Planning for Education - Assignment Example

Introduction In all modern societies of the world, education is regarded as one of the most important means of advancement, and it is almost impossible for a society to develop if due consideration is not given to proper planning, development, and implementation of the education process (Levinson, Cookson, & Sadovnik, 2014). According to Michaelowa, (2000, p1), Education affects the life of individuals, their participation in economic activities, and overall economic development in various ways. Since a person without basic literacy and numeracy skills is in a difficult situation to master everyday life, the lack of basic education has always been accepted as one of the major components of any multidimensional concept of poverty. It should however be understood that planning for education is a continuous process that should continue to evolve with the passage of time due to the fact that newer challenges continue to arise as circumstances change on local and global levels. Higher education is becoming more internationalised and increasingly involves intensive networking among institutions, scholars, students and with other actors such as industry (Hénard, Diamond & Roseveare, 2012, p.22). Apparently, the process of education refers to the simple course of delivery of instructions to a group of people who are deficient in an area of knowledge; however, if judged in the context of the phenomena like teaching, student enrollment and extra-curricular activities that affect the learning of students, education surfaces as one of the most complex needs of humans that requires careful planning by involving the input of various stakeholders that relate to the educational process (Kozma, Isaacs, & Unesco, 2011). The theory of action emphasizes the need to measure performance through valid assessments, stating clearly the goals and by providing required financial resources to allow the process to be successful (Evans & Niemeyer, 2005, p.56). The educational process relates to the input of a number of institutions and people; it is therefore essential that any planning process pertaining to education should take into consideration the expectations of these people or institutions to bring about a change that is acceptable to all (Cole & ASCD Improving Student Achievement Research Panel, 2008). During recent years, accountability system have emerged as means of providing meaningful ways to assess an educational program’s quality; thereby assisting institutions in improving the quality of their education by identifying strengths and weaknesses. This paper takes into consideration the various deficits pointed out by the different constituents of the institution (College of Education) to devise a protocol to bring about a positive change in the outcomes and measurability standards for graduates at a four-year, urban college campus. Report / Response to the Identified Concerns Prior to the preparation of this paper, an input from the various constituents of the institution was sought in written form. The responses were recorded and every participating department / body or individual was assured about the privacy of the information that was being collected for this report. This input was taken in the form of audio recordings as well as in written form using questionnaires/forms. The various constituents pointed towards a number of areas of concerns, which together fall under the follow broad categories. A discussion of the detected concerns follows; Institutional Identity First and foremost, and perhaps the most worried about aspect is the notion of Institutional Identity. An educational institution functions effectively only if the input of a number of constituents like consumers, employer, policy makers and student is appropriate and contributory towards the functioning of the institution. Looking from the perspective of the same constituents, it can be claimed that the educational institute should also cater to the demands and expectation of its constituents to make sure that this venture turns into a mutually rewarding relationship (Wilmore, 2008). As pointed out by the various constituents, the institute has so far been unable to develop and maintain a satisfactory institutional identity due to its failure to perform its role in providing sufficient quality services to address the needs of its varied constituency. At this point, it should be pointed out that the relationship and the expectations of every constituent member of the institute are different from the remaining constituents and it is therefore mandatory that the expectations of these individual constituents be dealt with on individual bases (Hawthorn, Kidd, Killeen, Law, & Watts, 2002). Likewise, the students, policy makers, employers, and consumers are all expected to play their individual roles in contributing towards the success of the institution as a whole; this will ultimately translate into a powerful institutional identity which is the most sought after aspect at this stage (McLaughlin, Knight, & Howard, 2013). Existence of effective communication and good working relationships between the various constituents of the institute is essential to make concerted efforts for the betterment of institutional identity (Gilbert, 2002). It has been observed that these parties are functioning in a rather independent manner without regard to the efforts of the others in the educational process. It is therefore essential that a platform to allow communication regarding working of the institute be established to make it possible for the various constituents to share information regarding activities going on at the other’s ends. Additionally, the process that starts from educating students and ends by making them useful citizens of the country should be streamlined in such a way that these constituents become interdependent upon each other for their success (Rise, 2011). This idea of increasing their interdependency is likely to raise certain concern in the start, but once established, this practice will benefit collectively by clearly demarcating the roles of various constituents in the overall process of education. Economic Partnerships The ultimate purpose of educational institutions is to provide workforce that is capable of handling the challenges that arise in day-to-day work conditions. Mentors must have a level of professional expertise that goes beyond being a source of emotional support and practical information (McKenzie, Santiago & Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development., 2005 p.121). The