Incorporating Student Voices into Education Systems

Incorporating Student Voices into Education Systems â€Å"†¦language is the primary technology of communication.† Winch et al., 2004 6.1 Introduction to the Discussion This chapter uses its space to develop some of the issues raised by the research that has gone into the dissertation. If it is contentious, it is in order to ask questions about issues where the answers are not yet available, and develop a deeper understanding of the concepts. This includes: the reality of Student Voice as a supported and integrated concept, rather than as a manipulated concept for integration the validation of alternative education as an ideal place for Student Voice the questions of Partnerships and how this is being politically channelled whilst not perhaps given the strength of foundation it deserves and needs 6.2 Student Voice: Integration for Learning or Integration for Policy As the dissertation showed, there are strong theoretical underpinnings for the value of incorporating Student Voice into educational systems, especially when seen in a constructivist light. The surprise is that it has taken so long. However, the study has also shown that it is not always as easy as anticipated to re-format a school’s approach. There are worries and concerns surrounding the actual reality of adapting an existing system to incorporate Student Voice. There are the teachers concerns of devaluing learning at the cost of social development. There are fears about loosing control and upsetting the status quo. On the other hand, there are also those who embrace the concepts of freedom of learning choice and student contribution. As Martin, Worral, and Dutson-Steinfeld (2005) put it, it is now too late to put the lid back on Pandora’s Box. The danger is that the tide may follow the easiest path, rather than listening to the voices that are more difficult to hear. Cruddass (2001) argued that these voices may have the greatest contribution to make. After all, if Student Voice is a method of integration, it is surely fairly pointless directing it towards those who already have their avenues for communication and are well entrenched within the system, when those just outside need to be provided with a way in. It perhaps reflects some of the cultural values when it comes to who the system wants to provide a voice for and who it does not. For the Westernised education systems, changes in the socio-economic climates have brought about a: shifting balance of power, caused by information and communications technology and learners access to alternative sources of knowledge, reduced public funding, globalisation and commercial imperatives. Latchem Hanna 2001, p. 1 One could perhaps add that as the public funding has gone down, the gap has been filled by an incremental increase in policy documentation and political rhetoric. It seems that the onus is put on the schools to follow the recommendations, and increasingly to fund these demands themselves. That aside, listening to young learners, and understanding what they are communicating has most probably been a part of the repertoire of what Haberman (1995) termed star teachers long before it become encapsulated in documentation. The discussion is whether the value put on Student Voice is a passing phase or is getting the attention it so richly deserves. 6.3 Alternative Education and Student Voice This section of the discussion returns to the use of an environmental education format as a means of combining positive communication strategies through the use of different formats, such as a conservation park and school. It has taken some time for alternative educational formats to receive official consideration, and this has demanded a considerable change in mind set. For example, as more people have come to understand the necessity for a complete change with regard to the place of humans in the environment, the ideals of education driven by sustainability have become less the realm of extremists and more the essentials for good sense. If one were to take this a step further, a developed form of education such as that potentially offered by the Park could become less of an alternative, and more of a mainstream consideration. This is one reason that this dissertation has explored the environment as a means of generating attitudes and ‘raising voices’, rather than a que stioning of knowledge gained through the Activate Programs. Using the Park as the example, this study found that the Activate Programs were effective in communicating a positive attitude towards each other based on involvement with a specific environment. Rather than a sense of environmental consideration, there was a sense of connection amongst students to the Park. Although environmental knowledge was not measured, the results of working in the environment contributed to the Observational sections that informed some of this dissertation showed changes in awareness. One of the important factors was the ‘culture’ of familiarity that developed amongst those students who were regulars on the Activate programs. They developed a better understanding of the Park and knew more what to expect when they visited. This meant they not only had different expectations that those less familiar with the Park, but that they started to show a leadership and peer attitude that supported the Activate ethic. This working in the environment system, when designed carefully and driven by the right personalities, appears to strongly support the idea of a more mainstream approach to an ‘outdoor classroom’. This ‘culture of communication’, as it could be called, aims to be enabling and empowering for students. It not only encourages positive connections to develop between the students and the environment, it also gives them practical opportunities to see what they can do. This is a vitally important point for students from schools where they are all too often given information, but have no way of acting upon it in a positive and constructive way. In the Park, there is the combination of Student Voice as an over-current to the Activate activities. For example, the Lion group consists of some very challenging students who would not normally co-operate together. Yet at the Park, as the following quote shows, they do. There is a continual level of communication that seems to equate to a very different reality to the one found at school: It is very encouraging to see some of our students in this program and then see how different they are in their behaviour and attitude back in a classroom/school setting. In the classroom they can be the disruptive/troubled student and yet at the Park these same students have been the Leaders and are willing to help/show and guide new/younger student of this group. At the beginning of our program we had a hard, troubled group but as time evolved they have built relationships and furthered skills