CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.2 Limitations and Recommendations
國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
59
Furthermore, throughout our research, we have observed the gap between the student’s knowledge gained in school and the requirements that will be waiting for them outside, in life. We understand that the educational process of growing up is that schooling experiences should facilitate the learners to fully fulfill their potentials and not only for the purpose of passing exams. To do this, schooling should aim to inspire rather than to control.
Through interviewees, cram schooling has been said as creating more opportunities of interaction between students and teachers however, the remaining teacher-centred method still show that changes are happening slowly compared to what students will have to face after school. This study aimed to show how the cram school experience could bring life long impacts on a students learning achievements.
After all, cram school education does help in students’ academic achievements to a certain degree for certain motivated students. The current Taiwanese education system is still failing to provide the necessary tools for students to succeed normally without having to go to cram school. That is why cram schools are controversial for students’ learning experience and achievement. Cram schools are no longer just a supplement but a necessity for Taiwanese secondary school students.
5.2 Limitations and Recommendations
Concerning the methodology, after finalizing the interviews, I do realize that it may not capture all details that I expected due to a lack of elaboration from some of the respondents. Moreover, due to the small sample size, the research findings may not have been completely representative to portray all aspects of cram schools. Also, the cultural barrier may have added an extra challenge in understanding properly what the Chinese-speaking respondents actually meant or felt. Though, in this study, using mostly a qualitative research method through extensive interviews from cram school owners, teachers and students was the best solution to capture detailed information through open-ended questions. The study didn’t interview any policy makers, by doing additional interviews, the study may open greater discussion on the transition
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
60
cram schools are taking with new teaching methods. Due to the following limitations, the sample size can be enlarged and be more inclusive. Finally, due to a lack of existing literature on student’s experience in cram schools, and the cram school environment, the study contributes to a greater extent through interviews. Additional surveys were also conducted on former attendees, current attendees, and parent’s attitude also. Finally, supplementary classroom observations would be recommended to increase results of the present study. In terms of recommendations, the researcher has one suggestion concerning the cram school owners, is to pay greater attention to the teachers they are hiring. By looking closer into the teachers’ background, motivations and abilities to teach English in a creative way would increase academic results, rather than paying too much attention to the appearance (color of skin, physical traits) and nationality that does not necessarily bring value to students achievements.
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
61
REFERENCES
Aurén, H. & Joshi, D. (2016). Teaching the World that Less is More: global education testing and the Finnish national brand. In W. C. Smith (Ed.), The Global Testing Culture: shaping education policy, perceptions, and practice (pp. 64-77). United Kingdom: Symposium Books.
Balwanz, D. (2016). The Discursive Hold of the Matric: is there space for a new vision for secondary education in South Africa? In W. C. Smith (Ed.), The Global Testing Culture: shaping education policy, perceptions, and practice (pp. 270-276).
United Kingdom: Symposium Books.
Bokova I. (2015). The World Education Forum To Education 2030. Podcast retrieved from
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/education-for-all/education-2030-framework-for-action/
Bray, M. & Kwo O. (2014). Regulating Private Tutoring for Public Good. Policy Options for Supplementary Education in Asia. Hong Kong: Comparative Education Research Center (CERC).
Bray, M. (2003). Adverse Effects of Private Supplementary Tutoring : Dimensions, implications and government responses. UNESCO. Retrieved from
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001330/133039e.pdf
Bush, T. (2007). Educational leadership and management: theory, policy, and practice.
Retrieved from
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.729.7350&rep=rep1&type
Chang, Y. H. & Yi, C. C. (2004). Cram schooling and Academic Achievement.
Academia Sinica. Retrieved from http://www.typ.sinica.edu.tw/upfiles/2004_Ying-Hwa%20Chang.pdf
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
62
Chang, W. (1994). After-School Schooling. Taiwan Today. Retrieved from http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=99555&ctNode=2198&mp=9
Chen, H. & Fan, H. H. (2014). Education in Taiwan: The Vision and Goals of the 12-Year Curriculum. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/education-in-taiwan-the-vision-and-goals-of-the-12-year-curriculum/
Chen, S. Y. & Lu, L. (2009). After school Time Use in Taiwan: effects on educational achievement and well-being.
