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Necessity of Education

Education helps us with many things, but most importantly, it empowers an individual to
think, question, and see beyond the obvious. Human beings are born with a natural tendency
to question. Education is the best way to satiate our curiosity, without extinguishing the
burning desire to learn and explore more.

• Education broadens our horizon and gives us a better understanding of the world
around us and how things work.

• The world needs education, since it is the basis of a civilized, structured society.

• Education helps people to think rationally and avoid illusions in life.

• Education reduces social and economic disparity, allowing progress to be shared


equally.

• It gives scope for technical advancements in fields of science and technology.

• studies indicate that educated people have longer life expectancies. They tend to lead a
healthier lifestyle by exercising more and playing more sports. Most of them
understand the implications of diet and lifestyle on their health, enabling them to make
healthy choices.

• On an average, educated people have more meaningful and interesting jobs than those
held by uneducated people. They are usually in a position to make decisions at work.
This results in higher job satisfaction which leads to a better quality of life.

• Educated people are found to have higher self-esteem. Their lives are mostly well-
planned, and have a definite direction. They have better problem-solving skills and are
consequently better equipped to handle everyday decisions.

• Children of educated parents have access to better education facilities. These children
have a higher cognitive development as compared to children of uneducated parents.

• Educated people are better positioned to contribute positively to society, and even
towards the environment, as they understand the implications of their choices and
actions.

• In developing countries, education is viewed as means to alleviate poverty and


engineer social change. It isn't a magic pill for solving all the problems. But it can surely
be a ladder to climb out of poverty, exclusion, ignorance, oppression, and war.

Impact of Technology on Education

Technology plays a vital role in every sphere of life and education is no exception. The advent
of technology has deeply impacted the educational scene.
Technology is a gift of God. After the gift of life it is perhaps the greatest of God's gifts. It is the
mother of civilizations, of arts and of sciences.

Technology has certainly changed the way we live. It has impacted different facets of life and
redefined living. Undoubtedly, technology plays an important role in every sphere of life.
Several mundane manual tasks can be automated, thanks to technology. Also, many complex
and critical processes can be carried out with ease and greater efficiency with the help of
modern technology. Thanks to the application of technology, living has changed and it has
changed for better.

Technology has revolutionized the field of education. The importance of technology in schools
cannot be ignored. In fact, with the onset of computers in education, it has become easier for
teachers to impart knowledge and for students to acquire it. The use of technology has made
the process of teaching and learning enjoyable.

Technology is a teaching aid


Computers offer an interactive audio-visual medium. PowerPoint presentations and animation
software can be used to present information in an interactive way. Owing to the audio-visual
effects, this way of teaching invites greater interest from students. The method is equally
helpful for teachers. Projectors and screens facilitate simultaneous viewing of information by
a large number of students. Addressing systems using microphones and speakers make it
possible for teachers to reach a larger number of students simultaneously. These teaching aids
have led to improvements in student attendance and their attentiveness in class. Interactive
media have proven to be useful in increasing students' concentration levels.

Technology has made student life easy


Technology aids student expression. Students can use much more than just pen and paper to
express themselves or present what they have learned. They can use software to make
presentations and projects. This makes them more interested in the subject and leads to
better retention of information. With technological aids, they can make easy-to-remember
notes and a creative presentation of the information they have acquired. It won't be wrong to
say that application of technology has made a student's life easy. It's easier for students to
carry a PDA than carrying big fat books to school. An iPad is less bulkier than a pile of
notebooks or an ebook reader much lighter than a book.

It's easier to store information


Computers enable better and more robust storage of information. If you weigh chalk, board,
books and notebooks against technology, you find that technology can substitute for any and
all of these. Computers have replaced chalk and board; they can even do the talking sometimes
while the teacher takes a step back and lets the presentations 'speak'. Digital libraries require
no physical space and students and teachers sitting in different parts of the world can access
the same library at the same time. Compact memory devices have replaced notebooks and a
keyboard and computer mouse are the new writing devices. What may have required hundred
pages of a book can be compacted into a tiny memory chip. It can take hours to write, but it
takes only seconds to type. Storing data has become much easier, owing to technology.

Information is easily accessible


The Internet is a huge information base. It can be used an effective tool for acquiring
knowledge. All a web user needs to do is to key in queries to search engines. Users are
presented with thousands of search results. There are several websites and web directories
that offer information on literally everything in the world. And all this is just a few clicks away.
Both teachers and students can benefit from this.

Technology has eliminated space and time constraints


Online education and distance learning have given a new dimension to education and higher
learning. Even if students are geographically far away from each other, they can be a part of
one classroom. Though not physically but virtually, they can. Many educational institutes offer
online courses, which eliminates time and space constraints in acquiring education.
Universities offer online educational programs wherein students can interact with their
teachers over the Internet, access reference material from the University website and earn
degrees online.

Teaching is sharing
Thanks to the application of technology, education has become more collaborative. With
plethora of information so easily available to students, they can be a part of the process; they
don't need to remain at the receiving end. Owing to the use of technology, subject experts can
come together to formulate courses, design assessments and better the process of teaching.
The day when students located in different parts of the world will be able to seek advice from
experts spread across the globe, isn't far. The education then, will be customized. It will cater
to different learning needs and varying grasping abilities and interests of students.

Mutual impact
Today, computer education is a part of school and college curricula. Considering the wide
range of applications of computer technology, it is necessary for each one of us to computer-
friendly. Considering the advantages of Internet technology, it is important for each of us to
gain basic knowledge of Internet access and web research. We live in a technology-age and
hence, it is important for us to be abreast with the latest inventions in the field. With
education, we acquire knowledge of the functioning and use of different pieces of technology.
And with the application of technology, we can educate ourselves better. This is the impact
technology and education have on each other. Education boosts use of technology and
technology aids education.

The importance of technology in education cannot be stressed enough. The introduction of


technology in the educational field has made the process of learning and knowledge sharing, a
more interactive and pleasurable experience. Perhaps, the greatest impact of technology on
education is the change in perspective. The paradigm shift in thinking from local to global can
be attributed to technology. Indeed technology is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind.

Importance of Education to Youths

Education elucidates the difference between the right and the wrong and helps inculcate good
virtues. What is the importance of education to youths

Education to Youths ~ Know its Importance

Education is the best tool to bring a positive change in society, to develop a generation of
responsible individuals and contribute to the development of good human beings. The
fundamental purpose of education is to gain knowledge, understand the forms of proper
conduct and acquire technical competency in specific subject(s). Education serves as the
means to develop oneself physically, mentally and socially. Here's how education makes a
difference in one's life.

Gives them Wings: The importance of education manifests itself in the need to cultivate
youths to become mature individuals. Youth is the growing stage of their lives. It is during
these years that they develop from kids to become mature and responsible individuals. It is
during this phase that they make career decisions and begin pursuing their goals.

Tells them Where to Fly: Education should consist of training and development in their
field(s) of interest. It should help the youths define their career objectives, decide what they
want from life and enable them to achieve what they wish to. Education to youths must aim at
helping them build a skill set and work on the skills acquired to develop subject expertise. It
should include courses that can help them develop a career. The education should open doors
for new opportunities in different fields. It should help the youths find avenues to pursue their
interests. It should enable them to venture into new fields and explore new areas. Education
must help them set reachable goals and realize them.

Makes them Socially Aware: It is important that education to youths aims at developing
social awareness in these adults-to-be. The training given to them should consist of
environmental education and social values. They should be made aware of the current social
and environmental issues. They should be explained the steps they can take in dealing with
the issues. Education should expose the youths even to the darker side of society; the
problems that eclipse it, the prejudices that shackle it and the superstitions that blind it.
Youths should be encouraged to come up with ideas and devise ways to better the society that
they are part of.

Makes them Self-Aware: Overpopulation, unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted


diseases, abortions, unprotected sex and teenage pregnancy are some areas of growing
concern today. The reason - lack of sex education. Incomplete knowledge in this regard or
wrong notions about sex breed psychological problems in teenagers. This underlines the
importance of sex education to youths. Education should make the youths self-aware.

Tells them what's Right, what's Wrong: While instilling the good in youths, education
should also give them the ability to reject the bad. It should enable them to choose good
against bad. Education should empower them to take decisions and make choices - each time
preferring right to wrong. Education should give them the strength to accept the mistakes
made, mend them and most importantly - learn from them. Education should give them the
courage to rise after every fall and turn every failure into a success.

The fundamental purpose of education is to create good human beings. Education is vital to
the healthy growth and development of one's personality. In producing human beings out of
raw individuals lies the importance of education.

Importance of Education in Society

We all seek education in some form or the other and at varied levels. However, do we really
understand the true importance of education in society?

Education, if looked at beyond its conventional boundaries, forms the very essence of all our
actions. What we do is what we know and have learned, either through instructions or
through observation and assimilation. When we are not making an effort to learn, our mind is
always processing new information or trying to analyze the similarities as well as the tiny
nuances within the context which makes the topic stand out or seem different. If that is the
case then the mind definitely holds the potential to learn more, however, it is us who stop
ourselves from expanding the horizons of our knowledge with self-doubt or other social,
emotional, or economic constraints.

While most feel that education is a necessity, they tend to use it as a tool for reaching a specific
target or personal mark, after which there is no further need to seek greater education.
Nonetheless, the importance of education in society is indispensable and cohering, which is
why society and knowledge cannot be ever separated into two distinct entities. Let us find out
more about the role of education in society and how it affects our lives.

Purpose of Education in Society

Education is Self Empowerment


Receiving a good education helps empower you, thus making you strong enough to look after
yourself in any given situation. It keeps you aware of your given surrounding as well as the
rules and regulations of the society you're living in. It's only through knowledge that you can
be able to question authority for its negligence or discrepancies. It is only then that you can
avail your rights as a citizen and seek improvement in the structural functioning of
governance and economy. It's only when a citizen is aware about the policies of its government
can he be able to support or protest the change. As a whole, people can bring about
development only when they know where improvement is necessary for the greater good of
mankind. Education helps you understand yourself better, it helps you realize your potential
and qualities as a human being. It helps you to tap into latent talent, so that you may be able to
sharpen your skills.

Financial Stability and Dignity of Life


Education helps you gain sufficient academic qualification so that you are able to get suitable
employment at a later stage. A decent employment would be combined with hard-earned
remuneration or salary through which you can look after your personal expenses. While you
earn for yourself, you gradually begin to realize the true worth of money and how hard it is to
earn it. You realize the significance of saving for a rainy day and for unforeseeable
contingencies. You feel empowered because there is a new sense of worth that develops
within you, and you feel the need to be independent and free from any further financial
support. You take pride in the fact that you are earning for yourself, and are not obligated to
anyone.

Growth in Personal Aspiration


There also comes a phase when the amount you are earning presently will seem inadequate
because your aspirations and expectations from yourself would have grown considerably.
After this, you will want to change jobs so as to have a higher profile. However, here is when
you need to be prepared. A promotion of this figure can occur in two given situations, which
are, that either you have the necessary higher academic qualification or a college degree which
allows you a safe passage, or that you have amassed enough practical experience which allows
you to be a suitable candidate for the employment you seek.

On the Job Efficiency


This is why college education is very important after high school and must not be taken for
granted. When faced with the option of choosing between a highly qualified candidate and a
not so educated candidate, the employers will most probably go in for the qualified person.
The reason being that, a qualified candidate will not require much investment of the
employer's time and money. The organization need not teach him or her the tricks of the
trade, or the various ways of functioning and performing the tasks of the workplace. On the
contrary, a novice / amateur applicant would need to be taught everything from scratch, which
many employer's are usually not willing to do. The same applies for people who seek higher
education and get advanced diplomas while working. These people are continuously
improving their profile and their knowledge base so as to go higher up on the competitive
ladder.

Helps Plan Ahead


Those who have amassed enough education, steer the path of development and progress for
their country. It is these individuals who go ahead and become teachers, scientists, inventors,
welfare activists, soldiers, and politicians who work together to form the very backbone of the
society. Without this pool of intellect, the economic and social framework would crumple and
fall, paving its way for anarchy, degradation, and violence. While this intricate balance of
growth is maintained, there will be a continuous rise in progress in all quarters of life,
whether that be personal growth, or development of the nation as an entity. This progress has
a very important role to play for the coming generations, which will reap the benefits of our
hard work, as they develop it further. At the same time, the negative impact of our actions shall
have its collateral damage on the coming generation as well. Which is why we must be
exceptionally prudent about the decisions we make and the actions we take in the present.

Job Seeker vs. Job Provider


There will come a time, when you will no longer feel the need to be working as someone's
mere employee. You would want to take charge and control over your own life and income.
This is when you will decide to become a self-employed individual, who would like to watch
his / her own ideas take realistic form. You would prefer being the one offering job
opportunities to others and aid in providing income to them. At this stage of
entrepreneurship, you may use your own expertise as well as that of other trained and skilled
associates. As a team, you will find your business or venture expanding and yielding good
results. You may even gain the confidence and insight, which will help you diversify and
spread your expertise into other business arenas, which were previously unknown to you, or
you were unsure about. This ability, comes with experience and knowledge amassed over the
years.

An Idle Mind is The Devil's Workshop


Education and studying regularly, gives people of all age groups something substantial and
challenging to do. It helps them think and use their idle hours, doing something productive
and worthwhile. Education need not be purely academic and may include reading for leisure
or as a passion for literature, philosophy, art, politics, economics, or even scientific research.
There is no limit, to all that you can teach yourself, only if you take the interest to learn and
grow as an individual. However, those who treat knowledge as trash, eventually find
themselves getting absorbed with thoughts of violence, and jealously against those who are
better off than themselves. It is people such as these who turn towards drug addiction,
unnecessary rebellion, crime, and plain inactivity. Such people lack the self-esteem, that a
good education often provides to its followers.

Education plays its continuous role in all spheres of life. The reason being, that if we are aware
of the drawbacks of a decision and we know about the possible contingencies and the
collateral damage, our consequent actions would be wiser, which would help us to keep
danger at bay at all times.
How Can Parent Volunteers Help in Classroom Activities
Is it essential to make use of parents as a resource to implement educational changes? How
can they help? The answer to these questions lies in the question itself. Parents are an
important element in the child's educational progress, as a lot depends on their interest and
involvement in their child's educational program.

Parents can help the child realize the value of education through their love and support, and
most importantly, through their encouragement, thus playing an important role in educational
success. From being a child's moral support to being counselors, parents are capable of being
a good resource not just for the child, but also for the schools and the teachers associated with
their child's development. Involving parents in their child's educational program will help
develop a positive and healthy homeschool environment, which is an essential factor when it
comes to successfully implementing what you feel is best for the child's educational growth.

What makes this a great idea is the fact that the parent will be more involved in the child's
work, which will ensure a smooth sailing of classroom activities including completed
assignments and projects. What's more, a relaxed class would mean, you would have to deal
with lesser behavioral and adjustment problems (academic). Now if that's a sure shot way of
getting rid of unwanted tension, then it makes perfect sense to make the most of the voluntary
help for the educational concerns of their child.

Using the Help of Parent Volunteers


Among the foremost things that you can involve parent volunteers in are: keeping records,
helping with activities, projects, organizing field trips; besides, their help can be taken to
organize a number of classroom activities.

Teach Arts and Crafts


Parent volunteers are more or less equivalent to having someone assist you in your classroom
activities. Ask them to help out with teaching arts and crafts to preschoolers and children in
Grades 1-3. Asking parents to share their talents and impart knowledge on the subject they
love, is a good way to involve the parents in their child's education. Having someone on call to
help you with the cutting and gluing during a craft class will ensure a less daunting job for you.

Help with Assignments


Another good idea is to ask them to help the children assigned to them with their projects and
assignments. Parents who are tech-geeks can assist children with online research and
projects. You can even employ them to teach and train students to use technology effectively.
The parent volunteers can even help in making handouts, make copies of worksheets and
design or develop interesting models for the class. The volunteers can assist in completing the
work of those lagging behind.

Organize Activities
Having parent volunteers around, especially when conducting activities and funfairs for
children is definitely a boon. Your burden of organizing the event is relatively lessened;
besides, taking their help will ensure the smooth flow of the event being organized. Having
parents around to help with the makeup, especially during the annual day gathering works
wonders for you and the impatient children. You can even ask them to cater to the needs of the
children, especially where refreshments are concerned.

Assist in Community Service


Organizing field trips, outings, community service, expeditions, camps, etc., can be a daunting
task when you are the sole member responsible to cater to the needs of a large group of
children. At such times, asking parent volunteers to help out with the basic requirements
makes perfect sense. You can even ask them to accompany the students on camping and field
trips or even help out with community service. Activities that will allow them to mix freely
with the children will help them understand the needs of the children better.

Maintain Records
Asking parent volunteers to keep records of classroom activities, the resources used and
exhausted, etc., is a good way of making optimum use of them. Ask them to help out with
restocking the resources/material needed for arts and crafts. You can even use their assistance
to tune musical instruments, organize the library and the children's artwork. Make sure they
are comfortable doing the work assigned to them though; you wouldn't want to offend their
feelings.

Conduct Surveys
School is considered as a second home, and there is a constant need to conduct research and
surveys to find out if the child is comfortable in his/her school. What's a better way than to do
this by employing parent volunteers to the task. Ultimately, the goal of research and survey is
to make the child's school environment-friendly and home-like; so, it makes sense to conduct
research and survey with the help of parent volunteers.

Be a Friend
Along with all the work the teacher has to do, he/she has to cater to the mental and moral
conditioning of the child too. Children in their preteens and teens need constant assurance
and moreover, a friend to confide in. Owing to the hectic school schedule, organizing talks with
counselors might be pretty taxing for teachers. Asking parent volunteers to organize such
sessions will only aid them to get more involved with their child's development. Also, you can
even ask them to be counselors to children of their child's age group; this will help them know
what ails their child and why their child behaves the way he/she does. You will be helping
them strengthen the parent-child bond.

It goes without saying that you ought to thank the parent volunteers for all the help that they
give out to you. To conclude, I agree with Margaret Mead who says, "Never doubt that a small
group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that
ever has."
Problems in Education

An effective education system plays an important role in the development and success of a
country. America became one of the most powerful countries on the basis of its technological
prowess which was a result of an effective education system. Today, America spends more
money on education than any other country in the world. However, educators are of the view
that there are serious problems with today's education system, and it either needs to be
restructured or revamped. They back their claims by the findings of the several reports on the
quality of education in America. The United States ranks 19th in the list of student scientific
literacy, 24th in mathematical ability, 12th in reading ability and 26th in world-solving ability.

High Attrition Rate Among Teachers


more qualified Teachers, . These teachers can be helped with classroom management
strategies and introductory classes which prepares them for the real thing Also, attrition
means that students have to be content with teachers

Lack of Parental Involvement


Parents have an important role to play in the development and education of a child. Surveys
have found that students whose parents are actively involved in their ward's education are
more likely to get good grades and complete their school education. But sadly, it has been
observed that parents get involved only when there is some serious trouble or when they are
summoned by the school authorities. It is important to be aware of how your child is faring in
the school rather than being ignorant. Parents may cite reasons such as lack of communication
and time, but they have to understand that it is a serious issue and needs their consideration.
Without the support of parents, students are vulnerable and can be easily bogged down. It is
important, therefore, that parents, apart from assuming a monitory role, also act as guide to
their children.

Lack of Strong Educational Policy


In 2001, the Bush-administration came out with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), with the
aim to lift the education standards in America based on the reports that Hispanics, African-
Americans and Latin American students form of a major proportion of college drop-outs. This
Act focused on continuous testing to increase accountability. However, results from the last ten
years have shown that scores have considerably dropped in maths and science, leading to
outcries of withdrawal of NCLB. Loopholes in education policy are not only impacting the
future of millions of students, but it is also creating a dearth of individuals who can contribute
in the development of nation.

Political Interference
Bureaucratic and political interference has also made matters worse for the American
education system. Instead of striving to achieve a consensus, the bureaucratic attitude
towards the reform in education is marked by indecision and complexity. One example of this
is the way religion has been tabooed in schools. Instead of having a healthy and progressive
debate on the way 'religion' as a subject should be put across, politicians of the day are busy in
filing lawsuits against each other to determine its status in schools.

Violent Behavior and Drug Abuse


Gun-culture, alcohol consumption and drug-abuse are some other challenges that the
education system faces, but these essentially are societal issues and changes to education
policy may or may not deter these. It, however, does not mean that these issues can be
undermined; in fact efforts should be made by all of us to identify the situations that lead to all
these problems. Instead of passing the buck, all of us can act more responsibly and strive to
make amends to our education system.

In the end, we can surely say that there is an urgent need to do something about the health of
education in America. A change needs to take place, but we have to be cautious that we don't
take any decision in haste as it can boomerang and complicate the issue. A detailed analysis
and an honest approach to find the solutions is what we need to get started. We hope that
those at helm of affairs are aware of the problems and are working earnestly to do something
about it.

Ethical Issues in Education


Education is a novel pursuit and imparting education is even more so. However, there are
certain ethical issues in education that must be kept in mind and pondered upon from time to
time to assess the real value that is being added to society via the media of education.

Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another. ~ G. K.
Chesterton

Indeed, education is an ongoing process. We are always receiving and passing it on, adding
something in the process, sometimes even taking certain things, impertinent from time to
time, away from it while passing it on further. However, the industry of education is a serious
one, requiring well-defined ethics and values, well-bound in visible legal outlines to regulate
its exchange and distribution. Let us take a brief look at some of the most common issues of
ethics in education.

List of Ethical Issues in Education

Following are some of the most common moral, legal and ethical concerns in education that
are most often faced by the givers and receivers of education, along with the education
institutes, management thereof and, sometimes, parents and guardians of students.

Educational Resources With Respect to Special Education: The passing of the Education
for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 by the Federal Government marked the first
milestone in special education of children with disabilities. Prior to this act, handicapped
children had no other recourse but to attend general public schools and curriculum which
were not appropriate given their special requirements. Post this act, funds were given to states
for the development of educational curricula for children with disabilities and the Education
for All Handicapped Children Act, 1975, made available to all handicapped children between 3
years and 21 years of age the right to a Free, Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

Choice of Teacher: The eternal contention between a principal and the parents regarding
which teacher the child in question should be assigned to the following year is one of the
major moral issues in education. There are two, very predictable outcomes to this debate -
either the principal uneasily resigns to parental logic or the former evade the latter's request
by making a blanket statement saying it is not in school policy to honor parents' opinion as far
as choice of teaching faculty goes.

School Uniforms - Should They be Made Compulsory?: As is generic to every controversy, this
one also has two sides to it - a "for" side and an "against" side. Arguments in favor of imposing
uniforms observe what the lack of a uniform dress code has done to school campuses
nationwide - immodest piercings, provocative or too casual attire, outrageous hair colors and
styles, etc. Advocates against imposing school uniform argue that clothing has no effect,
whatsoever, on education and what one wears to school has no bearing on what is taught at
school. Also, state the latter, it is not necessary that all students are able to afford a uniform -
would they be denied education for want of a uniform? A happy mid path between these two
school uniform debates could be to enlist a strict dress code, enumerating what NOT to wear
at school, failing to follow which would invite fine or suspension. This is better than either
imposing a complete compulsion of school uniforms in public schools or holding a way too
liberal stance on what to wear at school.

Discipline Issues: To put it in short, it is the age-old zero tolerance policy vs. give-em-another
chance policy. Both policies should work side-by-side in all educational or other institutes.
Zero tolerance policies should be imposed upon aggressive and anti-social and behavioral in-
disciplinary actions such as bullying and carrying firearms to institutes. Second-chance
policies may be used to encourage better academic performance and instill the habit to try
harder the next time. The opportunities, however, should not be kept unlimited for the same
default by the same individual. Giving second chances does not translate into spare-the-rod-
and-spoil-the-child attitude!

