Education Portal for Students in India

5. Put classroom-running and curriculum-building decisions in the hands of the community – In recent decades, the education system has moved away from teachers and local boards in terms of who makes decisions that affect classrooms and curricula. Consequently, student outcomes have suffered.

1. Policy makers who are aware of this pattern can push for a move away from standardized control and toward community-based mechanisms, such as community-elected school boards, that have the power and authority to make decisions about how their students are educated.
2. Involving parents in their children’s education where possible can also contribute to a student’s achievement.

People coming together with coherent messages for policy makers about the changes they’d like to see in their education systems can only benefit students. With these initial steps in mind, lawmakers and their constituents can start to move together in the direction of change.
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How technology improves the education system?

Technology has impacted almost every aspect of life today, and education is no exception. Or is it? In some ways, education seems much the same as it has been for many years. A 14th century illustration by Laurentius de Voltolina depicts a university lecture in medieval Italy.

The scene is easily recognizable because of its parallels to the modern day. The teacher lectures from a podium at the front of the room while the students sit in rows and listen. Some of the students have books open in front of them and appear to be following along. A few look bored. Some are talking to their neighbors.

One appears to be sleeping. Classrooms today do not look much different, though you might find modern students looking at their laptops, tablets, or smart phones instead of books (though probably open to Facebook). A cynic would say that technology has done nothing to change education.

• However, in many ways, technology has profoundly changed education.
• For one, technology has greatly expanded access to education.
• In medieval times, books were rare and only an elite few had access to educational opportunities.
• Individuals had to travel to centers of learning to get an education.
• Today, massive amounts of information (books, audio, images, videos) are available at one’s fingertips through the Internet, and opportunities for formal learning are available online worldwide through the Khan Academy, MOOCs, podcasts, traditional online degree programs, and more.

Access to learning opportunities today is unprecedented in scope thanks to technology. Opportunities for communication and collaboration have also been expanded by technology. Traditionally, classrooms have been relatively isolated, and collaboration has been limited to other students in the same classroom or building.

Today, technology enables forms of communication and collaboration undreamt of in the past. Students in a classroom in the rural U.S., for example, can learn about the Arctic by following the expedition of a team of scientists in the region, read scientists’ blog posting, view photos, e-mail questions to the scientists, and even talk live with the scientists via a videoconference.

Students can share what they are learning with students in other classrooms in other states who are tracking the same expedition. Students can collaborate on group projects using technology-based tools such as wikis and Google docs. The walls of the classrooms are no longer a barrier as technology enables new ways of learning, communicating, and working collaboratively.

Technology has also begun to change the roles of teachers and learners. In the traditional classroom, such as what we see depicted in de Voltolina’s illustration, the teacher is the primary source of information, and the learners passively receive it. This model of the teacher as the “sage on the stage” has been in education for a long time, and it is still very much in evidence today.

However, because of the access to information and educational opportunity that technology has enabled, in many classrooms today we see the teacher’s role shifting to the “guide on the side” as students take more responsibility for their own learning using technology to gather relevant information.

1. Schools and universities across the country are beginning to redesign learning spaces to enable this new model of education, foster more interaction and small group work, and use technology as an enabler.
2. Technology is a powerful tool that can support and transform education in many ways, from making it easier for teachers to create instructional materials to enabling new ways for people to learn and work together.

With the worldwide reach of the Internet and the ubiquity of smart devices that can connect to it, a new age of anytime anywhere education is dawning. It will be up to instructional designers and educational technologies to make the most of the opportunities provided by technology to change education so that effective and efficient education is available to everyone everywhere.

You can help shape the influence of technology in education with an Online Master of Science in Education in Learning Design and Technology from Purdue University Online. This accredited program offers studies in exciting new technologies that are shaping education and offers students the opportunity to take part in the future of innovation.

Learn more about the online MSEd in Learning Design and Technology at Purdue University today and help redefine the way in which individuals learn. Call (877) 497-5851 to speak with an admissions advisor or click here to request more information.
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How can we improve education in Ghana?

Ministry of Education commits to prioritising five key policy areas to improve children’s learning in Ghana Press release New report calls for urgent action to increase access for all children and boost primary pupils’ reading, writing and mathematics skills.

Accra, 12 October 2020 – The Ministry of Education has today launched a new report providing an in-depth, topical analysis of foundational learning in primary education in Ghana. Entitled Spotlight on Basic Education Completion and Foundational Learning: Ghana, it is one of five country reports and a continental report on Africa produced in partnership with UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA).

