Reflective Journal 5

Reflective Journal 5: Reflect on education. You may choose reflect on the necessary priorities of education, how far the ideals and realities of education converge, how the problems discussed about education in US and China can be resolved. You should explicitly explain how class discussion on education in US and China have influenced/shaped your views.

Education. Much debate has arisen about what it is about and how it is supposed to be. Many experts and well-known figures with differing views. Indeed, education can be perceived in many ways, depending on how one views this ambiguous term. In this reflective journal, I shall express my views on education itself, problems with it, and how it ideally should be.

Education can be defined in many ways. Some feel that it is simply the cramming of beliefs of the past generation down the throats of the young and impressionable while others believe that it is the end to ignorance. These different views on education varies according to how and which education system an individual had gone through. To me, education is a mixture of both. Undoubtedly, education feeds you knowledge and this knowledge, when applied to real life, teaches us how to deal with all sorts of situations and make the best decision. Hence, it can indeed be considered the end of ignorance. However, it can also be considered cramming information into the young. Past discoveries, schools of thought are all reflected in textbooks or media which we have to study and these are all achievements of the previous generation. However, if we look at it from another perspective, these are the basics that is essential to us before be build our own knowledge upon it. Education is the process of supplying one with the basic knowledge and passion to learn, to develop, to soar beyond what they are taught in classrooms and discover new things on their own.

Why do so many people complain about the education system nowadays? What are some prevalent flaws that prevent it from reaching its objective? I’ll explore this issue from both perspectives of China and America. Firstly in China, there is an over-emphasis on rote based learning and standardized tests in China. Students’ academic abilities are completely judged by scores and grades on these tests. Though the Chinese are widely recognised as intelligent, earnest and hardworking, these are merely the qualities which an average worker should possess. Students can do well in tests and exams, as seen from various international competitions topped by the Chinese. However, they have not produced many innovative personalities who can revolutionise the world, such as Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. Generally, the Chinese are very clear and capable at what they are required to do and can fulfil the requirements of a job well, however, they lack the ambition and creativity to go beyond what is expected of them and explore. In my opinion, the cause of this is the standardized tests. It trains students to stick with the syllabus and meet the criteria. If you venture beyond, you would be placed at a disadvantage as others would make use of the time to further drill themselves on topics to be tested. Hence, we can see the over-emphasis on scores such that students believe it’s more worthwhile to spend time cramming for tests instead of exploring their interests, resulting in competent mediocrity being produced, not entrepreneurs.

On the other hand, America’s education system allows for more specialisation and freedom to choose one’s curriculum instead of a more all rounded education like China. Students have the autonomy to pursue subjects in which they have interest in, deciding the path they want to take in the future at a young age. This allows for more time and space for further exploration, unlike China’s education system in which students have to study and excel at a wide variety of subjects, reducing the time they have for exploration. However, such a system has its cons as well. Should one have the maturity and discipline to decide what is best for them and what would be beneficial to their future, then such a system is ideal. However, if they do not and decide to go for easy courses instead, they would ruin their future as they have no other knowledge to rely on. Hence, this would and could result in unemployment among youths as they do not possess the necessary skills to contribute to the economy.

In conclusion, the ideal education system should have a mix of both China’s and American education system. Incorporating experiential learning into a rigorous curriculum would produce the best and brilliant students that are diligent, earnest, yet at the same time not lacking in creativity and innovation to venture beyond their classrooms and achieve their potential.

Reflective Journal 4

Reflective Journal 4: Reflect on youth apathy. You may choose reflect on how far you deem yourself to be an apathetic youth by referring to examples from China, the United States and/or Singapore.

Apathetic youths have become an increasingly worrying phenomenon in China, and possibly Singapore. There has been much debate on the causes as well as the consequences of such a predicament that these countries are faced with. In this journal entry, I would also be including America as well as my personal experiences as a youth in Singapore. The past few lessons of the term were dedicated to this topic and it has broadened my perspectives and knowledge on this issue. Youth apathy towards politics is indifference and lack of interest in politics or just plain ignorance with regards to the youths’ attitude towards politics. This simple definition shall be what I base my arguments on.

