EDU 605: Trends and Reforms in Educational Institutions: Ireland

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of educational trends and reforms in Ireland, focusing on the changes implemented at both micro and macro levels. It examines Ireland's efforts to align its educational practices with international standards, including the incorporation of foreign languages, cultural studies, and exchange programs like ERASMUS and SOCRATES. The report also highlights the importance of teacher training programs and counseling services within schools. Furthermore, it compares Ireland's reforms with those of the UK, Austria, and the Netherlands, detailing specific policy changes such as increased funding, vocational training, and the development of new educational initiatives. The report also explores the implementation of key strategies like the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy, the Teacher Sharing Initiative, and the Language Strategy, which are aimed at improving student outcomes and addressing the evolving needs of the education system. The document also includes the use of figures that highlights the changes in education system.

EDU 605: Trends and Reforms in Educational Institutions
A Study of Ireland
Your Name
Policy at International Level Micro Level: Educational Practices
Title of your focus
REFERENCES
ABSTRACT
Trends and Reforms in Educational
Institutions
A Study of Ireland
Reforms at Ireland
The primary reformation that have been included in the educational system of Ireland is that the country is aiming towards developing or establishing a relationship with the other
educational trends of the continent. The schools have been made decentralized. Incorporation of foreign languages, especially English and the inclusion of cultural studies and the
inclusion of the perspective of cultural diversity have also been included in the educational system of the country. In the higher studies and at the university level the practice of exchange
programs have also been included. The ERASMUS and the SOCRATES programs are also been aiming to have included into the educational system of the country (Cowen. and
Kazamias. 2009). Along with this, certain training programs for teachers have also been included to ensure the physical and the mental wellbeing of the children of the country (Aldridge.
and Goldman. 2007). The practice of counselling at the schools have been made essential at the schools.
UK:
Micro Level-
• Wider gap has been made between the primary and secondary schools since 1944.
• The school leaving age was changed to 15.
• The country made the basic education free following the Elementary Education Act 1870.
Macro Level:
• The Education Act of 2011 is included, and the funding has been increased to the Universities
as well as for the primary and the secondary schools.
• Vocational trainings and apprenticeship into the educational structure of the country.
Austria:
Micro Level:
• Improving the quality of education
• Increasing the number of students at school.
• Increased remuneration of the teachers.
• Developed the infrastructures of the universities and colleges and schools.
Macro Level:
• In 2010 the Amendment of the University Act 2002 is included, to guide the performance of the
schools and the teachers.
• In 2018, a Basic Legislation was developed and the funding includes 11 billion EUR for the
performance agreement period 2019 – 2021.
Netherlands:
Micro Level:
• Workshops have been planned and developed for the primary schools.
• The government is aiming to raise fund to reduce work pressure.
• Proper funding system has been developed.
• The number of students at the school level is trying to get increased.
Macro Level:
• €237 million has already been made available by the government, and this likely to increase to
€333 million in the 2019-2020 school year.
• The country has planned pre- vocational trainings at the secondary schools.
Now, considering the international measures and the strategies included by the Irish government it can be stated
that the country has effectively certain strategies which will help the country and the students of the same to
acknowledge the educational practices at the international level. It has included international programs like the
ERASMUS, and has developed a certain strategies which has helped the country to include a holistic attitude
towards the educational programs (Lynch., Ash. and Chadwick. 2013).
At the macro level the country has aimed towards devising certain effective plans and policies in
order to substantiate the needs of the children. First of them is the National Strategy to Improve
Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People which was launched in 2011 with a
ten year plan, and it is still in practice, and the officials are planning to modify the plan with
associating certain other attributes into it (Hall et al. 2015).
The Minister for Education and Skills of the country, in 2018 has also announced development of
two new Irish-medium teacher education programs to provide education at new places, and this
program will include 60 teachers to roam around the country, and provide free education to the
children being at a disadvantageous position (O’Connor, 2018).
In 2017 the country has also announced 2400 extra teaching posts to address the demographic
needs. The aim of this program is also to provide guidance and to address the challenges made
by the recession and to support the school leadership at different educational institutions posited
at inclusive areas (O’Connor, 2018).