they didnt know they had. Teacher Interview 2006 Expectations were integrated with communication. Where there was insufficient communication between the Park and school staff, false expectations could be generated and this was an area that needed tightening up as it could lead to confusion. However, the outcomes for attitude have been predominantly positive. Not one teacher, student, parent or support staff wanted to see the programs stop and the majority like them as they are. 6.4 Does Parent Partnership’s Help Thanks to the SEN and Disability Act (DfES 2001), parents and carers now have avenues that will help them find out the options available for their SEN child. Parent Partnership Services (PPS) (see e.g. Worcestershire County Council’s online Parent Partnership Service) are designed to deliver statutory rights including: ..information, advice and guidance on SEN matters to allow them to make informed decisions about their child’s education. PPS can also help prevent difficulties from developing into disagreements. Rogers et al. 2006, p. 1 There are obvious advantages to a partnership approach (Roger et al.2006: Wolfendale 2002: Wolfendale Cook 1997). It enables a more holistic approach to the students’ whole learning experience and thereby includes their social and emotional status as well as the environmental and cognitive. But, as Rogers et al. (2006) show in their assessment of PPS, the methodology of integrating PPS still needs work and is highly variable. With regard to this dissertation, the discussion focuses on the positive contribution of parents and carers when they are involved with the student’s education at school whilst stopping short of advocating that teacher’s lesson plans be available to parents: Schools should make information available to parents on what they can expect from schools and individual pupils’ progress. This might include access to lesson plans and learning materials and should be available as and when parents want to access it. DfES 2006b, p. 24 If the goal is that of the ‘personalised learning’ (DfES 2006) currently advocated, with all it’s emphasis on partnership, then it may well be that teachers will have to re-evaluate what their planning is for. It would seem entirely acceptable, in deed necessary, for parents and carers involved in this partnership approach to be well acquainted with what is about to be taught. yet this sounds more and more like sending the parents back to school themselves. Perhaps the ideal is a school planning document that outlines the curriculum content and its anticipated coverage, subject to curriculum changes of course, that is specifically prepared for community involvement. The fact that Partnership is being advocated above Student Voice perhaps suggests that one format is easier to manage politically than the other. In fact, the following DfES (2006b) Figure 4 shows that pupil voice is more an element of learning an a cognitive descriptive than a part of all-round learni ng. These are just three of the issues put forward for discussion and it is anticipated that much more work will be done on these in the future. 7 CONCLUSION This study has been a learning journey in itself. The first thing the study demanded was learning to listen properly to students and not interpret what they were saying by my own standards. The added dimension of the zoological park provided a fascinating contrast with student’s styles and types of communication and how they changed at school and at the Park. The following is a brief summary of where we are now and what needs to be considered in the future. We now know that a democratic system equips students better, be they in a special school or mainstream, for a post educational reality. Part of this democratic system involves the right to speak on one’s own behalf and have one’s view listened to and, when appropriate, acted up. At its best, Student Voice works as a means of holistically integrating students in their education. Whilst Student Voice motivates, it also allows and encourages students to take responsibility for their learning. The dissertation has shown that this works at a variety of levels. In the classroom, the study identified some of the strong links between student intrinsic motivation and the power of choice. Where the student is involved in selection and method of learning, they are more likely to become and remain enthusiastic. It should go without saying that it is equally important for SEN students to have these same rights, even if the means of communication are different. This means official su pport (i.e. funding) is necessary for schools to be able to resource themselves sufficiently to cater for all Student Voices. As discussed, this issue of funding is a particularly thorny one and seems to get hidden beneath the shifting sands of politics, covered with a blanket of rhetoric and Government sponsored research. However, it is a step along the way towards changing ‘mind sets’ towards Student Voice. There is also the issue of teacher attitudes. Many teachers are more used to being heard and less familiar with the type of listening Student Voice requires. Some find it hard to validate student opinion. Despite all the research done into Student Voice, and the obviously better ‘fit’ it makes in contemporary society, there are still those who are frightened by the change in the status quo, or who’s training has not encompassed this, or who resent more official requirements. In fact, in a contemporary, humanistic and individualised paradigm, it seems increasingly strange that choice as a concept does not underpin the UK educational system. Therefore, one of the recommendations for the future has to more professional development for those teachers that need it. Teacher training itself is constantly subject to change and has the challenge of both preparing students for the reality of working in schools and establishing the current pedagogic approach. For example, it may be hard for a new teacher with a passion for listening to students to adapt to work in a more traditional school setting. With regard to settings, the dissertation showed that location and environment have a distinct impact on students. This led to the design of a new school which combined both the in-class educational formats and the outdoors activities, be those agricultural, environmental, or simply outside. In summary, the future of Student Voice and its best use in the UK educational system needs to take into consideration: Teacher training and continued support for new and existing teachers through professional development. Make the formats for student voice more user-friendly and introduce them professionally – do not expect all schools to be able to adapt their format automatically. Finance and long term support. What lies before us and what lies behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. Oliver Windell Holmes