Addressing Diversity: With students from socially and ethnically diverse backgrounds
seeking admissions in schools today, the issue of whether or not to address diversity poses a
serious question. Racial inequality and ethnic differences have been an issue in public schools
since the time public schools were founded. The foremost step towards addressing diversity in
schools should come from the curriculum itself. Involving different ethnic sports and
multicultural festivals at schools would mark the beginning of an attempt to combine students
from diverse backgrounds into a bond of institutional unity. Moreover, including prominent
historical annals derived from different ethnicity as part of a collective study of world history
would encourage students to get familiar with each others' racial, cultural and ethnic
differences. Rather than letting diversity come in the way of education, the importance of
diversity should be upheld.

Grading - Linking Parameters with Purpose: What do grades reflect? Rather, what should
grades reflect? Should they just cover the academics? Then again, what, in academics should
they reflect? Should grades be considered for assessing learning capabilities, information
grasping prowess, discipline in meeting academic deadlines or all of these? Then again, should
failure by a student to live up to these standards be considered as laxity on the student's part
or should it be blamed upon the incompetency of the teacher? Should class participation be
considered in overall grading? If so, then wouldn't that kill the idea of respecting the
individuality of shier or quieter students who may be equally good (maybe better) at
academics as their more outgoing counterparts? These and a lot more related questions form
the crux of the 'satisfactory grading' debate. An unbiased standardization of the grading
system would require careful consideration of all angles of these queries and dilemmas to
arrive at an objective conclusion that leaves no room for ambiguity.

Besides the above mentioned ethical issues in education, there are other noteworthy issues -
teacher evaluation, sex education, value education, tracking and random drug tests in
campuses - that prevail surrounded by controversy. Each of these issues require fine scrutiny
and deep understanding but even then, there would always be that "depends upon the
situation" factor that would decide which way the verdict rests.

Why is Education So Important?


Why is education so important? Education is a self-enlightening process. It is an important
component of life. Know more about the importance of education.

When I started thinking about why education is so important, I remembered my school years,
the grounding years of anyone's education. I went down memory lane, I remembered my
teachers, my school subjects, the study and the fun! I never really hated school. But I have seen
many who hate going to school; I have had some friends who did not like the idea of studying
in classrooms. Many of you must have unwillingly entered your school gates. But you know,
this dislike never lasts long. We soon start loving school and it is when it's time to leave school
that we are in tears... Our school which lays the foundation of our education, is the institution
where we understand why education is so important and how important it is! It is our school,
where we learn to read and write and we become literate. It is where young talent is
recognized, nurtured and encouraged. On leaving school, we are all set to soar high in life and
enter the real world in pursuit of our dreams.

Why is Education Important?


The first thing that strikes me about education is knowledge gain. Education gives us
knowledge of the world around us. It develops in us a perspective of looking at life. It helps us
build opinions and have points of view on things in life. People debate over the subject of
whether education is the only thing that gives knowledge. Some say, education is the process
of gaining information about the surrounding world while knowledge is something very
different. They are right. But then, information cannot be converted into knowledge without
the catalyst called education. Education makes us capable of interpreting things rightly. It is
not just about lessons in textbooks. It is about the lessons of life.

The words 'cultivate' and 'civilize' are synonymous with 'educate'. That says it all! Education is
important as it teaches us the right behavior and good manners thus making us civilized. It
teaches us how to lead life. It is the basis of culture and civilization. It is instrumental in the
development of our values and virtues. Education cultivates us into mature individuals,
individuals capable of planning for our future and taking the right decisions in life. It gives us
an insight into our lives and teaches us to learn from experience. The future of a nation is safe
in the hands of educated individuals. Education is important for the economic growth of a
nation. It fosters principles of equality and socialism. It forms a support system for individuals
to excel in life. It is the backbone of society.

Education is important because it equips us with all that is needed to make our dreams come
true. It opens doors to brilliant career opportunities. It fetches better prospects in career and
growth. Every employer today requires his prospective employees to be well-educated. He
requires expertise. So, education becomes an eligibility criterion for employment in any sector
of the industry. We are rewarded for exercising the expertise required for the field we venture.
We are weighed in the market on the basis of our educational skills and how well we can apply
them.

Education is essential as it paves the path leading to disillusionment. It wipes out all the
wrong beliefs in our minds. It helps create a clear picture of everything around us and we no
longer remain in confusion about the things we learn. Education brings up questions and also
helps us devise ways to find satisfactory answers to them. Education is about knowing that
everything has a science to it, it is about learning to reason everything till every question
meets its answer. It can lead us to enlightenment. It is education that builds in every
individual, the confidence to take decisions, to face life and to accept successes and failures. It
instills a sense of pride about the knowledge one has and prepares him/her to live!

Though not enlisted as one of the three basic human needs, education is equally important.
For the progress of a nation, for the enrichment of society in general, education is necessary
and important. A country's literate population is its asset. The number of institutes offering
vocational courses and colleges offering online education is increasing by the day. Vocational
courses help earn specialized education. Online degree programs help the working class and
adults in general, to pursue education even while working. Distance education has proven to
be of help for those who are unable to attend classes. In today's competitive world, it won't be
wise to neglect the importance of education. And most countries have realized this. This has
led to many government-aided educational programs and government grants to schools and
colleges. The motive behind this is fostering education in society.

Well, schools, colleges and other such educational institutes define the basic framework of
education. Schooling gives us the fundamentals while we specialize in fields of our interest
during degree courses. But education does not end here. It is a lifelong process. Self-learning
begins at a point where institutional education ends. The process of self-learning continues.

Benefits of Educational Technology

Technology has paved its way into the education system, thereby improving it to a great
extent. There are a number of uses and benefits of educational technology.in this modern-day
setting, for students from all fields...

Today, everything that we come across has some technological connotation to it. Be it at home,
school or workplace, technology has found a comfortable niche and has become an integral
part of life. With the use of technology, several arenas are seeing changes and education is also
one of them. The birth of educational technology has proved to be a boon to students the
world over. Not only in the regular setting, but also in educating students with special needs
have known to be benefited with the introduction of this modern invention.

What is Educational Technology?


The term 'educational technology' has a broad perspective and is also referred to as
instructional technology or learning technology. This method plays a vital role in enhancing
the learning process of students and also assists teachers in communicating with the students
in an easy way. Educational technology can be a classroom affair, or can be even taken out of
the classroom. This technology has successfully transformed the stereotypical image of
classrooms into a modern and more interesting one. Thanks to this modern development,
classrooms are no longer a boring place and learning is actually a fun experience. With the use
of computers and software programs, which provide learning materials, technology has
changed education to a great extent.

Educational Technology Benefits


There are a number of benefits of introducing technology in the field of education. There has
been a positive impact of technology on education. Virtual classrooms have made learning
easier for the student community. With the potential use of technology, the learning speed and
style have undergone a sea change and communication has become easier.
One of the benefits of educational technology for students is that it helps them improve their
learning capabilities. Since it is one field which is constantly changing, new updates can be
easily introduced to the students and class plans can be prepared with the help of the
software.
In the earlier days, education was considered to be mostly for the elite class and people under
other strata were quite ignorant of it. With the introduction of educational technology, there is
no discrimination and everyone is equally accessible to get educated.
The information can be portrayed in various ways with the help of study materials. Knowledge
has become easily accessible to students in every part of the world with the implementation of
technology in the field of education. Online classrooms help students to interact with other
students belonging to the same stream, but located somewhere else in the world.
Since the Internet is the main medium and other things like handheld tablet PCs and smart
boards have entered the arena, students do not have to carry heavy backpacks loaded with
books. They can walk in comfortably to the classroom where these equipment are already
placed.
With the birth of virtual classrooms, the instructor from any part of the world can teach the
learner (or learners) who may be living at the other end. The reach of this technology is quite
far and students living in the remote parts can also avail it with ease.
In special education, the educational technology has brought about a sea change where the
needs of students are catered to in a different manner. With the introduction of the software
which teaches students with special needs, the appropriate study materials are designed so
that learning is comfortable.
With the inclusion of technology, the concept of education is undergoing a modification, for
the betterment of the students as well as the teachers. Hence, the introduction of technology is
important in education. Thanks to educational technology, now learning and teaching have
become an enjoyable experience.

Pros and Cons of Standardized Testing

The educational system in the United States has been using standardized tests to evaluate the
performance of students. However, there has been an ongoing debate among scholars, parents
and teachers on the effectiveness of standardized tests. Read on to know more about the pros
and cons of standardized tests.

Standardized testing are a type of exam that assess the student's capability on the basis of
multiple choice questions (MCQ's). These tests don't generally involve any theory based
papers/projects or documentation works. Though a few institutions also include essay papers
in grading candidates. Generally, the student is provided four or five options per question and
he/she is expected to choose one correct answer amongst the five options. In certain cases,
there may be more than one correct answer.

Some of the standardized tests that are very popular for admission in the U.S. are Scholastic
Assessment Test Examinations (SAT), Graduate Management Aptitude Tests (GMAT), Law
School Admission Testing Program (LSAT) and Medical College Admission Tests (MCAT). Some
other popular tests are the California Achievement Tests (CAT), the Stanford Achievement Test
(SAT), the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale.

The standardized tests are evaluated by the computer which reduces the risk of human error.
Most of the institutions have computer adaptive response system that scans the answer paper
of the candidate and produces the score within minutes. Only the writing part (if any) of the
standardized tests is checked by an examiner. After George Bush, the former president of the
U.S. announced the 'No Child Left Behind Act' in 2003, cities in the U.S. have started using
standardized tests as a major part of their educational curriculum .

Pros
Supporters of standardized tests believe that these tests are highly accountable and reliable as
they judge the candidates on a common platform across states and nations. The reason given
by the supporters of this testing methodology is the disparity in the educational patterns and
curriculum throughout the United States. For instance, a teacher in Massachusetts has a
different teaching style based on the syllabus, whereas, a teacher in Texas has another style.
So, if individual assessment is provided for the students, it may lead to large differences in the
grades and percentages. That is why a common exam like standardized testing is considered a
better option.

Further, application of computers in checking the OMR sheets make this tests completely
unbiased. This is a very crucial factor that is raised by the standardized testing supporters.
When the human element is involved in the correction process, it is highly probable that some
bias is bound to occur as different people/teachers have different points of view.

Cons
Standardized testing is opposed by various scholars for being a mechanical way of judging a
student's ability. Educationists say that since learning is not uni-dimensional, memorizing
facts, learning certain steps and then just marking an answer does not display many other
facets of a student's capabilities. For instance, how will a standardized test determine the
creativity of the child? How will a certain score prove that the child is good at one subject and
bad in another? Just on the basis of a score, is it logical to assume that a student is not capable
of shining in a certain course? Often, a fixed syllabus is circulated in schools and colleges and
the teachers stick to a monotonous method of just completing the syllabus and teaching only
the required topics. This hinders an in-depth learning of the subject by the students.

Many people say that though the answers are checked by computers, but in their inception
they are made by a teacher who may be from a white or black population. So, what if the
questions are made according to the teaching styles of a particular state? Won't that lead to a
bias? It has been found that racial minorities have not been able to perform well in
standardized tests. However, it has been found in the U.S. that Asian origin students have
performed better in standardized tests. So, this argument remains a vague perception.

The success of the schools is dependent on the performance of their students. The federal
funds are given only to those schools that perform well. This adds an extra pressure on public
schools to constantly evaluate their performance. This often leads to unhealthy competition
among the schools. The impacts of standardized tests on high school students has evoked a
mixed response. Strict schedule and tough screening process prove to be a torture for some
students. Though some adapt easily to standardized tests. These tests have been found to
reduce group activities among students. Because the students spend a lot of time in preparing
for standardized tests and therefore, skip the daily routines of playing and exercising.

There has been a misconception that students and kids with learning disabilities, such as
dyslexia perform poorly in standardized tests. However, the fact is that disabled kids have
performed better when they provided with necessary support and motivation. Standardized
tests are recommended by some and disregarded by others. However, the fact is that every
student goes through these tests sometime or the other in his/her academic career.

Social Issues in Education

The following article brings forth some of the prominent social issues in education. Scroll
down to know what impact these social issues have on the children and the steps government
has taken as well as can take, to solve them...

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." - John Dewey

If there is one thing that makes or breaks an individual - it is his education. Schools, where
children study, learn and prepare for life, thus need to provide the right kind of environment
so that students can get an education properly.

In schools, students are taught languages, mathematics, science, history and a number of other
subjects. They get to participate in sports activities, socialize with their peers and learn how to
adapt themselves in different social situations. However, an impediment in the path of the
child development at schools, comes by way of the various social issues that plague our
education system.

Social Issues in Education

Emotional Issues
Society has changed considerably in the last few decades. Today, the divorce rate is very high
in America and many school going children are brought up in single parent families. Growing
up in broken homes can adversely affect the emotional health of a student and this may lower
his performance at school. However, even when children are brought up in homes where both
parents are present, it's not necessary that there emotional needs will be met, as in majority of
families today, both the parents are working.

Ethnic Issues
Children belonging to certain ethnic groups such as blacks, are expected to be slower learners
as compared to others. There are certain stereotypes that have been attached to specific races
and, children belonging to them, suffer from low self-esteem.

Gender Issues
Another social issue in education is differentiation on the basis of sex. Girls have lesser
opportunities, compared to boys for studying, in certain sections of the society. Expectations
from girls to score high in studies or study further, are less too.
Economic Issues
Some social issues arise due to the economic strata a student belongs to. Students who belong
to poor families, go to public schools which are not so well equipped with technology. This
automatically puts them at a disadvantage, when compared to the students who go to some
good private schools.

Cultural Issues
Students belonging to immigrant families, may not be well versed with English language. This
creates a barrier in communication between students and teachers and thus, such students
are not able to receive proper education.

Ethical Issues
There are certain ethical issues in education which too, affect students such as - whether to
allow cell phones in school or not, should school uniforms be made compulsory, etc.

Impact of Social Issues in Education

According to the "Education Research Center, United States", around 7,000 high school
students, drop out of school every day! The high drop out rates are propelled by social issues
in education as mentioned above. These issues basically have two kinds of impact - firstly, the
student's performance suffers and secondly, the teacher's expectations do not remain the
same for everybody. That's why certain political issues on education have been raised to deal
with these social problems.

The government is running various bilingual programs in schools, where majority of students
belong to immigrant families. This helps them learn English and other subjects faster.
Secondly, the government has come up with "private-school vouchers", with the help of which
students of public schools can attend private schools to get a superior education.

Some current issues in education with regards to politics, that require immediate attention by
policy makers are - Providing family and medical leave to all working parents so that they can
spend quality time with their children, providing financial support to low-income families and
single mothers, giving scholarships to teachers to study further and running training
programs for them and lastly, taking steps to prevent the spread of HIV, STDs among
adolescents.

The government has to make certain policies and see to it that they are implemented properly,
to tackle these issues. Besides political will, a change in society's attitude is needed too, to
ensure that these issues do not arise any further.

Social Issues in Today's Society

The following article lists some of the prominent social issues that are present in today's
society, which should be dealt with immediately, if society has to run smoothly and progress.

Society social Issues can be defined as problems or matters, which affect a person, a group of
persons or the whole society in general, either directly or indirectly. Social issues in society
thus, have a very wide scope.

List of Social Issues in Today's Society


Alcoholism
Food and Drug Safety
Tax Reform

Global Warming

Drug Abuse
Capital Punishment
Media, Sex and Violence
Animal Rights

Poverty
Women's Rights

World population

Human Rights
Environmental Pollution
Children's Rights
Corporate Downsizing

Unemployment
Homelessness
Racial profiling
Welfare
Recycling and Conservation
HIV/AIDS
Civil Rights
Genetic Engineering
Consumer Debt and Bankruptcy
Obesity
Terrorism
Judicial Reform
Censorship
Violence
Academic Freedom
Gun Control
Gender issues
Environmental issues
Single Parenting
Child Labor
Immigration
Tobacco
Nuclear Proliferation
Ageism
Stress
Education
Health Care Reform
Affirmative Action
Revelations about Social Issues in Today's Society

Health Issues
As can be seen from the above list, the social issues can affect it on a number of levels. Also,
some of these common issues in society are inter-related. For example, there are health issues,
which arise due to the increase in number of people detected with life-threatening diseases
like cancer and AIDS every year. This social issue can be handled only if another issue i.e.
health care reform, is dealt with appropriately.

Teen Issues
There are plethora of teen issues which society is facing today, right from increase in alcohol
abuse to eating disorders to high stress levels amongst teens. According to the "Mothers
Against Drunk Driving website", around eight teens die every day due to drunken driving in
America. Violence faced by teens is startlingly high too, with as many as one in every two rape
victims being under the age of eighteen (Statistics given by Department of Justice)

Gender Issues
Women's issues, such as equality of rights, privileges and pay-packages similar to those of
men, breaking the glass ceiling with regards to their jobs are some of the gender specific social
issues which are faced by American women. According to department of labor, USA, 46.8
percent of the total U.S. labor force consisted of women and it is projected that by the year
2018, 46.9 percent of the labor force will be women. Speaking of gender issues, there is a huge
debate going on in America whether same-sex marriages should be legalized or not. Although,
some states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire,
have legalized gay marriages, there are many states which are still contemplating this social
issue and decision is awaited.

Economic Issues
In the current economic recession, according to the United States Department of Labor, the
unemployment rate has gone up to 9.60 percent, as of September 2010. On an average, the
unemployment in America has remained 5.70% from 1948 to 2010. Thus, there has been a
considerable increase in unemployment rate in recent months, making it one of the burning
social issues in society.

International Issues
Internationally, the most important issues today are - terrorism and global warming. Global
warming, as everybody knows has resulted in change in weather and temperatures all over
the world. United States itself has felt its fury by way of the ferocious hurricanes in the past.
Islamic terrorism, particularly handing the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, is another social
issue plaguing the world.

These are some of the major social issues present in today's society. Efforts need to be made at
an individual, national, international and political level, to tackle them with conviction and in
time.

Beliefs about the Purpose of Education


What is the purpose of education? We never think of this. Well, the purpose of education is to
bring about physical, mental and social development of an individual. For an insight into the
beliefs about the same.

Education is believed to be responsible for the cultivation of a civilized society. Imparting


education to people enables the development of a responsible society. Education helps in
imbibing moral values in individuals and their education, in turn, helps in the creation of a
cultured society. Education gives one a deep understanding of living, making him capable of
living.

Education brings about overall progress of society. Education gives an individual, better
prospects of earning a living. It makes an individual self-sufficient. Education produces
individuals who are not just resources but assets for the society. It develops individuals who
can contribute to wealth creation in the country. While people are earning for themselves, they
are also creating wealth for the organization they work with. With every flourishing
organization, the government earns (in the form of taxes paid or direct profit-making in case
of government organizations). Every organization thus shares the nation's responsibility of
achieving monetary gains. The educated lot in a country helps it earn money, the means of
living.

Education helps an individual acquire social skills, which enable him to interact with people
around, maintain social relations and blend well with others in society. Educations is an
individual's tool to thrive in society. As a part of the educational system, every individual
learns with a group of other individuals of his age. Throughout education, he is part of a larger
group. These years expose him to competition. This is when an individual tastes both
successes and failures. Education also helps in the building of interpersonal skills. This is what
education is aimed at - development of social skills.

Bill Beattie, a famous author believes that education should teach us how to think, rather than
telling us what to think. Education does play a role in developing one's creative thinking skills
and imaginative power. Eric Hoffer, an American social writer, believes that the main purpose
of education is to build a will and facility to learn. He believes that the objective of education is
to produce learning individuals and not necessarily learned ones. Bishop Creighton, on similar
lines states that education should aim at creating people who continually ask questions. By
this he means to say that education should fuel one's thirst for knowledge.

It's on the basis of education that an individual can pursue his dreams. Education helps a
person meet his career objectives and achieve economic growth. Education builds resourceful
human beings out of illiterate individuals. Education gives a sense of personal fulfillment. An
educated individual having experienced its positive effects, encourages the idea of education.
An educated individual promotes education in his family. Thus he contributes to the spread of
education, starting from a small unit of society - his family. The idea of education and a strong
belief in its benefits on individuals and the society, are transferred from one generation to
another. One educated individual can prove to be instrumental in the educational development
of his family, the future generations and in turn, the society. The spread of education is one of
its purposes.

Education helps create good teachers. Why not? On acquiring education, an individual gains
the ability to share what he has learned with the less learned. He acquires the ability to impart
his knowledge to the less knowledgeable; he gains the ability to teach. Now, not every
educated individual is a good teacher. But education is definitely a doorway leading to the field
of education - where one becomes the ambassador of education itself.

The true purpose of education is to bring profoundness to one's expression, broaden one's
perspective and build in the individuals, a better approach of looking at life.

Gender Discrimination in Education

Sad, but true, even as we usher in the 21st century, there are instances of gender
discrimination in homes, at work and even by the providers of education. The bias is baseless
and inhumane, yet it continues.

Education has come a long way, from that of traditional religious texts to global awareness, but
not the attitude of providers in certain countries. It is sad to see girls or the 'fairer sex' as they
are referred to, being sidelined for no apparent reason. This has many far-reaching effects on
the victim and in the case of girls, the result is mental and physical bondage.

The Crux of the Matter

Throughout history, all over the world, woman empowerment came only later. Girls and
women were treated as secondary to men. Not a single nation can claim to have always been
free of this social evil. Till some point in recorded time, societies offered women a lower rung
on the ladder of success. This disparity showed up in the home, through employment
discrimination at the work place and even in relationships. Where did this spring from? The
route of human evolution propagated throughout history, in world religions, has 'man' first.
Probably, the physical ability for early man to be able to venture and dare and provide, simply
rippled down the ages. Thought, anywhere and at anytime, delves in the known only. This is
the best possible explanation for male chauvinism and the paradigms of society being
redefined to accommodate the evil.

Unequal Opportunity and Gender Differences

There are numerous women's issues that begin with instances of girls not being given the
opportunity to study and avail of special education in the modern world. Although
governments across the globe are making a serious attempt to fight and root out the evil, it
prevails and raises its ugly head from time to time. It is not uncommon to see girls being given
the free primary education, while the boys are educated right through, even if it means living a
hand-to-mouth existence and starvation. Most underdeveloped and developing countries have
this evil rooted like the runner grass. It prevails because of the diseased social parameters that
are set generations back and allowed to thrive even amidst change. Women, in these countries,
are sometimes educated with marriage as the culmination of the effort. This is sadly the state
of affairs even in the so-called 'upper middle class' and rich families.

Effects of Gender Discrimination in Education

In a society where a male child is treated as 'wealth', an uneducated girl who not only stand to
inherit any ancestral property, but also incapable of becoming a working woman and securing
a job if there are marital problems. From her birth, the shadow of female infanticide looms
large and throughout her growing years, she is never more than an expense. This makes the
girl always feel inferior and a victim of child abuse. Though such situations are rampant in the
face of extreme poverty, it is not that the monetary brighter segment of society is devoid of it.
However, the bias once sowed, ripples through the family, subsequent generations and society.
The repercussions are severe, making women vulnerable to emotional abuse in marital
problems.

Discrimination in the field of education results in individual tragedies and finally tells on the
rate of progress a society or a nation makes. The status of women in a society has a direct
effect on its health. In a number of countries and societies, girls are not educated since she is
considered a strain on the family's resources. Without education, she cannot even voice her
opinion, stand up for herself monetarily as well as emotionally, or battle the discrimination
from a social pulpit. Women have come a long way in many societies around the world. It is
not that there has been no shift. However, the shift is slow in some societies and evident in
others. The problem is not with the number of instances coming up each day, it lies with
identifying an effective measure to eradicate the economic predicament. The attitude that
results in widespread neglect needs to be 'treated' and drained off social support. It is only in
a united stand that the focus will provide the right guidelines.

Citizens need to back the law and law enforcement agencies and most importantly, believe in
the power of equality. The fight is not to determine the 'first among equals', but to enjoy a
rostrum that is conducive to collaborative effort and a balance that is willed by nature.

