Education reform is directed by one initial idea that runs persistently throughout the experience of Americans. The idea is that education alone has the power to come up with significant change both for the people and the community at large. Education is critical as it helps people from a young age to gain the right knowledge. Numerous reforms in education have affected both educators and students every year leading to positive together with adverse changes in learning development. For the past century of education, many systems have been utilized to acquire data and information rooted into the lives of students. Research studies have indicated and provided evidence that specific education methods developed over the years have given rise to good and evil developments in the ways of teaching. Reforms are essential in education to keep with current activities (Iorio, 2011). However, how this change affects student’s lives is vital in proper teaching methods.
Over the past 100 years, we have witnessed remarkable changes in education that have proven to be positive. Incorporation technology in education has proven to be useful. In the present society, students can access various kinds of information faster than before. For this reason, students are more educated and informed. Due to technology, there has been the development of online schools which are convenient for learners in the nation. Despite that technology is a positive change, there has been an increase in problems regarding students using their cell phones. Even though students can use their phones in searching for productive educational information, mobile phones have started becoming a challenge in schools because they affect the learning process. Many educators believe that when students regularly use digital devices, their ability to take part in challenging tasks is obstructed.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Increasing the standards of education is also a positive reform. As a result of rising standards, education has become more competitive where various schools compete to fill the top positions. Having high teaching standards implies that the knowledge of students is always challenged exceptionally to assist them in gaining prosperity. Although high standards are elementary for students to succeed, it has proven to be a problem for disadvantaged students to keep up with the standards of those who are proficient. Considering that all students are different and their learning abilities differ, there has been the implementation of Acts that are directed towards helping students who have troubles in grasping educational content easily.
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was created in 2001 to keep track of the achievement of students through assessments (Fitzgerald, 2013). It was intended to be a positive change because it was to provide proper educational services to disabled children. The Act was also supposed to ensure equality for students in each state with the help of education. The act has changed the way teachers deliver their material. The Act is an attempt by the government of America to have all students arrive at equal levels of proficiency. It has changed our center to testing over teaching. There has been an evaluation of curricula changes and teaching strategies. Educators are accountable for meeting specific education standards presented by the national government.
Needed educational reforms
Students still require an education system that brings excitement. The government should increase motivation in the current curriculum by including life skills as part of education and providing future options for students. As early as high school, students should be guided on their future path where they are presented with many opportunities to seek subjects which interest them. There should be more experience in various fields, and more laboratories should be provided with sufficient experiments carried out to prepare children for the future. To do that, educators should abolish challenging end of grade tests and instead adopt simple tests that allow students to give feedback which help them learn from the tests (Bar-Yam, Rhoades, Sweeney, Kaput, & Bar-Yam, 2010). Learning should be real as well as relevant to the lives of students outside the school. Education should emphasize more on critical thinking and creativity.
How the changes will affect ethical dispositions of educators
The NCLB Act has made students receive more tests that aim at assessing them in math, reading and focused on meeting the standards of the state. The main aim of teaching has become testing while schools lack creativity. Teachers will concentrate on teaching what is tested other than focusing on creativity learning in school. Students will be negatively affected unless there is a meaningful reform in the learning strategy of students.
Conclusion
Education reforms have resulted in both positive and negative effects in education. The changes in technology, school standards and the core curriculum, in general, have contributed positively to education. However, they have also given rise to negative impacts as well. Specific reforms in education are required for students to experience the most prosperous teaching methods that will result in proper lesson delivery.
References
Bar-Yam, M., Rhoades, K., Sweeney, L. B., Kaput, J., & Bar-Yam, Y. (2010). Changes in the Teaching and Learning Pocess in a Complex Education System. New England Complex Systems Institute .
Fitzgerald, S. S. (2013). No Child Left Behind and Special Education: the Need for Change in Legislation that is Still Leving Some Students Behind. Law Student Publications , 555.
Iorio, S. H. (2011). School reform: Past, Present and Future. 2.