Chou, C. P. & Ching, G. (2012). Taiwan Education at the Crossroad: When Globalization meets localization. US: Palgrave Macmillan.
Chou, C. P. (2014). A matter of trust: shadow education in Taiwan. Revue Internationale d’éducation de Sèvres. Retrieved from https://ries.revues.org/3800
Chou, C. & Ho, A. (2007). “Schooling in Taiwan”. Going to School in East Asia, 15 ; 344-371.
Courtenay, M. J. (2013). Culture & Competition. A study of Supplementary Education in Taiwan. Durham thesis, Durham University. Retrieved from
http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/6906/
Entrance exam reform stirs controversy (1992). Taiwan Info. Retrieved from http://taiwaninfo.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=75519&ctNode=103
Entwistle, N. & Ramsden, P. (2015). Understanding Students Learning, Preface.
Routledge Revivals.
Elrich, S. H. (2003). Experience-What is it? (pp. 1126). Int J Psychology.
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
63
Goh, S. C. & Khine M. S. (2002). Creating Positive Learning Environments in Taiwan. Studies in Educational Learning Environments, an International Perspective (pp. 225-227). Singapore : World Scientific Publishing Co. Pt. Ltd.
Hammond, J. R. (2013). Cram schools in Taiwan and the Counterproductive ‘No Chinese Rule.’ Retrieved from http://www.jeremyrhammond.com/2013/03/05/cram-schools-in-taiwan-and-the-counterproductive-no-chinese-rule/
Hsieh, J. S. (2001). The effect of Cramming Schools on Students’ Mathematics Achievement. Journal of National Taipei Teachers College, Vol. XIV (pp. 313-338).
Hsu, S. C. (2006). Children of Working Parents. Retrieved from
http://ir.lib.tiit.edu.tw/bitstream/987654321/152/1/Children+of+Working+Parents.pdf
Is it twilight for cram schools? The Japan Times (2014). Retrieved from http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2014/08/30/editorials/twilight-cram
schools/#.Vt5rAJPhDq1
Kao, H. H. (2010). Investigating the effects of implementing online tutoring in an English afterschool program. Retrieved from
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042810004490
Kim, K. J. & Bonk, C. J. (2006). Educause Quarterly. The Future of Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (pp. 22-29). Retrieved from
https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/EQM0644.pdf
Ko, S. & Yeh, L. (2002). English to be made official. The Taipei Times. Retrieved from http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2002/05/01/0000134069
Koh, A. (2014). The “magic” of tutorial centres in Hong Kong: An analysis of media marketing and pedagogy in a tutorial centre. Singapore: Springer. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/9050604/The_magic_of_tutorial_centres_in_Hong_Kong_
An_analysis_of_media_marketing_and_pedagogy_in_a_tutorial_centre
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
64
Krashen, S. (2003). Dealing with English Fever. In Selected Papers from the Twelfth International Symposium on English Teaching. English teachers’ Association/ROC, Taipei: Crane Publishing Company pp. 100-108.
Language Professionals of Taiwan, My Website. Retrieved from
http://myu.com.tw/recommended_teachers.php?lang=en&PHPSESSID=pfbq4k811m cit621b8e5uiqba3
Lee, J. Migdley, J & Zhu, Y. (2014). Social Policy and Change in East Asia. Gender, Social security and Citizenship (pp. 53-55).
Liu, J. (2012). An Overview of Student Achievement and the Related Factors in Taiwan. In Hattie, J. & Anderman, E. M. (Ed.) the International Guide to Student Achievement (pp. 490-492). Routledge.
Liu, J. (2011). Does cram school matter? Who goes to cram schools? Evidence from Taiwan. International Journal of Educational Development. Elsevier.