This phenomenon is especially prominent in China. China’s new and upcoming generation live in an age of economic success and prosperity in China. People are generally contented and satisfied with their lives. This is similar to the situation in Singapore as well. In Singapore, society is stable and Singaporeans generally enjoy high living standards with excellent public transport system and good education. Unemployment rates are low at 2.2% in 2010 and people are becoming increasingly affluent. In 2007, 33 percent of employed households earned a monthly income of at least 7,000 Singapore dollars. In 2008, 39 percent of employed households earned a monthly income of at least 7,000 Singapore dollars. In China, the economic growth far surpasses Singapore and many Chinese are becoming richer. Hence, this would be one factor that led to youths nowadays being politically apathetic. They are satisfied, contented and saw no need to change the status quo through politics. Adversely, in the US, the country is heavy in debt and youths are feeling the immense pressure of this national debt that would be handed down to them. Hence, they would involve themselves in politics in order to improve their current situation.

Besides satisfaction levels, one factor that is unique to China alone is that China is a communist country and is governed solely by one party. The citizens feel that even if they participate in politics, it would be futile as they are not able to change anything.

I would consider myself an apathetic youth, though not completely, to a large extent. I have little knowledge on the political systems of both China and the US, neither do I possess an in depth understanding of Singapore’s political system. I recall Mr. Karplus bringing up the House of Representatives and I was totally clueless about the operations of it. I merely knew the existence of such an organisation. Similarly, other than the Minister of Education and a few others, I am unaware of even the name of others in the cabinet. I do not attend rallies nor do I know the objectives of various different political parties in Singapore. Unfortunately, I believe I am not the only one. Findings from the TNP Young Voters 2011 survey found that if voting was not compulsory, two in five Singaporeans aged between 21 and 35 would not bother to vote. Personally, I think that in Singapore’s case, the education system plays a large part in this. Singapore is a meritocratic society whereby those in the workforce or students alike are rewarded based on their hard work and results. This is of course a good system to adopt, however the competition that stems from it is undeniable. With much emphasis placed on standardized tests and rigorous curriculums, youths have their hands full tackling those tests and exams as well as homework. Thus, they would choose to neglect politics that does not affect them directly such as academics.

The consequences of such are dire. Our generation would be the ones governing and ruling the country in the future, be it China, Singapore or the US. The youths would have to take over. Without proper knowledge about politics, they would not be ready to receive the heavy responsibility of governing a country. This is indeed worrying as apathetic youths could very possibly lead the country down a path of destruction should they have insufficient knowledge about politics and how to govern a country. Although those selected for the cabinet are supposed to be a selected few, youth apathy is still a problem as they would not know who to vote for and the party that would best represent their interests. However, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen said we should not worry too much. According to him, it’s perfectly normal for youths to feel this way as they only pursue what is ahead of them. The situation should change when they have a career, family and mouths to feed.

In conclusion, the main reason for youth apathy is still satisfaction levels of the citizens that affects their participation in politics. Contented youths are too comfortable to care about politics.

Reflective Journal 3

Roles of women have undergone much change through years of education, awareness and various feminist movements. Roles of women have changed from the traditional ones in each society, to the new social norms that are observed among modern women today. I would use case studies from both China and the US to support this general statement. In my opinion, the change of roles of women is brought about by mainly, the changing mindsets of the people and the independence that they have achieved.