Launched along with a campaign supported by the Ministry, #BorntoLearn, this new initiative offers a diagnosis of the current state of foundational education in Ghana and identifies policy solutions that are critical for improving educational outcomes for all students in the country.

• The report celebrates the great progress made toward accessible, high-quality education in Ghana.
• New data shows that 77% of children are now completing primary school, a figure considerably higher than 57%, where it stood two decades ago.
• Since 2017, the country has pursued ambitious reforms, including the introduction of free senior high school for all pupils, and the innovative ‘one teacher, one laptop’ scheme introduced to ease the burden which the COVID-19 pandemic placed upon the education system.

The report also notes the recent transformation of the Ghanaian approach to pedagogy, which places collaborative, student-centred learning at the forefront of curriculum. Despite this progress, the report finds that significant challenges regarding the quality of education, remain prevalent.

The majority of children (almost 80%) still do not acquire basic skills in literacy and numeracy by the time they reach the end of primary school. The report identifies the inconsistent delivery of education across the country as a particularly detrimental issue, with public schools in disadvantaged and rural areas bearing the brunt of weak provision.

The recommendations of the report have been designed with both the recent positive developments to the Ghanaian education system, and its ongoing challenges, in mind. They are structured around five key policy areas which are identified as having the potential to strengthen and improve learning in Ghana:

1. Improve teacher and school training: Introduce structured materials and support for professional learning sessions focusing on phonics and teaching at the right level. Provide structured, on-the-job education leadership training for all basic education schools.
2. Invest in more textbooks: Ensure that textbooks and other teaching and learning materials reach classrooms.
3. Look at innovative funding mechanisms: Explore new resourcing mechanisms for basic education, including results-based financing.
4. Enhance coordination across government: Assist Regional, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Education Offices to prioritize objectives and oversee their achievement, providing supportive supervision to this end.
5. Encourage local involvement : Consider ways of decentralizing decision making and enhancing local accountability.

Knowing how to read, write and make basic maths calculations sets the groundwork for success in school and beyond. Our vision in Ghana is for all learners to have these important skills when they finish primary school. There is still much work to be done, this is why the process through Spotlight is so critical in identifying the policy areas that we need to focus on to ensure we deliver the best educational outcomes for children and young people in Ghana Dr.Yaw Osei Adutwum Minister of Education of Ghana If children are equipped with foundational skills in mathematics and reading from an early age, they are more likely to reach their potential later in school and in life.

• ENDS
• About the Global Education Monitoring Report:
• Established in 2002, the GEM Report is an editorially independent report, hosted and published by UNESCO to monitor progress on education in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and monitor the implementation of national and international strategies to help hold all relevant partners to account for their commitments.
• About the Spotlight report

The Spotlight on Primary Education and Foundational Learning in Africa report, Born to Learn, is the result of a partnership between the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and the African Union.

1. # Born to Learn Campaign
2. The Minister of Education of Ghana has supported the #BorntoLearn launching alongside the report, showing his support for the recommendations in the publication and calling for others to do so too.
3. Media Contacts:
4. Kate Redman, UNESCO Paris. Tel: +33 671786234
5. Gina Dafalia, UNESCO. Tel: +447375318760

: Ministry of Education commits to prioritising five key policy areas to improve children’s learning in Ghana
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What are the two most important factors to improve school performance?

What Factors Make a School Effective? Although diverse school models exist, a fundamental question remains—how are we to know whether or not a school model is effective, and how can effectiveness be judged? A number of research studies focus on characteristics of effective schools.

However, there is debate over which attributes should be considered when describing successful schools. According to some researchers, student performance should be the primary indicator of a successful school. It makes sense, really, since the sole purpose of schools is educating their students. Other researchers propose that students’ social characteristics, such as personal growth should be included when determining effective schools.

Another issue with school effectiveness research is that findings are predominantly based on research conducted in elementary schools or unique school settings in the inner city. Consequently, it is suggested that these findings cannot be generalized to all schools.

In truth, there is no one factor that can accurately determine the effectiveness of K-12 schools. Instead, it is a multi-faceted conversation and one that evolves with each generation of students. As suggested above, the context of schooling will impact factors that contribute to effectiveness in specific schools.

At the same time, there are attributes and factors that contribute to effectiveness across schooling contexts. By understanding an array of effectiveness attributes we are able to observe which attributes exist at a particular school and which, if adopted might facilitate effectiveness, given a particular school context.

