Government
This chapter provides the overall conceptualization and analytical framework for evaluating, thinking, and doing something on educational change through the governmental body. The chapter analysis shows that there is incidentally and rationally planned strategies though they may not be such rational when dealing and handling people in review to the problem of meaning.
The chapters have examines the role of the government and its contribution on educational change. Thus the theme of this critical analysis paper is to evaluate the content of chapter and its implications in regards to the body of research knowledge. The topic addressed crucial issues in reference to their concrete experimental evidence in an educational realm (Michael 2007).
According to Michael (2007), various views about governments and their roles have been clearly and widely pinpointed. Theoretical insights on the roles of government are absolutely direct. The role of government on school administration and policy enactment is the main theme in this topic government.”
We all know that it is the role of government to focus on entire school administration and put into place various educational officials including administrators” (Michael 2007).the state is an incredibly blunt instrument, since it gets hold on overarching idea and imposes it without any sensitivity to local context. The government has acknowledged the benefit of education and has laid out funds, and established several public learning institutions.
It is expectantly that the government should focus on a particular direction and formulate goals which will act as path ways of attaining and implementing the set ideas.Conventionally, the government should comprehend the various dynamics of educational change. This is due to an alarming fact that educational change is a sociopolitical process that puts on board different kinds of classroom, local, national and regional factors at work.
Responding to the issue of national literacy and numerology, government is expected to ensure equal distribution of educational; resource so as to spearhead balanced educational development.Dicentralisation of educational facilities to grassroots is an idea that can not be underscored. Further, with regard to national literacy is emphasized in the primary national strategy a document launched in the United Kingdom, England.This strategy was taken under the docket of numeracy strategy umbrella.
The government has gone forth to affix frameworks for teaching literacy.Consequently; literacy and mathematics were engrossed in a new primary framework. The national literacy strategy (NLA), framework objectives as laid out by the government, summarises four key strategies: Knowledge of content, knowledge of grammar, word recognition and use of phonics.
In a critical analysis, the implications arising from literacy and numeracy involves strict encouragement and direct teaching with much emphasis to teacher-learner interactions. It also implies that many mainstreaming children’s will be able to access quality education. The argument that principals and teachers are equipped with knowledge and insights to make headways from poor educational systems becomes null and void on grounds that it’s the system that directs teachers to make clear guidelines.
For example, in teaching arena, lesson plans and designation of curriculum are formulated with guidelines from the educational system.However, it’s very true that most of the educational policy makers don’t have any educational background and thus they are not competent in the field of education (Michael 2007).
It is agreeable that construction of larger infrastructure becomes a big boost in educational reform system. From the change forces trilogy, where education is supported by nonlinear forces, it is understood that all people should be involved in building learning organization. This is a great idea worth to concur. Governments face a dilemma. Their world is of wanting quick solutions for urgent problems”. This view on governments manifests the key loophole in educational systems.
It is agreeable that most governments do not provide long lasting solutions to the educational challenges but instead wait until it’s too late. This is the time weak policies are enacted to provide immediate solutions.Thus, this weakness in governments have had diverse consequences on education agenda (Michael 2007). “If we are to achieve large scale reforms, Governments are essential “This is evident because it is the government which plays a major financial boosts to educational improvement spectrum.
Though this has a great historical evidence to date, most governments have not gotten it right. This implies that, governments really have a central role to play in educational reforms and curriculum renewal but its representation has taken it for granted (Michael 2007).
Professional Preparation Teachers
On the concept of professional preparation of teachers is quoted as follows, “so as to help ourselves change and learn we truly need to more put effort to our personal and intellectual growth (Michael 2007).Arguably, in the contemporary society and in regard to educational needs, there is a problem of attracting good qualified people to educational profession. This is because it has not been easy to provide them with best initial preparation.
Educational institutions are subjecting and providing learners with hidden curriculum which enables them to work for the capitalist’s society just to earn living and not to nature talent. Hence the words in this book stand true. Its well understood and supported that need for individualistic macro strategies is a core element in inducing professionalism in teaching.
