Category Archives: Kelly O’Connell

DQ #12 Will the univerisities survive the European Integration?

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One of the explicit goals of the Bologna Process is to allow for mobility of students, faculty and administration.  According to the article, the Dutch universities have current saving policies in place and that faculty members may have a harder time being mobile; not only because in practice travel budgets have decreased, but also because of the financial responsibilities assumed by any Dutch faculty member who wants to become mobile.  The cost of mobility is not a problem faced solely by the Dutch.  Over the last couple weeks we have discussed how technology can bring people together.  Do you think that the use of technology is a good solution for this problem? Or is it a secondary solution until (possibly) additional funding can be provided to faculty?

What are your thoughts about the Dutch’s legal privatization of universities? In talking to this point, the article mentions the removal of tenure position for faculty.  What are some possible benefits of changing faculty positions from civil servant status to private employee status?  What are some disadvantages?

DQ#11 NGOs

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If FE was available to all school aged children worldwide, do you think attendance rate would be at 100% (or at least higher than it is now)?  Given that NFE can reach students who may not have access to FE (for multiple reasons) do you think that States should nationally recognize and acknowledge some of the benefits of NFEs?

The article states, “Basic education is commonly regarded as a state responsibility.” But should it be? What are some of the benefits that a NGO may be able to offer that a State could not?

DQ #9 A Third Industrial Revolution

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3D printers are changing the way that items are made.  The article mentions that objects made from metals, plastics, ceramics and rubber-like substances.  It also mentions foods.  If you are interested in learning more about foods that have been printed, check out this article: http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/24/technology/3D_food_printer/index.htm  3D printers are becoming more available and affordable.  If a school was able to afford and provide a 3D printer to their students, what classes could benefit from the use of this technology?  If you had access to a 3D printer, what would you want to make?

With the next industrial revolution focused on technology, which of 21st Century skills that we have spoken about would beneficial for a new worker to possess?  Of the skills, is there one that you think would be most valuable to have?

DQ#8 21st Century Competences

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The article identifies three key issues concerning the implementation and assement issues of 21st Century competencies: how  to implement within the curriculum, the role of the teachers, and the role of the stakeholder.  When thinking about the role of the teachers, what are some of the challenges they might face?  Do you think that it would be easier to implement 21 century competences in another 15-20 years, when current students themselves become teachers?

The article explores the challenges of implementing 21st century competencies into education from a stakeholder and curriculum perspective.  What are some other challenges that were not mentioned, but could be relevant to this discussion?

DQ#7 The Great Mismatch

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Do you agree with the idea of an unpaid internship?  Should all internships be paid, or should all interns receive some sort of compensation (housing, flight, food)?  When do you think it is okay that an internship not be paid?  Have you ever accepted an unpaid internship with the hope that it would lead to a job offer?

ODesk is described as a “game changer” in the article, by offer “labour as a service” to individuals who might need work, without having to work for a large company, or even leaving home.  What are some disadvantages of the “labour as a service” concept?

DQ #6 PISA and TIMSS

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Do you think that it is important to measure both what students have learned from the school curricula and their ability to use the knowledge in real life situations?  Do you feel more strongly about one or the other?  Why?

How could the culture and curriculum of a country’s education system affect the outcomes of the PISA and TIMMS tests?

DQ#5 IBO

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According to the IBO.org website, the International Baccalaureate Programme is currently in 143 countries, thousands of schools and offers three programmes for students age 3-19.  If conducting a search for schools that offer IB programmes from the IBO website, one may notice that many schools worldwide might offer one or two of these programs, and not all three.  If a school were only to offer one of the programmes, which age level (PYP, MYP, DP) do you think is most beneficial for a student? What challenges might an IB student face if they could only take the PYP or MYP before joining the regular curriculum of their school?  What factors (cultural, economic, etc) are you taking into consideration with your answer?

IB Programmes are taught in schools that are profit, non-profit, private or public.   For those who have lived or taught abroad, can you share a bit about the education system/culture of the classroom in the country where you worked and (in your opinion), what types of school in that country would most likely apply to offer an IB programme?

 

 

DQ #4 Heinze and Krill

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The UK and the Bologna Process – There was an article about the UK and the Bologna Process in the most recent issue of the International Educator.  I am posting it here if anyone is interested in reading it.

Since 1999, the structure of governance and members/stakeholders of the Bologna Process have changed/grown, and is now more complex.  What are some of the changes that have taken place since the first biannual ministrial meeting?  Do you think the added layers of goverance is helpful for achieving the Bologna objectives, are there any disadvantages?

In the section talking about delta convergence and cultural characteristics, the article mentions and provides definitions for the three “Worlds of Compliance”. From the list of countries who are members of the Bologna Process, discuss which countries you think might fall into the ” World of Law Observance,” “World of Domestic Politics,” and “World of Neglect.”

Discussion Questions for The Long Walk to School (Clemens, 2004)

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Question 1: The article provides information about the pattern of global educational goal setting which occurs once every 20 years, and how the projected outcomes are never met, but that new goals are always created.  What are the possible explanations that the author provides that may help explain why goal setting continues, if the goals set are never reached?

Question 2: How is the phrase, “reflects increased recycling within the system,” used in this article, and how does the author view this in terms of exportable best practices?