Reflections on Ideal Education - Personal Statement Example

Ammar Bashawri Dr. Mark Putnam FYW 110 11 November Nowadays everyone agrees that education is key to prosperity. No one would dispute thathumans would not reach this level of evolution in technology and knowledge without education. In other words, we will return to the days of stone ages if we avoid science and knowledge about it. However, people now are arguing about how ideal education should be, and whether it is better in America or other countries. As an international student, I want to use my experience to explain what ideal education is, and if it exists in America or not. My general opinion is that education is better in the America than in Saudi Arabia. Comparing my English class here to the one in Saudi Arabia, I realized that the teaching in America depends on the students understanding more than their memorizing. I was confused in my American classes by the teaching techniques my teacher used. First, he explained the subject then gave us a question to discuss as a class. Also, in my English class I had more opportunities to practice what I have learned in reality. For example, my teacher used to take us out once every week to practice new vocabulary. In my American school the courses for the English class were more creative and easier to understand. Sometime the instructor used to use some other materials or sources to teach the students other than books. For example, an educational magazine, newspaper, or literary novels. Besides that, the culture in the States is that schools try to educate children to be more talkative and socialized with people. This way the kids will not force a problem when they grow up to speak their minds. According to Ho, “In this country their children are able to experiment freely with ideas; without this they will not really be able to think or to believe in themselves.” Another important aspect of ideal education in todays world involves the Internet. This is used more often in the United States. Online education has undergone vast improvements over the last decade. Initially online courses were not acknowledged to the level that they are today. It was rare for a college or university to offer an online course. Today the case is a lot different. Far more than half of the universities and colleges offer online education.   Over the years progression has lead to two different types of online models. One of these models is called synchronous learning, where the professor and students regularly met online for discussion at the same time. The second model is called asynchronous learning, where instead there are weekly assignments or discussion boards.  As technology has grown improvements have even been made to these models. Often students and professors can take part in online video seminars, web chats, Skype conversations and advanced discussion boards. This type of advancement has lead to a much more interactive online classroom - one that has become a lot more valuable to its students in America.  Online education had triggered a growth in both undergraduate and graduate degrees. This convenient access to education has allowed intelligent students in various situations to obtain a degree that they may not have been able to obtain due to lack of opportunity and convenience. This is a key thing about the ideal form of education. It has to be accessible. People must be able to have access to education in order to participate in it. This is something that the education system in the United States is very good at doing. The point is that people need to have help in getting a hold of education. The schools must bring part of it to them.   I think the improvements in online education have been extremely beneficial both to the institutions and the students. Institutions have been met with a demand to offer online courses but have been able to foster more students than they would have and therefore are making more money. Students are able to afford to take courses as they can work or take care of children and undertake the coursework at their convenience. This saves time, energy, and money and makes life easier for everyone. It makes education much more accessible for people. One negative drawback I see to all of these improvements is that job competition may become more difficult. Individuals will need to push their education even further to compete with their educated peers. This is not overall a bad thing, just makes it a bit more difficult for those of us now finishing off our education. In Saudi Arabia, teaching depends on memorizing more than understanding. In other words, teachers expect from students to understand from the lecture without discussion it. “They think of pupil as a sort on animate sausage casing. Into this empty casing, the teachers are supposed to stuff “education.” This is in my opinion the most useless technique for teaching. In Saudi Arabia, the teacher did not try to engage us to the subject as my American teacher did, he came everyday to class and explain what he wanted from us to memorize, then he told us to memorize it at home. Obviously, we did not get a chance to practice what we learned in the real life. This mode of eduaction is not effective and can even make students resentful. The key it to open things up and little people talk about them. Make the education more free and accessible. In my Saudi English class the curriculum for the English course was hopeless and useless. Additionally, the school did not allow the teacher to use any other materials for teaching than the scheduled books. Equally important, we were not allowed to speak our minds or answer questions unless we were asked to. Otherwise, the teacher would consider it as disrespect for him and we would be punished. Education is one of the most important things in the world today. We need it more than ever to make ourselves and our countries prosperous. But not all education is equal. The best kind of education involves discussion and accessibility. Read More