DIFFERENCES IN EDUCATION IN EUROPE AND

AMERICAColby Wedgeworth

MethodsI tried to explain to my participants that they should be as honest as possible and exploit both systems for how they actually make students feel. When replying they did just as I asked. The environment, in the study room at Maxcy, remained the same and I conducted the interviews back to back on a Friday afternoon. The interviews were all short and lacked good dialogue but the answers were enough to draw a conclusion.

BiasThe bias involved in this ethnography is interesting because I am bias towards American education and my participants were bias towards European education. Despite these biases the questions were geared well towards a mutual response. The respondents showed bias in a few areas of their answers but for the most part the seemed split in the comparison.

Knowing Your PathOne issue that seemed to repeat in the responses was that students in America are not pushed to realize their path in life until after most of their adolescent years. Interestingly, in Europe, they try to get students to decide what are of study they wish to pursue at a much earlier stage in life. High school in Europe is practically a mini college because students are already learning material necessary in their field of interest.

Social LifeAn interesting answer came from one respondent recognizing the difference in social life as a direct effect on the difference in education. The student pointed out the main popular pass time in college is drinking. Although in America it is illegal at such an early age. This student believes adding that extra stress to the student’s educational process does not help them in the classroom.

ConclusionIn interviewing these students I saw the minor differences students notice when exposed to both American and European education. Overall there seems to be a slight favoritism for European education. The students seemed to appreciate the fact that their education is slightly more emphasized at an earlier age and they are granted more freedoms and responsibilities as younger students. This however is based on the answers of three European students, so the answers and mood of the study is bias to Europe. Perhaps the Educational systems are quite in sync with one another despite the minor differences and problems seen when comparing American and European education.