14-19-Year-Old Choices in Education in Wales - Literature review Example

14-19 Year Old Choices in Education in Wales Introduction The Welsh government focuses on improving the education system in Wales. The widely accepted GCSE, NVQ and A levels exams are the most common options available to Welsh students aged 14-19, however there are newer options that encompass a well rounded education program than just focusing on exams. The Learning Pathways program and the Welsh Baccalaureate are two of the programs that promise an enriching, encompassing program that focus on other aspects of education than taking the GCSE or other exams. The Welsh education system since 2004 has realized the importance of the quality of education provided to 14-19 year olds as it is a sensitive age and the students need to be prepared for college or the work place. The grooming and education that is provided at this age will define their careers and paths for the future and thus it is of utmost importance that they are provided with ample opportunities and proper guidance. The Welsh Government aims to make 95% of the youth (up to age 25) ready for higher education or the job market by the year 2015[Cho11]. This review will focus on the options available to the Welsh students at this sensitive age and how they can help the students achieve academic as well as life skills. Education for the 14-19 age groups The verb to educate is drawn out from the Latin word ‘educare’ which means to draw out. Thus, education is supposed to draw out the hidden potential lout of blank canvases that are children. The age 14-19 is the most influential age and thus it is when students can be groomed and refined to develop personalities and skills that will enable them to achieve success. According to Richard Pring, the current system of education results in many students remaining untrained and fails to provide them with the skills necessary to excel in higher education or the job market. He believes that it is important to define what education means for these age groups and what results should it provide. According to him, the 19 year olds that the educational system should produce must not only be academic but young people with various strengths and a deep thinking ability concerned about the issues that the world faces. [Ric11] Richard Pring focuses on the ‘urgency of debate’ as education has emphasized only in economic efficiency and performance but not on key issues and the development of the mind. It focuses too much on economic gain both by those that provide education and those that receive education and too less than the development of the mind and grooming of students into intellectual beings. The result of a system driven by examinations and results has been deterioration in the learning experience. From the job perspective as well, the system does not equip students with the required interpersonal skills and training that would enable them to succeed in the world. There has also been an element of fierce competition between institutions rather than an inclusive and collaborative mindset resulting in emphasis on programs and results to attract students rather than focusing on providing superior education and working together to improve the system. The system also lacks the professional training of teachers catering to 14-19 year olds. [Ric11] Qualifications There are basically two qualification frameworks available to Welsh students, also recognized in England and Wales. The National Qualifications Framework sets out the levels of qualifications recognized by England, Ireland and Wales. These qualifications are accredited by the regulators in all three states. The NQF recognizes entry level certificates, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), GCSE, Life Skills, BTEC, NQV, A levels and International Baccalaureate among various others. These qualifications focus on academic achievements and certifications. [Dir11] The Qualifications and Credit Framework is a relatively newer framework that caters to vocational qualifications in England, Ireland and Wales. The qualifications also differ from the NQF framework in their certification system as they are divided into units that carry credits. Students can study units at their own rate and slowly build up to qualifications. These qualifications start from entry level to level 8 and provide various types of vocational qualifications. These qualifications include awards, certificates and diplomas, NQV levels, BTEC awards, certifications and diplomas, Functional skills, OCR Nationals, Foundation Learning Tier Pathways, HNC, HND and awards, certificates and diplomas in strategic direction. [Dir11] Thus students from 14 to 19 have the above mentioned options available to them in the form of qualifications, however the question arises whether they are aware of all these options and how to proceed with them. Typical options provided by college can be illustrated. Coleg Glan Hafren, Cardiff’s College provides five options for 14-19 year olds on its website. For entry level or 14-16 years, it offers vocational courses from GCSE with 14-16 subjects available. At 16, it offers the option of staying at school, or staying in school and following a Cardiff Collegium course run through the college. Students can also enroll at Coleg Glan Hafren which also offers the Welsh Baccalaureate, Subsidiary Diplomas and Principle