Mok, K. H. (2006). Taiwan’s Response to Globalization: Changing Governance in Higher Education. Education Reform and Education Policy in East Asia (pp. 38-40 &
152-159).
More public, less private education is needed. The China Post (2016). Retrieved from http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/taiwan-issues/2016/07/07/471440/More-public.htm
New Zealand Council Educational Research (NZCER, 2015). Shifting to 21st Century Thinking in education and learning: The Knowledge Age. Retrieved from
http://www.shiftingthinking.org/?page_id=58
Orkodashvili, M. (2016). How Much Stakes For Tests? Public Schooling, Private Tutoring and Equilibrium. In W. C. Smith (Ed.), The Global Testing Culture: shaping education policy, perceptions, and practice (pp. 215-218).
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
65 United Kingdom: Symposium Books.
Park, H. (2013). Are high-test scores of Japanese and Korean students due to “shadow education”? In Re-Evaluating Education in Japan and Korea: Demystifying the Stereotype (pp. 65-92). US & Canada: Routledge.
Peng, M. (2004). MOE English-teaching policy sparks storm of controversy. Taiwan Info. Retrieved from http://taiwaninfo.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=20539&ctNode=103
Potaka, E. & Yeh, B. (2011). Book Dragons: Inside Taiwan’s cram schools. The Taipei Times. Retrieved from
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/06/08/2003505264
Richardson, H. (2015). Chinese schools young ‘robbing young of individuality.
Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/education-34605430
Roesgaard, M. H. (2006). Japanese Education and the Cram School Business:
Functions, Challenges and Perspectives of the Juku. Denmark: NIAS Press.
Sadi, O. (2015). The Analysis of High School Students’ Conceptions of Learning in Different Domains. International Journal Of Environmental & Science Education, 10 (pp. 814-815).
Smith, W. C. (2016). An Introduction to the Global Testing Culture. In W. C. Smith (Ed.), The Global Testing Culture: shaping education policy, perceptions, and practice (pp. 7-11). United Kingdom: Symposium Books.
Steynmayr, R. Meibner, A. Weidinger, A. F. & Wirthwein, L. (2014). Academic achievement. The Oxford Bibliographies, introduction. Retrieved from
http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199756810/obo-9780199756810-0108.xml
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
66
Student learning, Student achievement: How do teachers measure up? NBPTS.
Retrieved from
http://www.nbpts.org/sites/default/files/documents/research/NBPTS_Student%20Lear ning%20Student%20Achievement%20(2).pdf
The Ministry of Education’s Bulletin. A Newly Revised Refund Standard for Short-Term Cram School Programs (2016). Retrieved from
http://english.moe.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=7732&ctNode=517&mp=1
The Ministry of Education. Developing 21st Century Competences for our Next Generation. A White paper on International education for primary and secondary schools (2014). Retrieved from
http://english.moe.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=14915&ctNode=11411&mp=1
The Ministry of Education. Enrolment rates of School. Educational Statistical Indicators (2015). Retrieved from
http://english.moe.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=14504&CtNode=11430&mp=1
The Ministry of Education. Education in Taiwan 2013-2014, pp. 9. Retrieved from
https://stats.moe.gov.tw/files/ebook/Education_in_Taiwan/2013-2014_Education_in_Taiwan.pdf
The Ministry of Education. Education in Taiwan 2014-2015: Youth development Affairs, pp. 45. Retrieved from
https://stats.moe.gov.tw/files/ebook/Education_in_Taiwan/2014-2015_Education_in_Taiwan.pdf
The Ministry of Education. 2015 Education Statistical Indicators. Retrieved from http://english.moe.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=14504&CtNode=11430&mp=1
The Oxford Dictionary. Definition of cram school in English. Retrieved from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/cram-school
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
67
UNESCO (2005). EFA Global Monitoring Report. Understanding Education Quality (pp.28-30). Retrieved from
http://www.unesco.org/education/gmr_download/chapter1.pdf
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
68
APPENDIX A
CRAM SCHOOL OWNER INTERVIEW
Name:
QUESTIONS
How many classes of students do you have in your Buxiban?