The educational organizations have established a Career Guidance commission at every
educational institutions. The objective of the career guidance is to make the students aware of the
situations and to understand about the career opportunities that they can have in the future. The
program also aimed to enhance the governmental structures
The next strategy that the country has included is the Teacher Sharing Initiative, where the
teachers are asked to come and involve together in order to develop an action plan for the
children. The country has also included a Language Strategy (Faas., Hajisoteriou. and Angelides.
2014).
The country has set up a Foreign Language Advisory Group (FLAG), with a five year educational
plan 2017- 2022. According to the educational planners, considering the current scenario, an
inclusion of the foreign language is necessary. The aim of the language strategy is developing the
speaking ability and the fluency of the children (Banks. and McCoy. 2017).
1. References:
2. Aldridge, J. and Goldman, R.L., 2007. Current issues and trends in education. Allyn & Bacon.
3. Banks, J. and McCoy, S., 2017. An Irish Solution…? Questioning the Expansion of Special Classes in an Era of Inclusive Education. The
Economic and Social Review, 48(4, Winter), pp.441-461.
4. Cowen, R. and Kazamias, A.M. eds., 2009. International handbook of comparative education (Vol. 22). Springer Science & Business Media.
5. Faas, D., Hajisoteriou, C. and Angelides, P., 2014. Intercultural education in Europe: policies, practices and trends. British Educational
Research Journal, 40(2), pp.300-318.
6. Hall, D., Grimaldi, E., Gunter, H.M., Møller, J., Serpieri, R. and Skedsmo, G., 2015. Educational reform and modernisation in Europe: The role
of national contexts in mediating the new public management. European Educational Research Journal, 14(6), pp.487-507.
7. Lynch, C.D., Ash, P.J. and Chadwick, B.L., 2013. Current trends in community-based clinical teaching programs in UK and Ireland dental
schools. Journal of dental education, 77(5), pp.604-611.
8. O’Connor, S., 2018. Problematising strategic internationalisation: tensions and conflicts between international student recruitment and
integration policy in Ireland. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 16(3), pp.339-352.
9. Styron Jr, R.A. and Styron, J.L. eds., 2017. Comprehensive problem-solving and skill development for next-generation leaders. IGI Global.
Policy at a Macro Level: Nationally
The country has issued the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools,
the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, of the students who are at a
disadvantageous position. Also it addresses the disadvantageous position
of the educational programs, and aims at prioritizing the educational needs
of the children. The commission has further established two funds, first, the
School Excellence Fund-DEIS 2018, to implement certain innovative
programs at the educational institution. Second, the Delivering Equality of
Opportunity in Schools - DEIS Plan 2017, targeting at the literacy and
numeracy in the educational institutions, to progress the learning skills and
abilities (Banks. and McCoy. 2017).
Along with the development of the educational action plan for the children,
the educational commissions of the country is also aiming at,
Enabling and developing the parents to fulfil the educational needs of the
children.
Building leadership capabilities at the educational levels.
Improving the curriculum and including more and newer physical activities
within the curriculum.
Helping the students with additional needs, and hence the counselling
practice have been given special focus and all the educational institutions
of the country (Styron.. and Styron. 2017).
Conclusion
Focus of the Topic
The educational system has undergone certain changes since the war times, the educational practices and in the modern age, there are certain attributes and practices that have been
included in the educational practices. In the modern times, the psychological wellbeing and the physical wellbeing of the children have gained certain specific and important approaches,
and the educational analyst have found the attributes of mental and physical wellbeing of the children to be extremely important. Therefore, in the following assignment, the changes and
the reforms that have taken place in Ireland have been given special focus.
Figure 1: New vocational Education and Training
Source - Banks and McCoy, 2017
The provided diagram exhibit the lifestyle of human being that undergoes
various significant changes throughout the entire life span. With the
emergence of new changes the older one gets disappeared.
Figure 2 – Different stages of Education acquaintance
Source - Faas, Hajisoteriou & Angelides, 2014
The mentioned table describes the age group of students to appear for different
levels of educational facilities. This starts from the age of 4-7 and ends up in the age
group of 18 by moving into senior school.