Education Systems PDF

System(s) ⚫ What is a system? System has multiple meanings: – A group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a complex whole. – An organized set of interrelated ideas or principles. – Organization of functionally interactive...

System(s) ⚫ What is a system? System has multiple meanings: – A group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a complex whole. – An organized set of interrelated ideas or principles. – Organization of functionally interactive units for the achievement of a common goal. Systems ⚫ A usually large entity composed of interconnected parts. ⚫ An organized array of individual elements and parts forming and working as a unit Systems ⚫ Examples of systems – Human body, schools, universities, hospitals  Features/Characteristics of Systems ⚫ The system has boundaries that distinguish it from other systems ⚫ The system has an environment surrounding it outside its borders, which it is affected by and which it influences. ⚫ The relationships within the system that link its parts or components are not random relationships; rather, they are causal, functional, cooperative, and integrative Features/Characteristics of Systems ⚫ Because the parts of any system are linked to the rest of the parts; therefore, it is difficult to study any part in isolation from the rest of the parts. For example, in the educational field, it is difficult to isolate the subject of student evaluation and study it away from the rest of the aspects of the educational system, such as curricula, teacher preparation, and school administration Features/Characteristics of Systems ⚫ The elements that make up the system are distinguished from each other by the functions that each element performs. School administration in any school is a system, and within this system we find elements such as: the school principal, the assistant principal, the teachers, the school council, and the secretary. Features/Characteristics of Systems ⚫ Any system - small or large - performs one or more functions to achieve the goal that the system seeks with all its elements. Education Systems ⚫ Are sets of ways, means, and procedures of how educational components are organized to achieve the objectives of education in an organization or a country. ⚫ Is a set of processes of how education components and procedures are related and work together to achieve the objectives of education. Education systems ⚫ Is set of interaction of educational activities, structures, personnel, clients and resources to achieve the objectives of educational systems. Education systems – Performing all these different tasks within limits of the human, material and financial resources allocated to it by society. Education systems ⚫ An education system refers to the economic and social factors that typically make up public schools at the federal, state or community levels. public funding, school facilities, staffing, compensation, employee benefits, teaching resources and more. ⚫ Education systems refer to the coordination of individuals (among teachers, administrators and students), infrastructure (including safe facilities and transportation) and functioning institutions and processes. Education systems ⚫ an arrangement that consists of at least one teacher and one student in a context, such as in a tutorial or via Skype. ⚫ Education systems must be intentional, where a teacher actively attempts to guide student learning. ⚫ Education systems encompass all institutions that are concerned with educating students in K-12 and higher education. Why do we view education as a system? ⚫ Why do we view education as a system? The systems perspective ⚫ Is a way of viewing aspects of an organization as an interrelated system – Is a way of viewing problems more than it is a specific approach to administration. It is based on the concept that an educational organization is a system of interrelated parts. If you adjust one part of the system, other parts will be affected automatically. Indicate system from the following ⚫ A School ⚫ A Department of education ⚫ A classroom ⚫ A Lesson plan ⚫ A Counselling unit ⚫ Teacher-parent association ⚫ Department of English ⚫ A Debate Club Educational administration ⚫ Is a process of deciding how to use the human and material resources to achieve the goals of education systems. ⚫ Is a process of planning and organization education systems and its resources to effectively achieve the goals of education. Objectives of educational administration ⚫ The objectives of education administration can be found in the functions of administration – Planning – Organizing – Staffing – Leading – Controlling  Planning Organizing Controlling Objectives of Educational Administration Staffing Leading Objectives of educational administration ⚫ Planning: Deciding which objectives to pursue during a future period and what to do to achieve those objectives. ⚫ Organizing: grouping activities, assigning activities, and providing authority necessary to carry out the activities. Objectives of educational administration ⚫ Staffing: determining human resource needs and recruiting, selecting, training, and developing human resources ⚫ Leading: directing and channeling human behaviour toward the accomplishment of objectives Objectives of educational administration ⚫ Controlling: measuring performance against objectives, determining the causes of deviations, and taking corrective action where necessary. Basic skills for school administrator Basic skills Conceptual skills Human relations skills Technical skills Conceptual skills ⚫ Involve understanding the relationship of the parts of education to one another and to the education as a whole. Decision making, planning, and organizing are specific administrative activities that require conceptual skills Human relation skills ⚫ Involve understanding people and being able to work with them. Working in team, resolving conflicts, dealing with parents all require good human relations skills Technical skills ⚫ Being able to perform mechanics of a particular job. Using word processing programmes, designing a brochure, designing effective instruction methods, training people to use a certain methods are all technical skills. It covers: 1- Types of Systems: Open and Closed 2- Factors affecting the education system 3- Characteristics of the Education System 4- Basic