Character Development Essay examples -- Personal Narrative Essays

Character Development at Harvard The primary purpose of education is to provide an environment in which students can develop the skills and acquire the knowledge they need to fulfill in our changing society. We strive to provide opportunities for individuals to make decisions and encourage them to satisfy their academic needs responsibly and effectively." - Everett High School philosophy Vague mission statements seem to be the staple of most institutional philosophies. However, the above philosophy of my high school makes it clear that its purpose was to equip students with "skill" and "knowledge" to function in society and in further academic pursuits. On the other hand, Harvard University states that it is the university's responsibility to preach community and social values to students - that it is a vital component of an undergraduate education. Harvard supports moral education for a life of "usefulness and reputation," and the university's mission statement relates the importance of moral education in the full higher-educational experience. College graduates should adopt a higher tone and spread the value of our higher education and of our social class. The Harvard statement makes reference to "reputation," it is clear that universities uphold the idea of moral education and character development in order to bolster their public image. I absolutely agree with the necessity of colleges and universities to promote community activism and to encourage graduates to act out a life that reflects well on their universities, although I do not believe that it is solely the responsibility of the university to instill such values in its graduates. All organized social groups should encourage community ... ...r voices heard in elections and local politics. A society that places trust in its college graduates to be useful and to reflect a good reputation of both society and the graduate‚s institution of higher learning is valuable only if the university makes an attempt in good faith to encourage values of community involvement. Only with active attempts to engage political, social, and moral discussion can graduates actually go out into the world with the experience and skills to impact society. It is not enough for society to expect college graduates to be more than academic giants, but society itself (in the form of other institutions) must encourage citizens to lead useful lives. They must advocate a life that enhances the repute of the individual and the institution. The most feasible institution for such a statement to be made in is the University.

Aviation High School Parent Questionnaire Essay

Since Daniel was very young, he has always had an interest in how and why things work. Throughout his life, he has had some great opportunities to not only build on this curiosity, but also to gain other skills. Daniels recent excitement in Aviation High School is the latest example and hopefully opportunity to build on his interests. Daniel has been very active in Boy Scouts. He currently holds the leadership position of Patrol leader where he is in charge of a group of about 8 other scouts. This has built a strong leadership trait in Daniel and provided him many opportunities to grow as an individual. He has been able to camp, hike, canoe, and enjoy the outdoors while experiencing a strong team environment. We also have had many great adventures as a family which have influenced Daniel. I travel for work quite frequently and have to pleasure of sharing it with my family occasionally. This has allowed Daniel to visit many different areas and experience living and exploring those areas. Along with Daniels general interest in things, these trips have sparked new curiosities and allowed him to investigate his current ones. Though not intentional, Daniel has also moved schools during elementary twice. This has forced Daniel to start fresh with no friends and in a new environment. Daniel has excelled in this, and has developed great skills for meeting new friends and taking advantage of new opportunities. Now, Daniel does not hesitate going into a situation where he doesn’t know anyone. As a parent I am very proud of the person my son has developed into, and am extremely excited to watch as he continues his grows. I want to provide him with the best experiences and atmosphere to do this. Daniels interest in attending Aviation High School matches my goal to provide this to him.