Education, simply stated, is the process of gaining knowledge, learning forms of proper
conduct and acquiring technical competency in a specific field. It involves cultivating the mind
and instilling values that enable an individual to distinguish between the right and the wrong.
It includes developing skills pertaining to a specific field and also aims at achieving overall
development. Formal education is divided into phases starting from primary school,
continuing through higher education followed by education in a specific field (specialization).
But education never really ends. You learn something from every incident you are exposed to,
every experience you have and every person you meet. The process of education is believed to
begin in the mother's womb and it continues throughout one's life.

We seldom think of what the real purpose of education is. We hardly think of the reason why
education is so important. It is while we grow up that we begin to realize the role of education
and understand how it applies to daily life. We begin to realize the importance of education
only after it begins finding applications in our professional and personal life. If education is
the process of gathering knowledge, it can never really end as knowledge is infinite and one
can never claim to have acquired all of it.

The fundamental purpose of education is to teach a person to read and write, that is to make
him literate. Reading abilities that are acquired in school, go a long way in enabling an
individual to read more and more. And every bit read, is a new lesson learned. The
fundamentals of science and math which one acquires during school, are pillars on which his
understanding of life is based. How did you know the Earth is round? Who told you why the
sky looks blue? How did you know 2 + 2 is 4? How did you know you have 10 fingers, two eyes
and a nose? It's through education that you learned about yourself and the world around you.
That's the basic purpose of education - to make an individual aware.

Society's Influence on Education

Education plays an extremely important role in our life and deeply impacts the society.
However, how does society influence education? Read on to find out.We always talk about the
importance of education and its impact on society, but seldom think about how society affects
our educational system. We often ignore the fact that social norms, customs and traditions
deeply affect education. Society and education are tightly bound entities and hence cannot be
separated from each other. I think, society in itself, is an educational institution. Social
interactions give us the ability to read people. Our customs and values shape our upbringing,
thus molding our personalities. We learn from our surroundings; we learn from experience.
And we should be grateful towards society for providing us with a platform to learn, grow and
enrich ourselves.Before understanding the influence of society on education, we must define
society. Society is an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic
organization. It is characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals. It is a group
of individuals who share a common system of customs, values and laws. From the definition of
society, it is clear that we human beings are its building blocks. As we interact with people, try
to understand their thinking styles and behavioral patterns, we soon realize that there is so
much to learn from them. Society is the greatest facilitator of education. Don't you think so?We
cannot restrict the impact of society on the education system alone. We need to understand
the role of society in the overall development of an individual. Even before we become a part
of the education system, we start learning from our surroundings. And during the process of
formal education, we constantly take 'non-formal education' from society. Yes, our interactions
with our fellow-beings, our observations about their social behavior and our understanding of
social norms prepares us to face life. True, educational institutions, like schools, colleges and
universities play a very important role in our education. But, we cannot ignore the fact that we
learn some of the important lessons of life from society. It would not be an exaggeration to say
that the actual process of learning begins at a point, which marks the end of institutional
education. Learning, as an individual, from your interaction with society, is a vital part of
education. Society plays an important role in education and influences it, both positively and
negatively. Social inequalities and unhealthy educational practices and are some of the
negative influences of society on our lives. Customs and traditions that prevent certain
sections of society from exercising their fundamental rights and hamper the well-being of
society, shatter the basic ideas of education and social awareness. Some social groups deny
women's right to education, while others force children to work, depriving them from a
healthy environment, conducive to their growth and development. Education is one of the
basic human rights. If social norms deprive certain strata of society from progressing in life
and come in the way of social welfare, it defeats the purpose of education.Society is an entity
that cannot be separated from us. It is we who make up the society. It is entirely in our hands
whether to add value to our education or devalue it.

Education
Education encompasses our lives; it is the foundation of our society. Education helps to
stimulate our minds and mold inquisitive minds into intellectuals. Higher learning takes the
intellect to the next level, providing a deeper understanding of the world around us

Importance of Education
The importance of education has been proven to be a prerequisite for the harmonious
functioning of any society.

A teacher in high school used to say that thinking is education. Thinking, she said, opened the
doors to our mind and made us receptive to the very idea of broadening our horizons and
learning new things. She used to say, 'Question everything and anything, and you shall learn in
the process'.

But why is it important to learn new things? Why is it essential to broaden our horizons? What
is the importance of education? The answer to these questions lies within all of us. We
consider education a coveted commodity. A learned person is always put up on a pedestal. If
one notices the scholars of the world (people who have achieved great knowledge), we see
that they make their presence felt in the way they speak and the opinions they hold. It is a
natural reaction to bestow feelings of awe and respect upon them. It is therefore very easy to
deduce that education leads to success. But that is not all. The importance of education in
today's society runs deeper than merely success in the worldly terms.

Grants Us Freedom
It was Epictetus who said that only the educated are free. Education releases us from the
confines of our mind and forces us to think and question. It makes us aware of our rights in the
society. It thus grants us the power to never be enslaved, either by thought or action.

Opens Our Minds


Education makes us broadminded. In fact, there is no better time than the present to
understand this concept. Globalization has transformed the world into one big village, the
borders don't count and neither are there any restrictions as far gaining knowledge is
concerned. It is possible for us to know about the different cultures or events taking place at
the other end of the world. All this has been made possible due to education. Education has
broadened our minds, so that we are not confined to our countries and comfort zones
anymore. We aren't trapped in our small worlds, instead we have come out of our shells and
begun to explore and learn new things about the world. Learning about new things and
different cultures not only adds to our literacy bank but also instills in us humane qualities.
For example if we see that a society in some other part of the world has accepted HIV patients
and begun to work for them, then we might also begin to do the same. Maybe we had resorted
to shunning them earlier, but education can change our thought processes for the better. It
therefore helps in making us more tolerant and accepting.

Forms the Basis of Society


Education forms the basis of any society. It is responsible for the economic, social, and political
growth and development of society in general. Education imparts knowledge, whereby
making discoveries and implementing them for the betterment of the society becomes
possible. The thread of the growth of society depends upon the quality of education that is
being imparted. The better the quality, the better people can learn and utilize that education
to make reforms that lead to research and development.

Provides a Strong Base for Children


The importance of education as a concept needs to be instilled in children from an early age.
They need to be told that education does not simply mean bookish knowledge or learning
things by rote, but holds a much deeper meaning. It means opening your minds to learn new
things and pursue different options. Opting for higher education provides one with a clearer
vision of things, makes one's goals clearer and makes one more receptive to change. It makes a
person rational, instilling in him an ability to think and question. And these are the basis on
which reforms are made.

Beyond Books, Classrooms and Degrees


Education cannot remain confined to books and classrooms alone. Other than these sources, it
has to be sought from anything and everything that one does. In this respect, physical
education also plays a major role in one's education because it makes our body healthy and
therefore strengthens our mind for seeking more knowledge. Education also provides
opportunities to interact with people from different walks of life. It leads to better
understanding and an exposure of how the world lives and thinks. It is our duty to inculcate
the importance of education in children. They should be made aware that the list of degrees
that tail an individual's name do not mean that one is educated. It holds a much wider
perspective. Education means to go beyond the degrees and continue to achieve things by
acquiring knowledge. In the real sense, education means to evolve from being an individual to
a human being, capable of not merely 'surviving' but living life.

The importance of education goes beyond the concept of being literate. It goes much deeper, in
denoting a way of life and thinking. Education today has become synonymous (rightly so) with
being a well-informed, thinking person.

Importance of Art Education

What is the importance of art education? Should art programs be included in the school
curriculum? Read on to know the answers...

Have you ever thought why do we send children to school? Or what is the importance of
education? Firstly, the schools teach the necessary values to children which are needed to
become good citizens. Secondly, schools provide the skills and prepare the students to get a
job. And lastly, perhaps the most important, schools teach the students how to be better
human beings, how to be creative and aware, and to enjoy and understand the deeper forms of
beauty. Art education, be it in the form of drawing or music or dance, does exactly that. The
importance of art education in the development of a child's overall personality and skills is
undeniable. Still, it is seen that when it comes to cost cutting, arts and crafts programs are the
first things that are discontinued in schools. Maybe the school authorities as well as parents
need to understand why is art education important. Given below are some of the advantages
of art education for students.

Importance of Art Education in Schools

It is observed that children who are engaged in art activities, develop a better understanding
of other subjects, right from languages to geography to even science. Studies have shown that
students who are exposed to any of the forms of creative expression, be it music, painting, or
drama, on an average achieve higher scores in standardized tests. Some other findings suggest
that students engaged in an arts program in school are much more unlikely to drop out of
school compared to those who are not into any kind of arts.

Creativity
During art programs, students are often given materials and asked to draw whatever they feel
like. Such free-flowing art activities foster creativity in children and help in developing their
imagination as well as decision-making skills.

Interpretation Skills
During art appreciation classes, students are made to interpret and draw conclusions from
various pieces of art. This strengthens their interpretation skills and they can use the same in
other subjects as well as in all other aspects of life.

Critical Thinking and Communication Skills


Art develops a child's intelligence. Studies have shown that exposure of children to art helps in
promoting brain activity. A child learns how to problem solve. He also learns how to convey
his thoughts and ideas in numerous ways. During art classes, various pieces of art are
discussed in detail. This discussion makes the students capable of expressing themselves well
during debates or in speech classes.

Personality Development
Art forms such as drama activities develop the overall personality of a child. They build a
child's self-esteem and make him disciplined. A child due to his engagement in art becomes
much more creative and innovative. He develops motivation and also learns how to cooperate
with others.

People Skills
The importance of art education for children can be understood from the fact that engaging in
art activities gives the child a better understanding of human nature. A child develops
sensitivity and becomes considerate enough to think from the other's point of view. He starts
respecting other people's feelings and thoughts.

Observational Skills
Art activities for children improve their observational skills. For example, the skills that are
required to draw a sketch of a house are the same that are required to understand the solar
system or to figure out why a particular classmate is behaving in so and so manner.

Inquisitive Spirit
Kids' art activities make them curious. A child learns how to question things by participating
in arts. After drawing a sketch, if a child does not like the final outcome, he erases and re-
draws certain portions. Thus, he learns "trial and error" through art and uses the same in real
life situations.

The importance of art education can be understood from the fact that the whole of human
history that we know of today, has been conveyed to us through various art forms such as
literature, music, visual arts, dance and drama. Art transcends all boundaries be it
geographical or cultural. Art can bring imagination to life and give life to imagination. So to
conclude it can be said that engaging in art activities is a must for children for their social,
emotional, intellectual and personal development.

What Does It Mean to be Educated?

For most, the word education conjures up a picture of a classroom somewhere. Yet, for
centuries, education meant more than the primary schools and institutions of higher learning
that exist today.

What does it mean to be educated, or to be a person of education? These expressions usually


mean something quite different today than they did a century or two ago. The Merriam-
Webster Online Dictionary gives several definitions for the word educate, including "to train
by formal instruction and supervised practice especially in a skill, trade, or profession" and "to
develop mentally, morally, or aesthetically especially by instruction." In today's fast paced
world, emphasis is usually placed on the first definition. The argument seems to be that
science and technology have come so far, and the world is so complex, that an individual must
specialize in order to accomplish anything.
As a result, for most people today, education means training for a particular career. More
specifically, many think of acquiring an education as synonymous with acquiring a four-year
college degree. More education means another degree. Conversely, to be uneducated means
not having attended college and therefore not having a degree.

While such a degree may help to prepare an individual for a particular field of employment,
how much emphasis does the curriculum, or the student, place on 'developing mentally,
morally, or aesthetically'? Concurrently, does it necessarily follow that a person without a
college degree is uneducated, even inferior, as some seem to believe?

Many "educated" people have seen how specious such reasoning can be. For example, after
listing a large number of successful individuals with little formal education, on the website
Education Reform, Dr. Shaun Kerry says that rather than limit their education to formal
schooling, such individuals were curious about the world around them, and that such a spirit
of exploration led them to discover their true passion and strengths. This led to their success.

Dr. Kerry even goes so far as to say that, "Ultimately, formal education - by placing the control
of learning in the hands of teachers and administrators, and imposing rules and requirements
on students - stifles the natural love for learning." Allan Bloom, in his famous book The Closing
of the American Mind makes a similar point. The subtitle of the book summarizes his view,
How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy And Impoverished The Souls Of Today's
Students.

What is the solution to the problem? Not the abolition of formal institutions of higher learning.
The key, as Dr. Kerry points out, is a curiosity about the world around us. This is what made
Leonardo da Vinci a universal man. Because no one told him he had to specialize in one thing,
his interests and accomplishments covered a wide range of fields.

This curiosity can be satisfied in many ways, certainly by books, but also by living itself, by
travel, by social interaction, even by work. This is the point made by one of the most widely
published and beloved authors of all time, Louis L'Amour. Although he left school in the 10th
grade, he had a thirst for knowledge. Before becoming a writer he traveled extensively,
working at a variety of jobs, including lumberjack, skinner of dead cattle, elephant handler,
and assessment miner. He became a seaman and circled the world on a freighter. During WWII
he was an officer on tank destroyers. He fought as a professional boxer and worked as a
journalist and lecturer. His varied experiences included sailing a dhow on the Red Sea, being
shipwrecked in the West Indies, and stranded in the Mojave Desert. At the same time, he read.
As The Official Louis L'Amour Website says, "Louis liked to brag that from 1928 until 1942 he
read more than 150 non-fiction books a year and that in order to do it he worked miserable
jobs and lived in skid row hotels and campgrounds."

His experiences and self imposed reading program were an education, one that would be hard
to duplicate in any formal institution of higher learning. It could be argued that this education
prepared him for his chosen profession. Yet it did more than that, it opened his eyes to a larger
world.

Few today are prepared to acquire an education by living the kind of life that Louis L'Amour
led. Yet, if we choose to, most of us can read. From the safety and security of our own homes,
we can travel through time and across the world. Modern technology has given us access to
the accumulated knowledge of all mankind.
As Louis L'Amour states in his biography, Education Of A Wandering Man, "Books are the
building blocks of civilization, for without the written word, a man knows nothing beyond
what occurs during his own brief years and, perhaps, in a few tales his parents tell him."

In today's world, books are more widely available than ever before. Yet sadly, very few take
advantage of them. In his book, The Closing of the American Mind Allan Bloom says that he
first noticed a decline in reading in the late sixties. He says that at that time, "I began asking
my large introductory classes, and any other group of younger students to which I spoke, what
books really count for them. Most are silent, puzzled by the question. The notion of books as
companions is foreign to them. Justice Black with his tattered copy of the Constitution in his
pocket at all times is not an example that would mean much to them. There is no printed word
to which they look for counsel, inspiration or joy."

If asked the same question, how would you answer? Of course, over the years, many reading
lists have been compiled, listing what books other people feel are essential for a complete
education. Links to some of these lists can be found on the Great Books Lists page of a website
created by a librarian named Robert Teeter. Or you can read what interests you. That may be
more important than reading a book just because doing so is a requirement for something, or
so that we can say that we have read it.

What books count with you? Which have made an impression on you? Which have made you
think? What have you learned from them? Even popular culture has dealt with this subject, in
the movie Dead Poets Society, where a teacher tries to do more than just impart information.
Rather than training his students to parrot back someone else's opinion, he uses the power of
the written word to encourage them to actually think.

So, are you educated? Not, are you trained to do a specific job, but have you 'developed
mentally, morally, or aesthetically'? Has this education ended? Or are you still trying to satisfy
a curiosity about the world around you?

The Benefits of College

Going to college and getting proper education is very important for ensuring the security and
success of your teenager.

Planning proper education for your teenager is a crucial step you have to take and help them
know what is best for them taking into consideration their interests.

Benefits of going to college


Education is a must for getting better job. Because the world is changing rapidly, and many
jobs rely on new technology, more and more jobs require qualifications that are essential for
the post.

* Education is a must to earn more money.


* Education is a must to get a good start on life.

A college education helps your child acquire a wide range of knowledge in many subjects, as
well as advanced knowledge in the specific subjects they are most interested in. College also
trains students to express thoughts clearly in speech and in writing, to make informed
decisions, and to use technology--useful skills on and off the job.

One of the major benefits of acquiring a college education is having more jobs to choose from.
Parents and students should talk about what kind of work interests the student, and find out
more about the kind of education that specific jobs require. For instance if your child is
interested in engineering or medical field you can concentrate on those subjects and pursue
his career in that field. As students mature and learn about different opportunities, they may
change their mind several times about the type of job they want to have. Changing your mind
is nothing to worry about -- but not planning ahead is harmful and might create problems for
his future.

For more information on the educational requirements of specific jobs, see our section on
Education and Career.

Some advice to all parents


We have become a nation obsessed with the idea that not only is a college education a must
for everyone, but that to have a truly successful life, one must attend the very best college
possible. This myth, yes it is a myth, not only creates unreasonable stress on students and
their families, but it almost destroys the future of the student. It doesn't really matter what
college your child goes to. What matters is that a bright, intelligent, motivated person has the
same likelihood of success irrespective of the college he or she attended. Choice of college
tends to influence the first job because there's not much else for an employer to go on.

But, after that, it's what you accomplish in the real world is what matters and is taken into
consideration. Many times it is seen that most college graduates end up in careers totally
unrelated to what they majored in and thus their education doesn't really help them in the real
world. Many students who struggle through college will do very well in the real world if they
leave college with confidence and self-respect and are able to find something they love to do
and have some skill at doing it.

Therefore what is advisable is expose our young to a well-rounded education, which has some
intrinsic value. Just don't focus on the grades but rather the exposure. Try to find out what his
interests are and in which field he will excel. We are too obsessed with degrees and not
enough with the development of the person. In the long road of life it is the person that will
matter, not the degree that he acquires. Thus it is not the college that is important but it is the
person's interests and skills that matters.

Pros and Cons of the No Child Left Behind Act

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is also referred to as 'nicklebee'. The Act was proposed by
President George W. Bush. It increased primary and secondary school accountability towards
assisting parents in their choice of an institution for their children and the desired academic
goals.

The NCLB act, proposed and promoted by President George W. Bush, is applicable to all school
districts, to ensure that every parent is empowered with the right to send their child or
children to the school they choose. The rostrum for every child to be educated as a matter of
right offers parents the chance to tap federal legislation to further the interests of outcome
and standards based education. NCLB helps the parent community to set high standards for
academic excellence alongside the school management team and address methods for
improving and developing school assessment patterns.

The exclusion of a national achievement standard makes room for individual state authorities
and school principals to collaborate under the specifications of the 10th Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution. It has provisions for every school to make public names and contact details
of all the enrolled students to institutions that deliver higher education and the military
recruitment team. Whether or not the Act is effective is a matter of debate and deliberation;
nevertheless, it cannot be denied that school accountability for outcomes has led to higher
achievement records. It focus is on effective instruction for better student learning, systematic
testing, increased federal funding for education and listing of 'failing' schools that could be
opted out of.

Pros:

State-wise standardized tests have resulted in a higher enrollment for courses in mathematics
than ever before.
Best nine-year-old scoring history since 1971.
Academic improvement in all subject categories.
Legislation encouraged accountability in public schools to provide additional educational
options.
Negligible achievement gap between white students and the minorities.
Measurement based performance assessment.
Detailed report cards explaining AYP performance, recommended para-professional or
parental involvement and preferred line of curriculum and instruction practice for each child.
Special focus on students from low-income groups and disabilities.
Increased responsibility towards ethnic subgroups by awarding schools adequate rating and
recognition for measured school performance.
Improved instruction and classroom practices and scope for more parent involvement.
Funding for school technology used in classrooms as part of NCLB, is administered by the
Enhancing Education Through Technology Program (EETT) funding for technology used
within classrooms, professional teacher training and development of online assessment
interfaces.

Cons:
Lack of desired federal intervention to address random subject choice for teachers.
Inadequate oversight in the case of special education.
Manipulated test records and results.
Lowered official state standards to earn incentives from improvement via standardized tests.
Choice of select skills subsets to increase test performances leading to misinterpretation of
educational outcome.
Inherent cultural disparity since each culture is naturally gifted with certain skills.
Lack of sensitivity towards Disabilities Education for the visually impaired and others.
Inappropriate dispossession of students who fail to meet the desired performance levels for
the school to earn incentive.
Forced, mandatory curriculum in reading, writing, and arithmetic, impairing grade
advancement.
Restricted and almost absent non-English test assessments.
Limited scope for research-based case studies, within the "one size fits all" policy.
The Joint Organizational Statement is a proposal for changes within the federal education law
pertaining to the No Child Left Behind Act. The goal of the intervention is to address
reauthorization of the law. Education critics are addressing a reform to reduce the inequality
of test-preparation drills and academic gap between disadvantaged children and normal
peers. The goals of the Joint Organizational Statement Commission include:
Improved accountability via accurate assessments.
Fair evaluation of student progress.
Enhanced preparatory curriculum for higher education and vocational training.
Increased parental involvement.
Systemic upgrades to improve learning and teaching.

Why is College Important

This article will tell you exactly why is college important. The sooner you realize the
importance of college education the better it is for you, as it opens up a vast array of benefits
and options for you.Many parents and high school students often want to know why is college
important, and what can be gained from it. After all, college education is not something that
comes cheap and it does take a few years before an individual can start earning his/her own
income. But this is where thinking about the future career education becomes important. One
should know that a college degree opens up many newer doors of employment in the future,
even though it takes a bit longer to get there. The purpose of college education, is therefore, to
live a better life.Education is, after all, an investment, and the more time invested into it, will
eventually translate into greater returns in the long run. It is said that a person with a college
degree has the ability to earn more than twice the amount that a person with a high school
diploma will earn, in their lifetimes. Moreover, a college degree gives one the option of
enjoying greater health benefits, tax benefits and also garner greater respect in
society.Importance of CollegeLet's look at a few reasons why obtaining these types of college
degrees is vitally important and beneficial. All these reasons have different attractions for
different individuals, but no matter who you are and where you come from, obtaining a college
degree is something you should be sincerely aiming for.Better JobsThis is the first answer to
the question Why is going to college important. Employment opportunities are far better for
someone with a college degree, as employers are assured that this person has working
knowledge of their business and can cope with a competitive work environment as well. The
skill set owned by the individual will also be higher than someone who does not have a college
education.Greater ExperiencesThe act of attending college teaches individuals how to manage
their lives. Most college students are juggling their college life between studying for their
exams and earning money through small jobs to support their college tuition. In addition to
this, they are enjoying the benefits of a good social life, parties and lots of friends. The
experiences one has in college really transforms teenagers into adults, and gears them up for
the real world.LiberalizationIf a teenager has grown up with a fixed mindset, then college is
the place he/she will really open up their mind. With a vast array of people from all walks of
life accompanying him, he is bound to see the world as it really is, and learn to accept people
for what they are. All stereotypes and discrimination will be dropped eventually, and this is
why college plays a large part in liberating a persons mind.FriendsA person will also make a
large network of close friends in college. These are people with whom the individual will
share a strong bond for the rest of his/her life, and this will also help in building a network of
career opportunities in the future. This is one of the most important benefits of
college.Confidence and GrowthObtaining a college education also helps an individual develop
their confidence in themselves and grow as human beings. This will be a very important
development for all future endeavors, and will also provide the individual with the strength to
set forth in the world and do well. All these factors make a college degree vitally important to
obtain, and should encourage all high school students to pursue higher education.A college
degree opens up doors to greater avenues and possibilities, and this is an aspect of education
that must not be ignored at any cost. There are many people who do not realize the
importance of college education, and live to regret this decision later in their lives.

What are the Benefits of Going to College?

Why should you go to college? What are the benefits of attending college? Read on to find out.

During school years, one awaits college days and for years after the college days have gone,
one reminisces them. This is precisely what college years are! They are long awaited and long
remembered. Those are the years, which pave the paths of careers and shape personalities.
They are the brightest and the most colorful years of one's life. The benefits of attending
college are many!