employers are therefore largely dependent upon the quality of education that graduates obtain from an education institution. It is therefore logical to assert that low quality education of an institution is likely to hinder the process of employment of graduates for jobs that are otherwise available (Smart, 2005). Since the market of jobs has shown a shrinking trend after the recent financial difficulties witnessed by the global community, the idea of losing jobs due to low quality education may not be acceptable to anyone. It is therefore essential that the design of curriculum as well as other aspects of education be in accordance to the pattern that is desired at workplaces. Therefore, the need to develop and sustain partnerships with employers and their related industries cannot be overstressed. The employers are in continuous search of eligible and capable individuals; the qualified workforce, on the other hand, is always looking for jobs that satisfy them as being equivalent to their qualifications and experience (Giddens, 2012). It is therefore a two-way process and the education institution should take initiative to connect the two by developing and sustaining economic partnerships that ultimately translate into mutually rewarding relationships. There is a need to clearly delineate the core competencies that are essential to meet the strategic objectives of the institute. The students should be made aware of these core competencies and the importance of the need to function according to them. Since demands of the industries are changing continuously due to rapid progress and evolution, it is essential that the core competencies are developed keeping in view the challenges that the students are about to face in the coming times (Lomash & Mishra, 2003). The prospect of engaging the services of already employed qualified workforce to guide the students at this institute can be explored. Such individuals may contribute towards providing knowledge to the students about real life experiences of the working environment in the respective sectors of the industry. Additionally, an input from entrepreneurs of industries regarding training requirements of the workforce at the institute level may provide an edge to the graduates of this institute by allowing them to streamline their learning activities in accordance to the demands of the industry. Development of such partnerships with the employers is likely to bestow a feeling of satisfaction to the graduating students. Moreover, once such partnerships are established, they will become a source of attraction not only for the employers but also for others who are in the process of career development, namely students. This will also have positive impact on the other aspects of the functioning of this institute; especially on improving institutional identity and enrollment of new student (Brophy, 2013). Increasing Enrollment Perhaps the most grave of all the concerns pointed out by the various constituents of the institute is scarcity of enrollment. The main reason for this assertion is the fact that enrollment is the main driving factor of the institute as it is the primary means of providing the required financial resources to the institute. Private institutions, with little financial support from the government, rely heavily on tuition as their main financial resource, and as a result usually charge substaintially higher tuition fees than dopublic institutions (Shavit, 2007 pp.95-96) . Additionally, this is the main function by which an educational institute invites fresh learners from society that are central to the overall process of education. So far, the institute has been relying on traditional methods of enrollment and has been dependent upon its students to spread the word. Due to decreased overall satisfaction of the students, there has been a declining tendency in the enrollment of new students. This has manifested as a decrease in the number of learners at the institute as well as by diminished fiscal returns; the ultimate result of which has been an overall decrease in the number of functional constituents of the institute. Compounding the problem of enrollment are factors like increasing tuition costs and shrinking government aid and grants. Additional financial pressures are endured by the institute in the name of technology expenditures and campus capital improvements (Slaughter & Rhoades, 2004). It is therefore apparent from the above mentioned facts that the overall picture of the financial condition of the institute is compromised and there is a need to make immediate efforts to improve this situation. The institute is interested in increasing enrollment while preserving and improving the quality of education that it provides. An additional factor is the affordability of education; the institute has to maintain its standard of education while ensuring that the maximum number of students find its educational programs to be affordable, as this can be the largest determining factor regarding enrollment to an institution. The prospect of exploring new methods of education i.e. non-traditional methods of education needs to be explored (Schutze, Alvarez, & Conrad, 2012). Regulatory and Accreditation Standards Keeping in view the ever-rising costs related to education, it is apparent that the institute is in dire need of financial assistance. Due to the recent financial difficulties faced by the global community, the funding from government has been greatly reduced, if not suspended (International Monetary Fund, 2000). The rising costs in other sectors like healthcare and entitlements have further aggravated the financial imbalance, which has resulted in reduced funding to the education sector. Although such cuts in the finances were anticipated due to the decline in the economy that was witnessed at the national and international level many did not expect the action of cutting financial support to education institution. For this reason, the preparedness of education institutions in financial terms was negligible to non-existent. At this point however, when a regrowth in the economy is anticipated, there is a need to develop policies for the assistance of academic institutions in financial terms. This is essential due to the fact that many institutions that are major contributors towards national education are largely dependent upon government funding to work effectively. The sustenance of such institutions is only possible if appropriate level of funding is maintained to ensure that educational activity does not cease to exist. For this purpose, the