Interview Report on Perceptions of Education - Research Paper Example

?Interview Report Introduction Education is the cornerstone of a civilized society. Schools derive immense importance from the fact that they are theemblems of education and serve as stations where people can gather to impart and receive education. Of the various types of education and knowledge areas, one of the most important fields is Science. The application of scientific knowledge in the present age outweighs that of any other field of education because of the growing emphasis on the development of science and the constructive role scientific knowledge has played in enabling humans to develop the world industrially, geographically, politically, economically, and culturally. People make money by selling their scientific knowledge and related skills to the concerned buyers. This imparts the need to improve the quality of education in general and the scientific education in particular so that the world’s civilization can touch new heights. Likewise, improving the quality of schools as the platforms of deliverance and exchange of knowledge is no less important. To achieve these purposes, a qualitative study was conducted to evaluate people’s perceptions on education and the potential ways in which education can be improved. A total of 15 people were included in the survey, 11 of which were students and were outside the professional education community, while 4 of the research participants were from the professional educational community. There were 8 questions in total in the survey. Question statements are shown in Table 1. Table 1: Questions of survey Question No. Question Title Question Statement 1 Significance of schools Why do you think we have schools? 2 Significance of science classes Why do you think we have science classes? 3 Outcome of holistic success of schools If all schools were very successful, what do you think the result would be? 4 Outcome of holistic success of science classes If all science classes were very successful, what do you think the result would be? 5 Learning needs and processes What do you think students should learn and how should they learn? 6 Learning needs and processes of science classes What do you think students should learn in science classes and how should they learn it? 7 Ways to improve schools What would you suggest that schools do differently so that they could be successful? 8 Ways to improve science classes In the sciences specifically, what should be done differently in order to be successful? Table 2: Particulars of the research respondents Name Maximum Education Gender Age (Years) Religion Country A PhD (Geotechnical Engineering) Male 62 Christian USA B MS-Comparative Religion Studies Female 35 Christian USA C Master of Business Administration Male 25 Muslim India D BSC-Mechanical Engineering Female 33 Christian USA E Intermediate Male 18 Christian UK F Grade 9 Male 15 Jew Israel G Grade 8 Male 14 Christian Australia H Grade 7 Female 13 Jew Australia I Grade 6 Female 12 Muslim Pakistan J Grade 5 Male 11 Hindu India K Grade 3 Male 9 Christian China L Grade 2 Female 8 Hindu Nepal M Grade 1 Female 5 Christian USA N Upper Nursery Male 5 Muslim USA O Lower Nursery Female 4 Buddhist Japan Findings Common themes in the responses to all questions were identified. Table 3 lists the common themes identified in the answers of the respondents along with the respondents that supported them. Table 3: Common themes in responses Question No. Common Themes in Response to Question 1 To have a formal and structured educational system 2 To develop an understanding of the way things work 3 Demand of good jobs would outweigh the supply 4 Very rapid technological advancement 5 Students should learn ethics and science. They should learn them in schools 6 Corporate social responsibility in addition to the traditional science education. Teachers of science should be experts in professional ethics 7 Upgrade the curriculum to incorporate latest knowledge 8 More practical work, and provision of technical training including software Response to Question No. 1 Fig. 1 shows the responses to Question No. 1 along with the percentage of respondents that made them. 53 per cent of the respondents think that schools are meant to provide the students with a formal and structured system of education, where they can progress level after level until they receive their desired maximum education. 20 per cent of the respondents think that schools are meant to guide the students in their chosen field of study and keep them engaged so that they do not quit gaining education, because if they were to study on their own without the schools, learners could easily be distracted by other businesses and leave education. 13 per cent of the respondents believe that schools serve to provide learners with a platform where they can socialize and interact with members of their community. 7 per cent of the respondents believe that schools regulate education so that there are established criteria of assessment of students’ skills and capabilities. 7 per cent of the respondents believe that schools serve as holistic sources of information for the students to facilitate them in the process of learning. Fig 1: Responses to Question No. 1 and their percentages Response to Question No. 2 Fig. 2 shows the responses to Question No. 2 along with the percentage of respondents that made them. 39 per cent of the respondents think that science classes are meant to develop an understanding of the way things work in the real world since every phenomena is explained in the class of science. 