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EDUC 200 - SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT

Task 1. Big Picture Questions
Question 1 – Name 4 countries that have a great educational system. Based on what you learned in this course, what are 3
similarities that these countries have in common? What are some factors that have helped these countries to excel in the area
of education?
Based on the 2018 PISA results the top countries that I would choose would be Canada, Finland, Ireland, and Estonia. The biggest
success from these countries comes in my opinion from the freedom and importance that countries give to their teachers.
Teachers are much more respected and are expected to improve on a bigger scale to keep challenging the students. The second
similarity comes from the number of hours students are putting into their education. The students are expected to study a lot of
hours. The third similarity comes from the education equality within the country. The top countries not just these four try to
make sure that all students are given the same number of opportunities, and that comes from making sure all teachers have the
right tools needed.

Question 2 – Based on what you’ve learned in this course, do you think the top performing countries are influencing other
countries? Describe how the countries, which are listed highest in terms of PISA scores, are having an affect on other
countries.
Yes, the top countries are having an impact. We can use Germany as an example. In our class we learned that Germany believed
that when the first scores were given, they would be one of the top countries and the reality was different. As soon as they saw
the results they were surprised and started looking at top countries. They started to be more serious and started creating
curriculums for their classrooms.

Question 3 – Do you think that countries who pay little or no attention to educating its citizens can/will have a negative
impact on the world in the future? Support your answer.
Yes, I do believe that not educating citizens will have a negative impact. I was born in Mexico, and I grew up in small poor town.
When it came to time for governor or presidential elections most of the candidates took advantage of the living situations that
the citizens lived in. Citizens voted for the candidate that was able to give them more free stuff. They never actually took the
time to listen to their political views. Some citizens were not able to finish school so some of them did not know how to read or
write. Things have changed since then, but the reality is politicians still take advantage of citizens who have not been privileged
with better education.
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Question 4 - How does education in other countries compare to the system of education in the U.S. from your observations?
When taking the education system of the U.S and comparing it to other countries, I would say that the U.S places in the middle.
They are not a top performer because the equality in education in the United States is not there. Every State is different, and I
think that is a huge problem. There are too many factors that get in each other way and politicians cannot agree in an education
system that would be the most ideal for the country. The U.S is not at the bottom either because the economy is good enough
to keep the systems at least steady enough for its citizens to receive a basic level of education.

Question 5 - Name some populations that are denied a good education? For example, we all know based on experiences in
this class that women and girls are denied a good education in parts of the world (sadly). What are other groups of people
that are denied a good education?
Immigrants would be the other population that I can think of. Every country has some sort of problem with immigrants in their
country. In the U.S for example, many citizens believe that immigrants do not deserve the same types of benefits. Some citizens
have a negative view on a particular ethnicity and laws are often created to not allow immigrants to be able to receive some of
the help the government hands out to its citizens.

Question 6 - Reflect on the topics we've discussed throughout EDUC 200 – name some things you could now do differently in
your future class because of the information learned in this course.
I want you to be self-reflective (think about your thinking) – tell me what you could do in your future class to make it better
based on items we've learned about with regard to different educational systems around the world?
It could be things like helping diverse learners, or perhaps being more aware of students who may live in rural areas of your
district and don’t have access to technology (these are just some ideas I had).

One the reasons why I want to become a teacher is because the amount of help I got from my teachers growing up was
extremely important to me. I did not know the language and there was a huge number of bilingual teachers there to help me
out. I was extremely lucky that the community I grew up on growing up had a big Hispanic presence. I do not believe that is the
case for everyone and I think a lot of students are being left out and a lot of them falling behind in their education. I want to be
able to help immigrant families feel comfortable and allow them to feel the sense that their kid will have a brighter future. I want
to become a resource for parents and students. One thing we learned in this class was the students from the top performing
countries respect teachers and see them as an example. I want to be a good example for my students.
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(Questions 7a through 7e) Let’s say that you are the ruler of your own country - think about some of the factors/conditions
that go into having a great educational system. And please have a little fun with these questions, too.

Question 7a - What would be the name of your very own country? What would be the name of the capital of your country?
Make something up! Have fun, be silly.
I am a huge fan of Greek Mythology, so I would name my country Olympus with Zeus being the capital. I would place a
thunderbolt in the middle of the flag.

Question 7b – What would the population of your country be? Big or small? Come up with a number. Why did you choose
that number? For example, would you want an incredibly large population, say over 1 billion or perhaps you want a very small
population, under 1 million? Tell me why you chose the population size you decided up.
I would have my country be a small country, under 1 million for sure. If we look at the top performing countries most of them
happen to be small countries. I think that gives them the ability to be able to give more equal opportunities to its citizens. I
would like to offer equal opportunities to the citizens of my country.

Question 7c - Do they have access to technology (very briefly tell us about technology in your country)?
Technology access would be a must in my country. I think that technology can open many different opportunities for my citizens.
I would like to make things like zoom or virtual tours a thing for the students. I want them to able to communicate with students
from other countries and be able to interact with them. I want them to be able to explore the world with technology and learn
about all the different types of cultures around the world.

Question 7d – Would your country be mostly rural? Urban? Suburban? A combination? Why?
I would be a combination of both. I grew up in a rural country and I loved every bit of it. The problem was that we were not
exposed to many different types of situations that as an adult you need to succeed. I think students need to be able to know how
live in a city, how to travel using public transportation. Students need to be able to speak to larger audiences and not just small
classes. Cities also give you a chance to see different cultures that small town folks do not get to see.

Question 7e- Come up with at least 4 more facts/factors that would have an impact on your country’s educational system.
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Think about conditions/factors that have led to the creation of great educational systems around the world. Now, what
condition/factors would you like to see in your very own country?
1. Respected teachers. I want the teachers in my country have the same level a of respect a doctor or governor may have.
2. Education Equality. I do no want to have a need for private schools. I want the education in my country to be the best
without having your economic status being an issue.
3. Free education. I want students to not worry about loans and money if they wish to continue their education. Having
citizens with higher education will create a positive outcome for my country.
4. Educational options. I do not want college to be the thing you must do to be successful. I want citizens to be able to
choose a different path and be happy with it. I want them to have the knowledge to succeed at something different.

OPTIONAL – If you would like to draw an outline of the country in Word (using tools found in Word), include some clipart
and/or freehand then insert that picture of your country and place it here, please do so. This is optional of course, but I love
seeing how creative students can get! Only do this if you have some free time.

Zeus
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