Can Education Change Society? Annotated Bibliography Example

Apple, M. (2015). Can Education Change Society? Comparative Education Review, 59(1), 166-168

The study examined the historical significance and contemporary relevance of the “Citizen School” in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The objective was to show the prospects of “thick” democracy in education. The researcher further explores how education may be used for social change. He demonstrates that corporations, as well as the politically Right-leaning individuals and companies, have tended to perceive that education is a fundamental factor for ideological control. They have, therefore, worked meticulously to influence what schools should teach, what teachers should teach and what kind of knowledge should be appropriate for schools, as well as how knowledge should be assessed.

The researcher notes that the “historical amnesia” has become a component of the rightist agenda. Such a historical amnesia has further infiltrated the progressive circles in education. The researcher drew attention to the way in which the scholarship of major figures, such as Freire have been used and goes on to critique the “Freire industry” by explaining  how some researchers shave employed Freire’s concepts in their works,  as a “mobility strategy” for personal career advancement, rather than undertaking the arduous task of actively advocating for transformation.

The overall conclusion is that educational institutions are situated within the rest of the society, rather than isolated from the society. Therefore, schools and education should not be viewed to be separate.

Ball, S. (2010). New Voices, New Knowledge and the New Politics of Education Research: the gathering of a perfect storm? European Educational Research Journal 9(2), 124-137

The study explored a group of extensive, varied and basic yet delicate and irregular progress in education governance and education policy, as well as the politics of educational knowledge.

The objective of the research was to show evidence of effective education policies across Europe and beyond. The idea was to show that the progress is real and ongoing and make up an ongoing transformation of the meanings, values, and possibilities within everyday activities in higher education. The researchers outlined and discussed several related developments in the governance, transformation, and privatizing of knowledge production within the area of education policy.

The hypothesis of the study was that knowledge of “performative knowledge,” as well as “knowledge of leadership knowledge” are fundamental elements of effective governance and reform of education in the public schools. Additionally, they are created and passed to the government at a fee by the private sector or nongovernmental organizations.

The findings of the study confirmed the hypothesis. Overall, public sector higher education institutions are increasingly being replaced as knowledge brokers. Concurrently, there is ‘enterprising’ and ‘hybridizing’ of the new education policy knowledge market. The study also found that the idea of a public/private divide in education is outmoded. The new modes of governing are generic in terms of application across areas of organizational activity, as well as forms of social relations. Additionally, they are not related to historic or culturally specific forms of government. The idea was to show that the progress is real and ongoing and make up an ongoing transformation of the meanings, values, and possibilities within individuals daily activities in higher education.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2006). Securing the Right to Learn: Policy and Practice for Powerful Teaching and Learning. Educational Researcher, 35(7), 13-24

The researchers explored the kind of preparation and policy system required for attaining equality in terms of inputs and outcomes in American schools. They established that, teaching methods and opportunities in the United States are quite unequal across the industrialized nations.

A key concern was the idea that inequality leads to a huge drain on national resources that lead to reduced capacity to invest in social services, education and employment. The researchers used document analysis research methodology to survey policies for teaching and learning.

Through the review of the literature, the researchers found that a little knowledge of child development and learning to guide teachers makes teachers lack preparation to teach the students well. Additionally, teachers become highly autocratic in the manner in which they manage their classrooms, as well as problems in the management of complex forms of instruction, focused on attaining deeper understanding.

The study established that in order to resolve the problem of inequality in the education sector, the United States has to create a coherent system capable of providing well-trained educators in the American communities to allow all children to be skillfully taught and eventually be productive in a knowledge-based economy. Additionally, to survive and flourish, the obstinate commitment to educational inequality has to be renounced for more approaches and opportunities that enable all American children to learn. The Americans also need to use well-crafted policies that are based on professional standards. They also need to invest in serious preparation, as well as make knowledge to be a priority for all American teachers. Results indicated that teaching methods and opportunities in the United States are unequal across the industrialized nations.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2004). Standards, Accountability, and School Reform. Teachers College Record 106(6), 1047–1085

The research examined the trends in standards, accountability and school reform in the United States, and established that the standards-based reform movement in the country has intensified emphasis on tests, rewards, and sanctions for use as accountability systems.

However, the strategies have showed unintended consequences that weaken access to education for students who are low achievers instead of improving it.