policy makers can play a major role by developing and implementing policies that cater to the financial needs of the institutions like this, thereby making it possible for the education process to flourish. Protocol Values and Mission The vision of this college is to become the leading institute of education and the related courses across the American main land and beyond its borders, by setting and maintaining the highest possible standards of education. It aims to become the iconic institution that has the capability of delivering the highest quality education to its students. In addition, the institute is determined to establish a well-reputed institutional identity by catering to the needs of all its constituents including students, policy makers and employers etc. Regarding mission, the institute aims to deliver the highest quality of education at extremely affordable costs to its students to prepare for the challenges they are about to face in the field of education in the coming future. Stakeholders As far as the role of stakeholders is concerned, it should be understood that multiple stakeholders are involved in the process of education and hence relate to this plan. The most important part of this group of stakeholders is the students who are directly affected by any change that is implemented at institutional level. Students expect the price of education to be low in order to allow them benefit from affordable education. At the same time, quality of education is also a main factor that affects students directly. Employers should also be included in the list of stakeholders, since they are the one who engage the services of the qualified work force and are therefore directly affected by the quality of education that is delivered at institutional level (Bjørkquist, 2010). Teachers and the other staffs of the institute are also major stakeholders in this regard; it is the staff of the university whose relationship with the institute spans over a period of decades. They are the witness of rise and fall of education institutions. Implementation of change at institutional level is therefore highly likely to affect the lives of such people, who may possibly resist change. Other people related to this process may include policy makers, sponsors of the institute etc. Environmental Scan Keeping in view the concerns raised by the various constituents, it can be said that the environment of universities is lacking in certain aspects. Decreasing enrollment, lack of aids and grants, and compromised institutional identity are all factors that point towards the fact that the general condition of the institute demonstrates a declining trend. Although, the planning to increase student enrollment and the amount of funding to the institute will be welcomed by most stakeholders, the fact that the institute is short of funding at the moment can hinder the process of implementation of such a plan. Goals The goals of this plan can be explained as under; First and foremost is the aspect of improving communication and establishing interdependencies among the various constituents of the institute to improve institutional identity. The second goal is to establish partnerships with employers. The third goal is related to improving student enrollment by active measures. The fourth goal being approaching policy makers to bring about a change in the policies regarding funding of the institute Action Plan / Strategy Regarding the first goal, after identification and selection of various constituents, steps will be taken to improve communication between them by arranging meetings on regular intervals and on frequent basis. Such meetings will be aimed at developing improved relationships between the various constituents of the institute. The agenda of such meetings will be defined according to the then prevailing conditions and efforts will be made to ensure participation of students, policy makers, employers and consumers. Interdependence among constituents will be developed by delegation of various responsibilities (regarding improving institutional identity) on a voluntary basis, and requesting them to fulfill the responsibilities in a collective manner. With respect to the second goal, after identification and selection of employers, skilled work force and policy makers an attempt will be made to arrange gatherings of such groups with students of the university. These gatherings may be in the form of meetings, lectures or open discussion to facilitate and develop an understanding between these groups; the ultimate purpose being establishing partnerships to improve the education standard of the institute to serve the employers in a better way. Considering the third goal (which indirectly relates to the first two goals), a number of measures will be taken: Once relationship with employers is established, new students will be attracted by ensuring them about job placements (conditional upon sustaining a good educational record during their stay at the institute). The tuition costs of the ongoing programs will be adjusted to a level where they are more affordable to the majority of students. Although this will result in financial losses during the early period, the long-term effect of this move will be benefitting to the institute largely on account of an increase in the number of students willing to study here due to reduced tuition costs. Online educational facilities will be offered to students in a customized fashion to cater to their unique requirements and financial conditions. Virtual environments like Second Life will be utilized to enhance the learning experience of the students. In addition, distant education programs tailored according to the needs of those who are otherwise unable to attend the institute, will be started to increase the enrollment of students. Attempts will be made to enhance the enrollment capacity of the institute in order to fulfill the educational needs of the ever increasing number of students. Although this may not be possible in immediate future, the capacity may be enhanced slowly with the passage of time and as enrollment of students surpasses the prevailing capacity of educational facilities. The institute will be familiarized to foreign students; thus making possible the enrollment of foreign students. This move is likely to contribute more financial resources to the institute. Lastly, more educational programs / courses will be introduced to enhance coverage of the education related subjects; hence more students enrollment. Regarding the fourth goal, efforts will be made by the leaders of the institute to arrange meetings with the policy makers to convince them regarding bringing a change in the pattern and amount of funding that is reserved for educational institutes. Apparently this sounds quite simple; yet the amount of legal and political considerations that go into the process of implementing a change in the policy are extraordinary and for this reason, immediate changes in the policy should not be expected in immediate terms. Outcomes and Achievements The outcome of the plan will be regarded as successful if the following are met: 1st goal successful if 3 meetings are conducted in a month and the related people are informed about the idea of improving institutional identity by a combined effort. 