What Does It Mean to Be Well Educated - Essay Example

Abstract This paper is based on examining educational philosophies. It is specifically dealing with Quebec education policy which was a form of education system aimed in producing competent individuals. The main concern of the paper is to identify and answer the question “what is to be well educated?” It examines the way Quebec had organized its education system to make sure that their students were balanced in all fields and could use the acquired knowledge in the future. The Paper identifies some elements of Quebec and their weaknesses. It also explores the problems faced by the Quebec education system. It is also expected to compare the Quebec education policy and in this paper it will be pragmatism educational philosophy. Characteristics of well-educated people will also be examined (Lin, 2005). Introduction Education happens to be the key of professionalism in the modern society. The modern society is very dependent on education because it depends on ideologies and well organized strategies for its growth and development. This explains why people in the modern society do effort to make sure they are well educated. To be well educated is a very critical topic, the fact is that individuals are only well educated in a certain field but not in all fields. This is where professionalism and division of labor comes in; division of labor is a situation where individuals get involved in doing what they can do at their best. It is not funny to meet individuals who have specialized in medicine and cannot discuss a concept from the field of literature or individuals from the field of literature who cannot solve a simple mathematics problem (Kohn, 2003). According to Alfie Kohn (2003) people are only perfect with what they have specialized in, education is more of specialization. To be well educated can be defined as a situation where an individual can think deeply, function highly and be professionally successful in the field they have specialized in; this in short calls for competence. Problem about well-educated people arise when lacks some skills and facts they are expected to possess (Kohn, 2003). The truth is that different education systems in the world have created monsters. This is a situation where individuals fail to perform in their field of specialization in education. There are several myths which have been developed in the field of education and they have been destructive. One myth is where education is seen as the purpose of giving someone the means of upward mobility and success. This is very wrong because it makes people even to cheat in exams because promotion in job is based on class results ending up producing literally unfit individuals who are only interested in high pay and promotion in job. There is another myth which states that ignorance is a solvable problem. The truth is ignorance cannot be a solvable problem; this is because the advance of knowledge carries with it an element of ignorance (Orr, 1996). There are several attributes and notable traits which appear to be with most of the well educated people. These attributes are exceptional and makes educated people to be different from the uneducated or semi educated individuals. Most of well-educated people can listen and hear well, this means they know how to give attention and can fall an argument, track logical reasoning and detect illogic. They can also empathize with other people. They are accommodative; this means they can easily mingle with anyone freely due to exposure in different communication skills through education. They practice respect and humility, tolerance and self-criticism. This simply means that they can feel and understand the power of other individual’s dreams and nightmares as well as their own. They are good in nurturing and empowering people around them. This means they are willing to help other people to move up in the radar of both education and life success. Educated people through their education understands how to get things done; this helps in making sure that people produce success in every organization they are given the mandate to operate (Orr, 1996). Philosophy of Education This is a field of applied philosophy which examines the aims, forms, approaches, and outcomes of education as both a system and a field of learning. Philosophy of education is influenced by both developments within philosophy especially questions of ethics and epistemology, and the apprehensions arising from instructional practice. Philosophy of education can also be used to state a normative theory of education which is informed by both by philosophical view in ethics, epistemology and the human condition as well as the psychological perceptions on human learning and development (Noddings, 1995). The philosophy of education is important because it explains how theories of education arise. Through the philosophy of education it is possible to learn more about how these education theories compliments and oppose each other; this means understanding of a philosophy is useful in guiding and critiquing the development and growth of education theory. The philosophy of education provides a pedagogical history of ideas, theories and vocabulary. Finally Philosophy of education can be defined as simply the study of the purposes, processes, nature and ideals of education (Lin, 2005). Philosophy of the QUBEC Education Policy This is a form of education system governed by the Ministry of education, Recreation and Sports. The system is based in France and it is administered by the publicly elected French and English school boards. Teachers are represented by province- wide unions which negotiate province- wide working conditions with local boards and the provincial government. The Quebec government was developed to compete with models of Canadian multiculturalism, where Quebec was based on Quebec interculturalism. The main of the Quebec government developing this system was to help in addressing issues of reasonable accommodation. This situation where individuals can co-exist together in a learning institutions. As a society we consider educational responses to the growing need to spread the values, or source of values of a diverse society while at the same time confirming and assuring the celebration and survival of traditional cultures. The philosophy of this policy was to make education would solve the problem of cultural differences (Strike, 2007). This system of education through taking