One of the primary benefits of going to college is being able to obtain a college degree. A
college degree helps you propel you career in the right direction. A college degree opens doors
for good job opportunities. A bright college career can fetch you an excellent job, and it goes
without saying that an excellent job can earn you bigger bucks! Yes, a college degree goes a
long way to build a bright career and gives you excellent job prospects.

College education helps in building analytical and reasoning skills in you. The college years are
filled with academic as well as extra curricular activities. The projects, the oral and practical
exams and demonstrations that are a part of college education help you build self-confidence
and enhance your communication skills. College education plays a vital role in the
development of analytical thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills. These skills help you
throughout life.

The most important benefit of going to college is perhaps the environment it offers. It gives
you an opportunity to be a part of a huge group. College education helps you develop skills of
working in a team. It gives you an opportunity to understand different points of view on
different issues in life. Most importantly, college years give you friendships that you cherish
for a lifetime.

Purpose of College Education

In the quality conscious 21st century, good college education is mandatory to hold a position
of respect and professional recognition. The very purpose of education is to empower the
student with life skills that enable him to contribute positively to society.

College life is a part of academic vision. It is an integral and very important part of educational
systems and even distance learning around the world. In ancient times, college education was
designed to appeal to the purse strings of the elite and well-endowed. In time, every
prosperous citizen began looking at this post-school opportunity for higher learning. A college
is correctly conceived as a place that bestows wisdom and enlightenment. A number of
continuing facilities, both university and college, offer every student to derive this very
purpose of education. College education takes middle and high school-imparted knowledge to
the next level. In many professions, it is mandatory for specializing in a particular field.
Availing College Education

Today, college education is accessible to every segment of the world populace. Education is
being imparted as a prelude to research and the final choice of a vocation. Colleges give
students, the chance to research and study their preferred subjects in detail. In school,
students have a number of subjects to deal with. The array of subjects like math, the three
sciences and world history and geography and languages like the English language and the
French language among many others are taught, with the intent to deliver the basic life-
coaching skills to students. In college, students get the opportunity to pursue any one of their
personal favorites. Depending on preference, students can opt for the commerce, science or
arts faculties. Even with regards to the teaching faculty, colleges are better equipped with staff
that is specially trained to deliver updated information on special subjects.

Importance of Good College Education

Expectations of Student

The student looks upon the college as a medium of pursuing dreams. The modern student is
well-informed and makes up his mind in school itself about the choice of subjects he would
like to pursue after school. The relevant workshops (as per the choice) on career education
and aptitude tests enable help him to access the right college. Once the student enrolls, he
expects the college to deliver dedicated and well-researched information on his choice of
subjects. The purpose of education, as far as the student is concerned, is to equip him with
knowledge that he can use throughout his life. He endeavors in his pursuit of excellence.

Expectations of Parents

Parents expect colleges to equip their children with focus on an accomplished, researched and
dynamic curriculum. The parent community is more interested in the credentials of teachers,
more due to the fee structure involved. They are concerned with the college being able to offer
their children a diverse and interactive environment, one that is open to assumption. For a
parent, the very purpose of a good education is to enable the child to probe the realms of
thought and access real higher learning.

Expectations of the Institution Delivering the Program

The college attempts dedicated management development to envision the purpose of a good
education as that which equips students with essential life skills. Of course, it is natural for any
college management team to expect recognition and reputation. However, these professional
and educated individuals design the various programs to do complete justice to tuition costs.
Expectations of the institution delivering the program mostly rest upon enrolled students. The
college works in sync with parents to deliver the best creative, decision-making processes.

The purpose of education at college differs according to the investigating perspective.


Nevertheless, it is easy to see that the tripod of the student, parents and the institution vests
all authority in the research of accessed knowledge. Previously, students and parents used to
be very intimidated with tuition fees and limited resources and experiences. But now, things
have changed. There are many options offered either directly by the institution or by private
entities to enable financial planning. A good college education is not only affordable now, but
also important to survive the quality-conscious workplace communication. Colleges are
restructuring to enable students to explore and broaden their horizons. A combination of
subjects is on offer for college education to be realized. Arts and crafts, and music and
dramatics are an integral part of all-round development with the sole purpose of knowledge
management on a flexible rostrum.

Importance of College Education

College education is a must for professional growth and for good quality of life. Read on to
know more about the importance of college education.

When a regular teenager passes out of high school, he is often in a dilemma whether to
continue studies or to start working and become independent. The option to start work
straightaway sounds very attractive to him at that age as it is his ticket to freedom and to live
his life the way he wants to. But before taking such a hasty decision, it is very important, either
for the teen himself or for his parents, to make him understand the importance of college
education. Let us try to understand what is the importance of college education in today's
times.

What is the Importance of College Education

Equips to Meet Competition


Due to globalization, the boundaries between countries have become almost non existent, as
far as the business and job market are concerned. People are no longer hesitant to move
countries for better job opportunities. This has increased the competition in the job market
considerably. So we have people from India, China, South America, and many other countries,
competing for jobs in the USA. These people are skilled, talented, ambitious and very well
educated too. The importance of college education can be understood from the fact that an
average teen from America has to be equally educated and talented to compete with them for
the jobs.

Better Quality of Life


Researches have shown that people who go to college or have access to higher education, tend
to earn more than the ones who have studied only up to the school level. Although, this is not a
hard and fast rule and exceptions are always there. But for the majority, as the education levels
go up, the salaries also go higher and vice versa. Perhaps, the most important benefit of
college education is that it gives the person access to a better life in his later years.

Aids in learning
In college, the students get an opportunity to learn from the experts in the field, which is not
possible during the school years. The students get to read a lot, study and do regular
assignments. If the students enter the college with the correct attitude, then they can learn a
lot about their chosen field of study during the college years.

Aids in Growth
College is not only about getting bookish knowledge, but to experience life as a whole. During
college life, most students live away from their families for the first time in their lives. Thus,
they have to deal with all the life's ups and downs on their own. In the process, they tend to
learn many important life lessons, which helps them in growing up.

Makes a Better Society


People who have been to college, in other words are well educated, raise better families, and
are the ideal employees as well as ideal citizens of the society. Well educated people are peace
loving and tend to follow the rules and norms of the society, more than the lesser educated or
the uneducated ones. So, a society where majority of people have higher education, runs very
efficiently and smoothly.

As you can see, the importance of college education is immense, both for the individual as well
as the society. Besides, college life can be lots of fun too. After a certain age, we all get into the
mode of a set life, alternating between working and taking care of our families. That life can
wait. A teen should utilize four years of his college in learning, gaining experience, becoming a
better person and also enjoying life. So, go ahead and get yourself enrolled in a college. All the
best!

Difference Between a College And University

How are universities different from colleges? Both are educational institutions, but there are a
lot many distinctions. Read to find a clear distinction between the two.

The difference between colleges and universities is not a purely semantic one. A college and a
university are supposed to be different in principle. However, in some countries they may
mean the same thing, while in others they may not. Naming things has no absolute rules in all
human fields of endeavor. People familiar with the English language know that words have
ambiguous meanings and they may have different meanings according to the context in which
they are used. Similarly, when looking at the difference, one has to see context of the location,
where they are situated.

Semantic Difference

The word college comes from the Latin word 'collegium', connotes a group of people living
together by choice, for a common purpose. That's why, members of some colleges are called
'fellows'. Today the word college is most exclusively used to denote an educational institution,
which offers various degree level courses. However, the term can be more widely used, to
denote a group of people like an 'electoral college' or a 'college of cardinals'.

As educational institutions, in terms of stages of learning, colleges are intermediate stages


between schools and universities. There are community colleges in USA which mostly offer
diplomas, certificate level courses and 4 year degrees. One must know how to choose a
college, according to one's career interests. In some countries, the terms may be used
interchangeably.

The word 'University' has its origin in Latin as 'universitas magistrorum et scholarium ',
meaning a group of teachers and scholars living together in pursuit of knowledge or a place of
learning. The term 'University' is used today to denote advanced institutions of higher
learning, offering learning and research opportunities. Usually, like in USA, universities grow
out of aggregation of small colleges (offering specialized education). Universities usually offer
a wider spectrum of courses, compared to colleges, ranging over arts, science and commerce.
Universities offer 4 years graduate courses as well as graduate school courses leading to a
doctorate. Life in a university is more demanding than college life. The difference primarily
lies in the number of academic subjects and level of specialization offered in each institution.
That's what separates colleges from universities in most countries of the world. However, this
may not be the case in every country. In some cases college and university mean the same
thing.

In USA

In USA, the terms college and university are synonymous. There are some colleges here which
in spite of being called colleges offer courses in a wide variety of subjects and are empowered
to offer diplomas, degree courses, as well as doctorate degrees. The purpose of college
education is to prepare a student for a career in the real world outside. Universities abound in
USA as it boasts of some of best in the world like (to name a few) Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT), Cornell, Stanford and Harvard university.

In Canada

In Canada, the difference is quite clear. Colleges offer short vocational course that teach
specific kinds of trades. They offer associate degrees in arts ad sciences. The colleges in
Canada usually have smaller class size and the professors are more focused on teaching than
research. So in short, Canadian colleges are sort of, intermediate steps between college and
university. Universities here offer research opportunities leading to a doctorate.

In UK and Commonwealth Countries

In United Kingdom and most of the countries which are included in the commonwealth
nations, the difference between college and universities, is very well-defined. Colleges are
subsidiary, specialized institutes of learning under the aegis of a university. A college comes
under the affiliation of university. Courses are taught in colleges, but the degree is granted by
the university. University is the parent body and colleges adhere to its rules. Besides the
colleges under its affiliation, a university in UK may have its own separate subject
departments, devoted to research.

In terms of level of rigor, courses in universities are more research oriented and the faculty
there has research funding for various projects. To sum up, if colleges are rivers, universities
are oceans of knowledge. Wisdom however, can only be garnered through experience in life.

How has Technology Changed Education

As technology has become a necessity in life, it is crucial to identify the ways it has
transformed education in the last couple of decades.

This millennium stands testimony to the fact that human mind is one of the new frontiers
which we are trying to conquer. Breathtaking technologies are being introduced almost every
year and it seems we're on the way to make our life easier and more comfortable. Education -
that is a reflection of the development of a society and is the foundation stone of the bright
future of a nation has undergone drastic changes in the last fifty years.

Positive Effects of Technology on Education


Talking in a positive sense, the impact of technology on education has been phenomenal. Using
Internet and computers as en effective medium to establish communication between schools,
teachers, students and parents; educational institutes have been able to handle many issues
that were previously not handled with ease due to geographical limitations or lack of adequate
training technologies.
Enhanced Teaching and Learning
Technological developments like digital cameras, projectors, mind training software,
computers, PowerPoint presentations, 3D visualization tools; all these have become great
sources for teachers to help students grasp a concept easily. It has to be understood that visual
explanation of concepts makes learning fun and enjoyable for students. They're able to
participate more in the classroom and even teachers get a chance to make their classes more
interactive and interesting. The importance of technology in schools can be understood from
the fact that it empowers the educational system and produces better students.

Confidence Booster
Being exposed to technological wonders like computers and the Inter net and learning to
operate them from an early age, students are able to develop a sense of self-esteem and
confidence. There are many things that students are able to do on their computer that their
parents aren't even aware of, this helps them create their own special world and this gives
them a feeling of being special. This makes them believe that they stand strong in global
competition.

Increased Cooperation Amongst Peers


A majority of teachers have stated a very surprising fact that introducing technologies in
classroom has increased peer to peer interaction. Many kids who're comfortable in handling
computers come out to lend a helping hand to students, who face problems in working on
computers. The importance of technology in the classroom goes beyond computers and
Internet. They're now, just as important as notebooks and school bags.

Increased Knowledge
Teachers have reported that students who sincerely complete their research projects by
referring to the plethora of information available on the Internet are able to develop good
analytical and research skills. By referring to a large number of resources, a serious student
utilizes his or her common sense and judgment skills to choose the best material and use it as
an advantage to complete the project. By getting exposed to numerous ideas for their
assignments and the creative ways to finish them, students develop excellent research
abilities.

No Geographical Limitations
With the introduction of online degree programs there is hardly any need of being present
physically in the classroom. Even several foreign universities have started industry oriented
online degree courses that aspirants can join. Distance learning and online education have
become an integral part of the education system nowadays. Certainly, the value of off-campus
education may never be equal to that of on-campus training but for diploma and other
courses, when the student is thousands of mile away from the educational institute, these
online courses can be of great advantage.

Negative Effects of Technology on Education


Teachers and scholars across the globe have unanimously stood for integrating technology in
education. This is owing to the fact that just like students, even teachers find it easier to
circulate study materials by using Internet as a communication tool. Technological
developments have made life easier for teachers and students.

Poor Teacher - Student Relationship


Many teachers have a common complaint that negative habits of students are more
exacerbated due to the use of technology. In countries like the US, where assignments and
homework are required to be submitted online, students tend to forget common email
etiquette like salutation and sometimes, even adding texts in the attachments! Moreover, the
trend of last day submissions has now transformed into last hour, last minute submissions.
Students submit their assignments even hours after the time for submission is over and their
emails don't contain any explanation or a note of apology.

Moreover, questions, queries and problems regarding any topic in assignments that should
reach to the teacher within 24 hours of submission of the homework, remain due for days. Not
many students are even bothered to get their queries cleared. Those few who raise questions
want them to be answered online which is not always possible, as teacher - student interaction
is something that is vital to understand intricate topics. The trend of blackboards wherein,
teachers post online notes, lectures, assignments and other information has cultivated the
habit of skipping college lectures amongst students.

The belief that Google is always there, has made students disorganized and impatient. They
just want to copy and paste the information, so that they can finish the assignment. Going to
the college library, searching for information from books or even online library facilities seems
to be a daunting task for students. Teachers have expressed concern that not many students
are productively utilizing technology for their growth. Teachers are also concerned about the
fact that students don't fix appointments with them to seek answers to queries or to know
something more about the subject.

Increasing Incidents of Cheating


Technological developments like graphing calculators, high tech watches, mini cameras and
similar equipment have become great sources to cheat in exams. It is easier for students to
write formulas and notes on graphing calculators, with least chances of being caught. While
vigilance can curb this problem, there seems know clue as how issues of plagiarism and 'cut-
copy - paste' will be dealt with. Students pick up any one website and the contents in the exact
manner, as given in the website.

Lack of Focus
SMS or text messaging has become a favorite pastime of many students. Students are seen
playing with their cell phone, iPhones day and night, right from crossing a street, or driving
and very often even between lectures. Being ever-connected to the online world has resulted
in lack of focus and concentration in academics and to some extent, even in sports and extra
curricular activities. It is certainly not possible to read a difficult subject and at the same time,
chat with a friend, and remain logged in on facebook. These are very obvious distractions that
have eroded the sense of mental focus, peace and concentration ability from students' life.
Video gaming for instance has become the greatest distraction for students. Teenagers are
easily influenced by any new gadget and technology being introduced in the market and this
has also made them splurge unnecessarily.

Poor Reading and Writing Skills


Reading seems to be a lost hobby in this age. While there is a plentiful of information in the
form of free ebooks available on the Internet, anybody who likes reading will agree that
reading a book online and reading a printed form of book certainly has some prominent
differences. Even if students were reading books online, it would have been fair but the fact is
that owing to bombardment of information, the moment a teenager opens a website, he is lost
elsewhere, either searching for new games or opening his or her facebook profile. Since
assignments are mostly done online, hand writing skills of students have become pathetic.
It is understandable that in this age of computers, there is hardly any requirement of hand
writing skills but still, a good hand writing is an integral part of learning. It improves our eye
to hand coordination, makes us more focused and gives us an opportunity to express
ourselves, more profoundly. Writing skills also convey deeper aspects about our personality
like our organizational abilities and ability to express our ideas in a refined manner. Certainly,
typing on a keyboard doesn't impair creativity in writing (in fact they are useful, as using a
backspace, one can easily change previous sentences). Nevertheless, hand writing skills are
certainly an integral part of good education.

Since technology has both positive and negative dimensions, we must make efforts to help
students and kids realize the potential in the proper use of technology. Since kids always love
freedom, respective authorities must ensure that they are not overdosing students with strict
rules and regulations regarding using technologies in schools and colleges. But, certain rules
are essential to avoid overuse of technology in education. That will ensure that technology is
used for improving a student's life and not wasting valuable resources like time and money.

Problems With Today's Education System

There are some major problems in today's education system, which should be addressed and
solved, if the future of the country has to be secured. Read on to know the drawbacks and
shortcomings of the education system in America.

Education makes a man. This is so true! The skills, knowledge and learning from school and
college, carry us well into our personal and professional lives, in our later years. However, is
our education system good enough to prepare the children, the future of our country, to lead
their best life? Let's find the answers...

De-motivated Teachers
One of the biggest problems with education in the United States is that the entire teaching
staff has the same salary structure. The education sector does not recognize or pay well
teachers who make an extra effort or take an initiative to be innovative and creative in their
teaching methods. This de-motivates the teachers to some extent and thus, may inculcate the
tendency to not give their best, in many of them. Moreover, due to lower salaries of the
teachers, intelligent and capable people do not want to enter this profession at all. This can
create a dearth of quality teachers in the future in the United States.

Lesser Focus on Science and Math


The American education system does not focus on the most important subjects i.e. science,
math and language. Researches have shown that America is far behind countries like Japan, in
inculcating a scientific spirit amongst its students. Also, countries like Russia, Sweden, Italy
and Canada, undertake awareness campaigns, from time to time to encourage literacy and
reading amongst the children. Such initiatives are not given due importance in the United
States. No wonder that the high school dropout rate has reached almost 50% in many of the
cities.

Lack of Opportunities
It is often seen that students from poor families go to public schools. The education problems
in public schools are manifold. One of the major drawbacks of public schools is that they are
technologically backward. This means that children belonging to poor families, already are
disadvantaged, compared to those who go to private schools as these schools are very
advanced in terms of technology and teaching methods. This difference is one of the major
problems of our education system.

Only One Language


Majority of the students in America know only one language i.e. English. Compare this with
students in other countries in Europe and Middle East, who know two, three or even more
than that! Today, when the world has become such a small place, with people of different
cultures and countries working together in multinationals, it puts the multilingual students
from other countries at an advantage over the American students who can only speak English.

Racial and Economic Segregation


Researches have shown that in the schools, groups get formed amongst the students, on the
basis of the race or economic strata of the society, the students belong to. It is also seen, that
teachers too behave with and treat the immigrants and African-American students differently.
This may cause many self-esteem issues in such students, when they grow up.

Teachers' Expectations
There is a strange phenomenon which is observed in both public and private schools, which is
proving to be detrimental to the students' knowledge and learning. In schools, teacher's
expectations vary according to the face and ethnicity of the students. When it comes to
African-Americans, there have been certain stereotypes established i.e. they are slow learners
and they will do well only in sports like basketball and football. So, most of the teachers expect
the African-American students to fare poorly in intellectual pursuits and thus, this can have a
detrimental effect on these students. It is not surprising to see that most of the students in
science and math clubs are whites while sports bodies are full of blacks.

Other Problems
Besides the ones mentioned above, other problems are - widening of gap in the academic
performance of boys and girls (the grades of boys are falling steadily, especially as they reach
higher grades), students belonging to rich or middle class families doing well in studies while
those belonging to poor families run the risk of dropping out and lastly, lack of funds with the
public schools to upgrade the infrastructure, curriculum and quality of teachers.

As you can see, there are numerous problems that exist in the education system. So, it can be
rightly said that it would require a hell lot of initiative, zeal and hard work, on the part of the
government authorities, schools and teachers, to do away with these negatives plaguing the
education system.

Benefits of Educational Technology

Technology has paved its way into the education system, thereby improving it to a great
extent. There are a number of uses and benefits of educational technology.in this modern-day
setting, for students from all fields...

Today, everything that we come across has some technological connotation to it. Be it at home,
school or workplace, technology has found a comfortable niche and has become an integral
part of life. With the use of technology, several arenas are seeing changes and education is also
one of them. The birth of educational technology has proved to be a boon to students the
world over. Not only in the regular setting, but also in educating students with special needs
have known to be benefited with the introduction of this modern invention.

What is Educational Technology?


The term 'educational technology' has a broad perspective and is also referred to as
instructional technology or learning technology. This method plays a vital role in enhancing
the learning process of students and also assists teachers in communicating with the students
in an easy way. Educational technology can be a classroom affair, or can be even taken out of
the classroom. This technology has successfully transformed the stereotypical image of
classrooms into a modern and more interesting one. Thanks to this modern development,
classrooms are no longer a boring place and learning is actually a fun experience. With the use
of computers and software programs, which provide learning materials, technology has
changed education to a great extent.

Educational Technology Benefits


There are a number of benefits of introducing technology in the field of education. There has
been a positive impact of technology on education. Virtual classrooms have made learning
easier for the student community. With the potential use of technology, the learning speed and
style have undergone a sea change and communication has become easier.
One of the benefits of educational technology for students is that it helps them improve their
learning capabilities. Since it is one field which is constantly changing, new updates can be
easily introduced to the students and class plans can be prepared with the help of the
software.
In the earlier days, education was considered to be mostly for the elite class and people under
other strata were quite ignorant of it. With the introduction of educational technology, there is
no discrimination and everyone is equally accessible to get educated.
The information can be portrayed in various ways with the help of study materials. Knowledge
has become easily accessible to students in every part of the world with the implementation of
technology in the field of education. Online classrooms help students to interact with other
students belonging to the same stream, but located somewhere else in the world.
Since the Internet is the main medium and other things like handheld tablet PCs and smart
boards have entered the arena, students do not have to carry heavy backpacks loaded with
books. They can walk in comfortably to the classroom where these equipment are already
placed.
With the birth of virtual classrooms, the instructor from any part of the world can teach the
learner (or learners) who may be living at the other end. The reach of this technology is quite
far and students living in the remote parts can also avail it with ease.
In special education, the educational technology has brought about a sea change where the
needs of students are catered to in a different manner. With the introduction of the software
which teaches students with special needs, the appropriate study materials are designed so
that learning is comfortable.
With the inclusion of technology, the concept of education is undergoing a modification, for
the betterment of the students as well as the teachers. Hence, the introduction of technology is
important in education. Thanks to educational technology, now learning and teaching have
become an enjoyable experience.

Why is Education the Key to Success

Have you ever given thought to the question, why is education the key to success in life? In this
article, I have elucidated the benefits of having a decent education and what role it plays in
molding a man of character, who is better equipped to succeed in life and who has the ability
to comprehend what true success means.

Everyone of us is a bundle of unique gifts and talents. Our relative success in life depends on
how much we believe in ourselves, trust our own private genius, nurture it and let it grow
freely. What education does is that it provides us with the opportunity to unravel and realize
our inborn talents, while providing us with the skills of thinking and solving problems on our
own. Both education and success are relative concepts in the sense that there is a wide
difference of opinion regarding what is real education and what is real success.

What is Real Education?

Real education is the one which enables you to think for yourself and apply what you have
learned. Purely knowing facts and being able to effectively remember and recall them isn't
being educated. To be educated is being able to make your own decisions and form your own
opinions about things. It is the imparting of skills that enable you to succeed in any field of
human endeavor and make your original contribution. What good education requires is a one-
to-one interaction between a good teacher and student.

There are two factors of education which must mold two different aspects of the human
psyche - one is analytical intelligence and the other is emotional intelligence. The former deals
with the ability to solve technical problems while the latter deals with the ability to empathize,
communicate, connect with our fellow human beings. A wholesome education system must
educate both these facets of the human psyche to mold a character with all the abilities
required to live a happy and successful life.

Why is Education the Key to Success

Man is what his thoughts make him. Education provides direction to these thoughts. Success is
more than just accumulation of material wealth. I believe that success is not a destination but
a never ending journey in self exploration. It is unlocking your true potential to make your life
itself a work of art. Success has more than one dimensions to it. Acquiring material wealth is
not the only one. To what degree have you conquered your self and achieved liberation from
wanting and needing things is another indicator of success. Education plays a large role in
determining our potential for achieving this success. Here are some of the prime arguments
supporting the idea of education as the veritable key to success.

