reforming education systems for lifelong learning vincent lowe asean regional workshop on building...

Reforming Education Systems for Reforming Education Systems for lifelong Learning lifelong Learning

Vincent Lowe Vincent Lowe

Asean Regional Workshop on Asean Regional Workshop on Building Knowledge SocietiesBuilding Knowledge Societies

January 2000January 2000

Major Imperatives for Education Major Imperatives for Education Reform Reform

• Globalisation: – the need for competitive productivity among

nations– the need for creativitity as a basis for new

wealth creation

• Technologisation of work – need for schools and colleges to adjust to the

new ways of working outside school

Transformation of society by Transformation of society by ICTICT

An Information Society with its main featuresAn Information Society with its main features

InformationInformationSocietySociety

Information at the Information at the core of society’s core of society’s economic needseconomic needs

Production of informationProduction of informationvalues and not materialvalues and not material

values as the values as the main driving forcemain driving force

Importance of information as anImportance of information as aneconomic product will exceed that economic product will exceed that

of goods, energy and servicesof goods, energy and services

Effects of the convergence of ICT Effects of the convergence of ICT modes on the knowledge economy modes on the knowledge economy

• Internet, the final converging technology, will combine ICT, i.e. telecommunications, broadcasting and publishing to create– digital households– web lifestyles– digital ( learning) infrastructures to enable – tele-learning, tele-shopping, tele-working

• New convergences between computing, content, communications and consumer electronics will rule future markets

Emergence of new ways of learningEmergence of new ways of learningin the learning landscape in the learning landscape

• Myriad individually customized learning programs (multiple strategic paths)

• Education is available direct (without mediators) modularised through knowledge management (disaggregated and re-aggregated), widely accessible

• Learning will be about not just learning but about the world

Definition of life-long learning?Definition of life-long learning?

• the development of human potential

• through a continuously supportive process

• which stimulates and empowers individuals to acquire all knowledge, values, skills and understanding they require throughout their lifetimes

• and to apply them with confidence, creativity and enjoyment in all roles, circumstances, and environments

Strong model of life-long Strong model of life-long learninglearning

• Availability of education throughout life

• Maximization of learning choices

• vocational + non-vocational provisions

• Prioritisation of those currently excluded

• no separation of learning, career choice

• Focus on personal + social skills development

• collaborative programme design

• avoidance of bureaucratic fragmentation of knowledge into narrow specialisms

• social relevance

Some principles of radical life-Some principles of radical life-long learning long learning

• Final year curriculum to provide real choice between further study and work

• Guaranteed access to post-compulsory education

• Education available to all whenever and wherever needed

• work and social experience considered in admission

• credentials as steps and guides to lifelong education and personality development

Changing education and work patternsChanging education and work patternsThe Traditional Sequential PatternThe Traditional Sequential Pattern

Life-long LearningLife-long Learning

Role of the government sectorRole of the government sectorin life-long learningin life-long learning

• Government– to give lifelong learning its topmost priority– to re-engineer educational infrastructure– to re-align cluster of policies focussing on

education with larger goal of reforming society– empower needed changes throughout all of

society– adopt a realistic time-line for implementation

Role of educational institutionsRole of educational institutionsin life-long learning in life-long learning

• Educational institutions– provide organisational context for lifelong

learning– focus on excellence (maintain and raise

quality), partnerships and collaboration using new technologies for networked learning

– re-think and pioneer new qualifications and credentialing framework

Role of schools Role of schools in life-long learning in life-long learning

• Imbibe love for leaning and a culture for autonomous learning

• Promote authentic collaborative work throughout all school communities and stakeholders, networked world wide

• Define learning as opportunities which are easily accessible, pervasive and enriching

• Become community learning center

The role of Colleges and The role of Colleges and Universities in life-long learning Universities in life-long learning

• Institutions as coalitions or consortia replacing individual silos of knowledge

• Rise of networks of core centers of excellence supported by others acting as learning centers with personal learning advisers

• Central nodes of tele-learning providers compete for best variety of personalised programmes, having social + economic value

The role of individuals in a life-The role of individuals in a life-long learning societylong learning society

• Individuals undergo culture change by • adopting new attitudes to learning e.g.

learning as normal continuous activity• developing identity as life long learners• acquiring basic education consisting of basic

skills for self-learning• pursuing learning as a social and community

activity

What new work skills are needed What new work skills are needed by an information society?by an information society?

• Wide range of ICT skills built upon good basic skills

• Multi-skill-ing to mirror media convergence

• Belief in and ability to work virtually and with virtual teams as a result of connectivity

• Premium on creativity - adding value to - in work output

Changes in work competencies Changes in work competencies as a result of ICT convergenceas a result of ICT convergence

TraditionalMedia

New MediaImpact on Media Professions

and training institutions

Separate media Converged media(convergence ofmodes)

Rise of new multimedia fields

Demand for multi-taskingprofessionals who have severalcombined competencies, e.g.

• Web knowledge + Marketing = Web Marketers• Graphics + Art = Web designers• Teaching + IT = Smart School Teachers

Re-engineering of training institutions; reshaping of curriculum; premium on creative graduates

One-to-oneOne-to-many

Many-to-many (riseof networks ande-communities)

Mass media,undifferentiated

Media can be de-massified, i.e.personalised,customised, andgrouped by interest(e.g. chat groups)

Increasing acceptance for technologyIncreasing acceptance for technologyamong teachersamong teachers

• Technology should be integrated with teacher preparation– teachers tend to teach as they are taught– teachers have a narrow fact-based

understanding of their subject areas– ICT both unfamiliar and threatening to the

teacher who spent majority of career in technology poor environments

What happens when technology What happens when technology fuses with education reform ?fuses with education reform ?