learning courses or get a modern apprenticeship at the college. [Cho11] Decision making Students in Wales are provided with various choices when deciding for which GCSE’s to appear for, or NQV’s or A levels. For a young student aged 14-19 there is great pressure to make the right decision that will affect their future social and work life. Many factors affect the choice that a student will make mainly parents, teachers, friends and other influencers. A study in 2006 by the National Foundation for Educational Research found that students 14-19 need time to make decisions about their education. The research found correlation between schools that were effective in career counseling, curriculum management, student support and school leadership and students that were rational decision makers and satisfied with their decisions six months on. This shows that schools and teachers are very influential in providing counseling and guidance for students at this age. [The061] Background to Learning Pathways Realizing the importance of quality education for 14-19 year olds, the Welsh Assemble Government (WAG) issued a document in 2002 called the Learning Country: Learning Pathways 14-19. This document set the target of having 95% of youth (up to 25) ready for education pr employment by 2015 ( NAW, 2002a). Further guidelines that were issued in 2004 and 2005 focused on improving education for students of this age range. This initiative resulted in a program where students could pursue individual courses of study and create their own learning pathway by choosing from an array academic and work based options. This aimed to give teenagers power to choose their own mix of courses and pursue their career goals without any stringent requirements. The Learning Pathways were introduced in September 2006, and have been very popular since. [AGr07] Learning Pathways Learning Pathways is a primarily Welsh approach to changing education for 14-19 year olds. It aims to provide the young people with autonomy and guidance when deciding upon their future course of education. Learning Pathways not only focuses on academia but on non formal education and skill development as well. The aim is to develop the intrinsic potential of students rather than just focusing on grades and results. It is different from the one size fits all approach as it aims to fulfill individual needs and provide the best educational experience possible. [Wal11] The framework has six elements divided in to two broad categories, learner provision and learner support. The learner provision focuses on individual choice and customization through ‘Wider Choice and Flexibility’ which provides various courses to choose from, ‘Individual Learning Pathway’ which focuses on individual requirements and ‘Wider Learning from the Learning Core’ which includes values, skills and other non academic variables that the students need at this age regardless of their course choice. Learner Support on the other hand includes the services provided to all students from the facility, including ‘ Learning Coaches’ that provide assistance to those that require it, ‘Access to Personal Support’ which provides counseling and assistance with personal issues and ‘Impartial Careers Advice and Guidance’ which provides individual guidance for the future. The Learning Coach is a valuable element of the Learning Pathways as it provides the students with a guide and not a teacher. Although, the Learning coach may be a counselor, trainer, teacher, mentor or teaching assistant, the role that they assume is of a guide and coach who aides the student in identifying and choosing their pathway. The student and learning coach develop their own targets with regards to career and personal development. This provides students with direct guidance and support and develops one on one rapport. The learning pathways program is an innovative initiative by the Welsh Government to develop the youth into better adults. The program aims to reduce obstacles and differences between learning in an academic and vocational environment. The program aims to celebrate both aspects of education and expose students to both of them [Jam03]. As an individualized study program it is tailored to the needs of individual students thus decreasing social pressure and providing greater options. It also falls within the National Qualifications framework by focusing on the approved qualifications. This innovative approach introduces various elements in the educational sphere of the learning pathways: Within the NQF, it provides formal educational qualifications such as GCSE, NVQ, GCE, BTEC and vocational qualifications- formal learning. It provides qualifications outside the NQF framework which provide value to the student such as music exams, first aid certificates and others. They provide non academic education- non formal learning. It provides club memberships, employment (part time) , sports and other extracurricular that enrich the students’ lives and provide them with social and athletic skills- informal learning. In the field of formal education students can choose from various ‘domains’ including; business management; creative art and culture; people services; mathematics, science and technology; and humanities. The Learning Pathways approach looks to establish an improvement in levels of attainment, and to widen educational opportunities by enhancing support, and