The Changes that Take Place within the Educational System - Research Proposal Example

RESEARCH PROPOSAL ON HIGHER EDUCATION By For any individual to succeed in this challenging millennium, he or she must first work towards the acquisition of quality higher education. Over the recent years nevertheless, stakeholders within various sectors of the economy have established that higher education has been steadily changing. This research proposal provides more insight on the steps that the society can undertake to establish the changes that take place within the educational system. Similarly, this research proposal contains the opinion held by different scholars concerning the changing face of higher education. Research Question Education is no doubt one of the core sectors of our economy. It is majorly because it plays a major role in determining the path that an individual’s life takes. In as much as various nations have different education systems, all of them have some aspects that they share in common. Higher education refers to the education an individual goes through after the secondary level of education. Several institutions provide higher learning to the interested parties. Such include universities, colleges, community based institutions and seminary institutions among others. The government has not put in place stringent conditions that can deter any interested party from setting up higher learning institutions. The interested parties always have to meet the necessary conditions, thus include the facilities, assembling of faculty members and having the required administrative capacity to serve the student population. All the institutions of higher learning are always expected to go by a set curriculum. Similarly, the society expects the organizations to charge affordable tuition fees, and to put in place policies that favor the growth and development of all its students. In the recent past, nevertheless, debates have arisen as to whether higher education has been going through several changes. The changes have not only affected the students, but also influenced the organizations that they serve, and the society. This research proposal is based on the philosophy that the society and the aspects that make. Such as education keep on changing in line with the developments and requirements of each sector. The research proposal answers the question is higher education changing? Literature Review According to Swain et.al (2003), everything has been changing within the landscape of education. For starters, they hold the opinion that, unlike the past where specific institutions were allowed to offer higher education to the interested students, a variety of institutions has opened their doors to students within the last few years. They also argue that due to the demand to respect various cultures that exist within a society, culture has been allowed to make a huge contribution to higher learning. Swain et.al (2003) also argue that the level of competition experienced within higher learning institutions is far much better than the competition that was being witnessed in the past. Thus, they trace back to the fact that the economy has grown to become so competitive, notably due to the high cost of living. Peiss (2011) emphasizes the aspect of a variety of higher learning institutions cropping up in recent years. To support her ideology, Peiss gives the examples of selective colleges and state schools that are much popular with citizens as of late. Peiss similarly mentions the community colleges that receive their support from various community set-ups and the roles that they play in higher learning. Peiss does not turn blind on the fact that, within the same period, several higher learning institutions have been set-up majorly for profit as some individuals regard higher learning institutions as a source of income. Besides the huge influx of higher learning institutions, Peiss talks about the curriculum offered in higher learning institutions as one of the aspects that have been changing within the recent past. Peiss argues that, in the past, higher education revolved around the core units, thus the basic knowledge in each course. This is to imply that schools of nursing only offered nursing units and the same applies for engineering, and business among other courses. Nevertheless, the curriculum has been made to twist following changes within the job market. Peiss (2011) goes ahead to explain that the current job market requires all the parties to be flexible, to meet the huge expectations that are bestowed on them. Peiss argues that in as much as it is true that employers normally prefer the A type students to join their team; they also consider factors such as the writing as well as interpersonal skills of the students. Current employers similarly tend to focus on the oral and communication skills of the candidate and the how flexible the candidate is. Thus, the stakeholders tasked with curriculum development have been forced to integrate such demands. The stakeholders integrated the demands after the employers raised concerns about the flexibility and reliability of many job seekers. Another change that has been witnessed within higher education sector is the changing face of the faculty. This is according to Skloot (2010). Skloot holds the opinion that unlike in the past where most of the information was passed physically from the instructors to the students, IT is an integral part of the current curriculum. Through the advancement in technology, the students can access most of the information that they require without the teacher being available. The same applies to assessment mechanisms, which are in the recent past have been hugely dependent technology. Skloot argues that, through the assessment mechanisms, the students are in a position to get a response directly from their college instructors. Feimster (2009) acknowledges the fact that indeed the current higher education system is changing. Nevertheless, the college students have also changed. To support the claim, Feimster suggests that, in the past, traditional student was aged between eighteen to twenty one and that they formed the core of the student population. In the recent past nevertheless, the traditional college student is well above twenty-five years and has a part time job. This implies that, in as much as they attend their lessons, they do not dedicate most of their time to learning (Feimster, 2009, 67- 89). Feimster similarly holds the opinion that higher education has become more private rather than being in place for public good. This is majorly because the tuition fees charged by most schools are so high that a section of the population cannot afford. Thus, students from low-income families that cannot afford the amount required by the school are forced to drop out due to insufficient funds. Feimster similarly holds the opinion that the society does not give much credit to degrees. He argues that in as much as qualifications such as diplomas and certificates are worthwhile; those who go through degrees should be given the upper edge that they deserve. Because it is the only way of repaying the hard work that, they have been showing towards their studies all along (Feimster 2009, pp 67- 89). Feimster acknowledges the fact that it is positive for excellent institutions of higher learning to be set-up across the world. Because