The objective of the study was to provide evidence on the outcomes of varied standards-based reform approaches in the states and districts, with focus on evaluating how  and the extent to which they strive to enhance student learning and educational opportunities. The main hypothesis is that testing provides information for the accountability system rather than being the system itself.

Based on document analysis, mainly comparative review of literature, the study found that more productive outcomes have been noticed in the districts and states, which concentrated on sing broader concepts of accountability, such as investing in teacher knowledge and skills, coordination of schools to provide support to teacher- and-student learning, as well as implementing assessment systems that promote curriculum reform and improved teaching.

The findings suggested that students could not efficiently meet the demands of the new economy when they meet limited challenging work at the schools. The researcher concluded that academic success for a greater range of students would be facilitated by programs that utilize standards and assessments of student accomplishment as signals of progress for enhanced teaching and needed supports, rather than as arbiters of rewards and sanctions. Next, offer professional learning opportunities to teachers who look to enhance their capacity to teach using techniques. Further, support the design of classroom that facilitates rigorous teacher-student relationships. Lastly, develop strategies for school accountability that check the suitability and sufficiency of students’ learning opportunities.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2007). Standards And Accountability Movement Needs To Push, Not Punish. Journal of Staff Development, 28(4), 47-71

The research explores strategies that could be used to promote accountability and standards for learning in the United States education system. The education reform in the United States has increased focus on developing new standards for learners. Such standards, are accompanied by accountability programs, which give reward or sanction teachers and students depending on the test scores.

The researchers concluded that, the idea of accountability and standards are inseparable from the issues of assessment, teaching, professional development, as well as funding. The initiative targeted at achieving better learning for the students has to integrate changes that address the entire fabric of education. Standards and valid assessment of students’ performance as indicators of improved teaching should as well be integrated. Professional learning opportunities should also be provided to all learners in order to enhance their capacity to teach using methods that are consistent with contemporary understanding about learning.

Classrooms and grouping structures designed to create extended, as well as intensive teacher-student relationships should be designed. Accountability of schools should also be enhanced to ensure that students have adequate and appropriate learning opportunities.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). Constructing 21st-Century Teacher Education. Journal of Teacher Education, 57(X), Month 2006 1-15

The researchers explored prevailing strategies aimed at building a 21st-Century teacher education. The rationale of the study included the concerns regarding the weaknesses of the traditional program models. The traditional models are essentially a combination of unrelated courses, which have made the teacher education programs to be disdained.

The hypothesis of the study was that educators have become much knowledgeable regarding how to establish stronger, as well as more efficient teacher education programs.  From a review of literatures, the researcher identified three main components of these programs as tight integration and consistency among courses, as well as between coursework and clinical work in schools, effectively managed clinical work incorporated with coursework through the use of pedagogies that link theory and practice, and lastly, building relationships with schools that cater for diverse students efficiently, as well as practice effective teaching.

The study concluded that schools should stand firm against pressures to weaken preparation that at the end of the day may undermine effective teacher preparation, their reputation, and lastly, the strength of quality of education.

While teacher education is a single component of what should be done to facilitate quality teaching, it is vital for achieving all other reforms. The study recommended that in order for the teacher educations to improve equity for students, ensure good teaching practice and to improve their knowledge regarding teaching, they should ensure efficient preparation for teachers. The preparation should as well be universally available.

Ellili-Cherif, M., Romanowski, M. & Nasser, R. (2011). All that glitters is not gold: Challenges of teacher and school leader licensure licensing system in Qatar. International Journal of Educational Development 32, 471-481

This study aimed to examine school leaders’ perceptions in regards to the Qatar National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders, as well as the newly initiated accompanying licensure system.

The researchers employed qualitative research design method to collate research participants’ personal reflections and perspectives. The study used semi-structured research questions. 74 participants, or school leaders, took part in the study. The participants were mainly school principals and vice-principals, as well as independent school operators and coordinators.

The researchers discussed the consequences of importing educational products, as well as the need to consider the local culture when implementing these exported educational programs. The findings suggested that the importation of educational information from other countries has generally been a success in Qatar. Based on analysis of data on the participants/or school leaders’ perceptions regarding QNPSTSL, it was established that QNPSTSL is highly adequate and applicable to the education situation and culture in Qatar. In particular, the QNPSTSL and the attestation process meet Qatar’s local culture requirements and hence adapts to the standards and licensure process, which is beneficial to the recipient culture. However, one key concern regarding authorized educational reform is that policymakers do not take the input of school leaders like school administrators and coordinators into consideration. In general, they overlook the significance of teachers as professionals who can make decisions.