CPD for teachers. It reflects on the emphasis on partnerships between WAG, LEA’s, Teaching profession, Employee groups – it looks to secure maintenance of comprehensive schooling. The Learning Pathway also includes the learning core which identifies the skills and values that the young students need to learn regardless of their individual pathway. These constitute the basic requirements of the pathway approach. The learning core covers the general aspects of learning regardless of the domain chosen; it includes attitudes, skills, knowledge and experiences. Learning Pathways II, provides this table for the learning core. The Welsh government issues Smarter Skills; a publication focusing on the learning core and its elements to provide a better understanding. The table shows that learning pathways focuses on practical life experience to educate the young who need such stimulation in order to adjust to the real world in their adult lives. [Wal11] Skills Knowledge & Understanding Attitudes & Values Common Experience Key skills Wales, Europe and the World Respect for self, others and diversity Work-focused Work-focused experience Welsh-language skills Personal, social, sustainability and health matters Responsibility for personal and social development, sustainability and health. Community participation opportunities Work-related skills Careers education and guidance Work-focused Cultural, sporting, aesthetic, and creative experiences Welsh Baccalaureate The Welsh baccalaureate provides a new framework that focuses on an all round educational experience which includes accreditation of qualifications such as GCE, personal education and provides training for key skills. It is the main competition for the Learning pathways approach and similarly instead of solely focusing on academics, it incorporates qualitative learning as well. The Welsh Baccalaureate is available to students from 14-19 in Wales.[Wbq11] The Welsh Baccalaureate program provides a combination of personal and academic development. Students can take existing qualifications such as GCSE, NVQ and GCE and complement it with the other aspects of education that the program provides to make an all encompassing award which is greatly valued by employers and universities alike. The Welsh Assemble Government initiated the Welsh Baccalaureate to reform the learning experience for Welsh students. It focuses on other areas apart from traditional learning and thus provides a better and wider experience to the students. This program is offered in two language; English and Welsh, students can also choose a combination of the two. It starts from entry level qualifications from 14-16 and moves on to advanced or intermediate level from 16-19. The WBQ Model comprises of two parts; the core and the options. The Options include the NQF approved qualifications that are taken in school and college such as A levels and BTEC. As a part of the WBQ model, students are free to choose their options in school and college as has been done in past years. The Core, however is a more important and unique element of the Welsh Baccalaureate. It is compulsory on all students and involves a more qualitative aspect of education rather than academic and examination led aspect. The Core has five elements that students must go through; ‘Key skills; Wales, Europe and the World; Work related education, Personal and Social Education and Individual Investigation’. The Core and the Options together make up the Welsh Baccalaureate qualification which is approved by the government and includes Foundation, intermediate and advanced levels. Since September 2003, it has become a successful and inspiring qualification opted for by various students across Wales. The three levels of the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification [Wbq11] Assistance for students Pupils are assisted by Learning Coaches, who help them to make decisions about the options available to them. The role of the Learning coach monitors the progress of the pupil, whilst guiding them to identify their goals in developing their learning pathway. Pilot schemes were launched in 10 areas of Wales in 2005. According to the Estyn report in 2008, career services in Wales mesh well with learning pathways networks. The report states that due to this collaboration, many barriers have been removed and schools and colleges have improved dialogue. However, the reprts exposes a weakness which is lack of suitable work-learning placements for students. Analysis Although the Welsh Assembly Government has been taking continuous steps to improve the education for 14-19 age range, the system faces many criticisms from various quarters. These criticisms are mainly aimed at the curricula and the stagnating status of the qualifications. Mclean (1997, p7) states that GCSE options at 14 gives government the power to manipulate curriculum to suit its needs. However, in the UK middle class families are strongly opposed to changing the A level system (Hodgson and Spours, 2003). According to Ball (2003) there is a motor of inequality which the working class aims to bridge. It uses education to further itself in the world economically and socially whereas the rich want to keep the advantages for their children. Changing the A level system may increase the motor of inequality. According to Foskett et al. (2003) students choose to study where and what is socially