High Educational Qualifications Provide Better Job Opportunities


Specialized knowledge gained through higher education opens opportunities in the form of
well paying jobs, with a challenging work profile. While higher education may not guarantee
success, it certainly puts you in a position to work with the best in the field and gain valuable
experience, which helps you in the long term pursuit of professional success. So graduation
through college and working hard to get through graduate school has its benefits.

Provides the Requisite Skill Set to Succeed

Education that enables individuals to succeed is not just the formal kind. The direct education
that one gains through hands-on experience and working with the masters in a field, that goes
beyond purely bookish knowledge, prepares you for success. Real education begins when you
start applying what you learned through formal education to solve real world problems. The
discipline, perseverance and ability to apply oneself pave the path to success.
Provides Access to the Vast Store of Human Knowledge
Just being able to read and write, provides you access to the vast store of human knowledge in
the form of books, which is the combined wisdom of ages. A man benefits from the path
shown by the great masters of any field by accessing this knowledge store. Distilling
knowledge to gain wisdom is the ultimate aim of education. Great minds like Newton have
acknowledged the contributions of their predecessors which contributed to their success.
Standing on the shoulders of the great giants of men who made magnanimous contributions to
human knowledge, we can see further than they did.

Education Through Experience Provides the Real Edge


A college degree or any kind of formal education can provide you with the knowledge required
to succeed in your field. It does not ensure success unless you learn to apply what you learned
and apply it effectively to find innovative solutions. Education provides you with the means,
but the application required to succeed must come from within you. The edge that winners
gain over their competitors is through experience and out of the box thinking.

Ultimately Success Is All About Self Belief


No institution can provide better education than life itself. Besides conventional education, the
lessons we learn through our day-to-day life, our ability to adapt and self introspect, adoption
of a strong value system and most importantly, self belief are the keys to success. The
importance of education lies in its ability to forge a man of character.

The real key to success is self belief, which can unlock your inner potential. Education which
puts you on the path of self discovery, leading to self belief, adds meaning to your life and
provides you with the means to achieve lasting success in life. As rightly put by W.B.Yeats,
education lights the inner fire and provides us with the ability to think independently, making
success only a matter of time.

Why is Education So Important?

Why is education so important? Education is a self-enlightening process. It is an important


component of life. Know more about the importance of education.

When I started thinking about why education is so important, I remembered my school years,
the grounding years of anyone's education. I went down memory lane, I remembered my
teachers, my school subjects, the study and the fun! I never really hated school. But I have seen
many who hate going to school; I have had some friends who did not like the idea of studying
in classrooms. Many of you must have unwillingly entered your school gates. But you know,
this dislike never lasts long. We soon start loving school and it is when it's time to leave school
that we are in tears... Our school which lays the foundation of our education, is the institution
where we understand why education is so important and how important it is! It is our school,
where we learn to read and write and we become literate. It is where young talent is
recognized, nurtured and encouraged. On leaving school, we are all set to soar high in life and
enter the real world in pursuit of our dreams.

Why is Education Important?


The first thing that strikes me about education is knowledge gain. Education gives us
knowledge of the world around us. It develops in us a perspective of looking at life. It helps us
build opinions and have points of view on things in life. People debate over the subject of
whether education is the only thing that gives knowledge. Some say, education is the process
of gaining information about the surrounding world while knowledge is something very
different. They are right. But then, information cannot be converted into knowledge without
the catalyst called education. Education makes us capable of interpreting things rightly. It is
not just about lessons in textbooks. It is about the lessons of life.

The words 'cultivate' and 'civilize' are synonymous with 'educate'. That says it all! Education is
important as it teaches us the right behavior and good manners thus making us civilized. It
teaches us how to lead life. It is the basis of culture and civilization. It is instrumental in the
development of our values and virtues. Education cultivates us into mature individuals,
individuals capable of planning for our future and taking the right decisions in life. It gives us
an insight into our lives and teaches us to learn from experience. The future of a nation is safe
in the hands of educated individuals. Education is important for the economic growth of a
nation. It fosters principles of equality and socialism. It forms a support system for individuals
to excel in life. It is the backbone of society.

Education is important because it equips us with all that is needed to make our dreams come
true. It opens doors to brilliant career opportunities. It fetches better prospects in career and
growth. Every employer today requires his prospective employees to be well-educated. He
requires expertise. So, education becomes an eligibility criterion for employment in any sector
of the industry. We are rewarded for exercising the expertise required for the field we venture.
We are weighed in the market on the basis of our educational skills and how well we can apply
them.

Education is essential as it paves the path leading to disillusionment. It wipes out all the
wrong beliefs in our minds. It helps create a clear picture of everything around us and we no
longer remain in confusion about the things we learn. Education brings up questions and also
helps us devise ways to find satisfactory answers to them. Education is about knowing that
everything has a science to it, it is about learning to reason everything till every question
meets its answer. It can lead us to enlightenment. It is education that builds in every
individual, the confidence to take decisions, to face life and to accept successes and failures. It
instills a sense of pride about the knowledge one has and prepares him/her to live!

Though not enlisted as one of the three basic human needs, education is equally important.
For the progress of a nation, for the enrichment of society in general, education is necessary
and important. A country's literate population is its asset. The number of institutes offering
vocational courses and colleges offering online education is increasing by the day. Vocational
courses help earn specialized education. Online degree programs help the working class and
adults in general, to pursue education even while working. Distance education has proven to
be of help for those who are unable to attend classes. In today's competitive world, it won't be
wise to neglect the importance of education. And most countries have realized this. This has
led to many government-aided educational programs and government grants to schools and
colleges. The motive behind this is fostering education in society.

Well, schools, colleges and other such educational institutes define the basic framework of
education. Schooling gives us the fundamentals while we specialize in fields of our interest
during degree courses. But education does not end here. It is a lifelong process. Self-learning
begins at a point where institutional education ends. The process of self-learning continues.

Importance of Vocational Education


Vocational education is job-specific, helps a person secure employment in his chosen field and
promotes entrepreneurship. Read on to know more...

A few years ago, vocational courses were thought to be for people who did not have the
aptitude to study in a college and thus, needed skills in a particular field, to gain employment.
This scenario, however, has completely changed today. These days, people have realized their
importance and are opting for such courses, both online and offline, to gain skills related to a
particular field so that their job prospects can improve.

Benefits of Vocational Education and Training

Lesser Education Costs


Not everyone can afford to go college as a four-year degree course, plus the hostel fees,
commuting, added costs of books, can turn out to be very expensive. Vocational courses are a
cheaper alternative for people who do not want to take up a loan to go to college. Many
vocational courses, similar to four-year degrees, provide placement to the students. This
makes them quite useful for those who do not have the means to shell out money for a college
degree.

Prepares for a Job


Vocational education prepares a person for a specific job. It equips a person with the skills and
qualities required to do a particular job, such as fashion designing, interior decoration,
computer networking, auto repairing, etc. Many a time, the curriculum for the courses is
prepared after taking suggestions from the local employers. Along with classroom
instructions, practical knowledge is imparted through field work. Laboratory learning is
emphasized to give the students practical knowledge on a given subject. This prepares the
student for the job at hand and thus, he is able to give full justice to his profession, due to his
vast knowledge.

Easy Employment
Vocational education makes it easier for the students to find employment. Usually, it is seen
that employers prefer to hire a student who has done a vocational course rather than a college
pass out, as by doing a vocational course, a student is trained specifically for a particular job.
The student already possesses the right temperament, skills, qualities and education for the
job and the employers feel that he will be more successful than a regular college pass out due
to his knowledge. Thus, easy employment is one of the chief advantages that students from a
vocational course have over others.

Success in Career
People who are already employed and those who want to get further education to advance
their careers, cannot afford to take a four-year break and pursue a college degree. So, in order
to enhance their skills and qualifications, an alternative is to do a vocational course. The time
duration for the course is less, but the skills that are imparted to students through such
courses, are quite comparable to the college courses, in terms of quality. Thus, by doing a
vocational course, a professional can enhance his career prospects and achieve success.

Promotes Entrepreneurship
After doing a vocational course, a person is equipped enough to start his own business. This
course of action is taken up by many a vocational course pass out students. Thus, such courses
promote entrepreneurship, which is a very good thing for the economy today, considering that
the recession has left many without jobs. Vocational courses increase the number of small
businesses, which further increase employment, thus reducing the stress on the government
to provide jobs for the unemployed.

Before opting for a vocational course, a student should ensure that the institute he is applying
for is of good repute, both in terms of education quality and placements in the past. Once these
things are settled, should a student invest his time and money in a particular course. As
mentioned above, vocational education provides job specific skills and contributes to career
success. It imparts specialized knowledge, which is the need of the hour today! This proves
that in many aspects, vocational education is as good as college education!

Scaffolding In Education

Scaffolding is a concept to help a child learn and master new information and skills. This helps
in complete intellectual development of children. This article will tell you how the integration
of this technique is useful in education.

Scaffolding is a concept based on the theory proposed by Lev Vygotsky, known as, 'Zone of
Proximal Development (ZPD)'. It is one of the most popular teaching methods. In this mode of
instruction a teacher helps the student initially, to learn a new concept and offers maximum
assistance. Gradually, the teacher sets up newer tasks for the students to perform and apply
their knowledge independently. The zone of proximal development literally means the
distance between what children can do on their own and what they can do when assisted by
an adult. Scaffolding is a strategy in which a knowledgeable person equips the student and
provides him with all the information and support to acquire or learn a particular thing.

What is Scaffolding in Education?

Teachers use this strategy regularly in classrooms. A teacher demonstrates a particular skill to
students and then provides them with assistance, while students attempt to master the skill. It
literally is transferring the responsibility from the teacher to the student in order to teach the
student to work independently. The assistance is not taken away immediately, rather it is a
gradual transformation. One of the examples of scaffolding would be when a teacher teaches
students how to solve a sum in maths using given properties. The teacher then asks students
to solve the sum on their own and come up with the answer and corrects them if they have
made mistakes. Teaching itself is a skill, therefore before using this strategy, a tutor has to be
skilled with his teaching skills. This strategy helps students learn from their mistakes and
clears all doubts about certain concepts while mastering a skill.

Characteristics
Jamie McKenzie, the editor of an online education journal has pointed out the eight
characteristics of the scaffolding strategy that a teacher must follow in order to teach a
student. They are as follows.
A step by step instruction procedure helps in reducing confusion over concepts of acquiring
skills.
Explain the importance of learning or mastering a particular skill.
The students must be able to analyze the instructions and come up with their ways to tackle
the matter.
Offering assessment of the work students have done helps them learn and understand what is
expected of them.
A teacher must point out other resources where students can refer for help to learn more
about the skill or information being taught to them
The activity must be well planned and keep students interested and should not be posed as a
fear in any which way, due to which they will lose interest in understanding the concept of the
task.
Efficient delivery of the scaffolding instruction will save time and is a quick and interesting
way of educating students.
The basic aim of this strategy is to provide knowledge to students and help them overcome
their fear of performing and making decisions.
Examples
The earliest application of the study was done with toddlers of ages 3,4 and 5. They were
given the task of making a pyramid with a set of blocks. The tutor was asked to help the child
only as much it would for him to understand what was to be done. This study was done by
Wood, Ross, and Bruner in 1986. From this study they came up with 6 forms of support that a
child could be provided with.
Another example was of reciprocal teaching, a study carried out by Palinscar and Brown in
1985. Here students were provided with reading strategies by a tutor. These strategies were;
Self-Directed Summarizing
Questioning
Clarifying
Predicting
The tutor helped the students with each of these strategies till they could understand the
importance of each and its application.

Advantages
The main advantage of this strategy is that it helps the learners associate acquired knowledge
with new concepts. It also helps in building a sort of self-confidence in students. Scaffolding
also helps reduce fear and anxiety about a certain concept which if not taken away leads to
frustration. Another advantage is that it is tailored according to the individual requirement of
the learner.

Disadvantages
As mentioned in the advantages section, that it is tailored for individual learners, application
of this strategy in a classroom gets quite tedious. The strength of a class is often large and
applying the strategy to each student may become quite time-consuming.

Software Applications
To overcome the disadvantage of individual attention, there are various software applications
available for scaffolding which a teacher can offer students as a learning resource. This proves
the importance of technology in education. There are certain software tools such as Thinker
Tools, Knowledge Integration Environment and Progress Portfolio which help learners master
the skills he wishes to acquire.

Thus, scaffolding has its own benefits in the field of education, when applied strategically.
Application of this instruction in classroom is not impossible, certain modifications would
help. It is definitely advantageous for learners.

Importance of Higher Education


Are you in two minds whether to go to college or not? Read the following article which
explains the importance of higher education, and then take your decision.

With many teens harboring the desire to start earning straightaway after their school so that
they can live independent, unrestricted lives, this dilemma of the importance of higher
education is bound to occur. Why should we go to college? What difference will it make to our
lives? Let us discuss all these and more by learning about the importance of college education.

Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals

Aids in Growth and Development


In school, students very rarely get to experience life. When the students get enrolled in college,
they are first of all away from their families, so this makes them independent, and thus, they
learn how to be on their own. During the college years, if the students have the right attitude,
i.e., they really want to learn and study, the scope for it is unlimited. They can increase their
knowledge by reading lots of books or by attending the lectures given by the experts in the
fields. The college life is such that it teaches the necessary life lessons to a lot many students.
Students get the opportunity to explore a lot of things and basically 'find' themselves, in true
sense of the word, in these four years of college.

Key to a Better Life


With globalization taking place, the job market has become even more competitive. Now, a
person not only has to compete for a job with the people from his own community or country
but also with the people who immigrate from other countries. So what is it that will
distinguish you from all your competitors? Of course it is your additional skills, knowledge
and a college degree. It is a well-known fact that people who have a higher degree tend to earn
more. According to a research done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average
earnings become high and the level of unemployment falls, with each education level acquired.
Also, people with higher education are more likely to get jobs which give health as well as
pension benefits to the individual, in his or her old age. Thus, a college degree is the key to a
better life.

The Role of Higher Education in Society

Ideal Citizens
People who are well educated and well paid, are more likely to live fulfilled lives. They make
better partners, parents and employees. They believe in following the societal norms and
seldom indulge in anti-social behavior. Educated people are more tolerant of other people, and
thus, help in keeping the society peaceful. Higher standards of living, peace, good family life -
all these things help in strengthening the country as a whole.

Social Work
Studies have shown that people who have a higher degree, which translates into a good
satisfied life, are more likely to do social work and volunteering. Such behavior do benefit the
society as a whole, as the underprivileged get taken care of too.

The benefits of higher education can be judged from the way it benefits a person financially,
emotionally, socially, as well as intellectually. Funding a college education is no more a task
too, what with the various scholarships offered by the federal government, various local
community clubs and even by the corporates. So go ahead and grab the opportunity to turn
your life around by getting higher education. All the Best!

Importance of Technology in the Classroom

The following article brings forth the importance of technology in the classrooms. Read on to
know why computers and Internet have become a necessary academic tool today.

Technology is either a boon or bane, depends how and for what purpose it's being used. If
technology is used to cure diseases in people, to help people communicate with each other
across geographical boundaries, to reduce human effort by making things simple, easy and
accessible, it indeed is a boon. However, if science and technology is used to prepare nuclear
bombs or other weapons of war, it is harmful. As pros and cons of technology have always
been debated, with some people arguing that it's the best thing to have happened to human
race and some totally against it, it is often wondered should the children, the future of
mankind, be introduced to technology at a young age in schools? What is the importance of
technology in classrooms? Let's find out the answers...

Active Participation
When students are learning through technology, they are themselves looking for information
on the Internet. They make their own decisions regarding the information i.e. whether it is
relevant or irrelevant. They have control over how to use or present this information. Thus,
one of the main benefits of using technology for classrooms is that unlike a teacher-led
classroom, where students passively receive whatever information the teacher is providing, in
tech savvy classrooms, students are active participants.

In-depth Knowledge
Jon Stewart once commented, "The Internet is just a world passing around notes in a
classroom." By using the Internet technology, obtaining information on all kinds of subjects
has become very easy. A student sitting in his classroom can learn how people in a small
village in Africa live life. Thus, Internet is a kind of library which is at the disposal of a student
with just a click. A student can acquire in-depth knowledge on any subject using this vast
resource.

Real-life Work Experience


The importance of technology in the classroom can be gauged from the fact that it offers an
experience to students similar to the working environment that one sees in offices. In
technology savvy classrooms, a teacher acts as a facilitator who sets project goals for the
students and provides them with the necessary resources and guidelines to reach those goals.
The student himself makes decisions with regards to the design choices, the information he
wants to use and display, the resources that he will use. Moreover, these days, students
themselves are very tech savvy and may sometimes even know more than the teacher himself.
So, there is a constant exchange of information between the students and the teachers. Such
an environment prepares a student to work in business organizations in the future.

Increased Motivation
Researches have shown that there is great importance of integrating technology in the
classroom. When students are taught through slide shows or by showing films, it makes the
lessons very easy and interesting for them. It helps in their learning, at the same time
motivates them to attend school everyday. Thus, another mportance of technology in schools
is that it brings down the drop-out rates.
Technical Skills
Using computers on a daily basis, helps the students in developing an understanding of the
various computer tools and software. This kind of education prepares the students and makes
it easier for them to learn about the various software applications in future. This very well
defines the importance of computers in the classroom.

Looking at the importance of technology in the classroom, it can be said that it indeed is the
need of the hour. Some people might be reluctant to this change and usage of technology
among children, but they will have to come around sooner or later, owing to the positive
effects of technology on society. As Bill Gates once said, "The people who resist change will be
confronted by the growing number of people who see that better ways...are available thanks to
technology."

Advantages of the Internet in Education

There are numerous advantages of the Internet in the field of education like gaining
information, news, historical data and communication. This article will give you more detailed
information on the various pros or benefits of the Internet in education and learning.

The Internet is the largest set of computer networks that use the Internet Protocol. The
invention and development of the Internet was the biggest discovery by mankind in the 20th
century that lead to a revolution. Today, the Internet is used by more than 50% of the world
population as its applications are found in nearly every fields of life: be it communication,
knowledge, news, shopping, marketing, entertainment, education, etc. So how exactly does the
Internet technology benefit students for education? Let us take a look at it in detail.

Use of Internet in Education

The fast and relatively low-cost access is one of the major benefits of Internet to people and
students all over the world as getting an Internet connection is easy. Communication and
information are the two most important uses of the Internet. Secondly, information can be
updated or modified at any time and for any number of times, which helps in learning and
better understanding.

Easy Contact
As mentioned above, communication is one of the biggest advantages of the Internet in
education. Students can contact other students or their teachers via the E-mail if they have
queries about any information. Sharing of information, discussions on a particular subject, etc.
can be easily carried out using the Internet. At the same time, teachers can also contact the
parents and guardians easily using Internet.

School / College Projects


The Internet can be most useful for completing projects in schools and colleges. As the
Internet is an ocean of information, covering nearly all subjects known to man, one can
literally find information, research work, etc. required for one's projects. Going through the
information on the Internet is definitely faster than reading an entire book on the subject.
Homework is also made easier with the help of the Internet which is also one of the important
uses of computers in education.
Encyclopedia
Sometimes, encyclopedia may not always be available to students and they may have difficulty
in gaining access to the books in the library. In that case, the encyclopedia of different subjects
available on the Internet can be helpful. This is more useful for students who belong to
communities not having English as their mother tongue. Kids and younger children can also
be benefited by the Internet by using the pictures, videos, etc. which is one of the major
advantages, when comparing textbooks versus computer teaching.

News
All the latest news are constantly updated on the Internet on different news sites. Students
learning politics, can have an access to all the current affairs through the Internet in the school
campus, at home, or at any other place. Historical accounts like speeches, biographies, etc. are
also easily available on the Internet in detailed and accurate versions.

Online Learning
Another positive effects of Internet in education is the onset of distance education or online
learning. With this facility, you can take up short-term courses with the course material
available online, learn and give exams. One of the benefits of online learning is that people
from any part of the world can gain knowledge on different subjects, complete courses, etc.
with the help of online learning.

With these points, we find that the importance of Internet in education cannot be denied and
hence, every student should be given access to the Internet for deeper understanding and
knowledge of a subject. However, lots and lots of information can be termed as both,
advantages and disadvantages of the Internet as students can also have an access to unwanted
or unethical information and sites. Therefore, it is only wise for parents to make students
understand what is good and what not for them, or keep a watch on their surfing.

Lastly, although the Internet cannot replace books or classroom education, it is one of the best
substitute for those who wish to gain deeper knowledge on literally every subject. Good luck!

Top Educational Publishing Companies

Educational publishing companies, all over the world, have a great market, with the ever-
increasing awareness and spread of education. This article has a list of some of the best ones
today...

Education is every child's birth right. And it should not be denied to him to her. We live in an
ultra modern age, where unfortunately, people are looked down upon, if they cannot meet the
so-called standards of civilized society. And education is the only way of being able to meet
these standards. Education is that tool that a person uses, to live his or her life comfortably.
And what brings this education to the people is the various educational publishing companies.
These companies are the ones that are in the business of publishing educational books, for
schools, colleges, universities, and even for self-study. Read ahead for some of the best ones in
the field today.

Popular Educational Publishing Companies

Here is some information about some leading publishing companies of educational text. By
educational publishing, it means almost all domains in the field of education, including
different subjects and different manners of teaching. They provide expert online study
material, and even in hard copies. The area of e-books and online education flourishes because
of most of these publishing houses. Let us see some of these companies in brief.

Scholastic
Scholastic is one of the best and leading supplier of books for all age groups. They have books
in stores all over the world, and even have an online Book Club, using which, parents, teachers,
and students can check online for the books that they require and order them online, which
gives them a discounted rate as they ship the books by UPS.

Saxon
Saxon is another leading publisher. It focuses mainly on educational publications for school
level children. It has online catalogs for books on Math, Science, etc. It also has a very useful
Teacher Resources section, which helps and guides the teachers in their day-to-day teaching
activities.

McGraw Hill Education


McGraw Hill is a leading company in finance, media, etc., that has branched into the education
arena, and is doing very well too. It has teaching and learning material and advanced tools for
all ages, right from school education, higher education, and even career education. It co-
publishes books with other leaders in book publishing like MacMillan, Wright, CTB, etc.

Evan-Moor
Evan-Moor has been in the publishing business since 1999. They specialize in educational
resources for students from pre-kindergarten to the 8th grade. All major subjects like Math,
Science, Arts, Social Science, etc. are covered by them. They also have special resources on
teaching methods in education for teachers to use.

Independence Educational Publishers


This publishing company focuses on supplying material related to social issues to educational
institutions. Their book categories include crime & injustice, drug abuse, family, relationships,
media, citizens' rights and participation, etc.

Shell Education
Shell Education provides books and online activities for school children, on subjects like
Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, etc. They also have resources for professionals in the
fields of Statistics, Social Studies, Science, etc. You can view catalogs online, and place orders
from their site. After placing the order, you can also check the status of delivery of the material
(books, CDs, DVDs, etc.).

Benchmark Education Company


Benchmark is another major publishing company. They publish books for preschool students,
specialized professionals, and also for special education. They have foreign language training
books, as well as beginners' books in English. They also organize workshops on different
topics. You can avail discounts by shopping online for the books on their site.

Some Others
Prentice Hall
Pearson
Curriculum Associates
Free Spirit Publishing
Highlights For Children Inc.
Peoples Education
Texas Instruments
Woodburn Press
Triumph Learning
Topics Education Group LLC
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Nelson Education
Zaner-Bloster Inc.
MacMillan
Linworth Publishing,Inc.
Merriam-Webster,Inc.
Rosen Publishing Group
Red Wings Learning
Primary Concepts
Saddleback Educational Publishing
StudentPublishing.com
Stone Arch Books
Wright Group
Those were the names of some of the leading educational publishing companies today. Hope
you found what you were looking for. You can visit their official websites for more information,
free catalogs, and to avail the different offers and discounts that they offer.