Roles of women have arguably, changed for the better, from the traditional care taker role to one deserving of a more dynamic lifestyle. Let’s take China for example. Women in China used to be very submissive as China’s society was a patriarchal one since the time of different dynasty periods whereby females were considered inferior to males. This mindset was widespread in China and even women themselves believed they were inferior. Hence, their role, under influence of the stagnated mindsets of the Chinese passed down generations after generations, was taking care of household, domestic matters, supporting their husbands. Women’s statuses are now elevated to almost on equal with men. Women in the workforce, education for women were all completely unheard of in the past. This shows that the society has become more accepting and receptive to women’s opinions and acknowledgement of women’s abilities. Mao once said, “Women hold up half of the heavens.” This shows that women already have an irreplaceable role in homes and have now extended their reach over to other aspects of life which used to be an only men’s territory.

Similarly, in the US, women had traditional roles as well. Women were generally viewed as mothers and wives, nothing more. They were also considered inferior to men as portrayed by the law in the past which states that after women marry, they give up their name and virtually all their property came under their husbands’ control. Women were also deprived of the right to vote and this shows that the general attitude towards women then was that they should not dabble in politics simply because it’s a man’s job and men are much more capable in this field. Women were only supposed to be housewives and do household chores. This unfairness to women did not go unnoticed and in 1848, the first women’s rights convention was held. This was the start to a series of feminist movements that raised the status of women in America and gave women more rights such as women’s suffrage and the right to initiate divorce. Hence, this gives them a more active role in society in terms of economics, politics and even social.

Women, being empowered like never before, are being granted the autonomy to pursue whatever interests them, no longer the stereotype role that they were supposed to play in the past. This brings us to my next point about women’s independence. In a way, women have obtained independence of their own and are no longer confined by stereotypes of society. The cause of this is debatable. However, I believe the rising affluence is the cause for this change. Look at China’s ME Generation as an example. They are getting richer, have better education and career prospects. In the case of affluent families, they can afford to send their children to school, even females. Hence, when these females, equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills, step into society, they do not lose out to men in terms of qualifications for positions in the workforce. With increased participation in the economic sphere comes financial independence. Women no longer have to depend on men for income and this is the most important factor in deciding the change in the role of women. With financial independence, they are now free to pursue extravagant lifestyles on their own without reliance on men. Hence, this is directly connected with their elevated status in society as independence has given them freedom to attempt things that were out of their reach in the past. Take Hillary Clinton for example, she was the first female candidate to run for presidency. The elections happened in 2008 and before the class discussions, I had virtually almost no knowledge about her campaigns or history. Through class discussions, I learnt that Hillary Clinton could be a representation of women’s progress in American society. The current US Secretary of State pushed for feminism policies, at the same time, considering America’s interest.

Her success is reflective of what women have achieved today. Role is very general term to stereotype the majority as different women, under different circumstances, would play different roles in life. However, it is undeniable that they have moved from their traditional role, to a role in society that cannot be generalized in a single statement.

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Reflective Journal 2

Over the years, both China and America, the current superpowers of the world have progressed significantly in more ways than one. This was the topic for discussion for the last two lessons of the Culture Differentiation course. The discussion was more focused on the economic and political aspects of change, thus this entry would also mainly explore the progress in these two areas of both countries.

I personally believe that economics cannot be discussed separately from politics thus, I would explain the difference of the political systems of the two countries, its current situation and how it actually leads to their respective economic circumstances.

We all know that the political system in America is a democratic one. Through the years, though democracy has helped many countries achieve success in the past, we are beginning to see several loopholes in this system that plays a crucial role in the economic downfall of America. The Congress is split into the Democrats and the Republicans. These two factions have been debating since they were founded. Some might feel that it’s healthy to introduce an alternative voice, however, I feel that this system presents a serious loophole. I do agree that an alternative voice is necessary for better governance. However, if the opposition is given too much power, so much so that they can object to any decisions made by the President, then it would only serve to slow down a country’s development as little changes can be made by Obama without opposition from the Republicans. Despite this, I believe that there is hope for the political scene in America. With the rise of Generation WE, youths in America are more concerned about their country’s politics and future. Research shows that it was the second highest turnout rate, second to 1972, when elections were open to 18 year old youths. This can be considered progress as this new generation might be able to revolutionise American politics in the future and steer America in the right direction.

