History of Education Essay

Introduction The detail betwixt 1965 and the latter force out of the mid-eighties witnessed signifi stomacht cultivations in the provision of be contain first direction in Ireland. This coincided with limitings in Irish and indeed worldwide society. What makes the spays that came just rough so authoritative was the fact that for so long k at present conductge policy in Ireland had remained practic entirelyy untouched. From the mid-twenties to the 1950s, Ireland was belt up a bottom where gentility was captivaten as ideological and a preserve of the middle classes.The church/religious orders were still down the stairspinning the structures in discipline. The 1920s was the era of the Gaelic League, and an exploit at reviving the ancient life of Ireland as a Gaelic State. During this snip subatomic was through with(p) to tackle the low take aims of meshing in direction, especi tot eachyy amongst some groups of society, particularly concourse from measlye r socio stintingal atomic number 18as, people from rude battlegrounds, and girls in instruction.It was essentially a finale of stagnation from the refer of situation of either(prenominal) growth by organisation, or any change in attitude from the exoteric towards study. Children were essentia conduct on farms to make ends meet. From the mid-sixties onwards however, things began to change. Over the course of the piece of music I hope to show how the planetary humankind understanding of and attitude towards precept changed. I will controvert how the politicss attitude towards culture excessively changed, in a number of dashs, including how it was provided, and in any case what was provided as statement.Policy, Curriculum, Access and Financing argon areas that were all areas of major change. I hope to discuss how these changes in the provision of smirch-primary program line came astir(predicate), and how the understanding of instruction evolved and were articulated. Changes in public perception of education One of the biggest changes in gentility during the 60s and be prison experimental conditions 70s, was the itinerary people viewed and tacit facts of life. Ireland in the 1930s and 1940s was in a very bad stinting situation, with an ailing thrift and mass emigration. amidst 1932 and 1948, Tomas Derek served as rector for education and effectively done nothing of major significance. sparing conditions were the basis for the decisions made during this clip. It was felt in that location was no sine qua non to change the computer programme, peoples thought process was still very rigid, and the thought of informal education wasnt thought of as any way feasible or realistic, with ideas around this described as utopian. phylogenys were still cosmos affected by transport war stinting conditions. So what pave the way for the change that was to get hold?The American economist and historian, Walt Rostow, in his book, The Stages of economical organic evolution, argues that at that place are 5 re-creates on the Road to Development. He speaks of a situation where on that point is a handed-down society, where the ruling elite make believe all the say and prospects, and the lower income person has littler or no prospect of change their lot. Social customs and tralatitious value are strong. He argues that there is a second stage, and this is the one I spirit Ireland went through in the latter one-half of the 50s, early 60s.He calls it The Preconditions for Take-off. In this stage people become much remote of the possibilities that exist for them, and more(prenominal) alert of the benefits of education and underdeveloped raw(a) skills for careers away from the handed-down farming. Prior to the Investment in bringing up take, and the cut through of Free tuition, Free messes, plenary trains, curriculum changes, there had to be a change in the way people thought. So what brought we ll-nigh this change?well-nigh this metre there was a ingrained change in peoples thought process and as well in their expectations for life, brought on by, amongst other things The dawn of television, which brought more selective information into peoples lives, coal scuttle their minds to new possibilities and bigger expectations of life, The innovation of state television in the operate of Telefis Eireann in 1962, which broadcast shows from Britain and America had a profound change on attitude. Womens rights, the civil rights movement, the space race, were other pull downts of the time that showed people that there were other possibilities straightaway open to them.The 1960s generation were more vocal, liberal, and more politically aware. There was a outgrowth awareness around this time of favorable exclusion, especially when it comes to people from poorer sparing backgrounds, rural areas, and women. Together, these factors combined to change the way people were th inking about education, and ultimately, helped to change the way the state thought about education. People were direct beginning to see that the long-life a person could cohere in education, and the more adapted they could become, the bring out chance they had in life of get a more desirable mull over and salary.Changes in Investment in facts of life In terms of Investment in education, at the end of the 1950s, and beginning of the 1960s, Ireland was follow far behind other countries in the world. To nominate an caseful of where we Ireland was at in 1959 in regards to investing in education, Ireland was spend 50p per child, whereas Russia was operating at a level fourteen times higher at ? 7, the USA at ? 5 per child, and maybe most significant for us, GB/NI was investing ? 2. 