Changing Education Paradigms addresses the topic of a fundamental review of the approach to education, and I strongly support the ideas expressed therein. Patel offers reasonable criticism of “a system of education that is modeled on the interests of industrialism and in the image of it” (as cited in The RSA, 2012). The main drawback of this approach to children’s education is the conveyorized and standardized approach to the mechanisms of students’ information perception. Thus, the current major issue in this area is the development of an individualized and flexible education system that takes into account the personal characteristics of learning processes.
There is no doubt that every individual should have the right to any kind of education. Based on the initial thinking characteristics of children, parents should be able to select the type of learning for them. Students with an analytical mindset could be successful in classical academic education, and specialized learning might suit better to people with applied thinking. At the same time, society should abandon the division of people into two types: academic and non-academic (The RSA, 2012). Firstly, it stigmatizes people with non-analytical thinking, and secondly, it is merely inadequate since the mindset types are highly diverse, not dyadic.
It should be noted that the distribution of responsibilities between the levels of government in the United States in the field of education is not always effective. According to Theodoulou and Kofinis (2012), “the decentralization of education underscores socioeconomic and cultural differences from state to state” (Chapter 9 Summary, para. 12). Nevertheless, the national education standard should be established at the federal level. In that regard, the NCLB Act of 2002 played a positive role in improving the quality of education, as it made “students, teachers, schools, and districts accountable” (2012, Chapter 9 Summary, para. 8).
This legislation had the function of improving the average level of education and giving more children the right to education. However, the national quality standard does not take into account the individual characteristics of local students. It is my understanding that the provision of concrete education should be addressed through the development of specific educational institutions by individual citizens, who take into account the demand for different types of learning. Thus, the selection of curricula for specific children with individual needs should be made at the level of a particular school or other educational institution.
References
The RSA. (2010). RSA Animate: Changing education paradigms. Web.
Theodoulou, S. Z., & Kofinis, C. (2012). The policy game: Understanding U.S. public policy making. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Web.