it is the only way, through which excellent professionals in various fields can be found in all parts of the world. Feimster, nevertheless, argues that several institutions have introduced partnerships, to ascertain that they keep their graduates for a long duration. Such include the introduction of systems where the alumnus of given institutions is allowed to attend free training on professionalism after given period. Feimster similarly talks about the partnerships of universities with foreign organizations, enabling them to expand, thereby opening their doors in foreign nations. Swain (2003) brings in a different perspective to higher education. Swain holds the opinion that though international studies began in the past; most of the institutions that offered international education were in the United States and the Western nations. Nevertheless, countries like Singapore and Malaysia have come up strong, and are putting up higher learning institutions of the same caliber as the ones in United States (Swain, 2003, 15-63). Swain (2003) shares the same opinion as Feimster (2009), as they both accede agree that higher learning shall spread, and the Millennium Development goals set by the United Nations shall be achieved. Research Methods In carrying out this research on the changing face of higher education, both the questionnaire method and the interview method should be used. However, both should be carried out differently and should target two different sets of participants. The research team to seek the opinion of selected participants should use the questionnaire method. The research team should use the questionnaire method because it helps in collecting large amount of data faster and from many people within a short duration (Miles et.al, 2009, 66). Another reason for embracing the questionnaire method is that the data collection and analysis can be carried out within a short period. The interviewing method should also be used majorly to seek information from a specific group of participants. Such include heads of learning institutions as well as heads of organizations. The information collected using the two methods above should then be subjected to further scrutiny, to bring out the truth on the state of higher learning on the ground. In selecting the participants who are to fill the questionnaire, the research team should try as much as possible to go for mature participants, thereby avoiding those who are below eighteen years as well as those who are extremely old. The research team should similarly avoid the minority groups, because their participation would interfere with the intended research in a way. As is the case with other questionnaires, the research team should ensure that it briefs the participants, on the importance of the research. In addition, they should ask them to try to provide an honest response, majorly because any form of dishonesty would result to interference. In preparing the questionnaires, the research team should ascertain that it takes into account the questions that they need. On the same note, they should make the questions simpler and easy for the participants to respond by wording the questions properly and ascertaining that the questions are arranged in an orderly manner. In preparing the questionnaire, the research team should ensure that they avoid leading and vague questions. In as much as there are several mechanisms of administering questionnaires including online administration, the research team should use the collection and return method. It is because it allows the participants ample time to answer the questions asked correctly. To ensure that the research is independent, the team should not manipulate the participants to take part. In like manner, the team should assure the participants of confidentiality by not asking questions that make them reveal their identity (Miles et.al, 2009, 69). After the administration of the questionnaire, the research team should embark on the process of analyzing the data and coming up with the appropriate recommendations and conclusions. As mention at the introduction of this section, the interview method should similarly be used but to acquire information from given population of people. In carrying out this research, the team, for example, can regard heads of various learning institutions and those of several organizations as their group of interest. In preparing for an interview, the research team should ensure that it has the required knowledge on the changes within higher education. They should be clear while asking the questions, and be sensitive when the respondent is answering the questions asked. The team should ensure that their questions are according to ethics of the society and that they avoid making judgments before getting the perception of those they interview. To avert chances of lack of concentration, the team should take the step of video recording some parts of the interview (Miles et.al, 2009, 56) Video recording shall also help in making the research team study the body language of participants. Before doing the recording, the participants should be aware of the reason the recording is necessary. Interviews are of great significance in this situation given that it is easy to arrange, and are very insightful similarly, there is no social pressure when it comes to carrying out the interviews. Following the administration of the questionnaire and carrying out the interview, the research team should then analyze the data and make the appropriate conclusions and recommendations. In as much as extraction of information is simple when it comes to the questionnaire segment, acquiring data from the interviewing process can be a bit detailed. For example, the research team considered that were taken by the moderator when interviewing the participant, as well as the reflections of the observers who were present during the interviews (Miles et.al, 2009, 23). The team should also take keen interest participants material as well as any recordings of the interview. One key component of the data analysis more so when it comes to interviewing, is choosing which data is necessary or not. It involves the process of coding. After the data analysis, presentation can be made on charts and graphs or any other appropriate material. Over and above, the research team should normally ensure that they beat all odds that can interfere with the research to the negative. In the past, several surveys have been carried out to look into the changing face of higher education. This research, would similarly, provide insight on how far higher education has changed and will enlighten the society on the various aspects concerning higher education. References Conser, J. A., Paynich, R., & Gingerich, T. (2013) Accreditation of Nursing Schools Burlington, Mass: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Feimster, C. N. (2009). The Changing Face of Higher Education Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (2009) Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook Thousand Oaks, Calif. [u.a.: Sage. Peiss, K. (2011). Understanding the Curriculum First University of Pennyslavian Press Skloot, R. (2010). The process of Accrediting Higher Learning Institutions New York: Crown Publishers Swain, M. H., Payne, E. A., & Spruill, M. J. (2003) Funding Education in the US Athens: University of Georgia Press Read More