Introduction
Education plays a major role in the training and development process of a student. Skills and knowledge are gained by students at different levels of learning (Hannan & Silver 2000). The report study explores the current educational system in Melbourne, Australia.
Owing to an increase in higher in competitiveness in higher education, the curriculum has been integrated to compare with the global standards of education (OECD 2010). Generally, the Australian educational system is at par with the international standards and as such, it is internationally recognized (Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2008).
According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, schools in Australia offer students the chance to develop their confidence and skills. In the areas of technology and innovation, graduates from the Melbourne based university are known for their excellence. The Australian system of education prepares students for life outside the offer of vocational skills necessary in the employment sector. This offers students the opportunity to be get employment in the international market.
The education offered in Melbourne, Australia attracts international students from such regions as Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, India, and the People Republic of China (Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2008).
The schools are recognized in training students in English language and international education. Students are attracted to colleges and universities in Melbourne to enjoy the skills, qualifications, and experiences added by the Australian education. Technology is incorporated in the education system making the education reliable, excellent and of high quality. Because of the rich and diverse culture of Australia, attending school in Australia is an enriching experience especially to foreign students.
Background information
Aim and objectives
The aim of the report is to investigate the situation of Melbourne’s education system.
The major objectives are
- To investigate education system in Melbourne, Australia.
- To explore the factors that influence students’ study
- To explore the relationship between Melbourne’s education and job procurement in the future.
- To understand the role played by education on students attending educational institutions in Melbourne.
Importance and relevance
The significance of the current study is that it will help to shed light on areas of importance in education to students attending school in Melbourne, Australia. In addition, the study will also help to shed light on the most popular courses in Australia. This will go a long way into assisting students enrolling at school in Australia.
Methods
The research is based on a qualitative research design carried in Melbourne, Australia. The perception, opinions, and the attitudes of the Australians will be collected in respect to education system.
Sample size and sampling strategy
A sample size of 20 participants was developed and interviews carried out using the designed questionnaire. The results were recorded in the questionnaires for further analysis. The self administered questionnaires had 15 questions that would help in achieving the research aims and objectives.
To ensure reliability and validity on the data and information collected, open ended and closed ended questions were used. The open ended questions allowed the participant to give their views and attitudes towards multiculturalism. On the other hand, the closed ended questions confined the participants to particular answer which also gave their views and perceptions.
Administering questionnaires and collating data
The questionnaires were self administered. Because of their simplified nature, the questionnaires assisted in interviewing the target sample. Each sessions was allocated a period of 30 minutes. The response rate was 100% as no delays or distortion was witnessed. The collected information was entered into tables for interpretation, evaluation, and analysis. Responses with the same, related and close meaning were grouped together for ease of interpretation.
Ethical considerations
Upon the establishment of the target sample, consent from the participants was sought. It was explained that the study was for academic purposes and that confidentiality, anonymity, and privacy would be guaranteed.
Questions that would invade the participant’s privacy were avoided during the data collection process. It was also made clear that the participant had the choice to answer or not answer questions which they deemed as inappropriate. Lastly, participants were informed that they were free to ask for clarification in questions which they did not understand well.
Results and Discussion
Results
The research had a response rate of 100% as all the 20 participants’ questionnaires were availed on time with no distortion whatsoever. The results of the study have been represented in the tables below:
Of the 20 respondents, 12 of them were females, while 8 were males. In terms of age, 5 of the respondents were between the age of 18 and 25 years, another five were between 25 and 30 years, while 7 were between 30 and 40 years. Only one respondent fell in the 41 to 50 years category, while two respondents were over 50 years.
