Enhancing Education: Quality, Management, and Technology
Quality of Education
The quantitative approach to education has been prevalent across countries for a long time. However, it’s crucial to question if this is sufficient for quality social education. Several questions arise: Are we truly delving into the nature of its content and authority? Shouldn’t axiological and humanistic dimensions be included alongside technological aspects? Does it foster an appropriate social climate, or does it promote mercantile competitiveness? Can we even discuss quality education in developing countries? The reality in underdeveloped nations is that they often lack the minimal resources, not just for quality education, but even for basic education.
Effective Educational Management
Effective educational management involves at least four key dimensions:
- Maximizing the use of all educational and social resources.
- Planning long-term, beyond electoral cycles.
- Designing educational and social policy as a real process, not just an offer of opportunities and services.
- Extending management to the social sphere.
Education and Employment
The link between education and employment is a major challenge for education systems. Work is a vital social goal for education today. Professional training is an essential part of the educational process. Society demands priority in capacity building, both general and operational, adaptability to change, acquisition of personal and emotional skills, general knowledge of work, and even job-seeking strategies.
Educational and vocational training can mitigate the serious psychosocial effects of unemployment. Universities, often seen as ‘unemployment factories,’ may need to adjust their academic programs to new social realities. A key strategy should emphasize continuous self-improvement, not just initial studies.
International Organizations and the Role of Universities
UNESCO has outlined elements for a conceptual framework on internationalization in science and higher education. The OECD highlights institutional challenges related to universities, describing new trends and providing relevant indicators. The European Commission is interested in real data and European education. Data on student integration is essential. There is growing awareness from UNESCO and Europe for extending and interacting educational approaches with the Organization of American States for Education, Science, and Culture.
The specific role of the university must be reinvented and universalized. The teacher’s role must be claimed bravely, redefining their role and prestige.
Education and New Technologies
Post-industrial society can be considered the information society. In this society, everything revolves around information and knowledge. Defining the field of new technologies for educational officials is challenging, as they are immersed in a dynamic field of science and society. Computers and telecommunications are essential for integrating the country, social fabric, productivity, efficiency, social cohesion, and quality of life. The audiovisual sector is also undergoing continuous change. Nanotechnology is emerging in the field of new technologies.
Education stakeholders must remain attentive to the rapid evolution of new technologies and their application to all areas of social activity, ensuring their suitability for educational and humanizing purposes. It is crucial to be aware of the importance of media literacy and information technology in educational processes.