Strengths and Weaknesses of Accountability in Education - Essay Example

Schooling and Society Accountability's Strengths and Weaknesses in Education According to Beare (2001, p.5), schooling has been moving to a rapid, traditional, tight-targeted, and efficient learning--towards a specific, goal-oriented, subject-based and instrumental learning instead of a universal general education and developing the whole of a child. Literacy and numeracy testing, school competitions, rewarding of schools with remarkable outcomes, giving out certificates for attaining functional skills, literal trading in education, funding of schools who achieve the practical skills in the world's market, and the development of excellence based on competition within peers are inflicted by the government on its citizens. Thus, the curriculum in education was extremely utilitarian-valuable and useful (Chitty 2004). However, the young generation of the 21st century were not blinded by the management of the government and Beare (2001, p.6) described them as the most ruthless critics of the present management of the world and and the least likely to be estranged. The young generation witnessed the need for a lot of change in the schools' goals and aims, impositions from interests, school operation, and the kind of students to produce. However, it was observed that the schools that are looking for the economically productive, the achievements of individual students, the values of schools, the tangible and intangible outcomes of schooling, the impact of schools on the labour market, and the responsibility for societal well-being have lessen in time. In the beginning of the 21st century, accountability, which is the reliability that comes with the control, power and responsibility to perform something, became the most necessary in most educational systems (Heim 1996). This essay aims to give an overview of the changing educational systems due to the demands of good performance from the working society. As strengths and weaknesses are discussed, the question lies if accountability truly meets the demands that professional performance should improved in their outcomes. Accountability became an international issue during the bloom of the 21st century (Anderson 2005). A lot of European school systems such as those of England and France make use of examinations in measuring student's entre to the next educational level. Anderson (2005, p.3) noted that accountability systems represent already established communal values and aspirations. Educational opportunity has been replaced by equal attainment which is concerned with equal access and treatment to education. But the question is what should be expected of children to learn in exchange for the formal education they obtained. Anderson (2005, p.4) noted that this is based on values, aspirations, expectations and goals society wants their citizens to achieve. Research has shown (Ylimaki et al. 2007) that school's ability to perform successfully to improve student achievement is being hindered by poverty. However, Ylimaki (2007, p.362) mentioned that schools in the USA, England and Australia are accountable for the success of all children, ignoring the social contexts the children are in. All politicians try to raise the educational standards of schools in order to help the mass education (Chitty 2004). However, providing education in the lower classes could be damaging to their morals and happiness and may teach them how to despise their present status in life. Thus, education was seen in utilitarian terms in which purposes of educational standards is mainly to prepare children for the working life. It is a social function of schooling that suggests a promotion of a form of education that is already opened to modern ideas and ready to challenge past conventions which tackle issues of equity and social justice. Schools aim to aid in helping to build a strictly extensive society where cultural, racial, and religious forms of diversity are observed. This is relevant for accountability in education involves the different social classes within society including the lowest ones who mostly go to public schools. It shows the need for some change in values and aspirations that the schools and the society at large are beholding for years. It also showed in Ylimaki's research (2007, p.362) that increase accountability has made a huge impact on the work of principals and educators in the schools in USA, England and Australia. Another view of Anderson (2005, p.5) is that accountability systems' basis is the belief that children have the abilities and will use those abilities to reach the aims of schooling. There are issues that not all children are generally accepted to schooling because of some school practices that only benefit those that can bring advantages to the school. These results-based systems only see students' failures as weaknesses in educational programs and practices instead of focusing on the students' characteristics and backgrounds. Anderson (2005, p.6) stated that accountability systems in schools that focus on the children's success have strong and stable educators and administrators coming from good and goal-oriented leadership and they are very effective, valid, and created upon five components: objectives, assessments, instruction, resources and rewards or sanctions. According to Aldrich (2002, p.10), increased visibility and accountability pressures primary teachers in the beginning of the 21st century by affecting children's experience of primary education through continuous and intensive testing, reporting, and ranking of schools in league tables. An example was a case of Marjorie Evans, a primary head teacher charged for physical and mental