acceptable and fashionable. Prestige and status are just as important and finding long term secure jobs. As the 14-19 age range is highly susceptible to social norms and being a social outcast irrevocably changes the pupil’s life, there are higher stakes at play and greater conflicts in the society. Although employers are concerned with the decreasing skill set of employees and advocate these changes but according to Keep (1999) and Wolf (2002) the economic success of these changes in curriculum and educational approaches has not been proven. CBI (2002) similarly opposes such changes. As the 14-19 age is not really the employment age, employers are negligent in this area and do not involve themselves in the programs. However, a combination of vocational and academic skills is necessary due to the fast pace of change that the world is experiencing today and the rate of change in education is too slow as compared to the changing needs of the economy (Keep, 1999). According to the Nuffield Review of 14-19 Education and Training’s 2005-06 report there are many issues facing the England and Wales educational system that need to be addressed. The review asserts the positive aspects that have been inculcated including the broadening scope of learning and curriculum, inclusivity, opportunities and giving more power to the young people. However, the negatives that are highlighted include the focus on policy initiatives but little real change as well as the continued focus on making the young employable rather than enabling them to achieve their potential. The review also analyses the issue of funding which has caused fierce competition between schools and colleges, other competition has arisen between vocational and academic forms of education and the different assessments for learning. The Welsh Government should focus on promoting collaboration rather than competition as the latter is harmful for the development of education. The review also emphasizes the issue of the education systems obsession with academic results and qualifications. With the advent of the Learning Pathways and the Welsh Baccalaureate, the focus is still on academic achievement rather than on personal development. Thus there should be a system of education that imparts training and outside the realm of academic qualifications. The review also supports the inclusion of other learning partners for this age range such as independent training providers, voluntary organizations and youth service providers, which should promote collaboration and bring these partners under the education umbrella. [Mar07] Changes to curriculum According to David Egan (2010), The Welsh Assemble Government (WAG) in 2001 moved from high stakes testing and focused on the state education system. It stopped national testing from ages 7-14, introduced the Welsh Baccalaureate and reformed the National curriculum by provide greater freedom in curricula. WAG started following the Evidence Informed Policy in education with development work with various interest groups in 2002 and employing Expert Advisors in 2000. In 2003, there was a review of curriculum and assessment and further expert review by Professor Richard Daugherty in 2004. Many pilots were undertaken to establish the effectiveness of learning and thinking skills, curriculum changes and others. Especially for the 14-19 age range, broader curriculum was offered from September 2009, based on the review by Adrian Webb in 2007 which also focused on collaboration between schools. The Welsh Baccalaureate pilot was undertaken from 2003-2006 and produced positive evaluation by the University of Nottingham encouraging the WAG to set a target of involving 40% of 14-19 year olds by 2010. The Task Group led by Professor Egan in 2009 recommended that there should be changes to school governance, inspection framework and funding. The Task Force noticed that stakeholders were not concerned with 14-19 reform although it is an extremely important stage. According to Pring, the 20th century did not manifest any great changes to the curriculum and the reform has been merely initiatives that provide varied opportunities and options but do not changes or amend the curriculum. Scholars argue that,’ persuasion to stay on in education after the compulsory age must be laid prior to 16’ (Hodgson & Spours, 2003) Recent developments: In 2009, Richard Pin of the Nuffield review claimed that the Welsh system was performing much better for 14-19 age ranges than the England system. As the review called for a broader scope for learning it advocated the Welsh Baccalaureate rather than the English GCSE route for a better education. He argues that the curriculum was too narrow and fixated on academics rather than on students that might not be aiming for college. The current English system led to more failures and drop outs. [BBC09] In December 2010, the OECD published its Programme for International Student Assessment statistics for English, maths and science which showed abysmal performance by Welsh students despite reforms and funding. In 2011, the Education Minister has promised to change the funding allocation for post 16 education. Three year allocations will be provided to stabilize funding which will allow educational institutes to better manage their strategies. Although overall funding is decreasing but funding for post 16 will increase in the coming years. Following