The findings revealed problematic issues, and further show that such policies make use of unclear terminology and methodologies, pay no attention to inputs of the local educators, and lead to impractical expectations of society, inconsistency, and triggered resistance on the part of educators. The researchers also concluded that neoliberalism has led to the importation of educational policies in order to improve Qatar’s education systems. Additionally, it is important to take consideration of the national cultures before importing a foreign country’s educational policy. Without careful analysis, based on the foreign country’s local context, there is a potential for educational programs to fail and cause unplanned consequences that hamper the entire reform.

Foster, J., Addy, A. & Samoff, J. (2012). Crossing borders: Research in comparative and international education. International Journal of Educational Development 32, 711-732

The researchers aimed to examine the terrain of the debates on the status of comparative education as a discipline.  Documental analysis of research literature was used in the research – mainly comparative and document review approaches were used. The researchers used the journal content to offer a principally descriptive overview of the key thematic patterns in comparative and international education. Using data from reviewed articles, the researchers coded the single article to have four thematic focus mentions: reform, globalization, curriculum, citizenship. Others included one geographic region mention (Asia), two types of education mentions (primary and secondary), two research design/methodology mentions (comparative and document review), and lastly, no funding source mentions.

Overall, the researchers reviewed 605 articles, which were published between 2004 and 2008 in 4 major journals. The researchers found that the social, political and economic context of education given received greater attention compared to its content. On the other hand, international and comparative education research shows more diversity compared to overlap in methodology, approach, and theory. At the same time, the research community has tended to move in numerous directions concurrently, emphasizing that understanding education calls for studies on what happens in schools, where the schools sit, as well as who enters their doors.

Hamilton, L., Stecher, B. & Yuan, K. (2012). Standards-Based Accountability in the United States: Lessons Learned and Future Directions. Education Inquiry 3(2), 149-170

The study reviewed the debates on standards-Based Accountability in ensuring effective students’ learning in the United States. The researcher conducted a review of studies on Standards-based accountability (SBA) in three key areas: the manner in which SBA has changed educators’ roles and teaching practice, quality of standards, as well as the implications on achievement of student.

An underlying assumption is that debates on education policy used in the United States have tended to respond to the idea that students in the United States are not at par with their counterparts in other developed nations when it comes to tests of educational achievement and by a concern that many students either fail to graduate from high school or graduate without the necessary skills, which ensure better performance in their careers of postsecondary education.

The study shows that, for decades, the Standards-based accountability (SBA) remains a driver of education policy in the United States. SBA, as showed in the study, consists of standards that show what students should know, as well as be able to perform. It also consists of measures of student achievement of the standards.

The findings indicates that that the SBA policies have contributed to some of the implications that had been anticipated before they were implemented, including stressing on equity and curriculum alignment within and across grade levels. Still, SBA has also led to several undesirable implications as it assigns responsibility in a manner that potentially conflicts with the traditional methods of educational governance.

The researcher suggested that the policymakers should create accountability indices that build efficient incentives. Further, they should adopt an audit mechanism to enable the effective evaluation of SBA on student learning.

Hong, C. & Lawrence, S. (2011). Action Research in Teacher Education: Classroom Inquiry, Reflection, and Data-Driven Decision Making. Journal of Inquiry & Action in Education, 4(2), 1-17

The objective of the study was to undertake a survey of action researches in teacher education. The key hypothesis was that the quality of the teaching and effective evaluation of teaching is contingent on student outcomes. In their review of literature, the researchers established that gains illustrated by a diverse range of students showed that they also bring diverse learning experiences to teachers. The study provided insight acquired from an analysis of 18 action research projects undertaken by classroom teachers undergoing a graduate reading methods course.

The researchers used qualitative research methods to review the teachers’ projects. This was to establish the knowledge and skills teachers acquired through the action research process as well as how their self-study influenced the effectiveness of their teaching and learning. The findings showed that action research has significant impact on the teachers’ literacy instruction. Additionally, teachers faced difficulties in making the literacy instruction more explicit.