Compared to China, America’s politics is widely acknowledged to be more successful. The ruling party of China has stubbornly remained communist since its founding during Mao’s time. Till today, it has remained status quo, with only minor changes being made. However, China is progressing, though at a painfully slow rate. In October 2006, a protest by mainly dog owners took place in Beijing when a law was passed, stating that each household is limited to a single registered animal no taller than 35cm. This was completely unheard of in the past. In the past no one would dare stand up to the government in China. This shows that the people in China are more willing to stand up to authority, hence this could check the government’s power. Though the progress is slow, its change can still be felt.

Next, I shall explore the economical aspect, compare and contrast the two countries in terms of their financial situation. America has been the superpower of the world since before the World War II due to its policy of isolation. It was once a powerful and rich nation, with many other nations in its debt. When other countries were in economic distress, America would always play the role of the saviour by bailing them out with monetary stimulus. However, that was in the past. From the readings, we understand that America is no longer the powerful state it used to be. Its supremacy in terms of military force is still indisputable, however, its economics have suffered greatly in recent years. The US has incurred such a huge national debt that each citizen of America would have to shoulder US$48,859 each, with China leading in the list of countries to which it owes debts to. This could be linked to the Federal Elections in 2008 which was also covered in detail by student presenters. Though they covered more on the political impacts, it was understood that the dire economic situation during that time that the people of America were so fervent about change. Obama understood that promised the change that people sought after, thus winning the elections and becoming the President of United States. Since then, the situation has barely improved, in fact, the Obama administration is powerless to pay off the current debt with its poor economy still recovering from recent economic crisis.

Compare this to the present day China. China’s annual GDP growth rate is a stunning 10% for the last decade. This is shocking as China was once a poor and backward country, governed by a communist government. The Cultural Revolution further aggravated the situation by setting China back by ten years while other countries are rapidly developing its industries and trade. This is a far cry from the economic success which China enjoys now. With the emergence of China’s ME Generation, it is evident that China would someday overtake America if this shocking growth rate sustains. I believe we are all familiar with the economic situation of China. After all, much emphasis has been placed on it by the media thus I would not go into too much detail.

In conclusion, both American and Chinese societies have experienced significant progress despite setbacks. However, I feel that the progress in China’s society is more desirable as it can help meet the demands of the people and satisfy them whereas the progress in America is probably due to the youths’ resentment towards the era they’re born in and debt they are left to deal with.

Reflective Journal 1

Culture Differentiation, as the name suggests, educates us on the importance of understanding different cultures as well as the avenues in which we can apply this relatively new knowledge that we have gained. Through the first tutorial of this course, I have learnt that cultural intelligence is essential, not only when we travel overseas to meet people of different nationalities, but also in our everyday lives. I used to equate culture to nationality or religion, however, I was greatly mistaken. Even within a country, within the same religion, different cultures could exist.

To begin our task in exploring this foreign subject, we started with HSBC commercial videos to obtain a rough idea of the consequences if we do not possess cultural intelligence. Next, we were assigned certain thinking questions that were supposed to help us understand the term, cultural quotient better.

We learnt that cultures have different practices and sets of thinking, thus in order for us to communicate effectively with people of different cultures without committing a faux pas requires us to be proficient in cultural quotient. This was the focus of the first tutorial which also serves as an introduction to this content heavy module that some of us are new to. I find the research questions provided very intriguing as they allow me to gain new insights to the whole concept of Cultural Intelligence. This is especially so for the last question. When taught the term Cultural Quotient, I immediately accepted it without questioning, thinking it's credibility should be decent considering much research has been done on it. Thus, when the question required me to question the concept of Cultural Quotient, I applied my critical thinking skills and attempted to find flaws in the concept. To my surprise, I actually found some flaws, though I'm not sure if they are actually valid since they are merely my own viewpoints. In my opinion, the concept of Cultural Quotient is flawed as I feel that cultural intelligence is not something that can be measured.