- How many students per classes? / How many teachers work there? / How old are the students?
1) When was your cram school established? What was your motivation at that time?
And now?
2) Did you encounter any trouble in opening your cram school? (For example:
regulations)
3) Did the education reforms in Taiwan impact your buxiban? In what way ?
4) How do you think your Cram school attracts students better than that one of your competitors?
5) What are your requirements to hire teachers? 5 to 10 years before, was it the same ? 6) Do you often hire new teachers? What is their average Income?
7) Is the material used in cram school identical to the one used in regular school? 10 years ago, was it the same?
- How would you define your teaching method? Do you feel it has changed ? 8) For each class, do you try to follow the students’ regular schools’ agenda?
9) What are your requirements to accept students in your cram school?
10) How much money do parents have to spend on their children?
11) What is your biggest challenge in managing a cram school today? 5 to 10 years ago, was it the same?
12) How do you perceive your cram school in the coming 5 to 10 years?
13) What do you think about the Taiwan Ministry of Education promoting creative learning and thinking? Do you think it can be applied in cram school in the coming 5 to 10 years?
APPENDIX B
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
69
CRAM SCHOOL TEACHER INTERVIEW
Name:
Age:
QUESTIONS 1) How long have you been in Taiwan for?
2) How long have you been a cram school teacher for?
-In how many cram schools have you worked for? How old were the students?
3) What subject(s) do you teach?
-Why did you want to become a teacher?
4) What were the requirements to become a cram school teacher? (Teaching certificate, personality traits, experience, others...)
5) According to you, why did they pick you to become a teacher?
6) What kind of training did you get before starting teaching?
7) How many students do you have for each class?
8) How many hours do you work per week?
- Are you paid daily/ weekly/ monthly?
9) Please, briefly, describe your day as a cram school teacher:
10) Is the school flexible in terms of allowing teachers to provide extra-curricular material for students?
11) Do you find useful to provide extra-curricular material for your student’s improvement?
12) Do you usually try out different teaching styles/ activities or do they want you to follow the « Taiwanese way »? (Ex: use of rote-memorization)
13) For you, what is the biggest challenge in teaching in a cram school in Taiwan?
14) Would you be willing to continue teaching in Taiwan in the future? And why?
15) Have you also experienced teaching in a regular school in Taiwan?
- If yes, what was the biggest difference between teaching in a Cram school vs.
Regular school?
16) How do you see yourself in the coming 5 years?
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
70
APPENDIX C
STUDENT CRAM SCHOOL INTERVIEW
Name:
Age:
QUESTIONS
1) How many cram schools did you attend?
2) Was it an Academic or non-academic cram school?
3) When did you attend cram school? Please write the specific year (Ex: 1999) 4) Why did you choose that cram school in particular? Did you parents have influence over that choice?
5) Have you already changed cram school in order to get better results?
6) Did you like your experience?
8) At school, how were you ranked ? .../100 or ...C, B, A 9) According to you, what is the goal of a cram school?
10) Can you say you have learnt new skills thanks to going to Buxiban?
11) Can you think of 5 positive / 5 negative things about your cram school experience?
12) Would you recommend that experience to other people? And why?
13) According to you, why are Cram schools important?
14) How many hours do you recall working? In average.
15) Do you find the disadvantages worth the effort?
16) What kind of pressure did you have during that experience? Please describe what kind of pressure:
17) Did you find the material and/or teaching style useful for your learning?
18) Did you improve or get better grades after attending cram school?
19) Please describe briefly a day at school and in your Cram school:
20) What are you currently doing ?
21) What would you suggest to make the Cram school experience more interesting to you?
