Conceptual Map
Notes on the Reading
Issues Affecting Contemporary Education Policy
The educational system of any country has developed in accordance with cultural, economic, political, and social peculiarities of the region. Policy-makers come up with numerous incentives and policies aimed at aligning the existing educational system with the challenges of the contemporary society. It is necessary to note that various factors have an impact on the contemporary education policies. This paper includes a brief analysis of the major factors affecting the development of new education policies in the contemporary society.
Clearly, the challenges of new times make people reconsider the role of education as well as its primary goals. For instance, Ball (2013) notes that the sphere of education has become a target of numerous changes throughout the past two decades. The educational sphere can be characterized by a significant degree of hyper-activism, which has manifold implications (Ball, 2013). For instance, the contemporary UK educational system aims at making young people prepared for a smooth transition to a career path.
Thus, the country is in need of professionals who have certain skills and knowledge in specific spheres. Globalization has also had a significant influence on the development of education policies. Thus, experiences of other countries are often taken into account when developing and implementing various education policies. Phillips and Ochs (2004) identify four major stages of this process that include “cross-national attraction, decision, implementation, and internalization/indigenization” (p. 773).
This approach is also illustrative in terms of another factor affecting education policies. Apple (2000) stresses that ideologies have a profound impact on the development of the educational system as well as education policies. The author stresses that dominating groups often shape the existing ideology, which has an effect on the development and implementation of education policies. Sorensen and Torfing (2005) claim that policies often result from the interaction of private, public and semi-public actors, but dominant groups have more power and often shape the policies implemented.
It is also possible to note that the beliefs on the distribution of power that are closely linked to the existing ideologies can also be regarded as factors influencing the development of policies. Ball, Maguire, Braun and Hoskins (2011) note that such stakeholders as teachers and policy-makers have different attitudes towards policies. Prescriptive policies that are associated with rigid recommendations are often negatively accepted while more flexible policies are welcomed by educators and many policy-makers. At present, it is believed that educators can evaluate the effectiveness of the policy and adjust it to their specific community and classrooms.
Flexibility is seen as a key to the success of any policy. Gunter and Forrester (2008) claim that empowerment of educators is often a priority. For instance, in the UK, head teachers obtain training in leadership, which aims at improving the quality of educational services provided.
Apart from the issues associated with the power of different groups, economic issues come to the fore. For instance, educational systems in some developed countries are becoming more market-driven. Students and parents are regarded as consumers and educators are regarded as services providers. The shift towards the market-driven trends is also associated with the privatization. Ball (2007) states that privately-owned companies have already penetrated into the educational system as they provide various services.
Testing and professional development are common spheres where companies operate. Thus, the laws of the market also have certain effects on the development of policies. Competitiveness of companies results in the development of various efficient strategies and services that positive effect the development of the entire educational system. At the same time, there are concerns that the sphere will become too market-driven and the providers of services will focus on the profit rather than the quality of services provide and the development of the society.
Clearly, such factors as class and ethnicity also play an important role in the development and implementation of education policies. For instance, Vowden (2012) claims that British middle-class parents are keen to secure the corresponding educational environment for their children.
Interestingly, the majority of parents positively see mixed-class classrooms, but they also have certain fears. Vowden (2012) notes that parents are afraid of the negative influence of children who pertain to lower classes, but they also feel uncomfortable if their children are placed in classrooms where children of higher class can appear. Similar trends are traced in other studies. For instance, Vincent, Rollock, Ball and Gillborn (2013) note that middle-class parents (pertaining to ethnic minorities) also prefer safeguarding their children’s future. Parents tend to choose extra-curricular activities that will help their children land good jobs and remain within the middle class or even move higher in the class hierarchy.
On balance, it is possible to note that cross-national and national political, social and cultural agendas play an important role in the development and implementation of education policies. It is also necessary to add that these issues have been extensively discussed and researchers, as well as practitioners, have come up with numerous methodologies that are instrumental in the development, implementation, and evaluation of education policies.
Clearly, various policies have been and will be developed as the society changes, and people have to face new challenges. At the same time, the efficiency of the contemporary educational systems established in many countries shows that people have managed to address the challenges successfully.
Reference List
Apple, M. (2000). Official knowledge. New York, NY: Routledge.
Ball, S.J. (2007). Education pie: Understanding private sector involvement in public sector education. London, UK: Routledge.
Ball, S.J. (2013). The education debate. Bristol, UK: Policy Press.
Ball, S.J., Maguire, M., Braun, A., & Hoskins, K. (2011). Policy subjects and policy actors in schools: Some necessary but insufficient analyses. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 32(4), 611-624.
Gunter, H., & Forrester, G. (2008). New Labour and school leadership. British Journal of Educational Studies, 56(2), 144-162.
Phillips, D., & Ochs, K. (2004). Researching policy borrowing: Some methodological challenges in comparative education. British Education Research Journal, 30(6), 773-784.
Sorensen, E., & Torfing, J. (2005). The Democratic anchorage of governance networks. Scandinavian Political Studies, 28(3), 195-218.
Vincent, C., Rollock, N., Ball, S. J., & Gillborn, D. (2013). Raising middle class Black children: Parenting priorities, actions and strategies. Sociology, 47(3), 427-442.
Vowden, K. (2012). Safety in numbers? Middle-class parents and social mix in London primary schools. Journal of Education Policy, 27(6), 731-745.