Elements of Education 5- System Analysis Method  Open systems: These are systems that exchange relationships and influences with other surrounding systems. It is the system that has a basic relationship with its surrounding environment, as it is in continuous interaction with it, being affected by it and influencing it at the same time. Open systems have several characteristics, including: a- Open systems exchange materials, information, and the energies that drive them and result from them with the surrounding environment b- A continuous flow of inputs to them and outputs from them c- A close relationship between inputs and outputs through feedback d- The system reorganizes its inputs in light of its outputs to develop itself and maintain its survival  d- The inputs within the system are transformed through a series of interactions and active processes into outputs. Summary: The open system is characterized by several characteristics: Flexibility - Survival - Interconnectedness and integration of parts - Balance Closed System Closeness is a relative issue, as there are no completely closed systems because the inputs of any system are originally from the environment. However, this type of system tries to purify those inputs from environmental influences, and therefore it ignores feedback because it is affected by the environment. Thus, closed system tends to isolate itself and avoid dealing with the data of the environment, its needs and aspirations, and ignores external considerations. This limits its flexibility.  Closed system considers its members as machines, and this is represented in some systems of a military nature, because they have specific goals that they cannot change until they meet the goals for which they were designed. The Concept of Education System 1- It is the framework that includes all the elements and components of the educational process. 2- It is a group of components that are linked together within a common environment between them, and each of them performs a specific function that complements the functions of the rest of the components of the system. Factors affecting the education system The education system, like any other system, has factors that affect it. In fact, goals and plans must be set according to these factors. Education system is affected by the following factors: Population factor: This factor is divided into two parts, the first is related to the different races in that country, and the second is related to the distribution of the population according to its age groups.  Cultural factor: Religion, language, customs, traditions and morals of any country have a role in the educational plans that are put within the educational system, and the cultural factor is considered one of the most important factors that affect the education of students.  The economic factor: This is clearly evident in advanced and rich countries. The stronger the country’s economy, the stronger the education system will be. The difference in services, buildings, and tools used in education from one country to another is evident depending on the economy of that country.  Geographical factor: The climate plays a role in determining the start dates of school and official holidays, and the nature of the environment of that country also plays a role in determining the study plan because there must be compatibility between the environmental nature and some study activities..  Political factor: The political factor is considered one of the factors that affect various state systems, and all the ideas and principles on which the political authority of the state is based fall under this factor; where students must be educated and familiarized with their country's policy so that they are able to engage in the political sphere of their country, and wars and political problems also play a role in influencing the educational system, as studies are postponed for periods until the war ends Characteristics of the Education System The most important characteristics of the education system can be identified as: 1- The education system is an independent entity with boundaries that distinguish it from the surrounding environment. 2- The education system affects and is affected by the environment in which it is located. It derives its components (inputs) from the environment surrounding it, and provides it with the workforce, trainers, and services (outputs).  3- The education system has interconnected, interactive, and integrated elements, all linked by functional relationships. 4- The education system is characterized by flexibility; because it is in constant dialogue and interaction with its environment. 5- The education system has a specific goal (transformational), meaning that it transforms its inputs through its functions and relationships from their raw state to another state, which is the outputs in which the goals are represented. For example: transforming students into graduates equipped with limited knowledge, skills, and abilities Basic Elements of Education 1- Inputs: refers to the human and material capabilities necessary for the system to operate, and inputs may be symbolic, human, or material. 2- Processes: refers to the mechanism by which inputs are transformed into outputs, and includes everything that happens within the system from management, organization, coordination, and decision-making, in addition to the various interactions between individuals with each other, and between the system and its internal and external environment.  3- Outputs: refers to the variables affected by the system, and they are the results (products) of the various processes that occur within the system and through which inputs are transformed into outputs. Outputs can also be considered as: the goal of the system's operation. 4- Feedback: refers to the comparison between the results obtained and the established standards, and it represents the control over the system through which differences and deviations between the achieved results and the previously established standards can be corrected. Stages of Education in the Arab Gulf Countries  First: Pre-school Education The importance of nurseries: The importance of pre- school/Nurseries/Kindergarten is based on a number of factors, perhaps the most important of which are the following: 1- What psychologists confirm that the first five years of an individual's life have the greatest impact on his future life and that what the child acquires at this stage has an effective impact on shaping his personality. 