the discipline of Ethics and Religious culture in the curriculum it was possible to fix the tension existing due to cultural diversity. The main agenda of the policy was to identify how a logical nation building agenda can emerge out of historical conflicts, and how educational initiatives intersect with formal and informal mechanisms with the aim of pushing the society forward. Teaching Ethics and Religious studies made it possible for people to respect one another and even empathize with one another regardless of cultural conflicts and diversity existing in the society. The policy was aiming in bringing balance between conflicting groups and a good education system like Quebec could handle this matter well (Parijs, 2004). Elements of Quebec Education policy The education system was based in interculturalism. The main element was to be accommodative. Interculturalism is an ideology which supports cross- cultural dialogue and challenging self-segregation tendencies with cultures. Interculturalism moves beyond accepting the multicultural fact and instead promotes dialogue and interaction between cultures. This was only possible through embracing the element of being accommodative in the system. Accommodative is a situation people from different cultures can socialize freely, tolerating one another and accepting the fact that the world is full of diverse cultural practices. According to Quebec policy justice should be given to anyone regardless of their cultural practices. This element was superb because it helped in creating harmony making people respect one another. In case of conflict cultural diversity was not to be used to deliver judgment (Parijs, 2004). The other element was absorbing ethics and religious studies in the system. This helped in making sure individuals in the society respected human values with their cultural values. This was aimed in creating a society where people respect human life and know cultural diversity is a gift from God. This helped people live together and cultural conflicts were decreased (Parijs, 2004). Socializing was also supported by the system of education for it developed friendship between individuals. This would kill any cultural conflict for people would relate as friends but in cultural cocoons. This helped in cementing the mission of Quebec education system of interculturalism. Quebec society took care of the pluralist nature of the Canadian society by making the students agents of social cohesion and this nurtured the feeling of belonging to the community as students were told how to live together in harmony. The Quebec education system allowed all students an opportunity to access a broad range of fundamental learnings associated with understanding the world, personal development, socialization, and academic progress. This helped in reducing cultural conflicts in the society for everyone from different cultural set up were treated equally in the Quebec education system (Dickinson & Young, 2008). Quebec education system has tried to bring out the idea of what it means to be well educated. This is seen in its characteristics as it is based on competence. This means producing individuals who will perform effectively and efficiently in the field they have specialized on; it also makes the students have the society at heart respecting one another regardless of their cultural differences. Another element used in Quebec was evaluation and this is aimed in checking on the progress of the students. This made sure that students produce by this education system were able to showcase and use the acquired knowledge in doing the right job (Dickinson & Young, 2008) Characteristics of Quebec education system Quebec education program focuses in development of competence; this entails establishing a different relationship to knowledge refocusing and teaching students how to thin. Good thinkers will always make the right choice and decision every other they find themselves in confusing situations. The aspect of competency reflects on conviction that students should start at school to develop the multifaceted skills that will give them the chance to face the changing world even in the future. According to Quebec education system competence can be defined as a set of behaviors based on the effective mobilization and utilization of a range of resources both internal and external. Another characteristics is that the system recognizes that learning is an active process; this helps in producing students who can participate in development of the society in a positive and committed way. Moral education offered in Quebec helped students in upholding there moral values even in the future (Dickinson & Young 2008). The Quebec came with an education which was aided in protecting both students and somehow the teachers. Every student is entitled into certain rights. These Acts were developed by the government for a smooth running of the school and avoid conflict of interest between teachers and the students. These right were aimed in bringing law and order in the school and enhance peace and harmony. When people are governed by the same rules it means they are treated equally regardless of race, religion, color or culture. This use of the same rights to administer education system by the government is enough message to the students that cultural diversity is not a crime but a blessing because we are able to learn new things from our friends (Russo, 2007). Canada has a very comprehensive approach to children with special needs and disabilities in terms of their rights to equality in all aspects of Canadian life, including education and healthcare. Every child with special needs, whether emotional, behavioral, visual, intellectual, language, speech or hearing, has a right to free public education. However, despite pledges by the federal government to take care those with disabilities and special needs, the majority of funding is allocated at a provincial or local level. This service is for all students who are incapacitated in one way or the other. This proves how Canada is well equipped in dealing with cultural diversity by sealing any loophole which may make one culture look superior. This facilitates everyone being in a position to acquire and utilize public resources allocated to them by the government. The case of Quebec education assume realism philosophy (Winch & Gingell, 2008). Pragmatism Philosophy of Education This theory states that only things which are seen and experienced are real. This