What is the Purpose for Education? An Annotated Bibliography
Diane Waldron
Eastern Connecticut State University
I set out to explore what people all over the world consider to be the purpose for education. Increasing pressure has been placed upon educators to produce graduates whose skills meet the demands of local employers in order to justify expenditure of public funds on education. But is the creation of a skilled workforce the only purpose for education? Should education not also play a part in upholding the ideals of democracy as Jefferson and Mann believed? Is there not also a place in education for the development of the whole person, as Dewey advocated?
Beyond the borders of the United States, developing and underdeveloped countries struggle to provide their children with even the most basic education. I wondered if the challenges faced by the people living in those countries cause them to underestimate the need for education. When the majority of one’s time and energy must be spent on ensuring survival, I can imagine that it would be difficult to see the necessity or relevance of education. The social change necessary to transform this way of thinking could perhaps be considered yet another purpose for education.
I would argue that the purpose for education encompasses all of these concepts, in fact, I believe that education could be considered circular, or cyclical in nature. The people of a society must be educated in order to take a meaningful role within that society. The idea of a meaningful role will differ from society to society, but education should ensure that each adult member of a society can contribute to the advancement of his/her society. Contributions to society may take the form of governing, creating art, providing labor or ideas that uphold the society as a whole, and educating the society’s young people to have the skills and knowledge to continue to advance the next generation of their society in humanitarian, political, and economic sectors.
Annotated Bibliography
Ampofo, S. Y., Bizimana, B., Ndayambaje, I., Karongo, V., Lawrence, K. L., & Orodho, J. A.
(2015). Social and Spill-Over Benefits as Motivating Factors to Investment in Formal
Education in Africa: A Reflection around Ghanaian, Kenyan and Rwandan Contexts.
Journal Of Education And Practice, 6(11), 134-147.
Social and Spill-Over Benefits as Motivating Factors to Investment in Formal
The authors examine recent educational data from the African countries of Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda through the lens of the cost-benefit philosophy of education. Potential expected benefits from education, according to this report, include: personal benefits of social status, higher wages, personal accomplishment and satisfaction as well as participation in government and learning new technologies. Socially, education is expected to lead to decreased unemployment, increased productivity leading to increased tax revenue and gross domestic product. Lower crime rates are also an expected outcome of better educated citizens. The authors conclude that Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda have similar goals for investment in education, which are to create literate societies of skilled members of the country’s workforce with the purpose of furthering national development both economically and socially.
Cameron, J. (2012). Capabilities and the Global Challenges of Girls’ School Enrolment
and Women’s Literacy. Cambridge Journal Of Education, 42(3), 297-306.
Capabilities and the Global Challenges of Girls’ School Enrolment
The author of this paper discusses the view of education of women in developing countries through the human capital lens, beginning with the statement that educating girls brings the highest social gains of any formal education. Additionally, the concept of women’s education as a human rights concern is discussed. The UNESCO and World Bank views of education’s purpose are noted as being to help people learn more and be more productive, improve health and nutrition, enrich lives, promote social development, impact lifelong learning, and affect attitudes and behavior. Explanations for girls not attending schooling, and successful interventions are discussed, followed by an explanation and analysis of the capability approach to education. A capability approach would require a focus on transformation of rather than access to existing schools in order to use education to empower girls and women.
Carpenter, D. M., & Hughes, H. (2011). Gubernatorial Rhetoric and the Purpose of Education in
the United States. International Journal Of Education Policy And Leadership, 6(6), 1-15.
Gubernatorial Rhetoric and the Purpose of Education in
The authors describe a study in which they examined the speeches of U.S. governors to determine their perceptions of the purpose of public education within their states. They begin with a literature review and a brief discussion of the connection between gubernatorial speeches and policy making. An overview of historical ideas about the purpose of public education follows, defining the four effects of education, mention of which the authors search for in the speeches. Their results show that the majority of governors focused almost exclusively upon the economic effect of public education. Relatively few speeches mentioned self realization as a important facet of education, and fewer still addressed civic responsibility or human relationship.
Doevenspeck, M. and Woldegiorgis E.T.(2013).The Changing Role of Higher Education in
Africa: A Historical Reflection. Higher Education Studies,3(6),pp. 35-45.
The Changing Role of Higher Education in
The authors analyze the role of higher education in Africa, beginning with pre-colonial learning systems of the indigenous people of Africa. These learning systems, which existed to meet the needs of the local people, were changed with the European colonization of Africa. The goal of British colonial schools was to prepare and “elite” group of indigenous people to work in colonial administrative positions, while the goal of French and Portuguese colonial schools was assimilation of the indigenous people into French culture. Post-colonial education and higher education in Africa has gone through numerous changes; currently, economics and globalization are the most pressing forces affecting and being affected by higher education in Africa.