Standardized Testing Pros and Cons

Standardized testing in American history has been a source of intense debate in society. It is
essential to know both sides of the coin that form the contents of this article, to make things
simpler about these types of tests.

Not only in America but throughout the world, standardized tests have become an integral
part of the educational system. It has been more than 50 years, that the US education system
has made standardized test as an ideal benchmark to judge student's academic performance.
The American College Testing (ACT), the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), California
Achievement Tests (CAT) and Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) are just some of the many
standardized tests conducted in the US to assess candidates on a common platform,
apparently. Every year millions of students take standardized tests and they have to answer
various questions asked by darkening bubbles in OMR sheets. Students are no more strangers
to standardized tests, as it is an integral part of college life, though with some sad memories.
The pros and cons of standardized tests have been discussed for decades and it is one of the
most controversial testing techniques. Some light has been shed on standardized testing
debate in this article.

Pros and Cons of Standardized Testing


Before we begin to know more about pros and cons of standardized testing, let us know about
the origin of standardized testing. Earliest account of standardized testing comes from China
where Chinese government asked candidates to fill a form regarding their knowledge of
Confucian philosophy and poetry. Based on the Greek and Socratic methods, essays were the
main source of testing students in western world. As industrial revolution changed the world,
students and kids were not much introduced to farming and agriculture. Gradually, they were
put behind desks and there emerged standardized testing in a more modified form, as it was
easier and faster method to judge large number of students. By the world war II, IBM came
with up with a computer processor that could read darkened pencil marks on answer sheets.
Henceforth, standardized testing have evolved as a major tool to assess students. Moreover,
understanding pros and cons of standardized testing requires an in depth study of the impact
of this type of educational testing system on students, which in itself is a daunting task.

Pros
It is easier to assess a large number of students using standardized tests, as the use of
computers makes it easy to check answer sheets.
It is more accountable and accurate, as the computers check the OMR sheets. There is hardly
any scope for error. Hence, testing system becomes extremely transparent.
It results in faster and timely results. There is no waste of time, as student's can get their
results even on the spot, or very soon after exams have been conducted.
Everyone is assessed on same platform irrespective of different courses, teachers, schools and
any other criteria.
Cons
Learning is not objective and it is not just about memorizing facts and figures. Scholars have
judged standardized testing to be a very mechanical way to test students.
One can answer maths questions by logic in standardized testing, but when it comes to history
and arts, how can Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) provide a total understanding of the
student's ability?
To prepare students for standardized tests, there is a common syllabus in many schools and
many students become mechanical in their approach to study. They'll memorize the day
American Civil War broke out, but they won't know why and how did it broke out. This
hinders their ability to understand American culture and history, from a closer perspective.
Students who don't have very good school facilities in the form of excellent teachers or good
resources, may feel disadvantaged in these tests.
Since syllabuses vary for every State, it is difficult to combine and provide a common syllabus
for Standardized testing.
Schools are graded on their performance and that depends on number of students passing
standardized tests. Hence, in a race to be ahead, instead of in depth teaching, schools just focus
on standardized test preparation.
Creativity and critical thinking skills can't be judged based on standardized tests.
These are apparently some of the most widely accepted standardized testing pros and cons.
Certainly, when arguments for both sides are weighed, we will find that standardized testing
can't possibly test students on creativity and communication. While for sciences, it can be a
great tool to asses students, making it compulsory for humanities seems a way too far. Also,
we need to think if academic scores or good ACT or SAT scores are the real reflection of a
student's talent? May be a student has the potential to become a great singer but caught in the
rut of exams. Scholars need to rethink about the effectiveness of standardized tests in the last
50 years. Only that can present before us the true picture of standardized tests pros and cons
in a more emphatic manner.

Teaching Methods in Education

There are many teaching methods in education that enhance the learning process of the
students. Read this article to know the different teaching methods.

To achieve the goal of teaching, the teacher must adopt effective teaching methods in
education. The teacher has many options to choose from different teaching techniques
designed specifically for teaching and learning.

Writing lesson plans is a foremost thing that a teacher must do before executing any teaching
strategy in the class. The teaching method should be adopted on the basis of certain criteria
like the knowledge of the students, the environment and the set of learning goals decided in
the academic curriculum.

Students respond differently to different methods of teaching. Also, the students have their
unique way of demonstrating the knowledge acquired and absorbing the information that is
imparted. So, to aid this process of demonstrating the knowledge, the teacher has to adopt a
technique that assists the students in retaining the information and increasing their
understanding. There are many techniques to teach kids like questioning, modeling,
demonstrating, collaborating, and explaining that have been discussed here.

Specific Methods and Strategies

We all know about the importance of higher education, so now let us learn some methods of
teaching as well.

Questioning
Testing and questioning are always known to be effective methods due to its interactive
nature. The questions are asked by the teacher with an intention to know what the student
has learned from earlier discussions and what it helps in deciding what should be taught
further.

This can be even vice-verse, students questioning the teachers to clarify the doubts that would
enhance their understanding of the subject. The inquisitive instinct of the students evoke
them to ask questions and satiate their query.

The teacher should encourage this in a positive way so that the student's critical thinking is
developed. Testing differs in one aspect from questioning. Test is done in order to know about
the previous knowledge and already taught things to the student.

Explaining
Sometimes the experiences can also be shared as a part of knowledge that would work as a
source of inspiration for the students. While adopting this method the teacher should give an
introduction and a proper summary. Make sure that the information is specific to the
audience.

The explanation should be accompanied with suitable examples for the better understanding
of the students. It is like a discourse on a particular subject or topic that is for the entire class
or public. Explaining can be clubbed with the modeling process to be more effective and to
have a long-lasting effect on the pupils.

Modeling
Modeling is a type of visual aid for teaching as well as learning. It is a known fact that human
brain absorbs more and understands better when visual aid facilitates explanation. This
method works on three criteria - observing, retaining and replicating. The students learn more
by observing the things and acquire it by imitating it time and again.
This is also known as reinforced behavior. This type of learning has very important role to play
in the learning process especially during the childhood, though it can happen in any stage of
life. This helps the students to visualize the things and, then hypothesize the solution.

Demonstrating
With the help of demonstrative teaching, students get an opportunity to explore the various
aspects and understand the theory from a different perspective. Demonstration is a step-by-
step explanation along with their reasons and significance for the better understanding of the
student. It enhances the student's understanding by practically applying the knowledge and
sharpen their skills and hence, they become capable of identifying and organizing the subject
matter in a more efficient way. Practical experimentation is a very good method used for
demonstrating the subject.

Collaborating
Teamwork is a contemporary form of collaboration. The students are taught to work in a
group that makes the instructing easier for the teacher. This method of teaching promotes a
sense of mutual responsibility among the students. They learn to put in more effort to
research for the topic and apply effective techniques to get the result.

This inculcates patience and develops an ability to critically analyze a subject. It gives an
opportunity to the students to solve the problem by a healthy discussion and co-operation.
This is what we call 'group discussions' which motivates the students to perform in a team,
show leadership skills and enhances the presentation capabilities as well. This is one of the
best direct instructional methods.

These techniques for special education is a little different from the methods and theories for
others. The education is imparted to these students based on their strengths and weaknesses.
The teachers cater to the special needs of the students like modification in the regular
teaching program, use of supplementary aids that allows students to participate in the
learning process. Different effective teaching strategies are adopted on the basis of the
disabilities. Four kinds of provisions are adopted in special education and they are inclusion,
mainstream, segregation and exclusion.

Apart from these defined methods, nowadays many other methods are being adopted to give
quality education. The methods like role-play, story or games, seminars, presentations,
workshops, conferences, brainstorming, case study, educational trips and modern audio-visual
aids like documentary films, computers, internet, etc have been introduced in education.
These new methods have increased the pace of learning and understanding. This also
enhances the capability of the students to research and logically think for a given problem.

How Important is Technology in Education

There is a seemingly endless debate in the educated society about the importance of
technology in education. Keep reading to know more about the same.

The mere fact that technology is the order of the day is sufficient to highlight the importance
of technology. It's probably scary to imagine a life without all the technology around us, as
we're so much habitual to it. Using technology in education has become an intense topic of
debate, as many scholars and experts are concerned that teaching computer and technology to
school going students can give them access to inappropriate material and they may become
over dependent on technology to learn new things. On the contrary, some believe what if
they're not taught the advancement in latest technological developments they will be unable
to compete in the information and communication dominated age.

Technology and Education


Had our forefathers not made revolutionary discoveries and produced series of technological
breakthroughs, would our life be like it is today? Would it had been possible for us to gain so
much knowledge and exchange information with everyone across the globe? And as our world
is developing and global communication is taking a new dimension, technology has a great
impact on our society, environment and life. Without making our children adapt to these
growing technological advancements, won't we make a grave mistake?

Since our children are the builders of tomorrow, they must be in sync with the pace with
which our society is transforming. When we focus on the history of technology in education,
we find that children who have basic computer literacy and are aware about fundamentals of
technology, perform better in their college and graduation years. It is a misconception that
technology should only be studied by students who are studying technology related subjects.
The mere fact is that use of technology has spread in every sphere of subjects, be it arts,
commerce or science. And while a computer science engineering student needs to be aware of
computer programming, an art student is not expected to know computer programming but
certainly the art student has to be aware about using computers easily.

Technology provides rich and varied experiences to students. Online education has become
possible only due to the extensive use of technology in schools and colleges. Obtaining online
degree programs has become easier by signing up for some simple certificate courses. A study
conducted by an educational organization suggests that interaction with technology for
students in the early years of life is better, as kids have an inherent ability to understand and
grasp things faster. Moreover, reading, writing, analytical and visual skills of children have
been found to improve after they've been trained in technology.

The importance of technology in schools can be attributed to the fact that through interactive
video lectures, PowerPoint presentations and live explanation of science topics, kids have
been able to develop a better understanding of various subjects. Video conferencing has made
it easier for various schools to help their kids listen to important lectures by their teachers if
they are not physically present in classrooms. Special education has become easier after
introduction of technology in educational system for candidates who are unable to be taught
some subjects due to physical limitations.

Technology in schools has made the administration process simpler and less ambiguous.
School records, attendance and school database maintenance has become very simple,
allowing the schooling system to be simpler. Every job profile in today's work environment
demands use of technology. There are both sides of the use of technology in schools but if we
analyze pros then they certainly outweigh the cons, because ultimately technology is a
necessity in today's life. What are your views? Share them with millions of readers by using
our platform, right here in the comments column.

Educational Philosophy
What makes one teacher different from another? It is merely a difference in their educational
philosophy that differentiates them in the eyes of their students. Their philosophy determines
how effective they are at imparting knowledge, and what legacies they will leave behind...
When we carefully think about the many teachers and professors that we have encountered in
our lives, we begin to see a stark difference in everyone's educational philosophy. Every
teacher has their own unique way of delivering learning and teachings to their pupils, and this
affects the intensity with which these teachings are accepted, and the fondness with which
these teachers are remembered. We all have that one special teacher that we will always
remember, and this is solely dependent on that individuals' philosophy.

The philosophy of education of a teacher is a statement of purpose of sorts, which outlines this
persons views on the manner in which education is supposed to be delivered. It can also be
termed as a vision statement of the person, and what he/she aims to instill in the students in
order to develop them on all levels. Every person will have their own individualistic style of
teaching their students, and it is their philosophy in education that determines how they
intend to go about it.

Educational Philosophy Statements


When an individual is preparing to become a teacher, he/ she is asked to pen down their
personal philosophy statement about education. This document serves as a guideline for them
during the course of their teaching career, and it should also be a reference for them to stick to
their principles. They need to write down what education is in their opinion, and how they
plan to go about spreading education in an efficient manner.

These statements should serve as a guiding light for the rest of that persons teaching career,
and it should specify their broad goals and purposes of being a teacher. No matter what
happens, they should always stick to their philosophy. Education is not an easy gift to impart
as it involves many intricacies, and the least that is expected of teachers is to have a clear
vision and purpose for doing what they do.

Here are some of the questions that your philosophy about education should answer.
What is the purpose of education in a broader sense, as related to the community and society
on a whole?
What is, in your opinion, the role of a teacher in a classroom?
What are your goals and ambitions for the students you are teaching?
What methods do you think facilitate the learning process most effectively?
Are you convinced that all students can learn something new everyday?
Lastly, what qualities should a good teacher possess?
If one can manage to answer all these questions and pen them down convincingly, then this
qualifies as a successful blueprint that one should stick to for the rest of their teaching career.

Examples of Educational Philosophy


An individuals philosophy and education must go hand in hand with each other, and this is
reflected in the statement that they create when they are applying for a teachers job. This is
more than just a written page of one's beliefs, because if the institution where one is applying
is run the right way, they will definitely scrutinize one's philosophy very carefully. Here are
some small examples of some paragraphs of statements of philosophy.

I believe that each student is unique and has a lot to offer and learn. What he/she needs is an
amicable and encouraging environment, where they are not condemned for speaking their
mind, but applauded. They should be uplifted right from the moment they step into the
classroom through various ways that hold their interest. Making use of real life and related
examples to explain a concept is the best way one can enable them to truly grasp a subject.

A teacher is a mere facilitator in the learning process, and should leave all prejudice and
discrimination outside the classroom. They should embark on a journey with their students,
and be open to learning new things as well. Ultimately, it should be the students who should
enable the teacher to learn something new. Along with being humble and patient, a good
teacher must know when to take the backseat and let the student develop a curiosity that
enables him to explore the answers for himself.

This is the tone that a statement must take, and it should accurately depict what the teacher
genuinely feels and aims to achieve.

Quotes on Educational Philosophy


Here are some interesting quotes that should inspire those who aspire to be great teachers.

We too often bind ourselves by authorities rather than by the truth. - Lucretia Mott

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use in order to change the world. -
Nelson Mandela

To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society. - Theodore
Roosevelt

Ten geographers who think the world is flat will tend to reinforce each others errors. Only a
sailor can set them straight. - John Ralston Saul

Those who do nothing are never wrong. - Theodore de Bouville

My education was a prolonged and concerted attack on my individuality. - Neil Crofts

I go to school but I never learn what I want to know. - Calvin and Hobbes

There are two reasons why people learn; one because someone said you can't, and the other
because someone said you can. - Howard Wilson

Come to the edge, he said


We are afraid, they said
Come to the edge, he said
They came,
He pushed them...and they flew. - Guillaume Apollinaire.

There are bound to be differences in the educational philosophy of different people, and the
methods that they employ. What is important is to understand the sole aim of teaching is to
uplift and free the students, not bind them. If you are a teacher, stay true to your philosophy,
and your students will never forget you.

By Rahul Thadani
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/educational-philosophy.html
Education Level Has a Drastic Effect On Earning Potential
Education levels predict one's lifetime earning potential fairly accurately, indicating that
continuing to go to school will pay off in the long run.

Despite the groans of protest that the beginning of a school year can bring to young students
everywhere, those considering higher education beyond high school should take into account
their earning potential with each subsequent year of higher education they achieve. In fact,
education appears to be the penultimate investment decision that the average person will
make, and from numbers put forth by the U.S. Census Bureau, it is clear that choosing not to go
to college can cost one a lot of money over the long run.

Back in 2000, when the last census was completed in the U.S., 90 percent of young adults
graduate from high school, with 60 percent of those going on to college for at least some
period of time. Clearly, with the majority of high school graduates choosing to continue to
college, the concept of earning potential has become a part of the national consciousness.
During that same year, of adults over the age of 25, 84 percent had a high school diploma,
whereas 26 percent had a bachelor's degree or higher level degree. Just 25 years earlier in
1975, only 63 of adults over the age of 25 had a high school diploma, with just 14 percent
having obtained a college degree or higher. Read more on College Degree Types.

While one can naturally intuit that higher levels of education lead to better earning potential,
it is the statistics put forth by the Census Bureau that truly make the point. For purposes of the
study, the Census Bureau operated under a strict guideline and took into account earnings by
adults between the ages of 25 and 64. This includes what is generally thought of as the prime
working years and the Bureau used earnings numbers from the years 1997 through 1999 to
complete the report.

The report findings indicate that the average earnings of all adults in the proscribed age range
and during the noted years was $34,700 per year. Earnings ranged widely accordingly to
education level, and in a predictable manner. High school dropouts averaged earnings of
$18,900 per year, with high school graduates earning $25,900 per year. Those who attended
college but did not achieve a degree earned $31,200 per year, whereas those earning an
Associate's degree earned an average of $33,000 per year. College graduates earned $45,400
per year. The trend at these levels of education is obvious, but the differences are even more
extreme as advanced degrees are pursued.

The same study found that the average salary for those earning a Master's degree from among
the analyzed group was $54,500, while those earning a professional degree, including an M.D.,
J.D., D.D.S. or D.V.M. was $99,300. Those earning a Doctoral degree, which is generally
considered to be the academic equivalent of the professional degrees noted, earned an average
of $81,400 per year. Read more on Importance of Higher Education.

In addition to the fairly intuitive prospect that advanced levels of education are accompanied
by advancing earning potential is the less easily discernible fact that estimates of so-called
"work-life" earnings actually compound during one's lifetime. What this means is that while
those will lower levels of education will general see a fairly gradual increase in their income
during the course of their work-lives, those attaining Bachelor's degrees or higher level of
education will tend to see a steeper increase in earnings during the course of their lives.

On balance then, the message to those deciding on whether to continue their education is
fairly clear. If increased earning potential is the goal, higher levels of education appear to
directly influence the outcome, with the various professional degrees most geared toward
earning potential.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/education-level-has-a-drastic-effect-
on-earning-potential.html
Problem Based Learning
The modes of instruction and education have undergone significant changes with the passage
of time. Problem based learning is one such novel mode of imparting education to the aspiring
students. Read on to know what it is all about.

Like all other areas of progress and development, the academic field has also seen
considerable changes in the modes of imparting knowledge and education. Teaching and
learning are no longer limited to classroom sessions where one person takes the center stage
to deliver knowledge and a group of students remain at the receiving end. The present day
education has expanded its wings to more practical methods of teaching wherein students are
allowed to experiment and explore beyond the instructor led knowledge. Problem based
learning is one such way of teaching students, where they use their prior knowledge to solve
problems and learn new things in the process.

An Overview
As the name suggests, problem based learning (PBL) refers to a learning process, where the
students gain new knowledge through exploring a research problem in a structured and
systematic way. This problem can often be a real life situation. PBL focuses on being more
'student centered' as compared to the traditional modes of teaching and allows the students to
partially determine the learning objectives of the course or topic that they are about to learn.
Thus, the learning occurs through the skills and techniques that the students obtain to find
solutions for the research problem, rather than listening to the lectures of the professor and
learn about the content.

'Trigger' in Problem Based Learning


The process of PBL begins with a trigger which hints/indicates to a problem or situation. The
students then start their research and analysis to find solutions to this problem. It is critical
that the trigger is appropriately focused so that it leads to a definite learning outcome which is
related to the course content. A trigger can be anything from newspaper articles, quotations,
movie/video clips, interview citations, image etc. However, the instructor may also choose not
to use the trigger and instead directly provide a specific situation to the students.

Distinctive Features of PBL

Learning through Problem Solving:


PBL introduces the student to the topic or course content through the process of problem
solving as opposed to the traditional method where the student is introduced to the content
first and is then supposed to apply it for problem solving. This kind of approach has been
adopted to support researches, saying that learning is enhanced when it is introduced through
an experience in an appropriate context.

Presenting Complex/Real-Life Situations:


The problems used for PBL are often real-life situations where the students need to analyze
them critically through reference/case studies and research work. These problems may not
have simple or straight forward solutions; neither they might have one possible solution and
can be solved through different strategies and approaches. Finding these strategies would
require a thinking of higher order which would involve evaluation, analysis and synthesis to
create new knowledge and learning.

Using Prior Learning:


PBL allows students to use their prior learning for analyzing and finding solution for the
problem placed before them. By recalling what they have already learned, the students can
make assumptions and develop strategies for problem solving. According to researches a
conflict between new information and previous learning may enhance the learning process.

Collaborative Approach:
While solving a problem, it is not mandatory for the students to get the correct answer as
there may not be one concrete answer or solution to the problem. Instead, the focus lies on the
process of finding the solution by working in a group and exploring various possibilities
through analytical research work.

Role of the Instructor:


In PBL the instructor steps back from his/her traditional role of feeding information about the
new content to the students. Instead, he/she becomes a facilitator or guide in the process of
finding solutions to the research problem. However, that does not mean that the instructor has
any less importance as compared to his/her conventional role. It requires a lot of preparation
to guide the students properly by providing information resources, reading/reference list,
suggesting research and analysis strategies etc. The instructor might also need to make
himself/herself available in person or through email/telephone whenever the students
require him/her during the research period. However, it is not mandatory for the instructor to
be with the students always.

Advantages
Being more student centric, PBL is more likely to motivate and excite the students to learn,
wherein they need to play an active role in analyzing things for a given assignment.
By presenting the students with real-life situations, it enhances the problem solving skills of
the students as opposed to providing only theoretical knowledge. Learning, therefore, goes
beyond bookish knowledge and helps the students face and see through practical problems.
Allowing the students to use prior knowledge to solve a new problem, it ensures deeper
understanding. According to researches, learning is enhanced when new information is
presented through a meaningful context and comes in conflict with the existing knowledge.
PBL demands a collaborative approach towards problem solving, thus, creating an
environment in which the students learn to see various approaches to solve one problem
through group interactions. This makes the team responsible for each other and not just for
one's own self.
Redefining the role of the tutor/instructor, PBL demands a unique relation between the
students and the teacher. This, in turn, allows the students to partially determine their course
of action with the help of the tutor, making learning more interesting, engaging and activity
based.
Disadvantages
While getting introduced to a new topic or course content, the students might not be in the
best position to determine what is important for them and what is not. It might be too much to
expect from them to decide their course of action, especially for subjects in which they do not
have any prior exposure.
Students are habituated to classroom sessions with the instructors taking the center stage and
transferring knowledge through lectures and notes. All of a sudden, if they are told to analyze
a given topic and determine their learning objectives all by themselves, they might get
confused or lost.
Tutors/Instructors are expected to change their conventional modes of classroom teaching
and prepare himself/herself to become a guide/facilitator of the students by providing them
research and analysis guidance. Some teachers might not find this change of role very
comfortable.
As PBL deals with researching and solving problems, it is essential to generate a proper
problem/situation/question, without which the proper learning objectives cannot be
determined. If an appropriate problem is not raised it is likely that the students would go out
of track and completely miss the actual objective behind the entire course.
Although PBL tends to hone the analytical skills of the students through presenting them with
real-life situations, it is also found that often, they do not have sound theoretical knowledge on
the subject matter.
The teacher or the instructor, in PBL, plays the role of a facilitator or guide to the students
rather than providing instructions or information on the given topic. PBL can be adopted to
teach various disciplines for a single unit of the course or an entire curriculum of an
undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

By Paramita Ghosh
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/problem-based-learning.html
Block Scheduling Pros and Cons
Everyone needs to knowing block scheduling pros and cons so that you can wisely choose the
educational form that will be most beneficial for your child.

Not all students are of same intelligence level. Some take longer time to grasp a concept
compared to others. While there is a certain speed of learning for every individual, educators
and scholars try to come up with innovative methods and ways so that the efficiency of
students can be increased to a great extent. This also helps those who're slower in
understanding concepts to easily grasp the subject. Block scheduling is another such
educational reform that has been adapted by educators to increase the learning potential of
students. The importance of education cannot be underestimated and people are trying to
constantly come up with ways to better our education system.

Pros and Cons of Block Scheduling

In block scheduling educational system, more emphasis is laid on a student spending more
time on a particular subject. For instance, in normal class lectures, it's said that a student only
gets 40 to 50 minutes on a subject. However, in block scheduling, the time for each subject is
lengthened to 90 minutes. It's said this allows a student to study the same lesson properly for
a longer period of time. Nevertheless, the block scheduling debate is an ongoing one and it's
difficult to judge if block scheduling is a solution or a problem.