The first factor is quality leadership, In other words, students perform better where the principal provides strong leadership. Effective leaders are visible, able to successfully convey the school’s goals and visions, collaborate with teachers to enhance their skills, and are involved in the discovery of and solutions to problems. The second factor is having high expectations of students, as well as teachers. High expectations of students have repeatedly been shown to have a positive impact on students’ performance. More attention should be paid to high expectations of teachers. In other words, teachers who are expected to teach at high levels of effectiveness are able to reach the level of expectations, particularly when teacher evaluations and teacher professional development is geared toward improving instructional quality. The third characteristic of a successful school is the ongoing screening of student performance and development. Schools should use assessment data to compare their students with others from across the country. Effective use of assessment data allows schools to identify problematic areas of learning at the classroom and school levels, so that solutions can be generated as to how to best address the problems. The fourth characteristic of a successful school is the existence of goals and direction, Administration should actively construct goals and then effectively communicate them to appropriate individuals (i.e., students, teachers, community-at-large). School principals must also be open and willing to incorporate innovation into goals for school processes and practices. It is important to invite input from all stakeholders in the process of developing school goals. Student performance has been shown to improve in schools where all in the school community work toward goals that are communicated and shared among all in the learning environment. The fifth and final factor of a successful school is the extent to which the school is secure and organized. For maximum learning to occur, students need to feel secure. Respect is a quality that is promoted and is a fundamental aspect of a safe school. There are also a number of trained staff and programs, such as social workers, who work with problem students before situations get out of hand.

Other elements of student success Apart from the five factors of a successful school already mentioned, the size of the school seems to be a school effectiveness factor. Research has found that the smaller the school, the better students perform, especially in the case of older students.

This is the rationale behind the concept of schools-within-schools. Students in smaller learning environments feel more connected to their peers and teachers, pass classes more often, and have a higher probability of going to college. A number of school districts view preschool education as a factor that will influence overall effectiveness across all schools located within the district.

Evidence suggests that children with preschool experiences fare better academically and socially as they enter kindergarten and beyond. Experiences in literacy and numeracy among early learners not only prepares preschoolers for a kindergarten curriculum that has heightened expectations of prior knowledge, but also helps identify early learners who will need additional support to ensure they are able to have positive learning experiences later on.

• Additional factors that influence effective schools include time to learn, teacher quality, and school and parental trust.
• Research supports the commonsensical view that the more time a student spends learning, and the more efficiently that time is used, the higher their achievement.
• Schools that find creative ways to extend time on learning will likely be more effective.

Schools with high quality teachers also tend to be more effective. Schools able to hire teachers from high quality teacher education programs increase the possibility of being an effective school. School effectiveness can also be influenced by the frequency, relevancy, and quality of the teacher professional development offered by the school and/or school district.

Trust and parental participation are also features of a successful school. Trust between all parties of the school community is vital for enhancing the school’s effectiveness because it supports the prospect that parents and teachers believe in the motives and actions of each other. Parental participation is also important because it sends the message to students that the adults in their lives—both teachers and parents—believe in the importance of education and are willing to make time to support students’ educational experiences and efforts.

So there is no simple solution for labeling the effectiveness of a particular school – but it should certainly go beyond assessments alone. What are some keys to school effectiveness in your opinion? : What Factors Make a School Effective?
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How does improving education improve the economy?

The Relationship Between Education and Economic Growth – Decades of research confirm that increased investment in education leads to increased economic growth. This includes higher salaries for individuals, greater workforce effectiveness, and higher gross domestic product.

New jobsGross domestic productAnnual earningsAnnual spendingFederal tax revenue

A study from The Learning Agency teases out the relationship between education and economic growth one step further, examining the economic impact not just on high school graduation rates, but on the skill level of graduates. Their findings show that increases in math, reading, and writing skills correlate to significant increases in salaries.

What’s more, these higher-skilled workers are more effective in their jobs—leading to increased innovation and productivity, which benefits the economy as a whole. The positive correlation between education and economic growth continues to track beyond high school and into postsecondary outcomes. Two studies from the Brookings Institute illustrate this relationship.

First, a college degree in any major is crucial to increasing a person’s earning potential, Second, the economic gains of postsecondary education aren’t limited to individuals, The Brookings Institute found that the average bachelor’s degree holder contributes $278,000 more to local economies than the average high school graduate through direct spending over the course of their lifetime, and an associate degree holder contributes $81,000 more than a high school graduate.

High school graduation rates are highHigh school graduates possess career-ready skillsHigh school graduates go on to complete postsecondary education

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How can we improve education system in India?

Teacher training – This country has a number of dedicated and good teachers but the saddest thing is that they always get very little training to teach. However, teacher training is another key of improving the education system of India. Proper training does not only explain that the teachers are updated with the changes of time but it also develops the country’s education system.
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