Higgs, P. (2012). African Philosophy and the Decolonization of Education in Africa: Some
critical reflections. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 44(S2), 37-55)
http://0-dx.doi.org.www.consuls.org/10.1111/j.1469-5812.2011.00794.x
Higgs discusses the necessity of African educational researchers and educators to consider the nature of African identity and philosophies when making educational decisions. The author describes the African Renaissance as a result of decolonization in Africa as well as an effort to consider the identity of indigenous African peoples beyond the European or Western views, which have been condescending toward indigenous Africans. Communalism and an African ethic known as Ubuntu are analyzed both in the context of daily life, but also within the context of education, and the importance of considering both of these philosophical ideas when educational decisions are made.
Lee, S. E. (2013). Education as a Human Right in the 21st Century. Democracy & Education,
21(1), 1-10.
Education as a Human Right in the 21st Century
The author makes a compelling argument for viewing free universal public education as a human right. Gains have been made in decreased number of children worldwide who are not enrolled in school, a narrowing of the gender gap in education, and an increase in adult literacy. However, there are still many people who do not agree that education is important, that it should be free, compulsory, or supported by the public. A strong case is made for consideration of each child’s societal context when undertaking the creation of policies intended to provide a meaningful education that will empower the individual child to live a fulfilling, successful life within his/her societal norms, thus assisting in the development of his/her society.
Murray, N., Tietjen, K., & Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness. (2014). School
Dropout Prevention Pilot–First Follow-Up Impacts. Society For Research On
Educational Effectiveness.
School Drop Out Prevention Pilot–First Follow-Up Impacts
According to the authors, worldwide the number of children out of school decreased from 102 million in 2000 to 57 million in 2011. Sadly, many children who are enrolled subsequently drop out of school without finishing the primary or secondary levels of education. This report outlines a plan for drop out intervention, the School Dropout Prevention Pilot, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, implemented in Cambodia, India, Tajikistan, and Timor-Leste. An “Early Warning System” was created for each country, whereby school staff and members of the community reach out to the parents of at-risk youths. At the same time, at-risk youths receive additional intervention in the form of after school tutoring and/or recreational activities, depending upon the country.
Ogochukwu, E., & Gbendu, O. G. (2015). Extent of Implementation of Minimum Standards of
Basic Education for the Realisation of the Second Millennium Development Goal in
Bayelsa State. Journal Of Education And Practice, 6(13), 121-130.
Extent of Implementation of Minimum Standards of
The study described in this report addresses the implementation of minimum standards of basic education in Salga Education Zone of Bayelsa State in Nigeria. While all stakeholders agree that basic education plays a pivotal role in the social, political, and economic development of nations, and while universal basic education is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals, in reality many Nigerian schools lack the necessary facilities, equipment, and qualified professional teachers and staff to implement universal basic education. The report calls on governments and school officials to correct these deficiencies so that education in the Salga Education Zone can implement the minimum standards of basic education.
Rogers, J., Bertrand, M., Perez, W. (2012). Finding Common Ground in Education Values:
Influential Californians Speak On The Purpose Of Public Education. Los Angeles: UCLA
IDEA.
Finding Common Ground in Education Values:
This article describes a study conducted by researchers at UCLA’s Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access. They wanted to discover what fifty community leaders believed to be the purpose of public education in California. The results of this small study imply that a majority of community leaders feel that preparation for participation in civic activities is one very important purpose of education. Additionally, participants identified knowledge and skills that public school students should acquire prior to graduation. Participants were divided over whether or not public schools should prepare all students for college; however, all felt that public schools should prepare all students with the tools for successful career or postsecondary experiences.
Schafft, K. A., & Biddle, C. (2013). Place and Purpose in Public Education: School District
Mission Statements and Educational (Dis)Embeddedness. American Journal Of
Education, 120(1), 55-76.
Place and Purpose in Public Education: School District
The authors analyzed the mission statements of 480 Pennsylvania school districts in order to determine the articulated educational purpose of these districts. The article discusses several theories about influences upon public education and its intended purpose(s). The authors identified several common themes within school district mission statements, including: student outcomes, and school-community ties. The authors note that while schools ought to meet the local needs of their community, schools are also responsible for addressing mandates at both the state and national level. In other words, schools exist within the geographical community where the school is located, but also within a contextual state and national community; and that state and national community
Do you want to know more?
International Education for All
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013
UNESCO Institute for Statistics