Educational Systems - Essay Example

Educational Systems Introduction Learning styles are a set of theories and models which portray differences in an individual’s natural pattern in capturing and processing information which is related to various learning situations. People who use the concept of learning styles in learning and development recommend that teachers should regularly assess and evaluate the learning styles of their students and must be able to adapt their classroom methods which can fit with the learning style of a specific individual (Silver & Perini, 2000). Though huge amount of research has been done on how individuals prefer to receive and store information, very limited studies have been able to found any evidence which can help in using learning styles in education. Integration of learning styles and academic education Various psychologists and academicians have tried to incorporate learning style assessment as a core component within their personal model of schooling. According to Sprenger (2003), components such as teacher role, student learning and collegial relationships can help in establishing foundation of personalization as well as ensuring that the school is able to incorporate a caring as well as collaborative environment. Supplementary factors such as interactivity, flexibility and authenticity can help to establish the style of an individual. Learning styles do have an extremely important role within the process of personality grooming and development. They help building in important personal traits which include genetic coding, motivation, determination and adapting to the environment. Some individuals respond better to instructional environments which are based directly on their analysis of the perceptual as well as environmental style preferences (Coffield & Ecclestone, 2004). Many schools of thoughts and teaching methods do coincide with this point of view. However, learners have to function in a manner which can help them to adapt to any environment. If a child is unable to cope under traditional instructional methods, enhancing and improving his learning skills can prove to be successful. Different learning problems which most learning style tries to solve relate directly with elements of human information and processing. According to Felder & Spurlin (2005), various innate processes which include attention, perception, memory as well as integration and retrieval of information are certainly internal to a human system. Method of improving for student learning directly involves a thorough understanding of the theory of information theory. Due to this reason, learning styles are certainly an important tool to understand and manage the learning process. Characteristics of an effective learning environment Ideas generate from different sources According to Schmeck (1988), one of the key characteristic of an effective and efficient learning environment is that ideas for reading, writing, activities, projects etc derive not from a single source but from a plethora of sources. If all ideas come from a single source then we is a risk that people will be pulled off in a single direction. Not only academic professional but even the students can be a key source of ideas for the making of a productive and efficient learning environment. Various learning methods are used A variety of learning methods can play a pivotal role in the creation of an effective learning environment. Methods such as direct instruction, peer-to-peer learning, school learning, e-learning etc can play a crucial role in the learning and development of individuals. Though none of the learning methods may be perfect enough to suit each and every content, curriculum and learning diversity in the classroom but each method may suit the learning styles of the different students in a classroom. Balance and transparency An effective and efficient learning style is genuine as well as transparent (Schmeck, 1988). It does not depend merely on student participation, test results, skills etc but it is a cohesive blend of ideas which can create intriguing and engaging ideas, not only for the students but also for the teachers. Theories and Models on learning styles Sudbury model of democratic education According to Honey & Mumford (2006), by analyzing the learning styles of the schools in the UK, some very important concepts of learning disability and special education must be taken into account. It is a well understood concept that each and every child has a totally different and unique learning style and learns at a pace which is substantially different from others. Such strategies not only help children to be good learners but also help them in becoming successful. The core concept of Sudbury model in this regard is to assert the idea that there could be various techniques through which a child can study and learn. The model argues that learning is a process which an individual does but not a process which is done on an individual. Along with it, the model asserts that there are various ways to learn without the intervention of a teacher and without there being any hindrance (Greenberg, 1987). The model asserts that there are various ways through which a child can learn. For instance, a child can learn from being read a story, memorizing the story and finally reading a story. Similarly, some children learn from instructions, some learn through symbols, some learn through street signs etc. Through such ideas, students can learn all subjects, techniques, and skills in schools. According to various experts on children learning and development, traditional methods of learning have been stated as lacking productivity and efficiency and due to this reason, alternative approaches of learning such as the Sudbury Model has gained huge prominence. This model gives the children liberty and freedom and allows them to learn at their own pace rather than following the traditional method of learning. Cognitive Learning Styles Every process and learning style has different outcomes and process. The same could be said for cognitive learning styles. There are 3 important aspects which are: visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic. From a child’s perspective, each learning style can help in maximizing the time spent by studying, analyzing and incorporating various techniques in various concepts and learning objectives (Klein, 2003). Characteristics of cognitive learning styles Visual learner • Incorporates the aid of visual objects which include graphs, charts, pictures etc. • is able to read body language in a vivid manner • is able to memorize as well as recall previous information • is able to things which are written down • learns better through classroom lectures Auditory learner • is able to retain information through conversation. • prefers to be instructed about doing things and summarizes the key points by memorizing. • Can focus on various key aspects of speaking Kinaesthetic leaner • prefers the pragmatic approach for learning new material • is good at practical subjects such as math and science • is able to demonstrate a topic or a subject rather than explaining it Educational and learning reforms in UK According to Ball (1993), educational and learning reforms in UK comprises of three very significant structural reforms which are: Centralisation: In the mid 1990’s, the conservative government of the UK had been able to introduce national assessments for its citizens and for the very first time in the