Innovative Trends of the School System in England And Wales

Author: Kuei-Hsi Chen

Abstract：

The purpose of this paper is to study the existing school system of England and Wales and to discuss its innovative trends since the Education Act 1944.
On the whole, the provision of education in England is largely based on its cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds; the two distinctive features of the school system are (1) the development through planning and evolution rather than revolution, and (2) a consider-able degree of flexibility.
The main trends in primary and secondary education include: (1) the trend towards the establishment of comprehensive schools, which admit children without reference to their abilities; (2) the trend of providing a better transition between primary and secondary school; (3) the trend of stressing the welfare services and special needs in education.
The main trends in further and higher education are as follows: (1) the trend of em-phasizing the variety and flexibility in further education; (2) the trend of innovation in academic organization and curriculum development in modern universities and Open Uni-versity; (3) the trend towards a radical reorganization of teacher education.
In the last chapter, some implications of these trends to the future developments of the school system in the R.O.C. have been presented.
(7) The participation of elementary and secondary school teachers in the circulating teaching class of in-service learning has some effect on normal teaching.
(8) The circulating teaching class of in-service learning for teachers of elementary and secondary schools has promoted the quality of the teachers.
(9) Elementary and secondary school teachers' educational spirit has been slightly pro-moted after they have taken in-service learning courses.
(10) Elementary and secondary school teachers' special knowledge has been considerably promoted after they have taken in-service learning courses.
(11) Elementary and secondary school teachers' ability to design and evalute curriculum has been slightly promoted after they have taken in-service learning courses.
(12) Elementary and secondary school teachers' teaching knowledge and skills have been much promoted after they have taken in-service learning courses.
(13) Elementary and secondary school teachers' ability to discipline and guide students has been much promoted after they have taken in-service learning courses.
(14) Elementary and secondary school teachers' administrative ability has been slightly promoted after they have taken in-service learning courses.
(15) Elementary and secondary school teachers' ability to do independent thinking has been quite promoted after they have taken in-service learning courses.
(16) Elementary and secondary school teachers are quite satisfied with the curricula, teach-ing materials, teaching methods, and administrative services of the circulating teaching class of in-service learning.
(17) It is centainly worthy to keep the circulating teaching classof in-service learning going. The findings and conclusions of this study prompt the following suggestions for the "irnprovement,of the circulating teaching class of in-service learning in Taiwan.
(1) To keep the circulating teaching class of in-service learning for teachers of elementary and secondary schools running.
(2) There should be four levels of in-service learning for teachers of elementary and sec-condary schools.
(3) The circulating teaching class of in-service learning should be offered by various de-partments.
(4) The teaching method of the circulating teaching class of in-service learning should be diversified.
(5) Various active or passive measures should be taken to encourage elementary and sec-ondary school teachers to participate in the circulating teaching class of in-service learning.

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