Змістовий модуль № 9

Education Systems in the USA, Great Britain and Ukraine

Pre-reading activity.

Read the topical words and expressions. Pay attention to their meaning.

To award нагороджувати

Bachelor’s degree ступінь бакалавра

Ban заперечення

Curriculum навчальний план

To complete завершувати

Crib шпаргалка

To cheat списувати, ловчити

Due належний, необхідний

Delay затримка

To expel виключати

To fail терпіти невдачу

To grade оцінювати (якість)

Grant стипендія

To graduate закінчити (ВНЗ)

Inclined схильний до чогось

Master’s degree ступінь магистра

Plagiarism плагіат

To review перевіряти, рецензувати

Sin порушення, гріх

Session сесія, навчальний рік

Utilitarian практичний

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I. Decide if the following statements are true or false according to the text below.

1. The tutorial model offers large group programmes.

2. A student is free in his choice of programmes and tutors.

3. Every country can afford the tutorial model because it is rather cheap.

4. Students are sure to be expelled from the University for cheating in exams and using cribs.

5. Education system is a kind of mirror of the nation.

6. Many students in the USA and Great Britain continue their education for taking the Master’s degree.

7. Dominating pragmatism and utilitarianism are the strongest points in education systems of the USA and Great Britain.

8. The Ukrainian education system is undergoing crucial changes.

9. There are state higher education establishments and those who are privately financed.

10. Many new specialities have risen in the curriculum of the Ukrainian higher education.

Text. Education Systems in the USA, Great Britain and Ukraine

The tutorial approach to teaching is very popular at universities of the USA and Great Britain. The tutorial model offers one-to-one or small group programmes. A student and a teacher meet to review the work that has been done. On the one hand a student is free in his choice of programmes and tutors. On the other hand a student takes more responsibility for his work. Naturally the tutorial model of teaching is rather expensive. Not every country can afford it.

The second thing that attracts our attention in the educational systems of these countries is the rating model of learning. In this model a student has to do a

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certain amount of work, to cover all the materials required and to present them in the due form and on time without delay. The student’s work is graded. At some

universities and colleges attendance of classes is an obligatory element of the model. A student is to meet all the requirements of the curriculum; otherwise he will lose grades and fail. Self-discipline is of great importance in this model.

One can’t but mention the moral aspect of learning at American and English universities: the greatest sins of students are cheating in exams, plagiarism and using such aids and appliances as a crib and cabbage. A student is sure to be expelled from the university for that.

Speaking about the education system of any country one can’t but take into consideration its moral and cultural values, mentality, living standards. Like it or not, the education system has to meet supply and demand of the society. It is a kind of mirror that reflects the major life objectives of the nation.

Everybody knows what “American dream” means: a large house, a car of the latest model, a considerable account in a bank. This dream has resulted in the negative tendency in the US education system – the growth of number of undergraduate students. About 60% of students are not inclined to continue their education and to take the Master’s degree. They think it is quite enough to have the Bachelor’s degree for their career development and earning a well-to-do living.

There is some common sense in such an approach to education as a means of making bread with butter. But following this way people take risks of reducing to simple-minded consumers. Dominating pragmatism and utilitarianism are the weakest points of the education systems of these countries.

Sociologists work with people, render them a real help in various difficult situations. But for many years even the word “sociology” was outlawed. And it was only in 60-ies that sociological studies were reborn.

How lucky we are to live in the period of openness and renovation. All the bans on obtaining and providing true information have been lifted. The result of this is the development of sociology.

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The Ukrainian education system is undergoing crucial changes. As a new democratic state Ukraine joins the European Economic Community. In the

light of the present day events there appeared new phenomena in the education system of our country. First of all our colleges and universities like European and American can be divided into two groups: higher education establishments which are supported by the state, by the Ministry of Education and Science in particular.

And those who are privately financed, that is students have to pay for their tuition.

Secondary new scientific degrees have appeared in our education system (Bachelor and Master).

Thirdly a number of new specialities have raised in the curriculum of our higher education, such as managers, social psychologists, sociologists etc.

II. Match the words with their Russian equivalents.

a) Tutorial model 1.платня за навчання

b) Rating model 2. списування на іспитах

c) Obligatory element 3. студент університету

d) Self-discipline 4. виключати з університету

e) Cheating in exams 5. т’юторська модель

f) Cribs 6. рейтингова модель

g) To expel from the University 7. фінансувати приватним способом

h) A University undergraduate 8. самодисципліна

i) Privately financed 9. обов’язковий елемент

j) Pay for tuition 10. шпаргалки

III. Fill in the gaps with the words given in the box. Translate the sentences.

cheating choice openness renovation

responsibility E E C rating education

pragmatism weakest points curriculum

outlawed specialities cribs

1. A student is free in his ____ of programmes and tutors and takes more ____ for his work..

2. The ____ model of learning attracts attention in ____ systems of the USA and Great Britain.

3. All students are sure to be expelled from the University for ____ in exams.

4. ____ are forbidden things at exams.