Civil War Battle of Stones River

Civil War Battle of Stones River The Battle of Stones River was fought December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). On the Union side,  Major General William S. Rosecrans  led 43,400 men while Confederate  General Braxton Bragg  led 37,712 men. Background In the wake of the Battle of Perryville on October 8, 1862, Confederate forces under General Braxton Bragg began retreating south from Kentucky. Reinforced by troops under Major General Edmund Kirby Smith, Bragg ultimately halted at Murfreesboro, TN. Renaming his command the Army of Tennessee, he began a massive overhaul of its leadership structure. When complete, the army was divided into two corps under Lieutenant Generals William Hardee and Leonidas Polk. The armys cavalry was led by the young Brigadier General Joseph Wheeler. Though a strategic victory for the Union, Perryville resulted in changes on the Union side as well. Displeased with the slowness of Major General Don Carlos Buell actions following the battle, President Abraham Lincoln relieved him in favor of Major General William S. Rosecrans on October 24. Though warned that inaction would lead to his removal, Rosecrans delayed in Nashville as he organized the Army of the Cumberland and re-trained his cavalry forces. Under pressure from Washington, he finally moved out on December 26. Planning for Battle Moving southeast, Rosecrans advanced in three columns led by Major Generals Thomas Crittenden, George H. Thomas, and Alexander McCook. Rosecrans line of advance was intended as a turning movement against Hardee whose corps was at Triune. Recognizing the danger, Bragg ordered Hardee to rejoin him at Murfreesboro. Approaching the town along the Nashville Turnpike and Nashville Chattanooga Railroad, Union forces arrived on the evening of December 29. The next day, Rosecrans men moved into line two miles northwest of Murfreesboro (Map). Much to Braggs surprise, Union forces did not attack on December 30. For December 31, both commanders developed similar plans calling for a strike against the others right flank. While Rosecrans intended to attack after breakfast, Bragg ordered his men to prepare to advance at dawn. For the assault, he shifted the bulk of Hardees corps to the west side of Stones River where it joined with Polks men. One of Hardees divisions, led by Major General John C. Breckinridge, remained on east side to the north of Murfreesboro. The Union plan called for Crittendens men to cross the river and attack the heights held by Breckinridges men. The Armies Clash While Crittenden was in the north, Thomas men held the Union center and McCooks formed the right flank. As his flank was not anchored on any substantial obstacle, McCook took measures, such as burning additional campfires, to deceive the Confederates as to the size of his command. Despite these measures, McCooks men bore the brunt of the first Confederate assault. Beginning around 6:00 AM on December 31, Hardees men moved forward. Catching the enemy by surprise, they overwhelmed Brigadier General Richard W. Johnsons division before Union resistance began to mount. To Johnsons left, Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis division held briefly before beginning a fighting retreat to the north. Realizing that McCooks men were not capable of halting the Confederate advance, Rosecrans canceled Crittendens attack at 7:00 AM and began flying around the battlefield directing reinforcements south. Hardees assault was followed by a second Confederate attack led by Polk. Moving forward, Polks men met significantly stiffer resistance from Union forces. Having anticipated an early-morning attack Brigadier General Philip H. Sheridan had taken the necessary precautions. Sheridan Hazen Hold Mounting a vigorous defense, Sheridans men turned back numerous charges by the divisions of Major Generals Jones M. Withers and Patrick Cleburne while holding a small cedar forest that became known as the Slaughter Pen. By 10:00 AM, as Sheridans men battled, the bulk of McCooks command had formed a new line near the Nashville Turnpike. In the retreat, 3,000 men and 28 guns had been captured. Around 11:00 AM, Sheridans men began to run out of ammunition and were compelled to fall back. As Hardee moved to exploit the gap, Union troops worked to plug the line. A bit to the north, Confederate attacks against the brigade of Colonel William B. Hazen were repeatedly turned back. The only part of the original Union line to hold, the rocky, wooded area held by Hazens men became known as Hells Half-Acre. As fighting quieted, the new Union line was essentially perpendicular to its original position. Seeking to complete his victory, Bragg ordered part of Breckinridges division, along with units from Polks corps, to renew the attack on Hazen around 4:00 PM. These assaults were repulsed with heavy losses. Final Actions That night, Rosecrans called a council of war to determine a course of action. Deciding to stay and continue the fight, Rosecrans revived his original plan and ordered Brigadier General Horatio Van Cleves division (led by Colonel Samuel Beatty) to cross the river. While both sides remained in place on New Years Day, Rosecrans rear and supply lines were continuously harassed by Wheelers cavalry. Reports from Wheeler suggested that Union forces were preparing to retreat. Content to let them go, Bragg limited his actions on January 2 to ordering Breckinridge to clear Union forces from the high ground north of town. Though reluctant to attack such a strong position, Breckinridge ordered his men forward around 4:00 PM. Striking Crittenden and Beattys position, they succeeded in pushing some of the Union troops back across McFaddens Ford. In doing so, they ran into 45 guns arrayed by Captain John Mendenhall to cover the river. Taking severe losses, Breckinridges advance was checked and a swift Union counterattack by Brigadier General James Negleys division drove them back. Aftermath of the Battle of Stones River The following morning, Rosecrans was re-supplied and reinforced. Convinced that Rosecrans position would only get stronger and fearful that winter rains would raise the river and split his army, Bragg began retreating around 10:00 PM on January 3. His withdraw eventually halted at Tullahoma, TN. Bloodied, Rosecrans stayed at Murfreesboro and did not attempt a pursuit. Deemed a Union victory, the fighting raised Northern spirits following the recent disaster at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Transforming Murfreesboro into a supply base, Rosecrans remained until embarking on the Tullahoma Campaign the following June. The fighting at Stones River cost Rosecrans 1,730 killed, 7,802 wounded, and 3,717 captured/missing. Confederate losses were slightly less, numbering 1,294 killed, 7,945 wounded, and 1,027 captured/missing. Extremely bloody relative to the numbers engaged (43,400 vs. 37,712), Stones River saw the highest percentage of casualties of any major battle during the war. Following the battle, Bragg was severely criticized by other Confederate leaders. He only retained his post due to President Jefferson Davis inability to find a suitable replacement.