Block Scheduling Advantages


Basically, there are various types of block scheduling. However, most common are the
alternate day schedule and the 4 X 4 block. In the alternate day schedule, the students are not
required to meet daily, instead they need to go to school every alternate day for longer periods
of time. On the other hand, in the 4 X 4 block scheduling, students are allowed to take four
classes per semester. For students, it's important to at least complete 8 classes of both types of
block scheduling teaching methods in a year. There are various other types of block scheduling
methods and even a school can come up with its own method as per the convenience of its
students. Here are some advantages of block scheduling:
More time for the student to study a particular topic. He can assimilate information and
concepts easily without getting stressed.
Less waste of time in transition due to class openings and closings. This helps to prevent the
chances of losing focus due to constant change during breaks.
Students can get time to understand the subject better owing to instructional training and
they also get more time to concentrate.
Teachers can focus on special needs and requirements of children. He or she can concentrate
on weak points of the student and help deal with it.
Less burden of homework on students because they'll have fewer subjects to study daily
rather than a heap of assignments per day.
Better and longer duration of access to science laboratories and libraries.
More time and creativity to focus on other important aspects of extra curricular activities.
Block scheduling encourages student interaction and promotes socialization skills.
Block Scheduling Disadvantages
Discussing the merits and demerits of block scheduling would be incomplete if we don't take a
look at the other side of the argument. Here are some demerits of block scheduling:
For a single day's absence, a student will have to take the assignment worth two days home,
which can prove to be stressful.
Due to alternate days and focusing for long time on one subject, subjects such as Maths and
foreign language, that require frequent revision, may become difficult to grasp.
There is lack of well trained teachers for block scheduling training owing to block scheduling
being a new system introduced for educational reform.
Whether this is the best educational practice or not is a subjective matter and so, whether you
wish to enroll your child based on this educational system is solely your decision to make.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/block-scheduling-pros-and-cons.html
Education Level Has a Drastic Effect On Earning Potential
Education levels predict one's lifetime earning potential fairly accurately, indicating that
continuing to go to school will pay off in the long run.
Despite the groans of protest that the beginning of a school year can bring to young students
everywhere, those considering higher education beyond high school should take into account
their earning potential with each subsequent year of higher education they achieve. In fact,
education appears to be the penultimate investment decision that the average person will
make, and from numbers put forth by the U.S. Census Bureau, it is clear that choosing not to go
to college can cost one a lot of money over the long run.

Back in 2000, when the last census was completed in the U.S., 90 percent of young adults
graduate from high school, with 60 percent of those going on to college for at least some
period of time. Clearly, with the majority of high school graduates choosing to continue to
college, the concept of earning potential has become a part of the national consciousness.
During that same year, of adults over the age of 25, 84 percent had a high school diploma,
whereas 26 percent had a bachelor's degree or higher level degree. Just 25 years earlier in
1975, only 63 of adults over the age of 25 had a high school diploma, with just 14 percent
having obtained a college degree or higher. Read more on College Degree Types.

While one can naturally intuit that higher levels of education lead to better earning potential,
it is the statistics put forth by the Census Bureau that truly make the point. For purposes of the
study, the Census Bureau operated under a strict guideline and took into account earnings by
adults between the ages of 25 and 64. This includes what is generally thought of as the prime
working years and the Bureau used earnings numbers from the years 1997 through 1999 to
complete the report.

The report findings indicate that the average earnings of all adults in the proscribed age range
and during the noted years was $34,700 per year. Earnings ranged widely accordingly to
education level, and in a predictable manner. High school dropouts averaged earnings of
$18,900 per year, with high school graduates earning $25,900 per year. Those who attended
college but did not achieve a degree earned $31,200 per year, whereas those earning an
Associate's degree earned an average of $33,000 per year. College graduates earned $45,400
per year. The trend at these levels of education is obvious, but the differences are even more
extreme as advanced degrees are pursued.

The same study found that the average salary for those earning a Master's degree from among
the analyzed group was $54,500, while those earning a professional degree, including an M.D.,
J.D., D.D.S. or D.V.M. was $99,300. Those earning a Doctoral degree, which is generally
considered to be the academic equivalent of the professional degrees noted, earned an average
of $81,400 per year. Read more on Importance of Higher Education.

In addition to the fairly intuitive prospect that advanced levels of education are accompanied
by advancing earning potential is the less easily discernible fact that estimates of so-called
"work-life" earnings actually compound during one's lifetime. What this means is that while
those will lower levels of education will general see a fairly gradual increase in their income
during the course of their work-lives, those attaining Bachelor's degrees or higher level of
education will tend to see a steeper increase in earnings during the course of their lives.

On balance then, the message to those deciding on whether to continue their education is
fairly clear. If increased earning potential is the goal, higher levels of education appear to
directly influence the outcome, with the various professional degrees most geared toward
earning potential.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/education-level-has-a-drastic-effect-
on-earning-potential.html
Grading on a Curve Pros and Cons
What does it mean to curve grades? The pros and cons of such a system are evaluated in this
article.

This article comes from an author who has never been an outstanding achiever as far as
grading is concerned. I have always blamed my dismal performance on the grading system and
tried to find out its flaws. Well, a healthy alternative to a normal grading system is grading on a
curve. So, let us explore its pros and cons.

The Concept

The entire idea behind this kind of grading system is to boost the performance of the lagging
students in a class. The advantage of those students who have worked hard for good grades
should also be there. Now, how will you do that? The answer to this question is a very novel
idea in grading on a curve system. It is a method of assigning grades, in which a
predetermined frequency distribution on a grading scale are yielded. Simply put, the
disadvantage of the disadvantaged is reduced while hard workers get their due.

The grading proceeds in three different steps.

Step #1: The numerical scores of the tests are obtained. If the order of these scores represent
the skill of the student, then the actual numerical score is unimportant.
Step #2: These numerical scores are converted into percentile scores relative to highest scorer.
Step #3: The percentile scores are then converted into grades.

As simple as these three steps may sound, there is a twist to this. When the teachers are
converting percentiles into grades, they do so according on a 'percentile scale'. The width on
this scale indicates the desired relative frequency distribution of the grades. This concept can
be understood better with an example.

Consider that students in a class are graded into three categories, say X,Y & Z. The top
achievers of the class have to be an exclusive group. So reserve X to the top 10% achievers. Let
the next 20% be given Y, and the rest be in Z. The frequency distribution of the number of
students in all three categories can be determined or tuned in advance.

Pros and Cons

The Benefits
Relative Performance: The grades are assigned according to the relative performance of other
students, so the difficulty of the subject itself is masked. This gives a sense of confidence to the
student to tackle any subject.
Difficulty in Comparison: The percentile scores are calculated according to highest score
achieved in the class. This may not be very high. So the comparison with the numerically high
scorers of other systems becomes impossible. In my opinion, this is leveling the playing field
for every student.
Easier to Go to College: More often than not, the relative score is generally higher than the
actual numerical score. This way it becomes easy to get into college.
The Drawbacks
Grade Margins: Grading on a curve increases the problem of those students who are near to
the margin between the two grades. It may happen that a student is getting grade B in the
normal grading system, but is getting grade C in the curve grading system. This is a big
problem.
Study Groups: Better performance by the study groups may show that the curve grading (the
actual curve) is peaking, but individually, this may not be the case. The student may end up
performing below par.
Dealing with Different Grading System: A student who is habituated with grading on a curve
system in schools, is in for a rude shock when he encounters a different system (this may
happen when he enters the college or a graduate school). Typically low performing students
who are used to getting better grades may not adjust to the new system quickly.
The pros and cons of this system are many. But it is definitely helpful for the weaker students,
and at the same time, acknowledging the strengths of achieving and hard-working student.
This should be the only reason to adopt this system.

By Vipul Lovekar
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/grading-on-a-curve-pros-and-
cons.html
Best Educational Practices
Education, the word itself is an extremely extensive term. They say that we are getting
educated and learning from every moment of our lives, since the day we are born till we die.
But this article will be within the periphery of formal education and the best educational
practices.

"I was born a genius, education ruined me". Well, I am sure most of you are aware of this
quote. And trust me, you almost feel like believing it! However, on a serious note, formal
education is absolutely essential to pursue and excel in whatever you do in life. And the
methods and tools used to give the best possible education (in the arena of formal education)
to students in the available resources refer to best educational practices. Fundamentally,
optimizing the use of the educational tools and human resources is necessary. Although the
concept sounds vague, this concept is nothing perplexing.

Best Practices in Education


To start with, the term 'best practice' is used to describe whatever works in a given situation
or environment. So, the best educational practices include the maximum that can be imparted
to the students by the teachers and the way teachers deal with the students and vice versa. It
is nothing but cashing whatever resources you have and generating the best possible output.
Let's check out what are the most effective practices in education.

Parent Trap: No no, I am not giving any allusion to the movie Parent Trap starring Lindsay
Lohan. I am referring to one of the educational practices, that is to involve parents in the
learning process of the children. The involvement of parent is extremely crucial for the
children to grow intellectually. More active the participation of parents, faster the children will
develop their academic acumen.

All Clear: It has been observed many of the high performing schools employ the use of clear
goals and set targets, grounded on the belief that every child has the ability to learn and climb
up the performance ladder. So a clear and common focus is absolutely a significant part of the
best educational practices.

Home Sweet Home: Evaluating the homework or grading it can be of great help. When the
homework is discussed upon by the teachers as well as the parents, it gets a different
dimension all together. By this practice, the children come to know where exactly have they
erred, where they are good and which are the areas they need to improve upon. A good
comment from the teacher can boost the confidence of the student. Accordingly, the child can
work towards his or her strong points.

Curriculum + Core Learning Expectations = Performance Enhancement: Spoon feeding is a


complete 'No No', if students have to be inculcated with challenging and rigorous learning. To
involve students actively in the educational system, inquiry, assessments and in depth learning
will be really helpful.

Direct Connection: Nothing can be compared to the good old educational practice of direct
teaching. A straight student-teacher connection is one of the best educational practices. The
characteristics of teachers employing this practice include clarity, task orientation, flexibility
and enthusiasm. They also ask for active participation of students.

Out of Time: Effective management of time and accommodation of a spectrum of the interests
of students, teaching and non-teaching staff, is what top educational institutes are structured
for. Time and structure are two very important concepts when it comes to best educational
practices.

Sky is the Limit: Another very important educational practice or guideline is instilling
confidence in the students by the teachers that they can learn and excel. The flip side of this
concept is that teachers are also believing in themselves that they can teach the students well.

Another point is best practices in educational interpreting. Now educational interpreting


refers to educational activities that uncover the meaning about our natural and cultural
resources, according to some.

These above mentioned practices are generic and are not specific to a particular institution or
a group of institutions. Ultimately, it all boils down to what suits the best to a specific
institution.
By Medha Godbole

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Education Matters
Education is a fundamental process and should be done with great responsibility and
devotion, because the future of a person depends on the quality of education he/she receives.

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Can you imagine living all your life alone, not talking to anyone not even seeing anyone
around? What?! That's no life!

Yes, we are created to be social beings and socializing is a basic process in society. Socializing
actually means to build up relationships with individuals or groups of individuals.

To be successful here, some specific skills are required: talking skills, gesture skills, a certain
attitude etc. Your behavior also plays and essential role; being more precise, education is the
fundamental element that makes the difference.

It is well-known that one can receive education from various persons, in various places , under
varied forms and in varied times of life.

The first level would be the family, as psychologists and social workers consider it the most
important and prolific environment. This is the place you get your primary principles and
moral values. Things you learn while you are a child are the ones which remain stocked in
your memory for a long time and they are hard to be changed or abolished.

In the second level, you start going in public places such as kindergarten, school, university,
workplace, etc. and you receive another sort of education, specialized in different areas.

Going further, education can be offered deliberately or unconsciously. We can take mass-media
for example: it is very well-known that it has such a great influence on us, and especially on
children. They do not watch television, or surf the internet ,or listen to the radio with an
educational purpose, but in spite of this, mass-media plays and extremely important role in
education, very frequently having a negative influence.

In addition, education can also be auto-made. After reaching the age where you start rationing
and taking serious decisions, you start selecting what is good and wrong, what is important
and what is unimportant, how to treat certain individuals and so on.

This means that you auto-educate yourself. We have to admit that this has a great importance
and you are to do this all of life, because every day you encounter new situations and persons,
and you just have to know how to respond.

However, education does not follow the same patterns in every corner of the world; we can
say that education depends on geographical and historical terms.

Exemplifying, what things are general valid in one part, are completely misunderstood in
another part: Russian boys are educated to cross feet when they sit down, but if you do such a
thing in the U.S.A you are considered to be a homosexual. This is a banal example, but there
are many other things that follow this pattern exactly.

Dr. Jung states that you can speak about the word "education" only from the age of 2. Until
then, it is considered that the children are not educated, they are being trained, because they
don't use they ration in order to act, they are just...trained to do so. He also says that both
training and education are based on the same fundamental truth: achievement crowned with
reward.

So, children are asked to do something knowing that if they fulfill that particular demand they
will be awarded, with sweets, with a hug, a kiss, or with gratitude.

Moreover, specialists develop special programs for parents who want to offer a good
education to their children. I think all of these programs must be mixed with parental love and
understanding, and with the culture they are living in.

We could say that education is something hereditary, that your parents inherited from their
parents and so on, but there are facts which clearly demonstrate that this is not necessarily
true.

For example, there are children who grow up in families with alcoholic parents and they
receive a precarious education, still, when they have their own families they do the exact
opposite, willing that their children shall have a better life than they had. It is very sad that it is
not always happening this way.

Parents who received a poor education and had a miserable life as children, repeat the history
with their new families. It can be for two reasons: the first one is the desire to get vengeance
(might sound cruel and not human, but there are many cases like this worldwide) and the
second on is ignorance and fear of trying a new style of life.

In conclusion, education is a fundamental process and should be done with great


responsibility because the future of those who pass through it depends on the quality of
education.

By Claudia MiclausLast Updated: 10/13/2011

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To Be Or Not To Be...Educated?

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A major problem young people that have just graduated high school confront themselves with
is choosing to continue their studies and going to college.

You might ask yourself "Well where's the difficulty in that?"Almost everyone has a period
when they get sick of work, sick of school; they feel exhausted and unable to continue that
certain activity.

Once they've reached that certain point, only a few small but very important decisions draw
the line between carrying on with the learning or working process and giving up and exposing
ourselves to a life of mediocrity.

I consider mediocre people the ones that do not have the desire to do better, to shoot higher.
They might have their reasons, they might not be motivated or they may not have certain
conditions and it is perfectly understandable that they have weakened after being put down so
many times. But still, they should be encouraged by others because human beings were gifted
with the ability of standing up the eighth time after collapsing 7 times.

There are all sorts of different factors that can determine a human being to give up in certain
conditions. Quitting is not a tragedy if the consequences are not of great and especially
significant proportions. A random example might be sitting and waiting at a long line when
finally you decide to go home and watching good old TiVo. Well, may that be the only situation
in which you afford to quit. Of course, no one likes to be discouraged and discouragement
sometimes makes us make wrong, hasty decisions.

We make the same kind of decisions when we are tired, also. But faced with the consequences,
exhaustion and such won't sound like a very good excuse. Will a moment through the valley
make up for a life of limitations of all sorts?
Education is very important and, young man or woman, you have your whole life ahead of you
and no matter how great the temptation of fast, easy money or short way to success may be,
be sure that it only happens in the movies.

It is not worth sacrificing your own happiness and the rewards that knowledge passes back to
you for a mirage. This mirage has made many victims over the years and it is a real life tragedy
to see talents go to waste due to a moment of unclear thinking caused by diverse factors.

If you want to create a future for yourself, a bright one with many possibilities, you should
spend more time with yourself. Yes, you heard right. Spend time with yourself, and get to
know yourself.

Explore your talents, explore your capabilities and put them to work. Once you've done this,
choose a field of activity and get the information you need .Talk to your parents, ask their
advice. They will lovingly give it to you and they won't hesitate to lend you a helping hand if
needed.

After finishing college and getting that proper education in the field that best suits you and
fulfills you desires, here comes another challenge: finding work. Work can bring happiness to
a man. Everyone has certain passions, certain talents that they wish to use in a creative style.
We can all benefit from each other's God-given talents that's why we would give our best
interest to use them to the fullest.

We should set standards for ourselves and aim high so that we can hold our head up straight
and earn respect and dignity. Once you start making a good life for yourself, you no longer
have to worry about tomorrow's obstacles and once you simplify your existence, you can think
about other things, too. You'll have more time for your other hobbies and passions.

Doing what we love gives us great satisfactions and a sense of fulfillment that few other things
can offer you. If you can give yourself the chance to do what you love doing, after what seemed
to be small efforts in the past, and get paid for it, too, then why not do it? Why not go for it?

We cannot permit laziness to take over our lives and make decisions for us. It would be a
waste of our person, a waste of our talents, a real life tragedy. Let's get the single chance we
are given!

By Claudia MiclausLast Updated: 10/19/2011


Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/to-be-or-not-to-be-educated.html
No Child Left Behind" Should Start At Home
More important than debates on how well this legislation works is the question of how a child
is "left behind" in the first place.
By Lana Christian

The No Child Left Behind Act is a bipartisan trophy in the display case of educational reform.
The theory behind it is admirable. The provisions for it have been well thought out. Federal
funding is generous and uncommonly flexible. Outcomes measures and school accountability
are all part of the master plan. Professional enrichment for teachers is built into the program.
Accommodations for ESL students and students with disabilities are accounted for. Support
for ancillary programs that foster a safe learning environment is present. Sounds perfect.

What’s missing from the equation?

Two things.

Sufficient staff—and parents.

None of the funding provides for hiring more teachers or teacher assistants to provide these
extra services. If children are entitled to additional help through in-school tutoring, you need a
warm body to be a tutor—or a pair educator—or simply an extra set of hands to extend a
teacher’s effectiveness.

The second, more critical element that’s missing is parents. The only time the word "parents"
is mentioned in the No Child Left Behind Act is when it discusses parental rights: to know a
teacher’s qualifications, to have access to report cards, and to gain easily-understandable
information about the act and its funding measures.

Parents should contribute a vital part of their children’s education.

But too many parents today are abandoning that responsibility—consciously or


subconsciously. They know it’s the school’s job to teach their children academics. But some
also feel it’s the school’s job to teach life skills, socialization skills, conflict management skills,
and anything else their children need to navigate in the world. Excuse me, but that’s never
been part of the three "R’s."

Yet I’ve seen plenty of parents park their children on a school doorstep and expect Johnny or
Janey to emerge a well-educated, well-adjusted, mature person who can handle whatever life
throws his or her way. If less than that happens, the parent sputters at how a teacher or school
must be "inept" or "insensitive" if it can’t always control, motivate, or teach their child along
with a roomful of other young’uns.

Parents have responsibilities beyond putting food on their children’s plates and dressing them
in clean clothes. Parents are to be role models for how a child reacts to the world. That
includes respecting adults and those in authority—like teachers.

The biblical injunction, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will
not depart from it," is directed first to PARENTS—and secondarily, to others who instruct
children.

Absentee parents, parents with poor work or personal habits, and parents who are there
physically but are too busy to give time and energy to their children are not training up their
child. By not doing so, they default to schools and society for raising their children. Neither is
well suited for that job (although the schools keep taking on more responsibility for
attempting to teach "life skills").

Too many children think only of themselves and what’s in it for them in the moment—because
that’s what they’ve seen modeled at home. That’s not only counterproductive to learning; it’s
also counterproductive to becoming a useful part of society.

Parents, you must step up to the plate and take charge of your child’s learning. It doesn’t start
at a parent-teacher conference—it starts at home. And while many parents feel like they wear
a permanent chauffer’s hat while their kids are growing up, that’s not the focus of this
discussion. Spend time helping your child over the hump of multiplication or organizing his
thoughts for a book report. If you don’t know how to approach it, call the teacher and ask for
help. Ask how you can support and further the teacher’s classroom efforts. The key is
sustained effort over time—and being there. (That’s different from simply being in the same
room.) You can do infinite good for your child one-on-one.

Maybe that means you give up some personal time. Maybe it means that Johnny’s in one sport
instead of two. If you’re a single parent, it may mean reaching out for help from a neighbor,
relative or someone else who will support you. If you have a special needs child, assess your
physical limits and find ways to fill in the gaps without sacrificing "learning time" with your
child. Then take another step—a hard one. Look inside yourself. Honestly ask yourself if your
actions model what you want your child to be and do. It’s not about you; it’s about your child
and what type of adult he or she will become.

When you’re much older, sick or unable to care for yourself, who do you want making
decisions for you, caring for you, making laws for you? Someone who goofed up in school
because you weren’t his compass and rudder? Or someone whom you’ve truly poured your life
into?
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/7-1-2006-100988.asp
UNICEF Wants More and More Girls in School!

International development efforts are drastically short-changing girls, leaving hundreds of


millions of girls and women uneducated and unable to contribute to positive change for
themselves, their children, or their communities, a major UNICEF report released on 11
December 2003 contends.

The agency said that without accelerated action to get more girls into school over the next two
years, global goals to reduce poverty and improve the human condition would simply not be
reached. Conversely, it said that bringing down the barriers that keep girls out of school would
benefit both girls and boys and their countries.

UNICEF argued that the adjustment in development strategies needed to get girls in school
and keep them there would jump-start progress on the entire development agenda for 2015,
known as the Millennium Development Goals.

The report shows that the girls denied an education are more vulnerable to poverty, hunger,
violence, abuse, exploitation and trafficking. They are more likely to die in childbirth and are
at greater risk of disease, including HIV/AIDS. But according to the State o the World's
Children, the positive impact of educating girls is equally dramatic: As mothers, educated
women are more likely to have healthy children, and more likely to ensure that their children,
both boys and girls, complete school.

In example after example, the UNICEF report details how bringing down the barriers that keep
girls out of the school makes schools more welcoming for boys as well as girls. Those barriers
include schools that are too far from home, lack clean water and separate toilet facilities, and
where the threat of violence is ever-present in and around the schoolyard.

The report argues that the standard approach to achieving universal education has fallen
short because it assumed that generic efforts to enroll more children would benefit all
children equally, an assumption that has not examined or addressed the specific barriers faced
by girls. Although global enrollments show gradual improvement in gender balance, 9 million
more girls are still left out of the classroom completely, and girls who are enrolled drop out
faster, on average, than boys.

"Because of persistent and often subtle gender discrimination that runs through most
societies, it is girls who are sacrificed first - being the last enrolled and the first withdrawn
from schools when times get tough," the report states.

The report arguments that the education must be approached as a human right rather than a
privilege or an expected outcome of economic progress. When education is considered a right,
governments are obligated to mobilize the needed resources so that all children can complete
a quality education. And parents are more likely to hold their governments accountable for
failing to do so.

The report presents an agenda for action, calling on development agencies, governments,
families, and communities to focus and intensify their efforts on addressing the challenges
that keep girls out of the school. Essentially, the report calls for adjustments in how
development is approached from the start.

Among separate measures, the report calls for:


* Creation of national ethos recognizing the values of educating girls as well as boys.
* Education to be included as an essential component in development plans.
* The elimination of school fees of every kink.
* The integration of education into national plans for poverty education.
* Increased international funding for education.

The report found that, with few exceptions, industrialized countries and international
financial institutions have failed to meet their commitments to fund education.

By Nilesh ParekhPublished: 3/29/2004


Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/3-28-2004-52264.asp
Different Learning Styles
Studies have shown that we now have to deal with about 100% new information every 5
years. If this trend continues, students currently studying in grades one to three will probably
graduate during a time where there will be new information coming in every 38 days! So, the
information that they learn this month would probably be outdated two months from now! So,
how are we expected to learn anything at all??
Taking statistics into consideration, the teachers of today need to learn new ways of helping
their students learn to become life-long learners. If students haven't learned the art of
learning, then they are probably not going to be able to choose a suitable career path or be
trained effectively within their respective fields.