philosophy believes that reality is changing and the best can be learnt through application of experiences and thoughts to problems as they rise. This somehow might not be true because people sometimes have learnt things they have never experienced, knowledge is theoretical. This philosophy was developed from Charles Sanders (1839-1914) who believed that thought must produce action, rather than linger in the mind and lead to indecivisness. This is the problem facing today’s education system where people are learning for promotion and earn good salary as they live well. This education system has produced robots instead of competent individuals. Most the minds of learned people is empty and this is the reason well educated people in the current world are producing less in terms of performance (Buenyen, 1994). John Dewey (1859-1952) applied pragmatist philosophy in his progressive approaches. He believed that students must acclimate to each other and to their surroundings. Schools should emphasize the subject matter of social involvement. All learning is dependent on the context of place, time, and circumstance. Different cultural and ethnic groups learn to work accommodatingly and contribute to a democratic society. The ultimate purpose is the creation of a new social order. Character development is based on making group decisions in light of consequences (Buenyen, 1994). For Pragmatists, teaching approaches focus on hands-on problem solving, experimenting, and projects, often having students work in groups. Curriculum should bring the disciplines together to focus on solving problems in an interdisciplinary way. Rather than passing down organized bodies of knowledge to new learners, Pragmatists believe that learners should apply their knowledge to real situations through experimental inquiry. This prepares students for citizenship, daily living, and future careers. Pragmatism educational philosophy is one of the best in determining the meaning of a well-educated person. It is because it calls for a situation where our thoughts as leaners produce action. It also discusses in diversity of culture; according to this philosophy diversity in culture should not affect one’s way of utilizing their acquired knowledge (Buenyen, 1994). Quebec education has been faced by some challenges. It faced some opposition from multiculturalism because the two groups argued the two about their way of believing how a society should socialize. Multiculturalism relates to a community with multiple cultures. It can be used in two broad ways, either descriptively or normatively, when used as the former it usually refers to simply cultural diversity. It applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place like; schools, businesses, cities and nations, as normative it denotes ideologies which promote the diversity existing in a given country. This was opposite with the case of Quebec who brought in the idea of ‘Accommodative’ which was simply based on interculturalism. Interculturalism allows people to break the cultural diversity existing between themselves and be able to live together as one people (Penas &Saenz, 2006). Quebec also faced the challenge of language policy. This was because the Quebec education policy had introduced the Charter of the French language which was different in the case Canada who use English as their main language of teaching and evaluating in schools. This policy of using French language according to my personal view it was not the best. This is because according to their mission they wanted to produce a society where people were not discriminated b cause of their cultural practices. They should have only allowed the use of English because it would bind the society regardless of one’s culture. According to Quebec society it was not easy in a pluralistic society to develop adaptive and comprehensive policies that could be fair enough in administering justice in a society with cultural conflicts, getting this would sometimes deny individuals real justice but instead get partial injustice (Paquette & Fallon, 2010). Conclusion To be well educated might relative, this is because it has been realized that education is large field. This why a person who has specialized in literature might not be in a position to solve a mathematics problem even though they are well educated. This leaves one option of defining the meaning of being well educated. This is a situation whereby an individual is competent enough to work professionally in the field of education specialization. Education is one of the factors which has led to division of labor in the modern society. This because people specialize on what they are best and this helps in maximizing production in organizations. Well educative people have some common character traits regardless of the field of study. Most of them are good listeners, they are accommodative and can tolerate and empathize with other people. They are good motivator and they empower people with their acquired knowledge. This aspect of accommodative was so much emphasized by the Quebec education policy. Being accommodative helps someone to live in peace with different people regardless of their culture and believes. Education has tried to make the world one family because people are in a position to share their cultural values and at the same time appreciate cultural diversity. Educational policies helps in coming up with ideologies to be used in running education system. References Buenyen, L. L. (1994). Pragmatism: a philosophy of education for Nigeria: a case study. Plate State, Nigeria: Ehindero (Nig.). Dickinson, J. A., & Young, B. J. (2008). A short history of Quebec (4th ed.). Montréal [Que.: McGill-Queen's University Press. Kohn, A. (2003). What does it mean to be Well Educated? [Online] retrieved from: http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/welleducated.htm [Accessed on 31/10/2013]. Lin, J. (2005). Philosophy of Education. [Online]. Retrieved from: https://www.google.co.ke/search?q=educational+philosophy+pdf&oq=educational+philosophy&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5.16767j0j4&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8 pdf [Accessed on 1/11/2013]. Noddings, N. (1995). Philosophy of education. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press. Orr, D. (1996). What is Education for? Six myths about the foundations of modern education, And six new principles to replace them. 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