Cierpkie owoce reformy edukacji – perspektywa psychologiczna

Specialist literature presents different models of educational systems which put emphasis on various aspects of students’ development and indicate different benchmarks for the evaluation of the effects of education. Some systems stress students’ submission to teachers, some – attach great importance to students’ activity and development of students’ individuality, whereas others promote external evaluation of the effects of education, to which students’ work at school is subordinated. The Polish education reform of 1999 was based on the assumption that education should be adjusted to the conditions of the present time, i.e. flexible functioning of individuals and groups, mobility and capability to change fast. In general, the key goal of the reform was to develop the ability to adapt to new flexible conditions of the modern era. It means that the objective of the 21st century school is not so much to provide students with knowledge as to develop their ability to cooperate with other students and to work in groups. Accordingly, students need to trust themselves and others, as well as identify their own potential, i.e. their strengths and weaknesses. Different research on various aspects of the effectiveness of the reform in the last ten years has revealed that present-day school does not develop students’ (and teachers’) individual activity enough, and in some cases disapproves of it. The analysis of the research into the functioning of the educational system has led the authors to the conclusion that there are distinct deficiencies in the implementation of the reform. Contrary to expectations, changes in the educational system have not resulted in faster and full actualization of the developmental potential of individuals. Therefore the change of the manner of functioning of the education system seems to be essential in preparing the society for the challenges of the 21th century.