The Master of Education Online is among the best possible educational paths for those aspiring to be education administrators like Principals, Assistant Principals, School Administrators, College Provosts, Vice Presidents of Student Affairs, Directors of Admissions, Registrars, etc.
For individuals being considered for the post of an education administrator, both professional experience as an educator or school administrative assistant, and graduate level qualification in education are equally important.
Distance learning provides the perfect simultaneous solution for both, without affecting the other. No wonder that Master of Education Online courses are offered by more and more American Universities and Colleges, and are in high demand across the nation.
What It Involves:
Master of Education Online involves distance learning or online courses that culminate in graduate degrees like M.Ed., M.A.E., or Ed.M. Though these are just naming conventions followed by different Universities, other significant differences exist between different Master of Education programs.
Mainly, these differences are about program specializations. Common branches for Master of Education are Educational Administration, Guidance Counseling, Academic Enrichment, Preparation for Ed.D or Ph.D, and Higher Education / Student Affairs. These specializations correspond to the specific field in which an aspiring education administrator is planning to enter.
Apart from these, several subject-wise courses are available, like, Master of Science (M.S.) in Education, M.A. English Language Learning, M.A. Mathematics Education, etc, as well as specialized Master of Education courses in subjects like Learning and Technology, Measurement and Evaluation, Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction, e-Learning etc.
Why Education Administration?
Considering the immense responsibilities expected of a present-day education administrator, the field is clearly not for everyone. The demands from students, parents, governments, and the community, are indeed high.
Still, the competition to be a recognized education administrator is great even today. The reason is simple – education administrators get to work in such socially fulfilling and influential positions like Principals, School Administrators, Directors of Admissions, Registrars, etc.
Why Master of Education?
A Master of Education degree is an absolute prerequisite to enter the career of an Education Administrator. This is especially so in the public schools of most states. Today, whether a school is public or private, education administrators with only a bachelor’s degree, are generally only found in preschools.
On the other end of the spectrum, in Universities and Colleges, even a Master of Education degree is not considered enough, except for posts like College Provosts, Vice Presidents of Student Affairs, Directors of Admissions etc. More academically responsible posts in colleges, like Dean, Director, and Chairperson, definitely call for a doctoral degree in education, after a Master of Education program.
Lastly, Master of Education graduates also earn at least $10,000 per year more than their counterparts with only a bachelor’s degree.
Why Master of Education Online?
Today, almost everyone who succeeds at getting a start in education administration, are already employed in schools or colleges. They are predominantly teachers, but also include those working as school counselors, curriculum specialists, subject matter advisors, recruiters, librarians, residence hall directors, financial aid specialists, admissions counselors, etc.
The reason is rational enough – a good education administrator should first be a good educator. For example, only a proven teacher can hope to be an accepted Assistant Principal or Principal. In fact, this proven track-record is as much a prerequisite as a Master of Education degree.
On the other hand, most accredited Master of Education programs are tougher to complete than other graduate degrees, and it takes a longer time frame too. Clearly, this presents a problem for aspirants who can’t dream of losing their current position for further education’s sake. Master of Education Online becomes popular, as it addresses this problem elegantly.
What to Expect From Master of Education Online, in the Future?
New education administrators are expected to be in great demand for the next ten years, as a significant percentage of older professionals will retire within this period. This will result in greater demand for Master of Education Online courses, and more and more Universities and Colleges providing it.
While demand for primary and secondary school administrators will remain steady, demand for preschool and post-secondary administrators are expected to gather momentum, reflecting the greater student enrollments in these segments.
Conclusion
Motivated by the social fulfillment and better pay prospects possible for an education administrator, more and more teachers and other education professionals are opting to be an education administrator. Since this role calls for continuing professional experience and a Master of Education degree, there is great demand for Master of Education Online courses.
The growth prospects for roles in education administration, like, Principals, Assistant Principals etc, are excellent.

“Education means bringing out of the ideas of universal validity which are latent in the mind of everyman”.

–Socrates–

In every civilized society men and women believe that education is comprehensive, compulsory and necessary for every individual. Education is an important human activity. The very concept if education is like a diamond which appears to be of a different colour when seen from different angles.

Etymological Definition:

The word ‘Education’ had its origin in the Latin word ‘Educatum’, itself composed of two words, ‘E’ and ‘Duco’, means developing and progressing. Hence, in its literal scenario, education means becoming develop or progressing from inside to outside. In other words, education implies some of the change for the better and greater in a person.

Different educational theorists has given different derivations of the concept ‘Education’.

1. According to Forebel, “Education is a process through which child makes its internal external”.

2. According to Eddisoan, “When education works on noble mind it draws out to view every latent virtue and perfection.

3. According to Pestalozzi, “Education is defined as natural, harmonious and progressive development of men’s innate powers”.