2- What neuroscience specialists also confirm that the child's brain in early childhood is more flexible and sensitive to the extent of its influence by the environment than the brain of an older child. 3- In light of the spread of the phenomenon of industrialization, urbanization and construction, women going out to work and the transformation of the extended family into a nuclear family in all countries of the world and to varying degrees depending on the growth of the countries of the world. 4- Kindergartens are not only an extension of the child's life at home, but rather an improvement and addition to it, as they achieve more for the child than his needs that the family cannot achieve. 5- Kindergartens - with the educational programs they provide - help children grow in a healthy, psychological, and social way in the right direction. Kindergartens also prepare children for formal learning in the primary stage/Basic education 6- Within the family and in kindergartens, attitudes towards education are formed that last a lifetime, in which the spark of creativity is ignited or extinguished, and in which the attainment of knowledge becomes or does not become a reality. Objectives of Kindergartens from a Global Perspective The objectives of kindergartens vary from one country to another depending on their educational philosophy and policy. However, there are common objectives due to the nature of kindergartens themselves. In this regard, UNESCO defines the objectives of kindergartens in its 1967 report as follows: 1- Integrating the child's personality development and consolidating his social relations with individuals and groups (UNESCO) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 2- Preparing the child for primary school/Basic education 3- Caring for the child and fulfilling his needs for knowledge, creativity, and independence 4- The child's development in the emotional, moral, religious, linguistic, sensory, and physical dimensions/fields  Kindergarten Curriculum The kindergarten curriculum varies from one country to another, but all countries of the world agree on a basic principle on which the kindergarten curriculum is based, which is: education through play, activity, work, stories and songs. Play is a need of the child, like sleeping and eating. The child does not need to learn to play, but he needs to organize the purpose of play in an educational manner, and here lies the role of the kindergarten. The child's day in kindergarten in most countries of the world includes the following: 1.A period of free activity 2. A period of collective morning activity in which children practice various motor activities 3.A period of directed activity in which children practice integrated organized experiences 4. A period of eating breakfast or a snack 5. A period of free play under the supervision of the teacher 6. A period of quiet activity and preparation for departure Kindergartens in the Arab Gulf States 1- Efforts of the private sector 2- Efforts of the Ministry of Education 3- Efforts of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (Ministry of Social Development in the Sultanate of Oman), etc. Objectives of Kindergartens in the Arab Gulf States The education policy in the Arab Gulf States defines the objectives of nurseries and kindergartens as follows: 1. Preserving the child's nature and nurturing his moral, mental, and physical growth in normal, healthy conditions that resemble the family atmosphere, responsive to the requirements of Islam. 2. Adopting the child's etiquette and facilitating his absorption of Islamic virtues. 3. Familiarizing the child with the school environment and preparing him for school life. 4. Providing him with a wealth of correct expressions, easy basics, and appropriate information related to his surroundings. 5. Training the child on motor skills, accustoming him to correct habits, educating his senses, and training him to use them well. 6. Providing the child with sound social attitudes; this is done through his interaction with his peers. 7. Providing the child with basic language skills, and forming sound attitudes towards the education process. The Need for the Arab Gulf States to Expand the Spread of Kindergartens Although the Gulf States have formed high-level committees for child care headed by senior state officials to mediate and supervise child care programs, we see that there is an urgent need to expand the spread of kindergartens in cities in general and villages in particular for the following factors: 1. Women's entry into the sector of education and work in the Arab Gulf Countries 2. Many of our children - who are the wealth (capital) of society and the decision-makers of tomorrow - may not have the opportunity for conscious supervision, health care, and balanced psychological and social development. 3. The phenomenon of urbanization and the increased demand for city housing or living in apartments inside large buildings and huge buildings has reduced the child’s opportunities for play, research, and exploration, and this is only available in kindergartens. 4. What research and studies have revealed about the importance of kindergartens in building the child's personality, self-reliance, and cooperation with his peers. 5. The Sultanate’s figures - despite the achievements in this field/sector – its efforts are still less than its ambition and less than what many developed countries have achieved. For all this, governmental and civil efforts should be intensified to spread kindergartens and expand them to cover cities and villages alike. Kindergarten Problems Kindergartens in the Gulf countries face several problems, the most important of which are the following: 1- Problems related to quantity and distribution 2- Economic problems 3- Problems related to cooperation between the family and the kindergarten 4- The problem of multiple supervisory bodies. 