Improving Education system

Posted: September 3rd, 2013

Improving Education system

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Improving Education system

In chapter two of Apple’s “Whose Market, Whose Knowledge?” He mentions several tensions related education. He continues to say that those tensions are because of these groups: neoliberals, neoconservatives, authoritarians’ populists and an upcoming middle class, which is managerial and professional. The specific tensions are

• Education for employment – Concentrating on teaching specific units and not adding learning materials to teach additional subjects.
• A high standard of teaching methods, which are controlled- Excessive regulation of what teachers teach, limits them.
• The Christian right is a significant part of learning. It is related to media’s public policy, religion, social welfare among other factors. Apple warns that this ha an effect on gender roles and family. In fact, it is the most risky force of a child’s life.

He continues to say that depoliticization has a negative effect on people with low economic, political, and cultural position. It is very hard for their opinions or thoughts, to be heard. If they are fortunate enough to be heard, their problems are not completely solved.

Every parent wants their children to have sufficient knowledge, skills and wisdom that they need in this life. Level of education standards are tested by looking into the truth in the subjects taught in class. Apple thinks they are subject to ending multicultural society.  Children only need to learn what is relevant for them. For a long time, students do tests and they are ranked according to merit. Considerations are being done on having national exams and ranking students nationally. In 1992, a report was written about education standards in America. It stated that increasing levels of education standards would bring together different groups to be one nation. Having common values and knowledge, will be a powerful factor that will unite a nation.

It is important for the curriculum and standards to be well connected to testing strategies. This is an appropriate way of ensuring continuity of the dominant culture. United States use a well-developed curriculum to ensure high standards of learning. There is a common thought that the curriculum is the main determinant of ensuring high standards of education. A study was done to examine subjects like language arts and historical social science. In California, explorations were done to determine whether there is code of power and who is most interested. To carry out this research, they applied a theory of codes of power in curriculum. This theory was formulated by Bernstein in 1975.

Bernstein’s theory states that codes of power can be revealed by checking how the curriculum has been structured and classified. After analyses were done, they were suggestion made. The standard of the state’s curriculum fits within a political movement to get power relations among groups of ethnicity, language and social status. This is not only about making improvement in learning but also defining the use of schools. Schools are the ones with the most legitimate knowledge and the next generation should continue to improve it.

Apple should be complemented for sharing his thoughts about the current education system. What he referred to as tensions meant problems faced in this education system. The first step of reforming this system is identifying its shortcomings. Solution to these problems should then be found. There has been a long debate about the kind of curriculum used. Some people have argued that it has too much irrelevant work to cover. A student should be let to cover whatever area of interest he or she wishes to specialize. It is such a huge work to cover so many units or subjects, which will not be useful to the student in future. Education experts should enhance the curriculum and introduce other beneficial programs to the students. They could be related to helping them identify their talents or understand what the best career path to take is.