Below is a table of the educational background of the respondents:
Most of the respondents had completed subjects in business while at school, according to table 2 below:
When asked what in their opinion was the most important in school, nearly 30 percent of the respondents cited the school environment, while a similar number cited the teachers, the communication room, lab, and building, at 20 percent, 10 percent, and 10 percent, respectively. The respondents cited the internet, relationship of school and living style as some of the main things that would influence students study, according to table 3 below:
When asked if they thought whether graduation and course would influence the student’s job in the future, more than half of the respondents said it would only have a little effect. On the other hand, the respondents identified quality of teaching, school facility and subject’s lab as some of the main part of education that they thought the school needs to pay more attention to, as shown by table 4 below:
With regard to the issue of the number of hours after school that students should take in part-time jobs, more than half of the respondents said that this should not exceed 4 hours, according to table 5 below:
In addition, many of the respondents (60 percent) were convinced that part-time activities would help the student increase his/her society experience. On the other hand, attendance, homework, and education equipment were also regarded as the most important activities that would assist the student while studying at the university/SAFE, according to table 5 below:
Discussions
According to the study results, business study is the most important course to study in Australia. These results are in line with a report released by Study Abroad Australia (n. d.) that has identified the most popular course as that of business. This is because most of the students take these courses with a view to gaining administrative and managerial skills so that they can be able to move to management levels at various organizations.
On the other hand, the school environment and the teacher were noted as the most important things for the success of students while at school. These results have been supported by Berry (2002) who has noted that the successful management of the school environment acts as an essential and necessary educational investment. There is compelling research evidence to show that educational performance is directly linked to the environmental quality of schools.
In addition, the manner in which the school facilities are managed will also impact on the quality of the schools and by extension, will affect the performance of students. Besides, the attitudes of teachers, the staff and students are affected by school environment (Skelton 2005; Tam 2001). This is an important consideration because behavior affects performance. At the same time, the future outcomes of individuals as well as society depend on educational performance.
Lai, Sadoulet and Janvry (2009) have explored the role of teacher qualification and school quality to student performance. In their study, the authors have noted that the performance of students increase with an increase in school quality and the qualification of teachers.
With regard to school quality, the elements that were of concern to the authors include the availability of teaching material and an ideal environment for learning. Many of the respondents were convinced that school attendance was the most important activity, a position that has been supported by Cowey, Harper, Dunn and Wolgemuth (2009).
In their study, the authors note that school attendance is directly connected to academic achievement. In another study conducted by Douglas and Douglas (2006), it was revealed that Australian indigenous students located in remote areas had very poor school attendance rates and in the same way, they tended to record poor results in comparison with those students who attended school regularly.
Implication of the study
The study offers a platform for understanding the Australian education system. Specifically, the study helps to shed light on the education system in Melbourne. By examining the most popular course taken by the students, one is able to gain an insight into the courses that are most likely to result in a job offer after completing school. Also, the study gives an insight into the importance of regularly attending school as it is directly related to improved academic performance.
Conclusion
The most popular courses in the Australian education system are the business-related courses. In addition, students in Australia cite school attendance as the most important activity, followed by completion of homework. Nonetheless, the students feel that the education system needs to be improved with regard to the areas of quality of teaching and school facilities. The internet, along with the relationship of school also appears to be the most influential activities for students while at school.
Reference List
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2008. Our system of education. Web.
Berry, M 2002. Healthy School Environment and Enhanced Educational Performance: The Case of Charles Young Elementary School Washington, D. C. Web.
Cowey, W, Harper, H, Dunn, B, & Wolgemuth, J 2009. How important is school attendance in learning to read? Web.
Douglas, J & Douglas, A 2006,’ Evaluating Teaching Quality’, Quality in Higher Education, vol. 12, no. 1.
Hannan, A & Silver, H 2000, Innovating in higher education: teaching, learning and institutional cultures, Society for Research in Higher Education and Open University Press, Buckingham, UK.
Lai, F, Sadoulet, E & Janvry, A 2009. The contributions of school quality and teacher qualifications to student performance: Evidence from a natural experiment in Beijing middle schools. Available from: https://are.berkeley.edu/~esadoulet/papers/SchoolEffectJHR.pdf [01 February 2012].
OECD 2010. Learning our lesson: review of quality teaching in higher education. Available from: http://www.oecd.org/education/imhe/44058352.pdf [31 January 2012].
Skelton, A 2005, Understanding teaching excellence in higher education. Towards a critical approach, Routledge, Oxon.
Study Abroad Australia n. d. Popular Course. Web.
Tam M 2001,’Measuring quality and performance in higher education’, Quality in education, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 4 – 54.