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
71
APPENDIX D
GLOSSARY OF INTERVIEWEES
This appendix contains samples of all the participant interviews. When the researcher began the interview process, he discovered that most students studied English in cram school. Experience soon proved that English language is an extremely valued subject by the education system and society in Taiwan. After, the first two interviews, the researcher found necessary to gather additional information about the teachers and owners of cram school to understand the phenomenon from another angle. From the new interviewees, nearly all of them involved English language in their subject of teaching or curriculum. Separate conclusions concerning teachers and students experience in cram school were derived from the interviews.
CRAM SCHOOL OWNER INTERVIEW
Participant A : Lilian (Taiwanese) English Learning Cram school
Participant B : Pheobe (Taiwanese Born American) English Learning Cram school
PARTICIPANT A (OWNER)
The researcher met participant A in her respective cram school in May 2016. Her cram school is similar to an-chinban, which involves teachers and supervisors helping students with assignments and homework but it also provides proper English/Drama classes in the main room. Before Lilian’s cram school opened in September 2009, the school was a kindergarten but because of societal changes such as low birth rate and the high demand for English, and private courses, she decided to redesign the operational aspects of the school to make it more profitable. The main idea gathered from this interview is that reforms have had an impact on cram schools and on their way of operating.
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
72
PARTICIPANT B (OWNER)
The second owner of the cram school the researcher sought to interview offered her perspective as having a language cram school with an extended branch for online tutoring. The students are from the age of 10 to 40 years of age. The adult cram school was opened to expand the business and provide a learning institution for adult learners. The language centre offers both in-classroom and online learning to our students. The company believes that the language school will continue to grow. The main idea gathered from this interview is that even though online learning is becoming more and more popular, we have listened to the feedback of our online students and believe that in-classroom classes are still necessary.
CRAM SCHOOL TEACHER INTERVIEW
Half of interviewees are Taiwanese, the other half are foreigners. Average age group sample: 34 years old.
Participant C : Francesca (British) / Experience: One year and a half in three different Cram schools/ Teaches English and Drama to children from four to sixteen years old / No training / No certificate
Age: 26
Participant D : Meng (Taiwanese) Experience: Two years in three different Cram schools / Teaches high school classes including History, Geography, Social Sciences, Biology to teenagers from fifteen to eighteen year old students / No training / No certificate.
Age: 27
Participant E : Sean (Taiwanese) Experience: ten years in two Cram schools / Teaches History, Geography, Citizenship to teenagers from fifteen to eighteen year old
students / No training / No certificate.
Age: 27
Participant F : Anonymous (American) / Experience: Two years in two different cram schools/ Teaches English to children and adults from four to mid-forties/ No training/
No certificate.
‧
Participant G : Anonymous (Dutch) Experience: thirteen years in ten different Cram schools / Teaches English to children from six to eighteen years old / No training / No certificate.
Age: 40
Participant H : James (Taiwanese) Experience: Ten years in five different Cram schools/ Teaches English to adults from sixteen to fifteen and children from four to fifteen years old / No training/ No certificate. James was interviewed both as a teacher and student.
Age: 58
PARTICIPANT C (TEACHER)
Participant C has been a cram school teacher in Taiwan for the past two years in three different cram schools; she is 26 years old from England. She has taught English in both academic and an-chinban type of cram school to children from four to sixteen years old. She has no teaching certificate. The main idea drawn out of this interview is in the three different cram schools she taught English, all three demanded a specific approach to teaching while affecting the teacher’s experience as a consequence. Also, the study conducted the observation case study in one of her classes. This is when the researcher realized that having a training prior teaching is a necessity as you may
Participant C has been a cram school teacher in Taiwan for the past two years in three different cram schools; she is 26 years old from England. She has taught English in both academic and an-chinban type of cram school to children from four to sixteen years old. She has no teaching certificate. The main idea drawn out of this interview is in the three different cram schools she taught English, all three demanded a specific approach to teaching while affecting the teacher’s experience as a consequence. Also, the study conducted the observation case study in one of her classes. This is when the researcher realized that having a training prior teaching is a necessity as you may