5- Problems related to kindergarten teachers 6- Problems related to child health 7- Problems related to kindergarten management Basic Education The Concept of Basic Education The term basic education refers to alternative, non-traditional educational systems for the primary stage/level, or to a method specially prepared to suit the conditions of the region in which it is located and according to the conditions of each region, or each country. The concept of basic education: The basic education formula adopted in the Sultanate can be defined as unified education for all citizens of the Sultanate, for a period of ten years, based on providing the minimum basic educational needs for individuals, and providing them with the basic amount of knowledge and skills that enable them to continue in education or training. Justifications for the Establishment of Basic Education Omani society, like other contemporary societies, is witnessing rapid and continuous developments in various aspects of life, which requires that educational development be a permanent practice that is affected by these developments and contributes fundamentally to their creation. In this context, the Sultanate of Oman adopts the concept of basic education for a number of justifications, the most important of which are:  1- The necessity of combining the early stages of education in a unified stage to reduce educational waste and loss. 2- The predominance of the theoretical aspects in general education in its current form (primary education) in its early stages and its lack of linking to the practical aspects. 3- The need to develop education and raise its efficiency in light of the challenges of the era, its requirements, and future aspirations. 4- In response to the recommendations of educational conferences that called for adopting the concept of basic education in recent years. Objectives of Basic Education We can define the objectives of basic education in the Sultanate of Oman according to the following points: 1. Developing the various aspects of the learner's personality in a comprehensive and integrated manner within the framework of the principles of the Islamic faith and Omani culture. 2. Instilling national, Arab, Islamic, and human affiliation in the learner and developing his ability to interact with the world around him. 4. Providing the learner with the necessary skills for life by developing communication and self-learning competencies and the ability to use critical scientific thinking 5. Providing the learner with the values ​of work, production, participation in public life, the ability to adapt to the developments of the era, and deal with its problems with awareness and knowledge. 6. Reducing the dropout rate among students. 7. Blocking the sources of illiteracy and raising the awareness and knowledge of students. Basic Principles of Basic Education The basic education system is based on a set of principles, the most important of which are: 1- It concerns all members of society, males and females, at all levels. 2- It provides the individual with an integrated education that includes theoretical and applied knowledge and information, in order to ensure the integration of knowledge and experience in the student.  3- It is characterized by flexibility and diversity of environments and does not take a single form in all environments - it takes different forms based on the environment 4- It aims to prepare productive and effective individuals to participate in the fields of development in a society. 5- It emphasizes the realization of the individual's human self and his belonging to the society in which he lives. The Foundations of Basic Education The basic education system is based on a set of foundations that successfully achieve its goals, including: 1- It is not permissible to start with manual skills before the student masters the skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic operations 2- Learning experience is only acquired through practical practice 3- Attention to vocational education  3- Attention to vocational education 4- Practical experiences increase the effectiveness of education and achieve knowledge for students 5- The practical experiences acquired by the student should be directed towards production The social and educational principles and visions on which the philosophy of basic education is based: 1- The human individual is the most valuable resource in society. 2- Children should be trained and provided with new experiences through their practice of modern sciences.  3- Children should be fully cared for and raised by instilling sublime human values in them according to modern educational foundations. 4- Children's need for adults' help in raising them requires monitoring these children and providing them with all assistance to ensure their normal growth. 5- The reasons for the normal growth of children should be facilitated from the material, moral and spiritual aspects. Methods for improving basic education outcomes 1- Determining the objectives of basic education. 2- The basic education school is an educational unit and an independent entity that belongs to the education system, and thus the school is distinguished by certain characteristics that make it different from other schools. 3- The school administration should set priorities for solutions to the educational problems it faces so that it can address these urgent problems quickly by using the scientific thinking method. Teacher Preparation in the Basic Education Educationists agreed that raising the efficiency of the basic education teacher and improving his professional level comes through taking into account several foundations, the most important of which are: 1- The preparation of the teacher in the colleges of education aims to provide him with knowledge, and information and enable him to gain practical experience in addition to preparing him professionally in a manner consistent with the teaching profession.  2- Training teachers during service is complementary to preparing them in colleges of education during their studies (before service) 3- The responsibilities of the institutions supervising the preparation of teachers extend to include preparing and training them during service. The Sultanate of Oman as a Model Types of education in the Sultanate of Oman The education system in the Sultanate of Oman consists of three main types: 1. General education (public school education and private school education). 2. Technical education and vocational training. 