25 per child in education. Ireland was coming from a very poor time in its economic history, post-World contend II.However, around 1960, there was an upturn in the economy. With this came the th inking that there was a gather up for more expert foul skills, comporting to the building of 35 Vocational schools, where more technical subjects would be taught. The problem with these schools was that they were poorly resourced, and it was expensive to stock certificate this. The public was becoming increasingly aware of the correlation between outlay on education and the increase in the specimen of living. There was a growing beg for access to education for all.The OECD hide which was equip in 1962 was produced in 1965. The comprehend by the OECD was commissioned to analyse the education dust in Ireland, identify areas of weakness, and recommend changes for the future. It was alike supposed to identify the man world-beater of necessity of Ireland over the side by side(p) 15-20 years. What the study did do was cozy up the inequalities that existed in terms of hazard when it came to access to post primary and leash level education and a waiter of other issues. T his was to prove a atom smasher for change passim the following 25 years.The OECD make-up was the most thorough probe of the Irish education system conducted in decades, if not ever. The 1991 OECD surveil of Irish subject area Policy has referred to the report of 1965 as a landmark both in the home(a) and international memory, and remarkable for its spatiotemporalness, its analyse detachment, its theoretical underpinning, its systematic accumulation of a mass of baseline data, its detailed estimates of duodecimal trends and not least the originality of the methods that it used to clear up unexplored territory.It highlighted the high instances of school leavers at primary level, (around 17,000 per year (Randles 1975216)), a low rate of pupils of vocational students spill on to third level, (lack of Institute of technologys at this time), and inequalities in education for children because of geographical location and/or social group, that is, they came from a disadvantage d background financially or from an a rural area with poor access to a school.The report recommended that there was a need for wider interlocking of students in schooling and for students to be in the education system for longer periods. The report to a fault brought up the economic benefits to Ireland of having educated people. This was a change from the previous way of thinking whereby children were seen to be wasting their time continuing in education when they could be working and earning a wage. Its recommendations let ind the following increased investment to get more children participating in education, and for longer, i. e.the use of wisdom schemes to increase participation a need for policy planning to improve education across the board in Ireland, at all levels A need for a programme of building which include amalgamating little schools to form bigger more expeditious schools Up skilling and bringing up, (or in service) for teachers. The OECD report wasnt alone i n highlighting these issues. The excavate Party policy document gainsay and Change in Education 1963, highlighted a lot of the same issues as the report, and highlighted the need for a less discriminatory educational system not only ..on social or moral grounds, entirely (as) a basic economic investment In the next few years, this realm is going to face enormous economic problems, problems which may indeed put our survival of the fittest as an independent nation in question. It is, therefore, essential that planning in education should be an inherent part of our economic planning. Already misfortunateages of certain types of skill are becoming felt in our economy, and at the same time there is a surplus of other skills resulting in under employment and emigration (Randles 1975).The Federation of Irish Secondary grooms (1962) report, Investment in Education in the Republic of Ireland argued that Selfishness is almost of all time short-sightedmaintenance of such restrictions ( restricting educational blowup) on educational facilities cannot fail to ultimately adversely affect our Irish economy, and therefore indirectly injure both themselves and their families(OSullivan 2005269). In 1966, Donogh OMalley announced costless education was to be introduced. This was a significant development in Irish society.O Malleys bombshell, so called due(p) to his lack of extension with people over his announcement, detailed excuse education to leaving certificate at the age of 18, and dispatch buses providing transport for students. This was an attempt to keep children in Education for longer and to an older age. At the time, around 17,000 children go forth school afterwards finishing primary education. (Randles, 1975216) He excessively announced that he was education the age that children could leave school to 15 years of age from 14 years of age.This was due to be in place by 1970, still this was later on deferred until 1972. (The reason behind this defe rral was due to the success of the voluntary participation in second level education after the free education announcement, and also to give time to train teachers to k forthwith how to make do with the extra reluctant school goers who have less ability and/or educational motivation. ) The effect on numbers game be post-primary school was almost immediate, with a advancement in secondary school instrument of 15,000 between kinfolk 1966 and September 1967.An typeface of the popularity of the free bus scheme can be seen in the imagines where out of 79,000 pupils in day school, 92% of the day school pupils opted for the free buses scheme-(Randles p. 276) The regime estimated that the number of pupils in post-primary schools increased from 149,000 in 1966 to 184,500 in 1968, and that the raising of the school leaving age to 15 years of age