abuse of children that led the turn in the century for increase in accountability of primary educators. The results of the league tables have proven that specialist schools have increased their grades faster than traditional schools (Marshall 2001). Specialization has shown improvement in the selection within the educational system compared to the system years ago. Streaming, setting and banding do not truly enhance the performance of pupils for the most important factor is the teachers' belief in the method they are teaching. Anderson and Marshall's views concerning the accountability in education have shown the improvement of the educational system in schools in time. Though some still maintain the traditional system of education, it clearly states that accountability within education truly improves the performance of students. There is a need for the five components of accountability to be aligned, student assessments' information to be the primary source, high quality information from school maintained, clear and explicit performance standards established, and better jobs because of data imposed and parent involvement and community support encouraged (Anderson 2005). According to Anderson (2005, p.7), the world's educational systems have emphasized much on literacy, mathematical reasoning, scientific inquiry, and historical and social understanding. Literacy was largely required in developing nations' objectives in learning while developing countries prioritized on mathematical and scientific competence. Due to the acceleration of the results-based accountability systems, decisions about the schools, students and personnel are determined by assessments. These assessments are used in decision-making on student eligibility, employment and rewards for superintendents and educators, and allocation of resources in order to improve the teaching and learning process. However, adequate analytic information about teacher planning and work with individual students is not offered in accountability assessments. Expectations about students are rapidly changing that leads to changes in instruction, especially in science and mathematics (Anderson 2005). Educators are being pressured to teach from various backgrounds, portraying a vast range of incentives and preceding experiences as a replacement for the traditional method indicating differentiated results. That is why the results-based systems prefer communication about the outcomes of assessments to parents and the general public. Schools in England came up with School Report Cards or school profiles that have built a framework to show accountability to parents and local communities (DCFS 2008). Public acknowledgement and rewards that are monetary are given to schools flaunting highly improving performance because of the results-based accountability systems (Anderson 2005). As for the schools which have not succeeded, encouragement and technical assistance are willingly provided. Anderson (2005, p.9) noted that some schools may be intimidated by the modern practices and larger expectations for a long-term change. The five components of results-based accountability systems must be aligned in order to exercise the utmost capacity for children to learn and gain response from the public to support the performance of schools (Anderson 2005). There is a need for alignment in schools, most specifically in creating their textbooks which facilitate almost all information that children need to achieve the desired level of learning. When assessments are way too high for children to achieve, assessment systems can lower the stakes. Moreover, the results of assessments must be include contextual and programmatic information and should be of high quality for results-based accountability systems' aim is let the educators and the public understand and collect data that are meaningful to them in order to ensure the quality and accuracy of the reporting in terms of its validity, credibility and positive impact. According to Anderson (2005, p.18), results-based accountability systems' basis is student performance. However, he noted that the standards of performance must guide the student to prop up needed changes and encourage the goals society holds intended for its educational system. Educational accountability for student outcomes must highlight the ways and the degree of how schools have made a difference in the lives of the youth and children to ensure successful learning (Heim 1996). Information about students' status in terms of performance is useful but information about the growth and improvement over time is much more needed. Furthermore, results-based accountability systems should give clear and precise information and can be used on different kinds of audiences for educators to do their job better and develop proper stewardship like positive working bonds between parents and the community (Anderson 2005). Parents and the community must be involved in order to increase motivation outside the school. Parents know what is best for their children and the information they will receive from the schools are useful for them to motivate and encourage their children, help them make decisions, and support positive changes in the educational system. The given set of information is relevant for it enumerates what an accountability system must contain in order to meet the demands and needs of the society. It also illustrates that educational accountability can work successfully with the help of not only the educators and administrators of the school but of the parents and community as well. The beginning of changes in the educational system has started in the 21st century when information technology, in post-industrial economies, and through