What is Learning?

Each and every one of us receives new information on a daily basis. Understanding this
information and processing it will take us a long way towards become life-long learners. Each
and every person is different from the other. Each of us perceives the world in a different way
from the other. These perceptions of ours shape up what we think - how we make our
decisions, how we prioritize things - and so on. What's more, our individual perceptions also
help to define our natural styles and strengths of learning.

So, since all of us are not basically alike, then when we approach a certain situation or a
learning task, remember that not all of us will benefit from the same approach. Each and every
individual will have his or her own set of unique learning strengths as well as weaknesses. So,
it is very important for teachers to use a variety of methods to reach out to their students. It is
also very important for teachers to first understand what the different learning styles are in
the first place!

Styles Acquired for Learning

Each and every one of us has different ways of learning and processing information. You
probably didn't realize this earlier because you must have attended one of those regular
schools where all the teachers taught in the same way. Most of our teachers talked to us
(droned on and on), and sometimes we answered their questions. Most of us had our regular
pencil and paper tests that required us to memorize everything that we were taught without
really understanding much. Most schools tend to teach in this way and don't really encourage
the students to lean in their own unique ways.

There are so many learning methods to classify them in, namely: perceptual modality,
personality patterns and information processing.
Perceptual Modalities - This is all about defining our biological reactions to our surroundings
and the way in which we process information. This learning style helps us learn what our
perception style is and we can then seek out information and process it in the way that we
perceive it. Teachers should focus on using these techniques in order to reach out to all the
students.
Personality Patterns - This focuses on emotions, values and attention. Studying the difference
in these will allow us to predict the way we will think, feel and react to different situations.
Information Processing - This distinguishes between the way we think, sense, remember
information and solve problems. Each and every one of us has a distinct way of perceiving,
processing, organizing and retaining different information.
Perceptual Modality

This refers to the way our minds take in different information. From this we get that the
different learning styles are auditory, kinesthetic, visual and tactile. In addition, there are
seven categories of humans, which the verbal-linguistic types (sensitive to the order and
meaning of words), the musical type (sensitive to melody, tone, pitch and rhythm), the logical-
mathematical type (processes information by reasoning and recognizing orders and patterns),
the spatial type (perceives the world realistically and then tries to transform and re-create
certain aspects of the world), the bodily- kinesthetic type (handles objects skillfully and uses
the body skillfully), the interpersonal type (understands relationships and people), and lastly,
the intrapersonal type ( tries to enter into another persons emotional life in order to
understand the person).

Each and every one of us will rely on all or a combination of these modes to process
information and learn at an unconscious level, but all of us are probably consciously aware of
what modes we prefer to use. We learn through all our senses, but tend to favor one over the
rest. Thus, we can safely say that we learn by sight (visually), by sound (auditorally), by
moving (kinesthetically), and by touch (tactilly).
Visual Learners - They tend to learn better by seeing things. Images and pictures will help
them understand ideas and information better than long explanations. A drawing will
probably help them more than a discussion on the same topic would. A visual learner will
always create a mental image in his or her mind.
Auditory Learners - There are two categories of auditory reader - the listeners and the
speakers. These type of learners learn faster through spoken messages. Some auditory
learners need to hear their own voices in order to understand information. The listeners are
the types that will always do well in school. They tend to remember things that were said to
them and then make up their own information. They also carry mental images of dialogs,
which in turn help them to remember a lot of what they learned.
Kinesthetic and Tactile Learners - Kinesthetic learners will always sense the movement and
position of what they are working on. Tactile learners on the other hand prefer to learn by
touch. They learn increasingly fast through practical work in labs and in classroom. These
types don't generally do well in traditional schools because such schools don't provide them
with right opportunities to do practical work. Both these types perceive information through
the nerve endings in the skin and also through muscles, joints and tendons.
As a learner, the most important thing you can do is to learn about all of these learning modes,
identify which category you belong to and learn from the strong points of the other categories.

What's more, educators and teachers all over the world need to get together and design
programs and courses that address all the learning methods. Instead of using the same
traditional, old-school way of teaching, it would be more appropriate to present information to
students as they would best learn.

By Natasha Bantwal
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Academic Software - Educational Software
Academic software is the result of dedicated efforts made by the various Boards and
Ministries of education and school district administrative offices. The software is created to
further the audio visual upgradation in education and make learning an enjoyable and fun
filled experience.
The academic arena is experiencing change world wide. The wireless technology has
enhanced the approach towards academics too and it won't be before long that laptops totally
replace textbooks and the teacher is replaced by a supercomputer. Nothing is impossible. The
quest remains the same - quenching the thirst for information. The question of importance of
the physical presence of the human teacher has receded into the background. Now the focus is
on 'what is imparted' and 'how quickly', and not 'by whom'? The dedicated educational
software programs are legally licensed programs that are easily accessible via a myriad of
online and offline resources.

Academic or educational software is identical to the commercial based applications,


functionally. The versatility and structure varies only in the sense of field restriction in both.
While the former focuses on curriculum, the latter delves into the routine functions and
operations of a business enterprise. It is designed to meet special requirements of the student
and faculty community. It is not restricted to e-learning and can be applied to the adopted
policies of any brick and mortar school and college too. The software enables the student to
optimize the availability of 'audio-visual' and maintain information for replication at a later
stage.

It is easy to tire of classroom projects and presentations, especially if they have to be hand
made or manually researched. The academic software applications not only enable you to
access information at a click on the mouse, but also gets you credit for a very professional-
looking project report. All you need is connectivity and the basic knowledge of application of
the technology. It is marketed by dedicated marketing and merchandising media companies.
The endeavor is focused on the education community. This includes the students, teachers and
administrators of the various colleges and schools.

The software packages for the online approach and experience are products from software
and hardware manufacturers such as Microsoft, Adobe, Dell, Sony, Macromedia and Apple, to
name a few. Bona fide education-based clientele are awarded great discounts on every
purchase and regular updates. The market functions within a domain of knowledge that is
designed within the prescribed linear frame work and a network of relationships between
educationists and the manufacturers of the pedagogical software. The package designs are
targeted to meet the criteria specified by the customers, students, parents, and educators. The
experience and superior service backs up the effort to successfully access the academic
oriented products as smoothly as possible.

The technology harnessed and the techniques used in the production of the educational
software are tested and employed to improve the customer experience. It is the result of the
application of a personalized and knowledgeable service to cater to the exclusive needs of
different schools or universities. The latest frill included is the 'student electronic verification'
that adds to the authenticity of the products. The versatility of the products stems from
extensive product knowledge and fulfillment expertise and great industry relationships that
are built to understand and meet the requirements of academic buyers.

The level of experience and the package deal and content quality largely depend on specific
needs, timing and budget constraints. Educationists need to be able to identify and pick the
right version of the right licensing program. Ensuring that the purchase is delivered to the
venue on time and procuring the most cost-effective product or license tow the line thereafter.
The backup offered by the various instructional or educational software manufacturers
enables the investor to fix any problem arising post sale, get queries resolved and access
helpful information. In-depth knowledge and great service are the two pillars on which the
software success ratio depends.

The pedagogical software is available world wide and customers from the higher education
levels like part-time and full-time students, faculty heads and members and administrative
can access the on-line educational tools at a click.

By Gaynor Borade

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A Free Education for the Truly Curious
Are you a curious person? Do you view education as a way to satisfy that curiosity, or merely
as means to an end? If you’re truly curious, why not try auditing college classes?

By Earl Hunsinger

Why do people go to school? If you were to ask children that question, many would say that
they have to. They go because their parents make them go, or because the law says that they
have to go. Some would rather be in school because that’s where their friends are or they’re
bored at home. This trend continues when teenagers go on to college. The social aspects often
seem to outweigh the academic, and the focus is on the necessity rather than the benefit.
They’ve been told, by parents, teachers, guidance counselors, and society in general, that the
only way to get ahead in this world is by acquiring an education, so they go to college.

Sadly though, all too often their goal is not really education at all. Usually, "education" isn’t
even what is meant by all of their well meaning advisors. At both the high school and college
level, the goal seems to be the completion rather than the process. Possessing the diploma or
degree is more important than possessing the education that the diploma or degree is
supposed to represent. At times, even educators themselves are seduced by this thinking.
That’s why we have high school graduates that can’t read and college graduates that are
unqualified in their fields.

Even if the majority today are more enthralled by the wealth and position that a college degree
is supposed to bring, there are individuals that still care about education. People with a thirst
for knowledge still exist.

Maybe you’re one of those people. You’re curious about the world around you; you want to
know things. Yet, because of circumstances, you may have never had the opportunity to attend
college. Throughout history, how many Newtons, Mozarts, or Michelangelos missed their true
calling because of circumstances? How many looked around them in their daily toils and
longed for a greater understanding of life, the world, and all that it holds?

Today, modern communication and transportation have created opportunities that were
unavailable in previous centuries. Scholarships are one avenue open to individuals whose
financial circumstances would not otherwise allow them to attend an institute of higher
education. Another option to consider is auditing a college course. This involves sitting in on a
class without being graded or taking tests. Sometimes only people affiliated with a school, or
their spouses, are allowed to do this, but it is usually much cheaper, even free.

The Internet has made this even easier. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology pioneered
what has been called the open courseware movement, where teaching materials are put
online for anyone to access, free of charge. Thousands of courses, from dozens of schools
around the world, are now accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. For some of
these, all that you get are a syllabus and reading list. Others include video webcasts, exams,
and answer keys.

Of course, students that are just auditing a class don’t get credit for it. Because of this, auditing
is not for everyone. If you need to earn a degree, or acquire other credentials, a more
traditional educational path would be a better choice. If you’re just curious though, why not
try auditing? With today’s unemployment, and the fact that many college graduates end up not
working in their degree field, the satisfaction that comes from a genuine education may be the
only permanent thing about education.

By Buzzle StaffPublished: 7/14/2008

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National PTA's Reflections Program
To support the arts education children receive in school, the Reflections Program created by
the National PTA gives children the opportunity to express themselves artistically outside
school.

The National PTA's mission is to ensure that all children receive a quality education, including
arts education. The PTA encourages children to pursue their own artistic means of expression
by participating in its Reflections Program, a program that has been in place for nearly 40
years. Students from preschool age through 12th grade are encouraged to submit artistic
works in six basic areas: literature, film production, musical composition, choreography,
photography, and visual arts (drawing, collage, painting, printmaking, etc.).

The Reflections Program was begun in 1969 by Mary Lou Anderson, the president of the
Colorado PTA. The program is run and supervised by volunteer parents, which gives them an
opportunity to become involved in their children's lives and artistic education. By
participating in the program, children are able to experience different forms of artistic
expression. When they learn how to express themselves through various types of art media -
words, pictures, dance, music, etc. - they not only grow stronger intellectually, they also
become more aware of their thoughts and feelings. Any local PTA in good standing can
sponsor a Reflections Program.

Children participating in the program create and submit works of art. The National PTA
organization presents eighteen Awards of Excellence within each area of the program, and up
to five Awards of Merit are given out within each grade division. Recipients of the Award of
Excellence are given a cash award of $200 plus a silver-plated medallion. Recipients of an
Award of Merit are given a silver-plated medallion. Other gifts and awards may be contributed
by sponsors.

From the group of children receiving Awards of Excellence, there are six students chosen to
receive Outstanding Interpretation Awards. These awards recognize the strongest creative
interpretation related to the program's theme within each of the areas of artistic expression,
across all grade levels. The recipients of Outstanding Interpretation Awards are given a gold-
plated medallion, an expense-paid trip to the National PTA Convention, an $800 award for arts
education from the National PTA, and other sponsor-donated gifts.

The Reflections Program works with parents to help recognize and support their children's
eagerness to discover and develop their own artistic skills. When children are encouraged and
supported through arts education, their discovery of their creative interests and abilities helps
lead them to seek other journeys of self-discovery.

By Buzzle StaffPublished: 4/1/2009


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program.html
What is Instructional Technology
The use of constantly developing technology, for improving the way instructions are delivered,
is termed as Instructional Technology. Instructional Technology was used from the 1600s,
however, its use was popularized by the American military during the World War II.

The methodologies and systematic procedures which involve the transfer of instructions to
the subject, by means of technology is termed as Instructional Technology. Instructional
Technology is different from educational technology, in the sense that the former deals only
with learning and different techniques of transferring instructions. The main purpose of using
educational technology is to develop overall human capabilities. The e-learning courses and
distance education programs of today are the best examples of the effective use of
Instructional Technology. The Information Technology sector has contributed a lot to the
development of Instructional Technology.

Definition of Instructional Technology

Instructional Technology, as defined by the Association for Educational Communications and


Technology (AECT), is "the theory and practice of design, development, utilization,
management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning."

History

There are many theories behind the origin of the concept of Instructional Technology. Some
theories date back to the 1600s, while others to the 1900s. The main reason behind the
varying opinions about the origin, are the different bases on which the concept of industrial
technology is defined.

Instructional Technology was extensively used by the US military during the World War II. The
military made use of the audio and visual technology available at that time, owing to the
shortage of skilled labor.

Present Status

Instructional Technology is feared by many faculty members and administrators, as an


alternative to human resource. However, the technology is just to aid the efforts of human
beings. Thus, the human element will always retain its importance, no matter how developed
the technology is. In fact, many e-learning tools facilitate the interaction between students and
experts, even if they are geographically distant from each other.

Human Performance Technology

This form of Instructional Technology aims at improving the performance of employees and
organizations as a whole. Human Performance Technology is a new form of Instructional
Technology, which caters to the needs of the corporate world. It is an eclectic way of improving
the efficiency in the working of individuals by making use of behavioral psychology, process
improvement, instructional systems design, total quality management, human resource
management and organizational development. Human Performance Technology was
popularized by the efforts of Thomas Gilbert, Karen Brethower, Geary Rummler, Joe Harless
and Roger Kaufmann.

Education

Those who pursue an education in the field of Instructional Technology attain a professional
degree and the status of an 'Instructional Technologist'. It is an upcoming profession and
provides ample opportunities to work in various institutions such as government, schools,
colleges, etc. A new program offered by many universities the world over, Instructional Design
and Technology takes a practical approach in studying the process of learning by humans.

Benefits of Instructional Technology


There are many different benefits of using Instructional Technology in education, corporate
training and many other sectors.
The curriculum for a particular course can be improved by increasing its depth, to cope with
the 'information explosion' of today.
It is possible to customize the educational syllabus and course, as per the needs of the
students.
The process of learning can become a lot easier, if it is adapted to different learning styles.
Instructional Technology can be efficiently implemented in the corporate sector to improve
the working of employees and streamlining the business processes by providing proper
instructions and education.
The field of Instructional Technology will only grow with the improvement in technology. The
use of technology will help human beings deliver education in an efficient manner, by
overcoming the limitations and problems faced by the education sector. Thus, Instructional
Technology should be welcomed with an open mind.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/what-is-instructional-technology.html
Society's Influence on Education
Education plays an extremely important role in our life and deeply impacts the society.
However, how does society influence education? Read on to find out.

We always talk about the importance of education and its impact on society, but seldom think
about how society affects our educational system. We often ignore the fact that social norms,
customs and traditions deeply affect education. Society and education are tightly bound
entities and hence cannot be separated from each other. I think, society in itself, is an
educational institution. Social interactions give us the ability to read people. Our customs and
values shape our upbringing, thus molding our personalities. We learn from our surroundings;
we learn from experience. And we should be grateful towards society for providing us with a
platform to learn, grow and enrich ourselves.

Before understanding the influence of society on education, we must define society. Society is
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization. It is
characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals. It is a group of individuals who
share a common system of customs, values and laws. From the definition of society, it is clear
that we human beings are its building blocks. As we interact with people, try to understand
their thinking styles and behavioral patterns, we soon realize that there is so much to learn
from them. Society is the greatest facilitator of education. Don't you think so?

We cannot restrict the impact of society on the education system alone. We need to
understand the role of society in the overall development of an individual. Even before we
become a part of the education system, we start learning from our surroundings. And during
the process of formal education, we constantly take 'non-formal education' from society. Yes,
our interactions with our fellow-beings, our observations about their social behavior and our
understanding of social norms prepares us to face life. True, educational institutions, like
schools, colleges and universities play a very important role in our education. But, we cannot
ignore the fact that we learn some of the important lessons of life from society. It would not be
an exaggeration to say that the actual process of learning begins at a point, which marks the
end of institutional education. Learning, as an individual, from your interaction with society, is
a vital part of education.

Society plays an important role in education and influences it, both positively and negatively.
Social inequalities and unhealthy educational practices and are some of the negative
influences of society on our lives. Customs and traditions that prevent certain sections of
society from exercising their fundamental rights and hamper the well-being of society, shatter
the basic ideas of education and social awareness. Some social groups deny women's right to
education, while others force children to work, depriving them from a healthy environment,
conducive to their growth and development. Education is one of the basic human rights. If
social norms deprive certain strata of society from progressing in life and come in the way of
social welfare, it defeats the purpose of education.

Society is an entity that cannot be separated from us. It is we who make up the society. It is
entirely in our hands whether to add value to our education or devalue it.

By Manali Oak

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To Be Or Not To Be...Educated?

Enlarge Image

A major problem young people that have just graduated high school confront themselves with
is choosing to continue their studies and going to college.

You might ask yourself "Well where's the difficulty in that?"Almost everyone has a period
when they get sick of work, sick of school; they feel exhausted and unable to continue that
certain activity.

Once they've reached that certain point, only a few small but very important decisions draw
the line between carrying on with the learning or working process and giving up and exposing
ourselves to a life of mediocrity.

I consider mediocre people the ones that do not have the desire to do better, to shoot higher.
They might have their reasons, they might not be motivated or they may not have certain
conditions and it is perfectly understandable that they have weakened after being put down so
many times. But still, they should be encouraged by others because human beings were gifted
with the ability of standing up the eighth time after collapsing 7 times.

There are all sorts of different factors that can determine a human being to give up in certain
conditions. Quitting is not a tragedy if the consequences are not of great and especially
significant proportions. A random example might be sitting and waiting at a long line when
finally you decide to go home and watching good old TiVo. Well, may that be the only situation
in which you afford to quit. Of course, no one likes to be discouraged and discouragement
sometimes makes us make wrong, hasty decisions.

We make the same kind of decisions when we are tired, also. But faced with the consequences,
exhaustion and such won't sound like a very good excuse. Will a moment through the valley
make up for a life of limitations of all sorts?

Education is very important and, young man or woman, you have your whole life ahead of you
and no matter how great the temptation of fast, easy money or short way to success may be,
be sure that it only happens in the movies.
It is not worth sacrificing your own happiness and the rewards that knowledge passes back to
you for a mirage. This mirage has made many victims over the years and it is a real life tragedy
to see talents go to waste due to a moment of unclear thinking caused by diverse factors.

If you want to create a future for yourself, a bright one with many possibilities, you should
spend more time with yourself. Yes, you heard right. Spend time with yourself, and get to
know yourself.

Explore your talents, explore your capabilities and put them to work. Once you've done this,
choose a field of activity and get the information you need .Talk to your parents, ask their
advice. They will lovingly give it to you and they won't hesitate to lend you a helping hand if
needed.

After finishing college and getting that proper education in the field that best suits you and
fulfills you desires, here comes another challenge: finding work. Work can bring happiness to
a man. Everyone has certain passions, certain talents that they wish to use in a creative style.
We can all benefit from each other's God-given talents that's why we would give our best
interest to use them to the fullest.

We should set standards for ourselves and aim high so that we can hold our head up straight
and earn respect and dignity. Once you start making a good life for yourself, you no longer
have to worry about tomorrow's obstacles and once you simplify your existence, you can think
about other things, too. You'll have more time for your other hobbies and passions.

Doing what we love gives us great satisfactions and a sense of fulfillment that few other things
can offer you. If you can give yourself the chance to do what you love doing, after what seemed
to be small efforts in the past, and get paid for it, too, then why not do it? Why not go for it?

We cannot permit laziness to take over our lives and make decisions for us. It would be a
waste of our person, a waste of our talents, a real life tragedy. Let's get the single chance we
are given!

By Claudia MiclausLast Updated: 10/19/2011

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Education for Non-Traditional Students
With the variety of course formats available, the options for obtaining a college education are
almost limitless.

Does the thought of college dorm life not appeal to you? Would you rather attend class at night
while pursuing a career during the day, or take courses online from the comfort of your own
home? Perhaps you are pursuing a new career as an adult and don't have the ability to attend
class during the day. You may have more options than you realize.

I chose the path of a "non-traditional" student. Understanding that it could take years to work
my way up the corporate ladder, I decided to jump-start my career with professional
experience while simultaneously pursuing my degree. I did this by working full-time during
the day and attending college in the evenings. It was a difficult balance, but I felt better
prepared to pursue my career when I graduated than I feel I would have had I spent four years
going to college during the day and working part-time at night. This is just one example of
how attending school as a non-traditional student can help you pursue a career while making
the most of your college education.

Maybe this isn't the path for you, but I think that it is important for anyone seeking a college
education to understand all the options available before deciding how to go about obtaining a
college degree. During the course of my studies I learned of a few different options available
that I feel are worth sharing. These are by no means the only options available, and not all
colleges offer these options, but it can only benefit you to know what choices may be out there
waiting for you to explore and use to your advantage while pursuing your college education.

Accelerated Courses
Courses in an accelerated format, whether held during the day, in the evening, on weekends,
or online can provide a student with the option to complete their degree quicker than if they
decided to attend a course in a standard 16 week semester. The premise behind an accelerated
course is that you learn the same amount of material in a shorter period of time (in 8 weeks,
for example). Because you are learning so much information in such a short period of time,
accelerated courses are usually very rigorous and time-consuming. This format can be
beneficial, however, if you are anxious to complete your education quickly.

Night and Weekend Courses


For those of you that need to work full-time during the day, but still want to pursue a college
degree, many schools offer night and weekend courses. You can find these courses in a variety
of schedule formats, such as attending one long class per week, multiple shorter classes per
week, or one half or full day class on the weekends. This option can be great for students who
want an interactive classroom experience that does not cut into their work schedule. It can
also be a good option for someone who is already working in the field of their choice and
wants to brush up on their skills.

Online Courses
If you are interested in a college degree but don't have the time to drive back and forth to
campus, attending class in an online format might be a good alternative for you. Another
benefit to taking courses online is that you are not limited by the school's location. Therefore
you have the option to attend a college that is located just about anywhere as long as it offers
online courses.

Online courses are typically taught through a website that holds course information.
Depending on how the site is designed, you may have the ability to interact with your
professor, upload assignments and perform other tasks relating to the course through the
website. It is important to understand that just because the course is held online, this does not
mean that you have to put forth less effort. Quite the contrary, many times online courses
require a little more time because there is so much material for you to read (opposed to
listening to an instructor's lecture). Also, online learning is extremely self-driven, so these
courses are probably best suited to those who have the discipline to work with little direction.

In-Class and Online Combination Courses


Some colleges offer a unique combination of online and in-class courses. In this format you
may be required to attend class on campus for half of the course, while simultaneously
completing assignments online. For example, rather than attending class on campus on
Mondays and Wednesdays, you may have your Monday class on campus and your Wednesday
class online. This format can be great for the student that likes or needs the interaction and
instruction of a classroom experience, but also needs the flexibility to attend class from their
home computer. This may also be a good format for students that have schedule restrictions,
or are not able to drive to campus more than one day per week.

There are many different options available to obtain a college education. No longer limited by
the day student/dorm life model of the typical college student, just about anybody looking to
continue their education can find a college with a format that fits their schedule and lifestyle.
From accelerated courses to night and weekend, online, and combination courses, the options
for obtaining a college degree are almost limitless. So before you invest your time and money
in your education, take a little time to research different colleges and understand your options.
The options available to you can make a world of difference in your college experience.

By Jennifer McLynchPublished: 8/25/2007

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