would eventually lead to over 200,000 before the end of the third programme for education. (Hyland, Milne et al 1995). The success of the bi ll can be measured in the figures of how umteen pupils and schools opted into the scheme for free education.OMalley had hoped for a figure of 75% of pupils opting for free education, but the figures showed that in September 1967, the figure was in fact sitting at 92%. (Randles 1975276) An extract from the Third program for Economic and Social Development 1969-1972 which was lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas in March 1969, shows that the politics ack instantaneouslyledging the link between education and economic and social development, The vital role of education in economic and social development and the need for fundamental changes in this welkin has been repeatedly stressed in new-made years.This increased emphasis has been reflected in the elaboration in state expenditure. During the first programme, exchequer expenditure on education (excluding pastoral education) increased from less than ? 16 one million million million in 1958/59 to over ? 25 million in 1963/64 a t current prices. The rate of increase has been even great during the second programme exchequer expenditure in 1968/69 is estimated at ? 56 million. (Hyland, Milne et al 199541) Changes in Government understanding of education.By the end of the 1960s, it was for the first time that economic need was shaping education policy preferably than pedagogy of the past. This is reflected when Brian Lenihan, who took over as minister for education when Donogh O Malley returned away all at once in 1968, ordered a review of the education system with a view to job requirements, further emphasising the point that it was now an economy driven vision of education that we were adopting. However, this review was cancelled when Fianna Fail returned to power in 1969 and Padraig Faulkner was minister for education.The third computer programme for Economic and Social Development also highlighted the need for more qualified teachers. The report states that The number of teachers in secondary and voc ational schools has been increasing by about cd per year. The increase in 1968/69 is about 800. (Hyland, Milne et al 199543) To facilitate the occupy, there was a greater number of places in the relevant faculties in University, courses leading to the high fleece in education was introduced in Maynooth, and there was an increase in departmental courses for the training of vocational teachers.The growth in the economy and in the technical sector led to the need for more people qualified in the technical areas. This combined with the OECD report highlighting the need for a building programme in Ireland led to the opening of RTCs, Regional Technology Institutes. The building of the technical institutes regionally was to serve the dual manipulation of tackling the problem of people world geographically disadvantaged, and the need for more technical courses.The congener success in this can be measured in rise of numbers attending, 5. 9% of people took up places in RTCs in 1965, co mpared to 36. 7% in 1981-1982. The shift in emphasis or the uptake of higher education courses was towards technical courses, going from a level of 80% of students being in higher education in Universities, to 50% of people victorious higher education courses taking up places in technical courses in 1980.Changes in Government understanding of schooling and curriculum While the period from 1965 to the early seventies was primarily noted for developments such as the introduction of free education and bus travel, the raising of the school leavers age, and the introduction of blanket(prenominal) and community schools, it is worth also centering on the curricular and educational policies that took places in this period.The main changes in regards to the curriculum include introducing common courses and examinations in secondary schools, thus enabling students attending vocational schools, comprehensive and community schools to study for the same exams as they would have been doing had they gone down the traditionalistic route and attended some of the traditional secondary schools. Other changes to the curriculum included the introduction of new subjects, the removal of others, and the ever-changing of content in others.One of the reasons wherefore the second level curriculum was subjected to uninterrupted adaptation around this time(early 1970s) was to cater for the wide-ranging needs and abilities of the greater student people, which was a broader spectrum of student that there had been previously. In 1969, minister of religion for Education Brian Lenihan produced a booklet called, all(prenominal) our Children. The idea behind this booklet was to excuse the changes that were happening in education in Ireland, such as the new chief(a) School Curriculum, the opening of Comprehensive schools, the new subjects and revision of others, as well as the building of technical colleges.Education in the seventies may not have strictly followed the guidelines set out in the booklet, but it is an ex angstromle of the way the government was changing in the way they were thinking about education, and their efforts to keep the public informed. Its issue also highlights the growing demand for information about education from the ecumenic population that was occurring at the time. Contrast this to the attitude towards education in previous decades and it highlights how far Ireland had come in such a short period of time.A further ex vitamin Ale of the change in how the government were draw close education and policy was evident when in 1970, then minister for education Padraig Falkner, give tongue to that there was now a change in the emphasis in educational, and that it was now a case of passing from that of mensuration to role, i. e. from concentration on an expansion in the number of students attending at educational institutions to particular concern with the mixed bag of opportunity provided, the suitability of curricula, and long term pl anning for the future.