27 per cent of the respondents think that science classes are meant to prepare the students for the technical challenges lying ahead as they are acquainted by the required skills and competencies in the science classes. 20 per cent of the respondents think that science classes are meant to develop the students as scientists to play their constructive role in the society. 7 per cent of the respondents think that science classes are offered because the importance of learning science is immense as it inculcates the knowledge in the students they require to find jobs. 7 per cent of the respondents think that science classes make the students aware of environmental health and safety so that they can take necessary actions to make the world a better place. Fig 2: Responses to Question No. 2 and their percentages Response to Question No. 3 Fig. 3 shows the responses to Question No. 3 along with the percentage of respondents that made them. 33 per cent of the respondents think that very high success of all schools would result into lack of supply and growth in the demand of good jobs. 27 per cent respondents believe that this would cause saturation of highly skilled professionals in the market, 13 per cent of the respondents think that it would result into a shortage of laborers who perform menial tasks and an equal amount of respondents think that it would result into problems of student categorization as it would be hard to distinguish between more and less capable students. 7 per cent of the respondents think that very high success of schools would increase competition for jobs and an equal amount of respondents think that if all schools become very successful, the profitability of schools as businesses for the owners would be reduced. Fig 3: Responses to Question No. 3 and their percentages Response to Question No. 4 Fig. 4 shows the responses to Question No. 4 along with the percentage of respondents that made them. 34 per cent of the respondents think that if all science classes become very successful, it would result into a saturation of scientists whereas 20 per cent of the respondents think that this would cause scarcity of philosophers and experts in non-scientific fields in the industry. 13 per cent respondents think that the result of very high success of all science classes would be very rapid technological advancement whereas another 13 per cent respondents believe that this would make humans so technologically empowered that they would start inhabiting Mars. Another 13 per cent respondents think that if all science classes become very successful, the consequential technological advancement would cause so much deterioration that the world would end whereas 7 per cent of the respondents think that this would cause new systems to emerge. Fig 4: Responses to Question No. 4 and their percentages Response to Question No. 5 Fig. 5 shows the responses to Question No. 5 along with the percentage of respondents that made them. 27 per cent of the respondents believe that people should learn whatever they like and should learn in schools. 26 per cent of the respondents believe that people should learn ethics and science, and in schools. 20 per cent of the respondents believe that people need to learn manners, and the curriculum in schools should be designed in such a way that it promotes the inculcation of manners in the students. Fig 5: Responses to Question No. 5 and their percentages Response to Question No. 6 Fig. 6 shows the responses to Question No. 6 along with the percentage of respondents that made them. 46 per cent respondents think that students should learn about the corporate social responsibility in the science class, and this can be done by analyzing past case studies. 27 per cent respondents think that there needs to be more research-based learning in the science classes, and schools must facilitate the students in the research work. 20 per cent respondents think that science classes should pay more emphasis towards practical work than teaching theory, and again, this can be achieved in the school labs. 7 per cent of the respondents believe that softwares should be taught in the science classes in schools. Fig 6: Responses to Question No. 6 and their percentages Response to Question No. 7 Fig. 7 shows the responses to Question No. 7 along with the percentage of respondents that made them. 40 per cent respondents believe that schools can improve by upgrading the curriculum to incorporate latest knowledge. 27 per cent respondents think that schools can improve by using educational web portals. 13 per cent of the respondents think that schools can improve by incorporating technology and an equal number of respondents think that schools can improve by improving the student assessment criteria so that they are more reliable. 7 per cent of the respondents think that schools can improve by developing links with industry. Fig 7: Responses to Question No. 7 and their percentages Response to Question No. 8 Fig. 8 shows the responses to Question No. 8 along with the percentage of respondents that made them. 27 per cent of the respondents believe that upgrading the curriculum would improve the science classes. 