Keywords: equal educational opportunities; Free education; School selection system
China Library Classification Number: G40 Document Identification Number: B Document Number:1009-9166 (2009) 020 (c)-0159-01.
First, the meaning of "equal educational opportunities"
In western educational theory, there are many definitions of equal educational opportunities, the most representative of which are Coleman in the United States and Hu Sen in Sweden. j？ Coleman summarized the concept of "equal educational opportunity" into four meanings: 1. In the pre-industrial society, paternalism prevailed and there was no goal of equal educational opportunities; 2. In the industrial society, the equality of educational opportunities has developed to the education of establishing foundation, obligation and public funding for people's children; 3. In European liberals and socialists, equality of educational opportunities is defined as "providing all children with the same educational opportunities", that is, everyone can receive education without restriction regardless of social background; 4. In the liberalism theory, the concept of equality of educational opportunities is interpreted as equality of educational results or academic achievements. Coleman also pointed out that equality of educational opportunities "can only be a way, and can never be fully realized." t？ Hu Sen defined "equality" and "opportunity" respectively. He believes that "equality" has three meanings: 1. It means that everyone has the opportunity to start a learning career without any discrimination (starting point equality theory); 2. Treat people of different races and social backgrounds on the basis of equality (process equality theory); 3. Promote equal opportunities for academic achievement (equal result theory). Opportunity refers to several groups of variables: 1. Various material factors outside the school; 2. Various physical facilities of the school; 3. Some psychological factors in the family environment; 4. Some psychological factors in the school environment; 5. Learning opportunities (i.e. teaching conditions). In addition, there are three types of McMa hon's theory: 1. Horizontal fairness means that the same person is treated equally; 2. Vertical fairness means that different people are treated differently; 3. Intergenerational equity refers to ensuring that the inequality of the previous generation is not completely continued. In Coleman's view, the concept of "equal educational opportunity" has undergone such an evolution process: from the lack of equality goal to the establishment of compulsory education for the children of working people, to the provision of equal educational opportunities for all children, and finally to the pursuit of equal educational results. On the other hand, Hu Sen believes that equality means that everyone has the opportunity to receive education. On this basis, he pays attention to people's differences, thus promoting equal opportunities for academic achievement. The realization of the goal of equality depends on various factors inside and outside the school. McMahon emphasized differential treatment and intergenerational equity. From three angles, we can find that the equality of educational opportunities in western developed countries is not limited to everyone's opportunity to enter school, but has developed to the height of pursuing equal educational results.
Second, the understanding of the meaning of "equal educational opportunities"
To deeply understand the definition of equality of educational opportunities, we must also understand the meaning of the principle of equality. The meaning of the principle of equality, that is, "within the scope of national financial resources, the right students can get the right education from the right teachers under the condition that students can get the greatest benefit from their training" (Graham? Sir Balfour). "Equality is not only to make it easier for students to receive education through free, but also to open the door of the school to all students. This matter itself will not bring equality, which depends on the social background. " (Gu Mingyuan) The equality of educational opportunities is different. Appropriate students should be educated in all-round physical and mental development in order to achieve the most favorable state. At the same time, we should understand equality from the economic, cultural and social environment, because without historical background and social development, it is impossible to achieve absolute and unconditional equality. We should also have a correct and comprehensive understanding of the controversial issue of "educational equality". On the one hand, we must realize that in the process of marketization, the principle of equal educational opportunities has been greatly impacted and many problems have emerged. On the other hand, we should also realize that equality of educational opportunities has different contents and manifestations under specific circumstances and conditions, and we cannot look at the problem with a single rigid eye.
In western developed countries, the equality of educational opportunities between primary education and secondary education is also affected in many ways. For primary education, the main influencing factors are the primary school system, the development of national economy, the remnants of the old system, schools and social welfare undertakings, teaching and class size. For secondary education, the main influencing factors are the types of schools and courses, students' subjects, free education and so on. In secondary education, academic courses are special courses related to certificates or diplomas. Parents and the public think that secondary education types other than academic qualifications are inferior. Paying too much attention to certificates and privileges reflects the extravagant demands of society and economy, but fails to embody the principles of education, which complicates the division of middle schools and becomes the most serious problem. At the same time, in the sub-subjects, academic courses are placed in the main position, forming a relative situation with applied courses.
Third, the American school choice system and its reference significance
So as to improve the overall quality of education. The idea of school choice mainly comes from the idea of advocating freedom, emphasizing that the right to education and the right to study are part of human rights, and demanding that the right to education be given to the educated themselves, so that they can independently choose the education that is most suitable for their own personality development, and expand more people's educational opportunities through choice, which is essentially a concept that attaches importance to human rights. At present, the current situation of realizing education equity in China is that compulsory education has been popularized in most areas, achieving quantitative equity, but not achieving quality equity and real free education. At present, there is a serious problem of "choosing schools" in China, which is a manifestation of serious unfairness in education. At present, the policy of "nearest school" in compulsory education in China restricts students' right to choose schools, and "computer allocation" infringes on students' right to choose schools. In the process of quality education reform, combined with the implementation of school selection system, it can promote the development of schools with diversified characteristics, help education meet the needs of students with different personalities, and guide parents, schools and other personnel to change their educational concepts in the process, which will ultimately help deepen the reform of quality education in China. At the same time, the diversified education quality competition generated by the implementation of the school selection system can restrain the bad development tendency of some private schools and is also conducive to encouraging and promoting the improvement of the education quality of private schools. The author believes that due to the limited economic strength, it is difficult to establish diversified education and implement the school selection system in China at present, and we can only start from the local area, but this is one of the future choices for China to achieve equal and fair educational opportunities.
Author: Wu Sufang Jiangxi Vocational and Technical College of Nursing.
Xie Huawei, teacher of Jiangxi College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
About the author: Wu Sufang (1977-), female, from Yongxin, Jiangxi, teacher and assistant lecturer of Jiangxi Vocational College of Nursing, research direction: higher education management; Xie (1977-), male, from Yongxin, Jiangxi, teacher, teaching assistant, research direction; Educational economic management.
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