2nd goal successful if 3 gatherings are organized and at least one partnership is established. 3rd goal successful if at least 1 measure is implemented effectively. 4th goal successful if a 10% increase in funding is detected by the end of 1 year. A review of the plan effectiveness will be conducted every three months; leaders of the institute will participate in this activity. Budget Planning Below are the budgetary details of the first three months; subsequent budget planning will depend upon the recommendations of the institute leaders, after they carry out an evaluation of the output of initial three months’ activities. Goal Category Activity Resources required Required Finance ($) Total ($) 1st Improving communication and interdependence Arrangement of 3 meetings per month Printing invitation letter Space/room for meeting Multimedia system Stationary items Refreshments 1000/meeting 3000 2nd Establishing partnerships with employers Arrangement of lectures/ open discussions or meetings (3 per month) Printing invitation card/letters Telephone calls for appointments etc. Space/room for meetings Multimedia System Stationary Items Refreshments 1500/meeting 4500 3rd Improving student enrollment Promotional activities (advertisement etc) Advertisements in newspapers Internet campaign Educational seminars 25000 25000 Improving the online experience of students Improvement of the prevailing online system Improved internet services Access to Second Life Access to more digital resources 50000 50000 Enhancing enrollment capacity of institute Not a part of plan during the first three months. - Conducting educational seminars in foreign countries to attract foreign students Establishing contacts with education consultants in foreign countries Travelling expenses Arrangement of seminars on foreign lands 100000 100000 Introduction of more educational programs/courses Not a part of the plan during the first three months - 4th Approaching policy makers to get improved funding Establishing contacts with those involved in policy making Printing letters Snail mail expenses Communication expenses (telephone etc) Travelling expenses 10000 10000 TOTAL $192500 Implications of Recommendations Although the above-mentioned recommendations are being submitted in good faith and are based on the concerns identified earlier during the course of development of this plan, there is yet a possibility of occurrence of undue ramifications due to implementation of these recommendations. Although, it is impossible to cover all such areas, some of them are discussed in the following lines to give a brief insight into the possible benefits or complications that may arise during the course of implementation of this protocol. Financial Analogous to the English proverb “money makes the mare go,” the implementation of this plan is largely dependent upon the availability of financial resources. Although the protocol has been developed keeping in view the concerns shared by people who are closely related to the institute and no unrelated issues have been allowed to creep into the planning process, the prospect of effectively implementing and achieving success will depend upon the availability of financial resources. Keeping in view the scarcity of funding that is available to the institute, a direct tussle between the proponents and opponents of this protocol can be anticipated. The cutting of funding to an already ongoing project of the institute may be witnessed; thereby adding to the gravity of the condition. The prospect of arranging a fundraiser activity (e.g., a concert or fundraising campaign through the use of the Internet) may be considered in parallel to the usual methods of obtaining funds for this purpose. Legal It is essential that any changes in the pattern of spending at the institutional level be carried out under direct supervision of a legal expert. Failing to do so may result in unexpected lawsuits and legal complications, which may further aggravate the prevailing conditions. Additionally, the fourth component of the plan, which demands approaching the policy makers regarding increasing the funding of the institute, should be carried out with care, keeping in mind the fact that any financial favors to any such agency may not be given as it is restricted by law which states that “Institutions may not use HEA funds to pay anyone for influencing or attempting to influence officers or employees of any agency, members of Congress or congressional employees with respect to specified types of federal actions, such as federal contract awards and federal grants” (ACE, 2008). Technological No technological ramifications whatsoever are expected as a result of implementation of this protocol. Ethical Considerations The above-mentioned planning has been carried out with extreme care, keeping in view the ethical principles. In alignment with Mills utilitarianism which regards an action to be correct if it produces the best consequences for all concerned individuals, the plan is an effort to bring about a positive change at institutional level to produce a condition of satisfaction that is acceptable to all (Mill, 1971). Despite this basic intent behind the development of this protocol, there may occasionally arise situations that may pose ethical dilemmas of unprecedented nature, the solution to which may be sought according to the then prevailing circumstances and in accordance with the accepted moral theories and values. References ACE. (2008). ACE analysis of higher education act reauthorization. American Council on Education. Bjørkquist, C. (2010). Stakeholder Regimes in Higher Education. (Stakeholder regimes in higher education.) s.l.: Waxmann Verlag. Brophy, J. E. (2013). Motivating students to learn. Routledge. Cole, R. W., & ASCD Improving Student Achievement Research Panel. 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