{"id":5292,"date":"2015-07-29T06:28:42","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T11:58:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/studentstories.soe.umich.edu\/?page_id=5292"},"modified":"2022-04-12T12:17:12","modified_gmt":"2022-04-12T12:17:12","slug":"preparations-for-departure","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.marsal.umich.edu\/studentstories\/past-trips\/current-trip-england\/planning-team\/preparations-for-departure\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparations for Departure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"2015-07-05<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In advance of our journey, Dr. Janet Lawrence helped us unlock knowledge about the UK education system through both readings and meetings to consider similarities and differences between our two countries.\u00a0 The history of higher education in the UK, the types of institutions found there, as well as the ways in which higher education is funded, how students are prepared, and who gains access were all topics of conversation prior to our departure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From India to England<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I look forward to the study trip in England, I reflect on my past few months participating in another study trip in Bangalore, India.\u00a0 I\u2019ve spent the last two months in India with the University of Michigan\u2019s Global Information Engagement Program<\/a> building an online learning management system.\u00a0 Part of the program required me to research the higher education system in India, much of which stems from the British system. \u00a0A defining structure of India\u2019s tertiary system is its affiliated college system borrowed from the British.\u00a0 While a bulk number of students study at public and private colleges (roughly 60 percent) these colleges do not have their own degree powers and must deliver courses, curricula and examinations specified and regulated by their parent state university (British Council, 2014).\u00a0 This system of regulation often contains barriers of access and privilege based on a student\u2019s class or caste.\u00a0 In going to England, I hope to pay close attention to how high-achieving British schools help students from low socioeconomic gain access to their institution.\u00a0 In India, the uptick in the volume of students entering higher education has put a strain on institutions to outperform others, leaving little room to subsidize programs rewarding access to those coming from communities of lesser means.In both India and England (as is the same in the U.S.), an examination taken during a student\u2019s eleventh year of secondary school seems to cement their lives into distinct academic versus vocational categories.\u00a0 Often dictated by test scores, their class, and prestige of secondary schools, students are placed in colleges\/universities based on these scores.\u00a0 Students in India with the highest test scores most often choose a degree in engineering as it grants the greatest mobility.\u00a0 Those that don\u2019t score high enough for engineering, will go into medicine or law.\u00a0 On the bottom of the academic totem-pole is students choosing a degree in the humanities or arts, which is often only for those that receive low test-scores but can still afford an education beyond secondary school.\u00a0 A student told me in India, \u201cAfter pursuing a degree in Engineering, then I can do what I really want to do\u201d.\u00a0 I asked, \u201c..and what is that?\u201d, his reply, \u201cBe a cook!\u201d. \u00a0 I found this paradigm to be really interesting and wonder if it\u2019s true for British students as well.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I\u2019ve read over articles given to us in preparation for the CSHPE England study trip, I see similarities and stark contrasts to what I\u2019ve seen in India over the past two months.\u00a0 More choices in academic subject, yes, but the same restrictions based on tests, class and prestige of secondary schools. Similarities make sense – modern India\u2019s education received much of its structure from the British system after it was colonized by the British until they claimed independence in 1947.\u00a0 What intrigues me are the differences that played out amongst both nations and how that compares to the United States. I\u2019ll pay close attention to how higher education institutions in England create opportunities of access and how it differs from that of India and the U.S.\u00a0 I\u2019m looking forward to the journey ahead and hope to convey my discoveries via blog posts and discussions with others.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Brandon Patterson, master’s student<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In advance of our journey, Dr. Janet Lawrence helped us unlock knowledge about the UK education system through both readings and meetings to consider similarities and differences between our two countries.\u00a0 The history of higher education in the UK, the types of institutions found there, as well as the ways in which higher education is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":0,"parent":5090,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5292","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.marsal.umich.edu\/studentstories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5292","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.marsal.umich.edu\/studentstories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.marsal.umich.edu\/studentstories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.marsal.umich.edu\/studentstories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.marsal.umich.edu\/studentstories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5292"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sites.marsal.umich.edu\/studentstories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5292\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6125,"href":"https:\/\/sites.marsal.umich.edu\/studentstories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5292\/revisions\/6125"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.marsal.umich.edu\/studentstories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.marsal.umich.edu\/studentstories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}