Education reform has been an important topic of discussion in the United States for many years. These changes aim to improve the outcomes for students in the US. Schooling has undergone a series of reforms and changes, each with varying outcomes. Some of these changes have had positive impacts on the instruction system by strengthening the curriculum and meeting the needs of the students. In contrast, others have impaired the realization of the set goals. This essay will discuss the roles of different schooling stakeholders in tutelage reforms and evaluate an effective strategic tool during the implementation of education reform.
Restructuring the schooling system in the United States of America is a continuous process that involves various modifications and amendments to ensure the ever-changing needs of society are met. Learning improvements are pervasive and thus require coordination between different groups of people and organizations that constitute the stakeholders (Zajda, 2020). There are various stakeholders charged with executing these changes: government officials, educators, parents, business leaders, and community members (Björk et al., 2020). Each stakeholder has an exclusive role to play in improving the education system. Government officials are in charge of developing policies and allocating resources to facilitate the improvement of the education system (Fan & Popkewitz, 2020). They set standards for curriculum implementation, provide funding for schools, and regulate schools’ operations. Government officials can also create laws to ensure that all students have access to quality education.
Educators play a significant role in implementing the policies developed by various stakeholders. They are tasked with developing acceptable teaching methods that meet the needs of the students and improve their learning outcomes. They are responsible for designing curriculums, developing lesson plans, and creating an engaging learning environment for students. Educators can also work with parents to provide feedback and support to improve student performance. Parents are important advocates for their children and can work with schools to create a positive learning environment. Students are the primary beneficiaries of education, and their participation in the reform process is crucial. Business leaders and community members can contribute to education reform by providing school resources and support (Paris, 2019). They can collaborate with educators and government officials to identify the skills students need to succeed in the workforce and provide opportunities for students to develop those skills.
As an educational leader responsible for implementing classroom project-based learning, I would use the SWOT analysis. This tool is essential in terms of analytic scope; it helps to evaluate both internal and external factors of a project in terms of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a particular situation. By performing a SWOT analysis, I will be able to recognize the different external and internal factors likely to influence the functionality of the proposed project. This strategic tool would be essential in identifying the strengths and advantages of the project; this way, it would be easier to implement and develop its intended goals and objectives (Møller-Skau & Lindstøl, 2022). In terms of the weaknesses of the proposed change, this tool would help to develop possible solutions for the identified weaknesses, like the need for increased training of the respective instructors.
Implementation of project-based learning in classrooms will create many opportunities for beneficial partnerships between the school and different organizations and businesses around the school. The SWOT analysis tool will help to identify these opportunities and how best to utilize them. Furthermore, it will help identify the threat that will likely hinder the successful implementation and realization of the project’s goals and objectives. Some of these threats may include; a shortage of the required resources, reluctance from the teachers opposed to change, and a shortage of funds needed to implement the project. SWOT analysis is a tactical tool that helps to develop proficiency thereby enabling leaders to make informed decisions about a project or initiative. This is achieved by identifying key issues, developing a strategic plan, and encouraging collaboration on a project or initiative. Using the SWOT analysis would enable me to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses potential roadblocks and maximizes the initiative’s strengths (Jiang & Xu, 2022). It would also provide a framework for ongoing evaluation and adjustment of the plan to ensure its success.
In conclusion, education reform in the United States is a complex process that requires the collaboration of various stakeholders, including government officials, educators, business owners and parents. These stakeholders play different roles aimed at improving education quality while meeting society’s needs. The success of an education system depends on the coordination of these stakeholders because their roles complement each other. The SWOT analysis tool is an ideal and strategic tool that would be essential during the implementation of the proposed project. This will help evaluate the project’s internal and external factors in terms of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. As such, this tool would help to develop a plan that capitalizes on its strengths, focuses on minimizing its weaknesses and seizing the opportunities created.
References
Björk, L. G., Browne-Ferrigno, T., & Potterton, A. U. (2020). Educational reform in the USA: Superintendents’ role in promoting social justice through organizational justice. Handbook on Promoting Social Justice in Education, 497-522. Web.
Fan, G., & Popkewitz, T. S. (2020). Handbook of education policy studies: Springer Nature.
Jiang, C., Xu, J. (2022). The Application Research of Education Metaverse Under the Framework of SWOT Analysis. In Zhang, LJ. (eds), Metaverse – METAVERSE 2022. METAVERSE 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13737. Springer, Cham. Web.
Møller-Skau, M., & Lindstøl, F. (2022). Arts-Based teaching and learning in teacher education: “Crystallising” student teachers’ learning outcomes through a systematic literature review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 109, 103545. Web.
Paris, D. C. (2019). Ideology and Educational Reform: Themes and Theories in Public Education. Routledge.
Zajda J. I. (2020). Globalisation Ideology and Education Reforms: Emerging Paradigms. Springer.