TECHNOLOGY - ENABLED TECHNOLOGY - ENABLED EDUCATION REFORMEDUCATION REFORM

Fostering genuinely educational Fostering genuinely educational uses for technology..1uses for technology..1

• Replace normal teaching approaches with new approaches such as those associated with– differentiated ability grouping– collaborative learning– inquiry-oriented instruction– project-based curricula

• Introduce integrated media materials, approaches, technology

Fostering genuinely educational Fostering genuinely educational uses for technology..2uses for technology..2

• Teachers made dominant players in choosing technology applications e.g. software that will help them meet their goals

• Allow teachers time to experiment without fear of putting their jobs in jeopardy

• Help teachers meet new demands such as – thorough command of subject– self confidence to be questioned – intellectual confidence to reveal lack of knowledge

whenever necessary

Limits to educational reformLimits to educational reform

• No education system can rise beyond the level of teachers in it.

• The political “will to change” and deciding among “hard” choices

• The “inertia” of a legacy system

• The complexity of reform needed, e.g. to merge the formal and non-formal education systems

Present Malaysian School System - Present Malaysian School System - Assumptions built into current governance practicesAssumptions built into current governance practices

Governance Practices• rigid structure

6-3-2-2

• entry into primary school strictly at age 6+

Underlying assumptions• individual differences

are unimportant• all students learn at the

same rate• school readiness

occurs at the same age for all children

A lack of flexibilityA lack of flexibility


Governance Practices• centralized system of

education in terms of:– curriculum

– examinations

– training and provision of teachers

– school buildings

Underlying assumptions• “one size fits all”

• bureaucratic control is preferred to school autonomy

• regional, district and school factors can be overlooked

• equality of educational opportunity is primary (whatever the outcomes)

The Centralization IssueThe Centralization Issue


Governance Practices• hierarchy of federal-

state-district-school• one way flow of

information• no autonomy in school

management• no provision for site-

based councils

Assumptions

• management decisions can be made at the top and handed down

• schools only need to provide information

• ignores benefits from school, parents and community working together

Top-Down ManagementTop-Down Management


Governance Practices• 3 types of schools

(national, national-type Chinese, national-type Tamil)

• students in national-type schools do a transition year prior to beginning secondary school

Assumptions• for students to master a

language, it must be the medium of instruction

• effects of segregation can be overcome by placing students together at the secondary level

• an extra year is needed for non-Malay medium students to join the mainstream national schools

Multi-ethnicity and SegregationMulti-ethnicity and Segregation


Governance Practices• teaching permit issued

by State Edn Dept• require yearly renewal• no professional

examinations• no independent

council for registration

Assumptions• MoE holds the power to

refuse at any time• continuous professional

development is not a criteria for licensing

• no professional body overseeing licensing of teachers

Teacher LicensingTeacher Licensing

Proposed Malaysian Smart School SystemProposed Malaysian Smart School System

• a flexible education structure where students progress at their own pace

• individualized assessment

• hierarchy of centralized system modified with communication technology

• interactive IT and network resources at core of teaching-learning and management processes

• technology to enable school to draw on a variety of external resources

• greater participation of stakeholders in the school decision-making process

Summary of some promises

Proposed Malaysian Smart SchoolProposed Malaysian Smart School

A Flexible Structure of EducationA Flexible Structure of Education

Proposed Governance Practices

• no fixed [6-3-2-2 yrs] structure

• vertical integration allowed, but conditions for this left open

Underlying Assumptions

• students can progress at their own pace based on individual capabilities

• age is not a factor determining student placement

• self-learning is encouraged



• IT component incorporated into teacher training

• new evaluation criteria for schools inspectorate to evaluate teachers


• all teachers must be skilled in basic use of IT and integration of IT in teaching-learning

Teachers in Smart Schools


• central agency responsible for architecture of technology

• create new positions in school, district, state and federal level

• increase student per capita grant

Technology as EnablerTechnology as Enabler


• since education is still centralized, need to drive the implementation, monitor and support technology

• schools need more funds to maintain technology rich environment


Smart Schools: Smart Schools: Some Very Real ConcernsSome Very Real Concerns

Supposed to be .....• better able to cater to

individual needs • technology-rich but

enabler not driver nor merely deliverer of information

• empower stakeholders• increase in school

autonomy

Should not become...

• Curriculum no different from the traditional curriculum

• technology-driven and reinforcing old CAI drill & practice paradigm

• where no meaningful change in policy

• where locus of authority at federal level

Smart School Implementation:Smart School Implementation:some concerns.some concerns.

• Too hardware focussedToo hardware focussed

• Uses CAI paradigm of computer labsUses CAI paradigm of computer labs

• Software: “one size fits all”Software: “one size fits all”

• Low teacher buy-inLow teacher buy-in

• Retention of old assessment system will Retention of old assessment system will deter not enhance changedeter not enhance change

Ideal conditions: when education Ideal conditions: when education reform results in equilibrium reform results in equilibrium

between countriesbetween countries• When information, educational and skilled labour

flow equally in and out of the country

• When schools, students and graduates, exceed or at least conform to global benchmarks on creativity and competency measures, e.g. TIMSS

• when educational investment results in catalysing innovative world-class and wealth-creating multimedia products within developing societies

Thank YouThank You

reforming education systems for lifelong learning vincent lowe asean regional workshop on building...

Documents

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accessible learning

technologyenabled learning

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learning landscape myriad

century information

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