27 per cent of the respondents think that science education can be made more successful by hiring highly experienced professionals from the industry to teach in schools. 26 per cent of the respondents believe that improvement in the quality of teaching would improve the science classes. 13 per cent of respondents believe that science classes can be improved by more research work. 7 per cent of the respondents believe that science classes can be improved by improving the labs. Fig 8: Responses to Question No. 8 and their percentages Analysis I personally believe that schools serve as universally recognized institutions meant to educate the students and assess their performance. The actual purpose of science classes is to inculcate the scientific knowledge in the students since it is probably the most important area of knowledge for academic and professional success in the present age. I agree with the majority of respondents that if all schools became very successful, this would result in overpopulation of highly skilled workforce, and because the number of jobs for highly skilled professionals is limited, many would be left unemployed. I also agree with the respondents that success of all science classes would result in a saturation of scientists in the society, which would not only complicate things for the scientist community, but also make voids in such non-scientific fields as literature and arts. Considering the growing emphasis of the government and educationalists on the importance of corporate social responsibility and corporate governance, I think Ethics is so far a neglected area of study, so more emphasis must be placed on the study of ethics and how it can be applied in Science in particular. I agree with the majority of respondents that schools are the best medium where such education can be received. I think that the most important thing to learn in the Science classes is the study and operation of latest technology, since the workplace is becoming increasingly technology-based in the present age. To become more successful, schools need to benefit from the knowledge and experience of the professionals who have served in the industry. Their lectures are more informative for the students as compared to the teachers’ lectures who have just been teaching for years. I believe that science classes can become more successful if the schools develop links with the industry, so that students can make frequent visits to the industry to see how the theoretical concepts are applied in reality. Commentary on Neil Postman’s Opinion According to Neil Postman, the purpose of school is to convey five fundamental narratives that Postman calls as “gods” that inculcate the senses of purpose, personal identity, community, and continuity (Postman, 1995) in the students so that they know exactly why they need to continue education. While I agree that the inculcation of these senses is important in order to enable the students to play their constructive role in the society, I disagree with Postman when he proposes that Arts teachers should be made to teach Science. I also disagree when Postman refers to the economic utility as “the god that fails” because students’ attentiveness in classes, timely completion and submission of homework, getting good grades, and maintaining good conduct are the fundamental essentials of a healthy educational system, and these behaviors do reward the students that execute them both in academia and in the industry. I also disagree when Postman challenges the notion that technology equalizes opportunities for the rich and the poor because when it comes to employment, employers do not distinguish between the candidates on the basis of their financial position, rather they employ the one who is more technologically skilled. Conclusion To obtain people’s perceptions on the significance of schools and science classes and the ways in which they can be improved, a qualitative research was conducted in which the data was acquired from 15 respondents belonging to different age groups, religions and countries, including 11 students and 4 professionals. There were 7 female respondents and 8 male respondents. 5 respondents were from the USA, 2 respondents each were from India and Australia, whereas 1 respondent each was selected from the UK, Japan, Pakistan, China, Israel, Nepal. There were 7 Christian respondents, 3 Muslim respondents, 2 Jew respondents, 2 Hindu respondents, and 1 Buddhist respondent. Results of the research indicated no significant similarity in the responses of the respondents based on the similarity of their countries, religions, or age groups. Most of the respondents viewed schools as formal platforms of structured education to prepare the students to get employment after the completion of education. They consider that a school and a science class have done its job if it has enabled a student to make money using his/her knowledge. The respondents care about economy of their respective countries as well as the country in which they are receiving education or serving, and want to take objective measures to improve the society. References: Postman, N. (1995). The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School. Alfred A. Knopf. Read More