Page 15 - ELG1701 Jan Issue 443

ELrankings
January 2017 Make a confident choice Page 7

HAPPY Afor the improvement of With demand for qualified teachers outstripping supply across East Asia, knowledge of what happens
s education inspection
systems worldwide strive
at the school and prolong the
asymmetric market?
educational practices to raise
The UK, through the Brit-
ish
student outcomes – and no doubt
Accreditation
Council’s
secure bragging rights over fel-
UK, stands up to scrutiny with
low education ministers with an Duncan Verry explains why accreditation is key to raising standards
an established inspection sys-
elevated position in the OECD
government’s attitude towards
Pisa rankings – it is interesting to
look around the world and evalu-
international students, and all the
system first and foremost. The
openness and transparency in the
ate what impact this trend has had look after its national schooling has long supported quality sys- tem. It is less well served by the
tems and inspection schemes that
NEW YEAR! approach to education accredi- competition between countries a natural evolution of quality a customer. Other destination
growth and mobility shifts for
on language centres, if any.
assist in raising standards within
world cannot overturn a cold-
hearted and selective attitude to
Unesco identifies a ‘hard gov-
language teaching. Rankings are
English language learning in
ernance’ and ‘soft governance’
Asian markets is creating huge
systems and have had an impact
markets are covered to various
tation. Hard governance is the
for student travel. The customers
on the educational landscape for
extents, but it appears that the
setting of performance targets
will surely decide, but on what
desire to recruit international stu-
a number of years, and will con-
and use of data and indicators to
basis do they make this decision
dents is stronger than the desire
tinue to do so. The methodologies
on with what confidence?
foster competition and improve-
of rankings are always under
to publish inspection results or
ment. The soft governance
Vast numbers of hours of
scrutiny and should come under
commit to a more detailed level
approach relies on self-evalua-
tion and creating networks for
teenage years, yet it is a disap-
Failure to adopt quality stand-
of the data and the methods of
measurement. International and
ards, openness and transparency
pointing picture. For all of the
best-practice learning. learning are spent from tender to challenge and regular re-appraisal of measurement.
The key destination markets investment of time and money domestic rankings of universities around outcomes may leave
are well-served by accredita- from students, there is a woe- can be effective tools for help- language centres at the mercy
tion systems, although there are ful lack of quality, regulation ing to manage government funds of online provision. Language
variations in the openness and and independent information to in student sponsorship and col- travel will remain the preserve
transparency of the data and help choose a language centre. Courtesy Studio Incendo laborative research programmes. of the fortunate few, but as more
inspection results, and they sit at It is easier to find an independ- State education departments in students choose to stay at home
different points of the hard–soft ent assessments of burger developing countries are increas- and home markets become satu-
governance continuum. While restaurants or noodle bars than a ingly protecting their investments rated with poor quality offerings,
some of these markets wrestle language school. INFORMATION OVERLOAD There is a lack of quality, regulation by limiting choice to the best students will seek to take control
universities of internationally
in a medium they know and
The supply of qualified teach-
with the economic and moral
and independent information to help choose a language centre
Best wishes to all dilemma – data openness ver- ers in East Asian language these countries regularly set them- kets for language school provision respected rankings. Could the trust. Busuu has acquired 60
schools cannot meet demand,
same happen for ELT?
sus open doors – they do still
million users in eight years, add-
only serve a tiny fraction of the
and the huge growth in the num-
selves ambitious programmes
ing at a rate of 100,000 per day.
The majority of English
are far removed from the stand-
ards and regulation expected of
overall market and all go well
language study is of course
Its announced move into B2B
in two areas: to achieve higher
ber of schools in countries such
beyond any domestic provision
as the Philippines, Malaysia and
primarily a private market in
provision with Busuu PRO – in
rankings within university league
other education providers, within
our readers for a in source markets. China has created a market of tables, and many vice chancel- the country and internationally, terms of student fees, but the partnership with McGraw Hill
So why do the domestic
variable quality delivered within
and do not reflect their achieve-
– suggests a focused and deter-
lucrative contracts and relation-
lors have bewilderingly difficult
markets, where quality and
ships with state authorities must
key performance indicators to
the classrooms in each country –
ments in Pisa rankings.
mined effort that, along with
experienced teachers are less
other providers, will become
and also by the schools online,
dislodge the established elite; and
surely come under the spotlight
Through its Centres of Excel-
to increase the level of English
a serious challenge to the soft
lence scheme and the rankings
easy to come by, not manage the
as they use this channel to reach
soon. How long will government
quality of their language cen-
into neighbouring markets.
language learning to a point of
edges of non-accredited class-
sponsors or self-funded students
based on British Council Accred-
prosperous 2017 tres? Ultimately the state will State education departments in bilingualism. Yet the local mar- itation UK data, the EL Gazette continue with the imperfect room provision. n
Thank you for
your support
from the
EL Gazette team