5. Dominating ____ and utilitarianism are the ____ of the education systems of the USA and Great Britain.

6. For many years even the word “sociology” was ____ in Ukraine.

7. We are lucky to live in the period of ____ and ____.

8. The Ukrainian democratic state tries to join the ____.

9. A number of new ____ have risen in the ____ of the Ukrainian higher education.

IY. Fill in the gaps in these sentences with suitable words, the first letter of which is given. Consult with the words after the sentences.

1. The tutorial model of t______ is rather e______.

2.In the r______ model of learning a student has to cover all the materials r______.

3. At some universities and colleges a______ of c______ is obligatory.

4. The e______ system has to meet s______ and d______ of the society.

5. The education system r______ the major life objectives of the nation.

6. About 60% of students in the USA are not inclined to c______ their education.

7. The U______ education system is undergoing c______ changes.

8. Colleges and universities in Ukraine can be d______ into two groups.

9. There are state education e______ and those who are p______ financed.

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10. Many new s______ have risen in the c______ of our higher education system.

(teaching; expensive; rating; required; attendance; classes; education; supply; demand; reflects; continue; Ukrainian; divided; establishments; privately; specialities; curriculum)

Y. Match English and Russian equivalents.

1. higher education a. отримати стипендію

2. private institutions b. місцева влада

3. university curriculum c. навчальний семестр

4. to receive grants d. складати іспити

5. local authority e. навчальний план університету

6. academic session f. вища освіта

7. to pass exams g. Приватні навчальні заклади

YI. Choose the right word and fill in the gaps.

1. Oxford is ____ of all British universities.

a) the youngest b) the oldest c) the poorest

2. All British universities are ____ institutions.

a) state b) old c) private

3. The ____ to the Universities is by examinations or selections.

a) admission b) regulation c) innovation

4. The students ____ grants.

a) spend b) receive c) pay

YII. Make a short summary of the text “Higher Education Systems in the USA, Great Britain and Ukraine”. Do it according to the following plan.

1. The title of the text is …

2. The text is devoted to …

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3. It consists of …

4. The first passage deals with …

5. The second (third, forth, etc.) passage deals with …

6. The main idea of the text is …

YIII. A questionnaire. What Sort of Learner Are You?

Tick the ways you prefer to learn and work.

1. I like listening and sharing ideas with other students.

2. I like reading and collecting information.

3. I like to begin a new piece of work immediately.

4. I think carefully before doing anything.

5. I like working on my own.

6. I like to test the rules to see if they are really true.

7. I like doing practical things.

8. I like discussions and working in groups.

9. Trying things out to see if they work.

10. I like to make my own mistakes and learn from them.

11. I like looking at lots of information and ideas.

12. I like working on things that I know will be useful.

13. I like to stop and to watch what happens.

14. I like discovering things for myself.

15. I rewrite my work several times to improve it.

16. I like solving problems.

Now check your answers and find out what kind of learners you are

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
R	T	A	R	T	P	A	R	P	A	T	P	R	A	T	P

Count how many of each letter you have.

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If you had mostly A’s, you are an Activist who likes to learn by doing things.

If you had mostly R’s, you are a Reflector who likes to learn by thinking

things through with other people.

If you had mostly P’s, you are a Programist who likes to try things out using common sense.

If you had mostly T’s, you are a Theorist who likes to learn by thinking things through on your own.

IX. Answer the following questions:

1. What do you like and dislike in the system of higher education of our country? What would you like to change?

2. Do you think there should be private and state universities? Which would you like to study at?

3. Do you think higher education should be free or fee-paying?

4. The system of education in Ukraine is considered to be one of the most successful in the world. Do you agree with this?

5. Would you like to study abroad? Why?

X. Read and translate the text. Make a short plan of this text.

Text. Education as a Social Institution

How often, when discussing some social problem, have you heard the phrase “Education is the answer”? You have probably heard it said many times, in reference to many different problems. This phrase reveals the extent to which education has become institutionalized in postindustrial societies. In such societies, the importance of education is virtually unquestioned. Through education we gain the capacity to create new products, achieve new accomplishments, and find new

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ways to solve our problems. Yet, although this is very much taken for granted today, the institutionalization of education is something that has happened fairly

recently. Through most of human history, truth consisted of that which was handed down from God or a set of gods, as interpreted by some human religious leader. Thus, “truth” could be taught in the home, by religious organizations, or by tribal elders, and no formal schools were required. Some societies deviated from these patterns – for example, the ancient Greek, Roman and Arabic civilizations.

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