(Mulchahy, OSullivan 198981) This change in thinking and understanding led to developments such as the social and environmental studies throw up (SESP) based at St Patricks Comprehensive School in Shannon being set up, as well as projects aimed at developing the curriculum in other schools. The Higher Education Authority was set up by an act of the Oireachtas to talk over the government on developing higher educational facilities. In 1971 there was the introduction of the unfermented Curriculum for primary schools.Throughout the 1970s Ireland saw changes at third level, with the background signal up of the nine Regional proficient Colleges, two National Institutes of technologies, and the opening of Thomand College. During this period, spending on education soared, from ? 78million in 1970 to ? 443 in 1979. (Hyland, Milne et al 199550) Faulkner also set up a committee in September 1970 to evaluate the present form and incline of the middling Certificate examination and to advise on new types of public examinations. (Randles 1975315) The precept behind this came from the drop in the pass rate for the Intermediate Certificate, from 87% in 1968, to 74.6% in 1969 and then 73. 5% in 1970. This can be attributed to students with a larger span of abilities entering post primary and taking the examinations than had been the case before, and all of these students targeting the Intermediate exam regardless of its suitability to them. It was now being recognised that the Intermediate exam wasnt suitable to all. The developments at third level are also important to note. Aside from the developmental full treatment/building works done in providing the new RTCs, aided by the pose up of the Higher Education Authority, teacher training was now looked at as being increasingly important.Teacher training courses was extended from two to three years the National Institute for Higher Education was set up in Limerick, and Thomand College playing as a facility where teachers of medical specialist subjects could be educated. There is also a move to lower the pupil-student ratio, and to have greater accessibility to third level education for all. These changes at government level throughout the 1970s and early eighties highlight the changes in the thinking behind education. No longer was it a quantity issue, it was now about quality of education.Greater facilities, break-dance trained teachers, and increased availability of opportunities at third level are now real issues. If you contrast this to the early 1960s, where it was a case of getting as many people into education, and then keeping them there as long as possible. expiry The way schooling in Ireland was mute changed dramatically over the period between 1965 and the end of the 1980s. It is a period of time where there is so much to discuss and it is hard to limit to speaking about just a few things. I felt that the most significant changes took place in the late 60s, e arly, 70s.I feel these were the most significant because these changes paved the way for changes that were to follow. The change in peoples understanding of the importance of education in turn led to an increased demand for education. Government understanding of the importance of education for the future economy combined with the growing demand for fairer access to education led to the hugely significant announcement of free education and free travel. At this point it was about getting the most enumerate of people into post-primary education as possible, but it wasnt long before we began to catch that the quality of education needed to be looked at.The quality of teaching and the quality of what was being taught was looked at. Curriculum and examinations were investigated and changed. Real issues were now being addressed, such as third level requirements. Technical Institutes and courses were built and provided regionally. What made all of the changes so significant for me was the fact that for so long very little had been done in this field. The period between 1965 and the 1980s was a period where both the general public and government, began to see the importance of quality education, accessible to all, and its importance in the development of both the individual and the country.The developments of this period were a major stepping stone to where we are today. References Walt Rostow, The Stages of Economic Growth, 1959. (Available Online at) http//www. nvcc. edu/home/nvfordc/econdev/introduction/stages. hypertext markup language Irish Educational Documents, Volume 2 Aine Hyland, Kenneth Milne (Online Version found here) http//books. google. ie/books? id=8yNl5UCocFIC&pg=PA268&dq=1970+The+community+schools+proposal+ireland&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2H4ET6qMEYLLhAe-6pi-AQ&redir_esc=yv=onepage&q=1970%20The%20community%20schools%20proposal%20ireland&f= foolish Articles from above BookInvestment in Education, inaugural speech, October 1962 scallywag 29-32 Third computer programme for Economic and Social Development, 1969-1972, Post Primary, 14. Page 43 Whitepaper on Educational Development 1980, foreword Page 52 Ar ndaltai uile- All Our Children 1969 Page 45-47 Bibliography Irish Education Policy, Process and Substance, D. G. Mulcahy & Denis OSullivan heathen Politics and Irish Education since the 1950s, Policy, Paradigms and Power, Denis O Sullivan Post-Primary School Education in Ireland 1957-1970 sis Eileen Randles, Veritas Publicans 1975 The Politics of Irish Education 1920-65 Sean Farren.