Thanks to author of this book for implementation of these strategies in order to give a boost to education, Policy makers should give their contribution in pursuit of quality teaching. The main strategy in the book is to “sure a diverse and high quality approach to teacher preparation that involves solid K-12/post secondary partnerships, strong field experience and good support for new teachers.
This is an enormous strategy but it does not yield anything unless the government chips in to guarantee better motivational packages to teachers. This strategy has underscored the fact that better recruitment is essential in realization of the strategy. The strategy as is quoted in this book provides information to the fact that new pedagogies of constructivism are essential for implementation of the strategy.
The second strategy formulated from the book on ensuring professionalism of teachers is that teacher recruitment and retention policies should be enacted to boost efficiency in areas of great need. This is a very strong strategy but it under estimates the dynamic nature of education resulting due to societal changes.Thus, the question of areas of greatest need is not clear. From analysis of the statement areas of greatest need assumes static nature of education. This makes this strategy inadequate (Michael 2007).
The third strategy on ensuring professionalism of teachers is that:”Ensure that all teachers are able to participate in high quality professional development to improve their practice “This strategy is practical and can enhance professionalism of the teaching staff. However the strategy ignores the roles of individual students and their contributions. The strategy also does not provide methods and formulas to ensure participation of teachers in educational development affairs (Michael 2007).
The forth strategy as indicated on the book is to “redesign teacher accountability systems to ensure that all teachers posses the skills and knowledge they need’’.This strategy is laudable, but may not be easily implemented since it is not only misguided but also underguided.The strategy has focused on improving deposition of individuals, and skills.Thus, it has neglected the core school capacity. This identifies the fatal flaw of the strategy (Michael 2007).
Though, educationalists and educational reformists have been in argument. It has been well stated that large scale of improvement can be accomplished through rewarding, recruiting and retaining good people as well as releasing them from bureaucratic ties. A lot needs to be done.
There is a missing link in the words of this book in view of the latter clause and in its wider dimension. This is due to the fact that improvement is more of functions of learning the right thing as opposed to mare knowing of what to do. This statement exemplifies and reinstates the strategic argument on professionalism of teachers (Michael 2007).
Professional learning of Education
In Professional learning education “a profession is not created by certificates and censures but by existence of substantive body of professional knowledge “Michael (2007). A Scholar has argued that in professional learning, educators should have a wide knowledge on the game of teaching and bombardment of knowledge to the learners. In professional teaching education it always important for educators to to keep the teaching standards high so as to cultivate and synthesis all rounded students.
This can be easily realized by enforcement of good school traditions and educational culture. There are two measures of standards formulated by the author .To begin with, teachers should have adequate mastery of their teaching subjects and secondly they should know how to transfer the knowledge to the learners.Thus, in view of the two measures, the words of this book are naked truth (Michael 2007).
The Future of Educational Change
The author of the book, “Meaning of educational change”, begin with a comment. “The future of education is not what is used to be (Michael 2007). This book looks at the future of education as different from the historical thought.
The author’s argument is that unless people find meaning in educational reforms, then the dynamism of education will remain statistic and dull. From wide analysis of educational review articles and sessional papers, the ideas of the author stand still. Unless there is change in attitude of people especially in mindsets of educational policy makers, the future of education is dull.
The existing strategies of the author, can not take education far unless they have been intermingled with contemporary educational policies since most of his ideas are long gone. This implies that the strategies in this book can not redefine education unless they are supplemented with modern educational strategies.Moreover, the future of education will remain dull unless corrective measures are taken into consideration (Michael 2007).
Conclusion
Thus, from the above analysis, its worth to note that unless educationalists and policy makers redefine the meaning of formal education and mix it with practical life skills, Formal higher education institution will keep on preparing students to suit capitalists market. This means that the nature of education described in this book is not enough to acquaint learners with adequate life skills. Hence the future of education lies on the hands of educatational system designers, policy makers, teachers, learners and the public at large.
Reference
Michael, F. (2007). The new Meaning of Educational Change .New York: State university of New York