Paine, L. & Zeichner, K. (2012). The Local and the Global in Reforming Teaching and Teacher Education. Comparative Education Review, 56(4), 569-583

The researcher examined the local and the global trends in reforming teaching and teacher education. The main assumption was that countries today lack the freedom to devise their educational policies without consulting what other countries do.

The supporting assumption is that teaching is a situated practice, and while teaching in the contemporary world is situated within a global context of shared metrics, discourses, pressures, and even metrics, it is greatly shaped by its local contexts structurally and ideationally. The study confirmed the hypothesis, as it was found that the power of local traditions and cultural forces determine the success of transplanting teacher and teaching education from one country to the other.

In the review of literature, it was established that while educational reforms globally have sought to improve access to education, education system and school curriculum, the last decade has illustrated a distinct shift since international and national policymakers have tended to focus on teachers and teaching. The findings suggested existence of similarities in terms of teacher education and teaching practices, policies and structures across the globe. Still, reforms in teacher education and teaching vary between countries and within countries.

Correspondingly, the common practice of benchmarking national reforms against the practices or policies in countries with high rankings in international comparisons of student test performance should take the ways in which the practices and policies of the leading countries are carried out.

Still, transplanting teaching and teacher education policies and practices from one country to the other without resolving their cultural and historical dimensions may contribute to learning problems in the recipient countries. The study established that benchmarking the lowly country’s reforms against the highly ranked country is problematic for the countries with teaching and teacher education circumstances and conditions, which are immensely different.

Tuinamuana, K. (2011). Teacher Professional Standards, Accountability, and Ideology: Alternative Discourses. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 36(12), 72-82

The researchers examined current debates on teacher professional standards, mainly from the Australian context, before presenting four discourses developed from their analysis. The four include discourses of strategic maneuvering, commonsense, managerialism/ performativity, and professionalism and quality.

The underlying hypothesis is that each of the four discourses promotes understandings of standards and quality. This shows the competing perspectives through which they are viewed, in addition to the more extensive ideologies from which they emanate, such as technical rationality and neo-liberalism.

The findings showed that the discourses embody the interpretive practice that exemplify a situation in which teacher professional standards become institutionalized using accountability processes and policy design.

Through analysis of ongoing debates on standards, the research illustrated that it is not the standards as such, but the uses to which the standards are put, which need to be given greater consideration as policy issues.

References

Apple, M. (2015). Can Education Change Society? Comparative Education Review, 59(1), 166-168

Ball, S. (2010). New Voices, New Knowledge and the New Politics of Education Research: the gathering of a perfect storm? European Educational Research Journal 9(2), 124-137

Darling-Hammond, L. (2006). Securing the Right to Learn: Policy and Practice for Powerful Teaching and Learning. Educational Researcher, 35(7), 13-24

Darling-Hammond, L. (2004). Standards, Accountability, and School Reform. Teachers College Record 106(6), 1047–1085

Darling-Hammond, L. (2007). Standards And Accountability Movement Needs To Push, Not Punish. Journal of Staff Development, 28(4), 47-71

Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). Constructing 21st-Century Teacher Education. Journal of Teacher Education, 57(X), Month 2006 1-15

Ellili-Cherif, M., Romanowski, M. & Nasser, R. (2011). All that glitters is not gold: Challenges of teacher and school leader licensure licensing system in Qatar. International Journal of Educational Development 32, 471-481

Foster, J., Addy, A. & Samoff, J. (2012). Crossing borders: Research in comparative and international education. International Journal of Educational Development 32, 711-732

Hamilton, L., Stecher, B. & Yuan, K. (2012). Standards-Based Accountability in the United States: Lessons Learned and Future Directions. Education Inquiry 3(2), 149-170

Hong, C. & Lawrence, S. (2011). Action Research in Teacher Education: Classroom Inquiry, Reflection, and Data-Driven Decision Making. Journal of Inquiry & Action in Education, 4(2), 1-17

Paine, L. & Zeichner, K. (2012). The Local and the Global in Reforming Teaching and Teacher Education. Comparative Education Review, 56(4), 569-583

Tuinamuana, K. (2011). Teacher Professional Standards, Accountability, and Ideology: Alternative Discourses. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 36(12), 72-82