4. According to M. K. Gandhi, “I mean an all around drawing out of the best in child and man body, mind and spirit”.

Education is aggregate of all the processes by which a person develops ability, attitudes and behaviour of practical values in the society in which he lives.

Narrow Sense of Education: In large majority of people use the concept of education to mean the training undertaken for some years in some educational institutions. This is the narrow meaning of the concept of education. In other words, it implies education provided according to a fixed curriculum by a particular set of people in a specific place.

Wider Sense of Education: The very betterment of an adjusted pattern of life is the product of that educational system. The very educative system is going on every moment in the life of a person. Here, each day’s activities has an effect upon him. The educant may perceive or not perceive that effect.

Liberal Sense of Education: When the word ‘Education’ is accepted in its more literal meaning it is granted that all the times and places and individuals is imbibing some of its areas. Here, it is not limited merrily to the classroom. It can be obtained all kinds of social organizations, associations, individuals, nature, etc. It is mention may be made that a child gets his education not only from his teacher, but also from the entire environment of his life.

A Sense of Individual Development: Education is the complete development of the individuality of the child. According to some thinkers and philosophers, education is nothing but a process which a child can have free, spontaneous and individual betterment. Basically, the main achievement of ‘education’ lies in ability to arouse interest towards the subject of inspiring him.

As a Product: Education is the product of learning process. It implies growth and development. Education is a process or system through which date, experience, information is achieved of course it is a continuous and comprehensive process of training and guidance.

A bi-polar System: Education of course is a bi-polar system. Here it involves the interplay of the educator and the educant. In this process of education the teacher and the taught are the active participants. So education is nothing but bi-polar process by which the natural spontaneous and progressive betterment of the child is justified.

A tri-polar System: Education is also a tri-polar system. It involves the interaction of the personality of the educator and the educant in a social setting. In other words it effects the modification of the behaviour of the educant.

Education in the West: Educational training like every other branch of knowledge started in the philosophical deliberation of the ancient Greek philosophers. Here, it is mention may be made of Plato’s name. He termed education as a “Life long process starting from the first years of childhood and lasting to the very end of the life”.

Education in India: In Indian approach, it becomes necessary to cover the spiritual area. Here, it is accepted as a part of betterment by education. In other words, Indian philosophers have placed special importance upon this. According to Shankaracharya, “Education is that which leads salvation”. Yajuavalkya said that, only that is education which gives a sterling character to an individual and renders him useful for the world.

A modern developed society cannot survive without education. It is an old as humanity. It helps people adjust to change. Succinctly, it is only education which can help a person understand to all the Social changes and provide the skills and technology for adjusting to them.

1. Introduction         

When there was no university elsewhere in the Europe; Takshasila, Vikramshila, Pallavi, and Nalanda were the centers of Global Education and attracting learners from all around the globe. The development of modern education in India started with the establishment of Hindu College in Calcutta in 1817. During British reign, Calcutta University was the first to confer the bachelor degree on women in 1883.

After independence various universities have been opened both by the government as well as private sector. The main motive behind opening these universities were not to earn profit but to serve the society by imparting higher education and conducting researches related to pure and social sciences. The fees charged from the students were minimum, hence these institutions were generating deficit so there was a need to go for the donations and aids to cover its fixed and running expenses. But gradually there was a drastic change in the scene .The education sector emerges as one of the most profitable business opportunity. The increase in the number of private schools and institutions supports the fact. Higher education is not an exception to this. Gradually most of the corporate entities have also entered into the picture.

Now a days education sector is a trillion dollar industry. It is a service sector industry in the area of education as service with a huge global market in which students, teachers and non- teaching employee constitute resources for profit generation. So the concepts of marketing are also applicable. The organizations have to market their product and themselves in order to survive. In this industry the students are the customers, the teachers are the service providers and the institutions are organizers or marketers and teaching-learning process is no longer for the building of a nation but a business for profit making. Education at all levels, will continue to grow, because it cultivates the human mind and makes people important and useful in the all round development of a country, however for the corporate sector it will grow as a big service industry. Predatory and powerful MNCs are targeting public education, particularly higher education, for profit- making. Though predominantly a government supported service most governments are as consequences of neo-liberal economic reforms, withdrawing from it. The government of India through extensive privatization, commercialization and deregulation is encouraging this process.

In 1996, the United States provided exports of education and training services had reached 8.2 billion dollars, and its trade surplus in education amounted to 7 billion dollars. Higher education was the fifth largest service exported by the US. Therefore, the pressure of the United States on WTO member countries in relation to trade in education service is clearly understandable.

The US, the European Union (EU), Japan and Canada are the main powers behind the GATS. Though WTO membership consists of nation states, the transnational corporations of these countries that sit on all the important “advisory” committees and determine detailed policy shape its agenda. While denying access to decent healthcare, education housing and long term care to millions of workers and their families the world over, the agreement will confer ever greater political power on these corporations as they control and dictate public policy.

