad, I thought it essential to give them a solid education which might enable them, when become mothers, to educate their own daughters, and even to direct the course for sons, should their fathers be lost, or incapable, or inattentive. My surviving daughter accordingly, the mother of many daughters as well as sons, has made their education the object of her life." (qtd. In Cantor 1983 pp. 34). Further education once again provides the best possible ways for girls to get education, even while sitting at their own homes. And as according to Thomas Jefferson, they can better serve te nation as they will better guide their children. It is very important for girls to get education as tey are the mothers of a nation. (Cantor & Roberts 1983 pp. 200) This research also reveals the answers from learners. Two third of them were in work at the time of decision to enter the further education. The youngest of them, mostly at the age of 19, came here soon after the completion of their last highest degree. Very few of them come from job and the oldest were just retired at the time of decision to enter FE. (IFF Research) In addition to this research, Joan E.Talbert and Milbrey W.Mclaughlin have done a research on the same issues. The main objective of this paper is to settle strains between a skilled manual worker model of teaching and the call for a combined teacher community. This offers a sight into the artisan community as a situation of ground-breaking run through in modern American high schools. Michael Huberman quarrelled that teachers’ self-regulating Artisan ship by is undermined by these strong school community, by taking uptime and the professional judgements are limited there. According to the past experiences of teachers in high school, it has been revealed that based on the behaviours of teachers professional judgement, Artisan ship in teaching is rather better or worse. (Cantor & Roberts 1983 pp. 200) Teacher artisanship was treated as significant, in strong conventional communities, by the uniform set of courses and measurements. These measurements imposed student following systems. Meanwhile, artisan ship in teaching has been raised by the strong collaborative teacher. Through dialogue and collaboration between teachers a commitment is created to improve the practices of making the students busy in schools, a practice of sharing and making reports of classrooms activities. (Talbert & Mclaughlin 2002 pp. 200) Another Research is done on the learning careers. This paper considers the ways and methods of learning careers which cause the adults to return to the education. According to this paper symbolic interactionist theories led to the derivation of learning career concept. In this paper the underpinned participation and non-participation in the further education colleges is revealed. According to this paper, a diverse relationship is always found between these further education colleges and their communities. From the history, it has been revealed that it is the emerged as the post school form, where the initial technical training is given and mostly the working class, employees and young men, who tend to learn the trade, are the pupil in such institutes. FE has often being represented by an image of “local tech”, that is the place to get apprenticeship or get leisure courses. Hence to participate in colleges, there are major cultural barriers. From this paper it is clear that the participation level of adults to these further education colleges is almost dependent on group of economic, cultural, demographic factors, such as socio-economic status and age. (Gallacher et al 2007 pp. 500) According to a paper by Savelsberg and Martin-Gills, stresses that the economic and social changes profoundly effect many Australian young people and cut them off of full social and economic participation. This paper carries out research in three dimensions of social exclusion: economic, social and individual. In the economic dimensions, the isolations and marginalization in the young people often lead o the dependence of peer networks. These networks however, contribute and normalize into behaviors that result in social exclusion. In the individual dimensions there are many factors; often young people refer their poor mental and physical health as a hurdle in their way to success. Or some soiling of services often prevents some of them to assess their needs. Some of them revealed their thought as they were getting crazy. It is also found that homelessness is a contributing factor in the onset of mental illness. (Savelsberg & Gills 2008 pp. 22) Conclusion: As stated by Thomas Jefferson: "Education not being a branch of municipal government, but, like the other arts and sciences, an accident [i.e., attribute] only, I did not place it with election as a fundamental member in the structure of government." (qtd. In ainscow 2007 pp.98). So it is suggested that education is something available for all members of the society regardless of what social and racial circles they belong to, what is their economic status and other domestic or personal problems. No traveling or budget should become a hurdle in getting education, that is why need of further education is increasing in order to make more literate people. Finally the research has illuminated my essay conclusively in respects to community based adult learning. By furthering the research inquiry it has left my findings with the following definitive summary. Adult learning within a community based environment, is there to help aid individuals of many walks of life, whether it be from a poor socio- economic background or genuine fear of education and learning, or alternatively general interest, or family constraints. (Omotara et al 2004 pp. 18) Therefore community educators throughout Scotland teach on averagely approx 2,000 students per year, which is a lot of learners entering the community education sector of further education. Experience has proven that with the limited resources in some locations, makes it differs from mainstream teaching, were resources are funded and made available which leads to a formal qualification. Although the quality of teaching is very high, in community education you are taxed with the constraints of funding and resources which can hinder the full function of the courses which is on offer. Therefore community education differs from mainstream further education in ways of introducing new learners a little more differently by being more inclusive with them with smaller groups of learners, which allows them to be more at ease with the tutors and feel more comfortable fitting in to the new learning environment, this allows them to engage with others and get a little more aid from the tutor on a one to one basis if necessary. The methods of teaching differ from mainstream F.E. due to the more relaxed possibly none certificated courses. However this makes the learning less invasive and more applicable for the learner, in respects to the learner they have more encouragement with greater rates of progression to allow them to move on due to the smaller class numbers. The tutor can spend more time in smaller groups or individually without other students having peer pressure as the groups are more student lead with additional support from tutor. The main idea that has come across in my research proves that man likes support; man does not like to be judged and treated negatively differently on the basis of low income or single parenthood. All the students who opt for community based learning instead of the conventional methods of education want support and leave the system that puts them down. However, adults feel the need to complete their education since good education ensures better jobs. The first step is difficult but once it has been taken, the person gains self confidence and it facilitates adults' return to formal education. Local family centres, tenant's groups, women's groups, community resource centres and youth projects help enhance a person's confidence, self-perception and self-definition and motivates him to take a step ahead through informal education. Personal relationships with family members and fellow students influence learning careers deeply. At another place Thomas Jefferson says "Education is here placed among the articles of public care, not that it would be proposed to take its ordinary branches out of the hands of private enterprise, which manages so much better all the concerns to which it is equal; but a public institution can alone supply those sciences which, though rarely called for, are yet necessary to complete the circle, all the parts of which contribute to the improvement of the country, and some of them to its preservation.” (qtd. In ainscow 2007 pp.132). So in order to provide a better nation education among the nation should be made common, no matter it is done through regular schools or colleges or further education. But as everyone does not afford to avail the facility of regular institutes, further institutes are the best options. Bibliography: Jacky L. (2001), Managing Further Education: Learning Enterprise, pp 188-197 Joan E.T. & Milbrey W.M. (2002) Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice. Professional Communities and the Artisan Model of Teaching .Vol. 8, No. 3/4, Jim G.,Beth G.,John F.,Barbera M. (2007), Learning Careers and The Social Space:Exploring the fragile identities of adult returners in the new further education Harry J. S., Bonnie M. Martin-Gills (2008), Young People on the Margins: Australian Studies of Social Exclusions, vol. 11 Martin B., Phil H. (2000) Learning Careers: Continuity and change in young people's deposition to learning, Vol. 26 No. 5 Mel A. (2007) Taking an Inclusive turn. Vol. 7 No. 1 Jakob D. & Jeanette O.(2007), Partying as Everyday Life: Investigation of teenagers’ leisure life, Vol. 10, No. 5 pp 517-537 Pauline M. (2000), Social Capital: Exploring the theoretical foundations of Community Development Education, Vol.26 No. 5 Elizebeth R. Hinde (2005), Revisiting Curriculum Integration: A fresh Look at an Old Idea. 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