Which Is Better for PMU Student British Education System or American? Report

Introduction

Definition, Description, and Background of American and British Education System

Different countries adopt different education systems; others have two systems and the students have the choice of the one to follow. American education system is a system that originated from the United States of America; the education starts when the child is about 5 years i.e. when he is expected to attend kindergarten. This lasts for one year. The second-year is still in the kindergarten but this year is taken as their first year of primary school. The term used for comparison of a single year is grade. Primary education has five grades and thus after completion a student is referred to as fifth-grade student. After the completion of the primary level, the students are admitted to secondary school for a total of seven years, this is from grade six to grade twelve. Grade six to eight is called Junior high school and grade nine to grade twelve are referred to as high school (Nicole, 2010). Upon the completion of twelfth grade the student graduates with a high school diploma. Before one has been admitted to college or university, he/she must have been in school for a total of twelve years after kindergarten. If a student wants to further his education, he then has to attend undergraduate school first. This is a high-level school that offers a two-year associate degree and/or a four-year Bachelor’s degree, in the case of Bachelor’s degree, the student must specialize in a certain area. Those undertaking associate degrees can advance for a Bachelor’s degree. This is however after attaining a certain grade, either in the graduate school or high school. After this level, the student has the choice of moving further or not. Those who decide to move further can enroll in a graduate school. This is a two-year Master’s level, where the student writes a thesis in an area that he has a background in from the junior level. Even after this the student can further their studies for a further three to six years degree; P.H.D. This is a doctorate degree. The duration of the degree depends on the complexity of the subject and the capability of the student (Yuriy, n.d).

On the other hand, the British education system is a system that recognizes an early school attendance from three years. This means that the first two years are infant years that the child cannot be teamed as if he is in school but general upbringing of the child. For the next four years, they are referred to as junior school. Secondary school education takes a period between eleven years and sixteen years. The system followed is either GCSE or VCSE or both, those who are through with their first junior school are awarded an O-level (ordinary level) certificate. After that the students can take a further two years to attain an A-level certificate. A level certificate is offered when one passes an exam administered by the state. After the secondary education, there is no university and university education. In non-university, it involves the tertiary level colleges and polytechnics. The duration of the course is dependent on the demands of a particular course. The diploma course is divided into two levels, the first level takes one year the student is awarded a BTEC first diploma and after three years a BTEC national diploma. There is a further two-year study in one area of specialization and this leads to a higher level diploma. At the university level, there is the undergraduate university that offers a three or four-year course in a certain area and offers a Bachelors’s degree. The degree is graded according to the performance of the student as First Class Honors, a Second Class Honors or a Third Class Honors. After attaining at least a second class upper, one can enroll for master’s in his area of specialization that will take a further two years. One must complete a thesis, and he obtains a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) degree. After this one can take another at least three years for a Doctorate degree. After completing a thesis successfully, one is awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy (D.Phil. or Ph.D.). In case one presents several written materials that are contributing to the subject successfully, there is a higher doctorate degree mostly issued by universities in Law, Humanities, Science, Medical Sciences, Music and Theology (LANCASTER, 2007).

a) Purpose of the report, and intended audience

The above two systems have the main goal of giving the best to the students following either of them. They aim at ensuring that the graduates who graduate from either the system are quality and can effectively give back to the society. As the time changes, a difference in the quality of the graduate is increasingly been seen due to the contents of the course. The decision regarding the system that a child is going to take is made by the parent at the tender age of the child (Steve-olson, 2008). This report thus targets parents and young people who are aiming to start their families soon.

b) Method of inquiry

Methodology

1. Conduct a literature review on the quality of both systems i.e. British and American Education systems.
2. Conduct a review on their participation in management positions of companies.
3. Analyze the proportionate number of graduates from either sector who enter the job market every year.
4. Induce discussions that will take the place of formal interviews but that are directed to the objective I want to meet. To be seen in line and not to look suspicious, I will be approaching discussion as a continuation of the class/ grade topics that the students have done in school. While the interviews will not be formal or structured, the kinds of questions I will ask include the following,

• What do you think about your education system?
• How do you compare it with the other (this will depend on the system that the interviewed student have taken)
• What is your take on the level of exposure given by your system?
• Do you still think that there is a way that the system can be improved?
• How do you think this can be done (if the previous question was a yes)
• When recruiting do you consider the system that the candidate has undergone?
• What is the ratio of employees who have undertaken American System and British System?
• What proportion is in the management?
• What is the company’s observation about the two systems; do you think that there is a superior one to the other?

5. Analyze the observations made and review the “interview” made.

c) Limitations and Delimitation:

Time constraint, the semester is so squeezed that making comprehensive research is not possible together with other classwork. The period that I will be with the organizations of study is not good enough to give me a full analysis of the human resources, team communication, individual career progressions, and their inputs in the company after enrolment after either the system. Some of these aspects cannot be revealed by mere observation. Since I cannot demand information from the company’s management, then the information is subject to bias and personal perception. I am also warned that some information that I may get may be directed by my presence and maybe manipulated to fit a situation.

I am aware that taking close analysts to more companies, colleges, high schools and universities may be of great assistance and give more input to the subject as well as offer a chance for comparison; however, I choose to only concentrate on three companies, three colleges, three universities, and three high schools. Secondly I will not use structured interviews in all data collection to assist me to stay in course, as much as it is important, I consider some of my situations not ideal for one.

d) Scope of the Inquiry

I will be engaged in the above-mentioned activities, observe, and at least an hour per day on the internet looking for information that will assist me in understanding the feeling of the students in either system and their contribution to companies that they have been employed. I will dedicate approximately six hours per week. I will offer free services to my companies of study for at least a week in each so as I can relax the mood and get required information most probably with a level of integrity, then the way I would get it by just distributing questionnaires. To get the attention of colleges, and high schools, I will attend their various activities, like sporting, science congresses and brainstorming questions. I will raise issues of discussion and gauge the level of their understanding.