globalization has blossomed (Lodico et al. 2006). Van der Wal and Waslander (2007) have argued that aside from the change in the traditional academic curriculum of schools, an improvement of the non-traditional academic competencies are needed in the curriculum in order to train youth to participate in modern society. Not only the patterns of schooling have changed but also the career of teaching wherein traditional teaching roles are replaced (Lodico et al. 2006). There is an occurring change within the society and its views on its schools. McDermot (2007, p.104) has observed that accountability in education has provided more good rather than bad intentions though it shows a huge gap between societal aspirations and assessment results. The recent reform in public education has proven that public schools are capable of overcoming educational disadvantage and even reverse socioeconomic inequalities if they try to accept certain changes in the educational system. Evidently, the problem is caused by the incapability of public schools to fulfil such high expectations compared to other schools who receive all the advantages. In conclusion, society must create more modest expectations of what schools can really accomplish in order to lessen harsh criticism of public schools (Heim 1996). The outcomes of schooling must contribute to changing the perspective of the students, families and the community as a whole in order to ensure the improvement of the views of the future generation. Thus, educators must ensure that the improvement in schooling must deal with what works best for the learners. It is proven by Billet (2007, p.643) that partnerships within workers, particularly the educators in schools have experienced changes in their goals. According to McGinn (2007, p.335), administrators as well as educators should understand the role of accountability and how to maintain the balance between process and outcomes in order for students to receive quality education. Outcomes really have no assurance but learning is always co-produced and the best practices can be achieved in order to improve that practice. However, Diamond (2007, p.304) stressed that school systems should not let educators turn into educational mechanisms like most traditional schools do for they are not robots who become slaves of well-structured curriculums, directed lessons plans and rigid and fixed teaching patterns. The role of teachers is make necessary adjustments to balance children's development for teaching is the way of disbursing out knowledge and schools must take care of the well-being and well-rounded emotional health of the children in refusal to the requirements of institutional accountability. Thus, though educational accountability can create terrible results, it is still seen as the better way to improve students' performances and educational achievements. References Aldrich, R., 2002. A century of education. London: Routledge Falmer. Beare, H., 2001. Creating the future school. London: Routledge Falmer. Billet, S., Ovens, C., Clemans, A., Seddon, T., 2007. Collaborative working and contested practices: Forming, developing, and sustaining social partnerships in education. Journal of Educational Policy, 22(6), 637-656. Accessed from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/ 02680930701625288 [23 December 2008]. Chitty, C., 2004. Education policy in Britain. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Department for Children Schools and Families, 2008. 21st century schools: A world class education for every child. Annesley, Nottingham: DCSF Publications. Available from: http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/default.aspxPageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=DCSF-01044-2008& [Accessed 21 December 2008]. Diamond, J., 2007. Learning about children learning about squirrels. The New Educator, 3(4), 303-322. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15476880701653402 [Accessed 23 December 2008]. Heim, M., 1996. Accountability in education: A primer for school leaders. Honolulu, HI: Hawai'i School Leadership Academy. Available from: http://www.prel.org/products/Products/ Accountability.htm [Accessed 23 December 2008]. Lodico, M.G., Spaulding, D.T., Voegtle, K.H., 2006. Educational research: From theory to practice. 1st ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Marshall, T., 2001. Promoting comprehensive education in the 21st century. London: University of London Union. Available from: http://www.culturewars.org.uk/2001-02/compconf.htm [Accessed 21 December 2008]. McDermott, K.A., 2007. "Expanding the moral community" or "Blaming the victim" The politics of state education accountability policy. American Educational Research Journal, 44(1), 77-111. Available from: http://aer.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/44/1/77 [Accessed 21 December 2008]. McGinn, A., 2007. Senior high school education in the 21st century. The Educational Forum, 71(4), 331-344. Accessed from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00131720709335023 [Accessed 23 December 2008]. Ylimaki, R.M., Jacobson, S.L., Drysdale, L., 2007. Making a difference in challenging, high- poverty schools: Successful principals in the USA, England, and Australia. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 18(4), 361-381. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/ 09243450701712486 [Accessed 23 December 2008]. Van der Wal, M., Waslander, S., 2007. Traditional and non-traditional educational outcomes: Trade-off or complementarity School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 18(4), 409-428. Accessed from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09243450701712502 [Accessed 23 December 2008]. Read More