Summary of Research: Education

From all my research and reading I have found that Education today varies a lot in different parts of the world. The way education is valued and given depends on the country, people, and culture. I have seen this idea at work when i read about Korea and Finland's education systems. In Finland, they believe that a more relaxed and holistic. On the other hand in Korea, students face 13-hour school days and rigorous testing on order to preform well. Both have proven to be successful education systems, they just have different methods that work for them individually.  Another example i found was from reading about new types of education, like Logan Laplant, who is schooled at home but gets the choose what he wants to study. Education is constantly being modified to fit the needs of today's modern world. This was exemplified in my post about the online free university. Higher education is being made more accessible to those who may not be able to afford college.  

Overall my research proves that education is a crucial part of society. It is a top value for most cultures. Learning about the different views on education around the world was very interesting to me. I now believe that education will always be a key piece in society and it is always changing. 

South Korea: best education in the world?

VIDEO: BBC News Is South Korean education best in world?
This video focuses on the rigorous education system South Korea has for their youth. In addition to day school, they attend private schools at night. Even young children. The day starts at 6 and ends with bedtime at 2:30am! The result of all this schooling is extremely high test scores. It also has improved the economy of South Korea. A place where illiteracy used to be a major problem, now it is a major city booming in the tech industry. The downside of this pressure to be on top is that South Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world.

When I watched this video i was astonished. The fact that people my age are in school for 13 hours a day, wake up at 6 and dont go to bed until 2:30 only to do it all over again is crazy to me. I could never imagine that being the norm in the United States. It would be some major culture shock. South Korea's education system seems to prove the idea that intense study and rigorous work is the key to high test scores and economic success. However, this reminds me of a previous post i had about Norway, they had high test scores but a much more relaxed and liberal education system. Can there be a happy medium? IS it possible to be successful without such an intense system in place?

Oklahoma schools required to teach high school students to manage finances (6)

High schools in Oklahoma require students to take classes that teach life skills. In this courses students learn how to manage their finances and learn how to handle real-life financial situations. They also gain an understanding of banking, taxes, investing, loans, insurance, identity theft and eight other areas.  Mustang High school offered these courses before it was required. But in surrounding high schools it is now a requirement in order for students to graduate.  “We're basically teaching them how to live on their own.”

I have heard countless times students say that they feel like they aren’t being prepared for the real world in school. I think that it would give a lot of students piece of mind if they felt like they were being taught real-life skills like the courses that are being taught in Oklahoma. These high schools understand that part of going to school is to prepare kids for the adult world. I think that is important to be taught skills we can use in the real world like how to manage bills, taxes, budgets, etc.. I’m sorry but algebra becomes pretty irrelevant in most cases after high school.

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