A guide to the differences between UK and US English - Emphasis

A guide to the differences between UK and US English A guide to the differences between UK and US English According to playwright George Bernard Shaw, the UK and the US are ‘two countries divided by a common language’. We may not need translators to converse, but you can save potential embarrassment or confusion by learning some of the writing differences. Most UK-English speakers know that ‘colour’ (not ‘color’) and ‘centre’ (not ‘center’) are correct, but should it be ‘benefited’ or ‘benefitted’, ‘travelling’ or ‘traveling’, ‘recognise’ or ‘recognize’? You may not be able to rely on the spell check for the answer. Our UK and US English guide reveals the main differences between our use of punctuation, grammar, some vocabulary and spelling. Use it to discover what to do when the rules are not clear cut.

Initial conclusions regarding whether or not terrorist groups are Essay

Initial conclusions regarding whether or not terrorist groups are likely to use WMD - Essay Example The disastrous events of September 11, 2001 and other similar attacks on the American nation and on our allies provide proof to that claim. These increasing threats to our very lives have made us adopt better measures on security front although the possibility of another terrorist attack looms consistently over us. In forcing their own ideologies onto free men these terrorists have no regard for loss of human lives including that of women and children, as witnessed throughout our struggle against them these tyrants would use any means necessary to inflict fear amongst us. The use of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) against the United States is dominantly the most considerable threat. These WMDs in form of biological, nuclear and chemical weapons are not easy to acquire but non-state actors belonging to enemy states such as Iran and North Korea or friendly states such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and others consistently try to get their hands on these weapons in order to inflict destruct ion on a massive scale. In an interview with CNN, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton highlights the concern of WMD when she asserted he biggest threat to America’s national security doesn’t come from North Korea or Iran but from trans-national non-state actors (Clinton 2010). She proclaimed, â€Å"Most of us believe the greater threats are the trans-national non-state networks, primarily the extremists, the fundamentalist Islamic extremists who are connected to al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula or al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They continue to try to increase the sophistication of their capacity, the attacks that they’re going to make and the biggest nightmare we have is that one of these terrorist member organizations within this syndicate of terror will get their hands on a weapon of mass destruction† (CNN 2010). In the pages that follow we will comprehensively examine the use to weapons of mass destruction and the possibility of terrorists using them against the

Information Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Information Security - Essay Example Although a voluminous amount of information which talks about cyber attacks has already been presented, there exist several lapses involving properly recognizing security defense weaknesses and how perpetrators breach computer security. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to address the aforementioned topics, which were not discussed in the previous work. Apart from reviewing security bypass strategies, a study design and possible ways to analyze future data will also be addressed. In the context of computers, the security of data will be difficult to manage if the criteria for proper management will not be converted to something that is measurable. Thus, the quantitative aspects cannot be overlooked because these will allow the researchers to better assess the strength of the system to put off any form of security breach to the system or its capability to hold off cyber attacks. This paper starts off with a brief review of the different research method designs: qualitative, quantitative, or both, and an explanation of the importance of each design over the other. After which, the research questions will be presented, followed by a detailed description of how the research design will be implemented including the inherent limitations and validity issues of the chosen design. Prior to discussing the process of data collection, the functions of the researcher will be briefly tackled. Thereafter, an explanation why the mixed method design was chosen over the other approaches will be provided, wherein the validity and quality of the data that will be retrieved using the said methodology will be established. Moreover, the ways of managing the collected data will also be described. A discussion of the mixed method design, in the context of holistic perspectives will follow, which will be used as a guide to analyze the retrieved data. It has been well established that the preconceived notions of the researchers over which research design to use, how