3. Higher and University Education Education Supervisory Authorities Education responsibilities are distributed among three ministries: 1. Ministry of Education: The Ministry of Education is responsible for preparing, designing, and implementing educational policies for all educational stages (grades 1-12). The General Directorates of Education in all governorates work to implement the Ministry’s plans, and the Ministry is working to grant more administrative and financial powers to these directorates gradually  2. The Ministry of Labor supervises post-secondary industrial technical colleges and vocational training institutes. 3. The Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation supervises post-secondary education in universities, institutes, and colleges. Stages of education for the Sultanate of Oman The education system is based on four stages. 1. Pre-school education stage. 2. Basic education stage (10 years). 3. Post-basic education stage (2 years). 4. Higher & University education stage (4 years). (According to specializations) Pre-school education in the Sultanate of Oman The Ministry pays great attention to pre-school education, which includes both nurseries (ages 3 months to 3 years), kindergarten and preparatory school (ages 3-5 years). It is an optional education for individuals in the age group 3 months to five years and two months Basic Education in the Sultanate of Oman Basic education is divided into two cycles: The first cycle for grades (from 1 to 4): Male and female students study in shared classes, and the majority of staff in these schools are females. The second cycle for grades (from 5 to 10): Male and female students study at this stage in separate schools, and the staff in them is according to gender (males and females). Post-basic Education in the Sultanate of Oman Post-basic education includes grades 11 and 12. The program provides multiple academic tracks for students, where all students are required to: Choose subjects in both grades 11 and 12 that provide all students with the basic skills they need to prepare them for specific careers in the future, by continuing to study these specializations in the future or joining the labor market directly.  Study a subject in the research method and then implement a project (practical or theoretical study) during their studies in the post-basic education stage. Students study the following subjects: Islamic culture, Arabic language, English language, pure and applied mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, science and technology, social studies, life skills, research method / career guidance. University Education It consists of (4) years or more depending on the specialization, and it receives the outputs of post-basic education. Education alternatives 1. Government school education Supervised by the Ministry of Education, basic and post-basic education 2. Private school education The Ministry provides technical and administrative supervision of private schools in terms of examining and approving educational programs and curricula applied in private schools. There are several types of schools that provide private school education, as follows: Private monolingual, bilingual, and international schools. International schools: provide curricula and educational programs approved by international educational systems 3. Continuing education It is considered one of the types of government school education and includes: Literacy programs: include three academic years, after which successful students are granted a certificate of freedom from illiteracy, which is equivalent to success in the sixth grade of basic education, and qualifies them to join the seventh grade of basic education.  Adult education: starts from the seventh grade of basic education and ends at the end of the twelfth grade, and study in adult education centers is divided into regular study in the centers and free home study. Evaluation system (Testing & Examinations) Student Learning Assessment: Student learning assessment in Grades 11 and 12 is based on the philosophy of continuous assessment that is in place in all schools in the Sultanate. Reports on student achievement and performance (performance report cards) in each subject are presented in both Grades 11 and 12 as follows: 49% or less (needs support), 50% – 64% (acceptable), 65% – 79% (good), 80% – 89% (very good), 90% – 100% (excellent).  Continuous Assessment: Teachers evaluate their students’ performance according to the criteria specified in the Student Learning Assessment Document for each subject. Teachers must: 1. Prepare student work files for all students. 2. Prepare remedial and enrichment plans for all students identified by the school’s Academic Achievement Follow-up Committee. 3. Record all appropriate student data in a cumulative record (comprehensive record).  Examinations: The Ministry is responsible for preparing and managing the final examinations for the twelfth grade in Arabic, English, pure and applied mathematics, and science subjects (biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental sciences).  Comparison of Education Systems in the Arab Gulf Countries: The Education Educational Stages Administration/Management Pre- State/Country Structure/Ladder Basic/Primary Education The Sultanate of 4-6-2-4 - Cycle One Ministry of Education4 ‫سلطنة عمان‬ Oman - Cycle Two - Ministry of Higher - Post-Basic Education, Research Education Not and Innovation - Higher Compulsory Education United Arab - Cycle One - Ministry of Education Not Emirates - Cycle Two - Ministry of Higher Compulsory 5-4-3-4 - Post-Basic Education and Education Scientific Research - Higher - Ministry of Social Education Affairs (Special Education and Kindergarten)  The Education Educational Stages Administration/Management Pre- State/Country Structure/Ladder Basic/Primary Education The State of 6-3-3-4 - Primary Ministry of Education and Not Qatar - Middle Higher Education Compulsory - Secondary - Higher Education The Kingdom of 6-3-3-4 - Primary - Ministry of Education Not Saudi Arabia - Middle - Ministry of Higher Compulsory - Secondary Education - Higher Education The State of 4-4-4-4 Not Kuwait - Primary - Ministry of Education Compulsory - Middle - Ministry of Higher - Secondary Education - Higher Education The Kingdom of Ministry of Education Not Bahrain 3-3-3-3-4 - Primary (cycle Compulsory One) - Primary (cycle Two) - Middle (cycle Three) - Secondary - Higher Education