disappointing results in PISA, the education minister is aiming to increase education standards. Statistics and performance: The new approaches to learning for 14-19 age groups can be evaluated through research carried out by many sources such as the WAG, Estyn, WBQ and others. In Effective Practice in Learning and teaching, it is stated that 80% of teachers were in favor of the Welsh Baccalaureate and believed it prepared the students for higher education and employment, developed confidence and people skills. In 2007, the Annual Report by the chief Inspector for education in Wales showed concern about the number of students that could not finish the program that they started (Estyn 2007). In 2011, the Education Minister Leighton Andrews, announced that WBQ would be expanded to further 53 centres and 7500 new students. The Welsh Baccalaureate is widely accepted in universities over England and thus provides a viable alternative to students. According to research for the Department of Education[GFK10], many young learners are un aware of the options available to them. Around a fifth of parents and students surveyed claimed they were not well informed about qualifications available to them. A quarter of young people disagreed with the statement that academic qualifications were more important than vocational ones and under a quarter of respondents believed that work experience was more important than qualification. Positive findings that the research reported was that 90% of young students and 85% of parents were satisfied with the qualifications on offer. In the Learning Pathways program, the learners were excited about life coaches, and the learning providers felt that the standard of education had improved. 58% of the learning providers felt that students with life coaches performed better than students without support provided to students was relatively more structured than before (46%). The effect of learning pathways was found to be positive with more students taking vocational courses, increasing aspirations and becoming well prepared for employment. About 88 % of learning providers responded that the Learning pathways program would improve options available to 14-19 year olds. However the research also identified that funding was a barrier to complete implementation of the program and it was difficult to find suitable coaches. [GFK10] Conclusion: The Welsh Assembly Government has been greatly focusing on education since 2001, and has implemented many changes in the system with the advent of Learning Pathways and the Welsh Baccalaureate. The results have been positive as well; however there are still many underlying issues. As these two systems are still new and not widely implemented yet, a social divide may arise between those opting for regular systems and those opting for new ones. Although these programs have been expanded greatly and feedback is positive there have been no research results on whether these students fare better in practical life after going through these altered programs. A major drawback is also the stagnancy of the curriculum and examination techniques. The major focus on GCE and GCSE exams and the methods have not changed. In order, to keep up with the fast paced changes the education system and the curriculum needs to develop faster as well. Reforms need to change curriculum as well as the system. According to the Nuffield Review, the focus should be on personal development rather than merely academic success and the Welsh Baccalaureate and Learning Pathways are aiming to implement than. Another important factor is the decreasing performance of Welsh students despite these reforms as was seen in the PISA results in 2010. These results show that there must be something lacking in the system, which results in poor performance even after funding and reforms. Research also shows that many students and parents do not have awareness about the options available to them and it is the responsibility of schools to guide the students in these matters. With regards to the implementation and framework of the two main innovative education approaches, learning pathways seems to provide a better well rounded experience for students as well as greater options. However, these programs are in their infancy and their success remains to be seen. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ball, S. J. (2003). Class strategies and the education market: The middle classes and social advantage. London: Routledge Falmer. 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(22-2-2011) Robert Phillips & Gareth Rees (2000) Education policy making in Wales – Explorations in devolved governance by Richard Daugherty, , University of Wales Press, (22-2-2011) Jacky Lumby & Nick Foskett (2005) 14-19 Education, Policy, Leadership & Learning ISBN 1 4129 01472(22-2-2011) Mclean (1995) Educational traditions compared: content, teaching and learning in industrialised countries (22-2-2011) Welsh journal of education, 14 (1), 2007, 8 – 20, The impacts of parliamentary devolution of education policy in Wales by Gareth Rees, Cardiff Schools of social sciences, Cardiff University, www.furthereducationresearch.org/.../parliamentary devolution of education (25.11.10) Education policy making in Wales – a study of the emergence of education policies in wales since the 1988 Education reform Act. www.uwp.co.uk/book-desc. (22-2-2011) Read More