GATS have two components: (i) the framework agreement containing 29 articles, and (ii) a number of Annexes, Ministerial decisions etc. as well as the schedules of commitments by each member government, which bind them to allow market access, and /or remove existing restrictions to market access. This agreement covers all services, including education 

When the services are entirely provided by the government, they do not fall within the GATS rule. For a service to be out of the purview of the GATS rule it has to be entirely free. However, when the service have been provided either by the government partially or some prices are charged (as happens in education where some fees is charged) , or provided by the private providers , they shall fall under the GATS rule.

The informal WTO classification List (W/120) divides educational services into five parts: (a) Primary education (b) secondary education (c) higher education (d) adult education (e) other education.

The idea behind this is the creation of an open, global marketplace where services like education can be traded to the highest bidder. GATS cover the educational services of all the countries whose educational system are not exclusively provided by the public sector, or those educational systems that have commercial purposes. In India, we cannot get exemption in education from the application of GATS because education at all levels, particularly at higher education level is not entirely free (i.e. some fees has to be paid)

Corporate because of their huge financial resources are able to attract the best talent available in the country and hence they are providing the quality service to their customers (students). They have the access to the new sources of finances .In India also the issuing of shares by the schools and educational institution and its trading in the stock exchange will be a reality. Then the quality of the institute may be judged by looking at the share prices in the stock market and like any other business enterprises the wealth maximization will be the main goal of the institute and their entire effort will be to increase their market share and ultimately to increase the market capitalization. The government is reducing the grants given to the universities and colleges and these institutes are asked to arrange their own sources of finance .In that scenario those educational institution who will not be earning surplus will die like any other seek industrial unit. So it is the high time for those institutes to think for earning surplus and make themselves competitive for survival.

But when these institutions will be running on absolutely business principles for earning profit obviously the fees charged from the students will be higher. The application of some unethical and unfair practices for attracting the students and earning higher profit cannot be overlooked in that scenario.

In a country like India where a large section of our population is living below the poverty line, almost 35% of the population is still illiterate and we are talking about removing poverty and illiteracy, in that situation they will be the most mistreated people. So it is the government and its institutions, which will have to look at this aspect. Hence imparting higher education by charging high fees by the government run universities and college will not be desirable and the government has to look at the welfare aspect of its people. But before coming to any conclusion we have to consider the following two ground and hard realities in this respect: –

1.      India being the member country of WTO, must abide by the decisions and regulations of WTO. So it cannot stop the foreign universities and institutes to operate in India, which are having ample financial, physical and intellectual resources and are running on absolutely business principles for earning profit.

2.      The government of India is reducing the grants and aids given to the government universities and colleges and these institutes are called to mobilize resources from their internal sources as well as external sources. They are also asked by the UGC and NAAC to become more competitive.

So it is the time as well as the opportunity for our Government funded institutions/universities/colleges to make themselves competitive and to go for globalization. This can be only possible when they will stand on their own feet by earning surplus and are effectively and efficiently run. But at the same time we have to think for the weaker sections of the society who could not afford a high expenditure on the study.

Therefore it is very high time for educational institutes to build a business model, which will be able to compete with the foreign universities and also the weaker sections of the society will also be taken care of.

The Arvindo Eye Hospital of Madurai has set an outstanding business model showing how an organisation can serve the society at large on one hand and can also earn profitable surplus on the other hand. At Arvindo Eye Hospital, economically poor people are provided treatment at free of cost and the patients who can afford are charged the requisite treatment charges. More than two-third of the patients treated in the hospital fall under the former economically unprivileged category and yet he hospital earns substantial profits. But a remarkable policy to be noticed is that the service provided to both categories of rich and poor patients are exactly same and no compromise of any sort is done with regard to the quality of treatment and service provided. The secret behind the success of the hospital is the volume of patients giving business and fact that hospital does not spend money on conspicuous consumptions. Promotion is through word of mouth and mass print media.

Similar model can be adopted by our government run and universities, whereby the required fees can be charged from students whose parents can afford the same, and concessions to be provided to the economically deprived students. With the globalization, liberation, privatization and economic growth more and more people are finding occupations in private sector leading to an increase in the purchasing power at the hands of the middle and upper class of the society who has become conscious of and can afford quality education at higher prices. This is a positive factor which the universities can cash upon and which further supports the above model.

Notes and References

1.      http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/soe/cihe/newsletter/news23/text001.htm

2.      Www.education. nic.in/htmlweb/iperposch.htm

3.      Www.pd.cpim.org/2002/feb17/02172002_wto_educ_2.htm_2000

4.      A Case study on Arbind Eye Hospital, Madurai, IIMB Review, September,2005.

5.      Kumar R; World Trade Organisation, Structure, Functions, Tasks, Challenges, Deep and Deep Publications, 2004.