The areas of study will be;

1. The general feeling of students and parents regarding a certain system out of their experience
2. The employer feeling and the participation in the either system
3. The psychologists and early educationists’ feelings

The General Feeling of Students and Parents Regarding a Certain System Out of Their Experience

Definition

The data was collected from students of various colleges, universities and high schools it is not by formal questionnaires but through interactive discussions.

Findings

Most of the students seemed not to have much information about the other system, most of those who are engaged in American system were positive about it; they believed that they get enough exposure to their area of study. They are more confident that they can face the employment market. In over two-third of the extra curriculum activities the American system students performed better.

Interpretation of the Finding

The finding shows that the American system is a more flexible system that gives the student the chance to learn and understand more than the British system. On the other hand, there are some compulsory subjects that are in line with the changes in the environment. This is seen when the student portrays a higher confidence to face the employments. The development of one’s talents is made possible by the extra curriculum that the school organizes; as much as the two have almost an equal budget in terms of time for this, the dominance of those schools that follow the American system was evident. This is a shows that the system is more superior. Attitude is one factor that determines the success of a person, the attitude of students taking the American system is better than that of the British system. The time allocated for practical work, right from lower grades is more in the American system. This has helped the students to get a first-hand feeling of what they are taught in class. The activities that they are engaged in include farming and practical computer classes. At the level of University, the declines of thesis were more in British system than in American system.

The Employer Feeling and the Participation of the Either System

Definition

This data was gotten from the information given by employers. One of the employers did not consider the kind of system that the candidate followed, but the other two were interested to know the system. The total data showed that the proportionate employees who have done the British system were less in the company, but they are more in the management than those that followed the American system.

Findings

There were more American System than the British system workers (we considered the relative and not comparative figures). In the teams they are more active however their leadership skills are seen as less developed than their counterfeits.

Findings Interpretation

The American system is better in offering socially integrated people who are more willing to work as a team than the British ones. There are numerous short courses that a student can take if he or she fails to go to high learning institutions. Twelfth graders were doing a lot of manual work in the companies and their growth to management level faced a glass ceiling. Workers who have done the British system were more in management positions, this is because the system syllabus has recommended for a rotating class leadership, thus from childhood. The student grew with the leadership values instilled in him or her. Their system is also not as deep as that of the American system and thus they had time to practice this leadership.

The Psychologists and Early Educationist’s Feelings

Definition

They are people who have studied child psychology and child development. Their input was more on the ages of the student when they start schooling and the activities that they underwent.

Findings

They both agreed that a child needs at least four years with the parent before they are integrated with the larger society. This is where a child is going to learn good morals and get a sense of belongings. The personality of the child is also shaped at this level. The American system specifically stated that the years of early education are after five years. This goes in line with the psychologist’s belief and thus is a superior system. There was also the feeling that the world has changed and thus students are wiser than the previous regime, but the feeling of psychologists and early educators is that this is a product of the exposure that they get from the outside world, thus this should not be a reason to give a child early education than the system requires.

Findings Interpretation

The American system recognizes the need for a well morally developed system. It aims at developing the child from all angles. This can also be a probable explanation of why there are better teams of those who have undertaken the system in the job places.

Conclusion

Each of the two systems has a deficit, that it seems to fulfill, both can be given credit ,though, because there have been changes in the syllabus more likely to align the system with the changing needs of the society. In the job places those people who have undergone the American system way are making more productive teams than those of the British system, and on the other hand most team leaders are those who have undergone through the British system, there is no balance and thus both the system lack something to be considered more superior. However, there was greater acceptance of the American system by both the students and early childhood educators.

Summary of Findings

The participation and acceptance of the American system are more than that of the British system. The system develops well-integrated students with social skills than the British system. Most companies would prefer to have an American twelfth grade instead of a British A level, and explained that the performance may be the same but A level expect to be paid higher than their counterparts. They consider this grade as if is a college-level, but they both don’t have any professional or technical skills.

Overall Interpretation of Findings

The American education system aims at developing an round student than the British system. This is because it has a syllabus that aims to develop the student in all angles of life. This is the system I would recommend for a PMU student. This is so because the life today is not all about books, but involves other aspects of life. The system has set out time for students to participate in extra curriculum activities. Finally, the compulsory subjects that a student must undertake despite the course that he is taking also make the student more informed.

Recommendations

As stated earlier, both the system has areas that they have a deficit, they need to be improved. There is a need to aim at developing leaders in American system. This will be attained by having a timetable that offers students the chance to lead a class at different levels. As the demands of the world, today are, each company is aiming at having a winning team, the British system develops students who prefer to work as individuals; this is not in line with labor market demands, they should engage in more social activities like games, drama and music from an early age to ensure that this skill is instilled in the student. The parent should make an informed decision before choosing either because of the impact it can have on the child in the long run.

Reference List

1. Infrozee. (2010). UK Education System.
2. Lancaster, J. (2007). The British System Of Education: Being A Complete Epitome Of The Improvements And Inventions Practiced At The Royal Free Schools, Borough-Road, Southward. London: Darton and Harvey
3. Nicole, S. (2010). Weaknesses and problems in the American educational system.
4. Steve-Olson. (2008). How We Can Change Our Failing Education System.
5. Yuriy, R. (n.d.). Structure of the American System of Education. Web.