history of UK, a national curriculum came into being which shifted the focus of control in education from the private sector to the government. Assessment: Various measures have been able to emphasize learning outcomes which can help in measuring targets as well as performance criteria rather than mere educational processes. It also reflects a relatively general trend towards the government. Initiatives: Initiatives can be highly beneficial for a government because they can allow for continuous investment on education, learning and development. They also allow governments in being selective and what and how they can pay for and from where. Core characteristics of educational reforms in UK Transparency According to Kohli (2004), the government of UK has ensured greater awareness as well as ownership in the learning and development of the children of UK. The academic institutions within the UK have tried to ensure the adequate grooming of the children which is best suited to their learning style. The government of UK, along with the educational institutes in the UK has tried to increase awareness of important issues which are integrated with child development and due to this reason, has taken major education policy initiatives. Effectiveness and Efficiency The government has used public resources efficiently and effectively, which has resulted in value for money for the taxpayers of the UK (Robeyns, 2005). The educational system has been highly innovative and productive and has been able to adopt approaches and standards which have relied heavily on internationally acclaimed best practices. This has further helped in promoting increased effectiveness towards the educational sector which can make children highly competent. Such measures can certainly monitor as well as evaluate implementation of the educational policy. Coherence The government has adopted a coherent approach across various educational sectors and this has resulted in long term success. The government has aimed for coherence between the educational policy as well as other development policies across the country and along with it the relevant policies which coexist with the department of education and science as well as other governmental Departments. It has also ensured greater coherence among educational initiatives which exist at global as well as domestic level (Cassidy, 2004). Sustainability The intervention of the government in the education sector has proven to be durable and can certainly bring endless benefits in the long term. However, sustainable improvement within the educational system does require long-term commitment of resources by the local government as well as by the local community (Pashler & Bjork, 2008). With the government providing consistent and long-term funding to increase the educational capacity of its citizens, it is also only a matter of time that the educational needs of the citizens are met on a consistent basis. Apart from the traits above, there are a few other factors which can relate to educational reforms and strategies in the UK By giving priority for the growth and development for the education sector, as well as for the implementation of effective services, the government of UK can sort out effective educational policies and strategies. Supporting consistent improvements within the learning environment, specifically by providing increased access to the users with the help of teachers as well as by providing top quality instructional materials to the students. By encouraging the utilization of consistent monitoring and evaluation of quality assurance in domestic educational curriculum, the government of UK can strengthen the capacity of the civil society which can further help in monitoring effective learning outcomes. By encouraging the use of consistent research and development can lead to quality outcome in education and also knowledge sharing of practices which can help to contribute towards further quality improvements in education. Criticism of the governmental reforms Various citizens in the UK have lost their trust in the educational system of the UK and have criticized the learning system incorporated by the academic institutes as well as the government. Strong evidence has emerged which raises doubts over the quality of the educational as well as learning system in the UK and highlights the need for improvement from the government (Vito, 2000). Lack of consistent learning and development has lead citizens to complain over the downgraded academic standards of the UK. Even employers have found difficulty in being able to find people who don’t possess basic skills which can be beneficial for employment which include problem solving, numeracy, time management etc. Due to this reason, employers either have to invest on the improvement of their employees or have to hire candidates from abroad. Conclusion By evaluating and analyzing the above research, it can be concluded that all learning styles are somehow and someway similar to each other. Also, learning styles may also depend on various factors such as age, demography, gender etc and there is a sudden change in learning style when one gets old and gains relatively more experience. Learning styles do play a critical role in the educational system of a region and due to this reason, intervention and constant intervention of the government authorities is highly critical in this regard. The state regulations of UK do depict the fact that learning styles and education system are related to each other. For this reason, it is extremely crucial to incorporate different learning styles into the educational system of a region. References Ball, S. J. 1993. Education markets, choice and social class: the market as a class strategy in the UK and the USA. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 14(1), 3-19. Coffield, F. & Ecclestone, K. 2004. Should we be using learning styles? What Research has to say to Practice. Springer. Cassidy, S. 2004. Learning styles: An overview of theories, models, and measures. Educational Psychology, 24(4), 419-444. Felder, R. M., & Spurlin, J. 2005. Applications, reliability and validity of the index of learning styles, International Journal of Engineering Education, 21(1), 103-112. Greenberg, D. 1987. Free at last. The Other Rs. The Sudbury Valley School. Honey, P. & Mumford, A. 2006. The Learning Styles Questionnaire, 80-item version, Maidenhead, UK, Peter Honey Publications. Kohli, A. 2004. State-Directed Development: Political Power and Industrialization in the Global Periphery. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Klein, P. 2003. "Rethinking the multiplicity of cognitive resources and curricular representations: Alternative to learning styles and multiple intelligences." Journal of Curriculum Studies, 35(1). Robeyns, I., 2005. The Capability Approach: a theoretical survey. Journal of Human Development, 6(1), 93-117. Pashler, H. & Bjork, R. 2008. Learning styles concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105-119. Schmeck, R. R. E. 1988. Learning Strategies and Learning Styles. Plenum Press. Silver, H. & Perini, M. J. 2000. “So each may learn: Integrating learning styles and multiple intelligences.” Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714. Sprenger, M. 2003. Differentiation through Learning Styles and Memory, Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Tanzi, Vito. 2000. Policies, Institutions and the Dark Side of Economics. Northampton: Edward Elgar. Read More