Introduction
Schools are often viewed as the preparatory stage for young individuals where they learn the way how to live independently in society. Apart from the enormous amount of knowledge, both theoretical and practical, students receive an opportunity to socialize, make connections, and build plans for the future (Blommaert et al. 720). In this context, the paper uses the Comprehensive Educational Systems Analysis framework to analyze the educational system of a fictional school of wizardry to highlight the system’s value for graduates. The main goal is to show what features should resemble a genuinely efficient educational system.
Theoretical Background
Educational systems have an open and nested structure, meaning that there are practically no boundaries between elements and environment, inputs and outputs, and the inner system functions. From an educational perspective, it can be shown that this is the complexity of the classrooms, which themselves exist within the complexity of the school ecosystem. The educational system is a dynamic space in which elements interact interdependently in unpredictable ways; in which new regularities and new phenomena may arise; and in which elements can be adapted based on changes in the system; and where the elements themselves can be shaped by their own actions or by the changing dynamics of the system itself. On this theoretical basis, we propose a new analytical framework for studying inclusion in complex educational systems, or the Comprehensive Educational Systems Analysis (CESA), as shown in Figure 1.
CESA Cube
Education is a process that constantly occurs in an infinite number of co-existing communities. Thus, it is important to talk not only about a single learning community but also about a variety of communities present in school. In this context, CESA Cube’s dimensions of education derive from an understanding of interconnection that entails the student’s presence, participation, and learning outcome after graduation.
The first dimension stands for the filling of an educational system – communities that exist and interact within the system. Policy communities, both formal and informal, exist on different levels, from national education policy to classroom policies, and can be both explicit and implicit. Policies are a statement of values with societal, professional, and resource implications (Schuelka et al., The SAGE Handbook). Formal and professionally-led teaching and learning communities in which students participate have structure and educational purposes and are led by teachers (Tenório et al. 312). Adult–child communities occur in less formal settings, such as interpersonal interaction between students and teachers during recess or in the school hallway. Informal and adult-organized communities do not have an explicit and formulated objective or aim. In turn, self-organized communities are organized and managed by the students without any interference from teachers or other adults. For example, it could be a self-organized play, interactions on social media, and other social activities. Finally, child–child communities are characterized by interpersonal interaction between peers – for instance, best friend relationships.
The second dimension represents the division of the system in terms of its coverage. According to CESA, there are three levels of the education system coverage: micro, meso, and macro. The micro level primarily concerns individuals and their personal interactions. The meso level refers to bigger communities within the specific school, such as classrooms or faculties. The final level, macro, considers the given school as a single unit and focuses on the unit’s relationship with its counterparts.
The last dimension showcases the qualitative attributes of an educational system. The first attribute displayed within this dimension is educational accessibility. It includes physical accessibility of schools and learning materials, learning outcomes and curriculum, diverse and qualitative pedagogical delivery, as well as conceptual access to school values and ethos. The idea of accessibility runs across communities, starting from legal frameworks that protect the right to access education to individual accessibility of peer-to-peer communities that foster a psychological sense of affiliation.
The second attribute represents the concept of quality of education. It adheres to the four pillars of quality related to the educational process (Schuelka and Engsig 457). Learning to know ensures that students build their own knowledge basis daily, combining internal and external elements. Learning to do concerns the practical application of theoretical knowledge. Learning to live together monitors critical tolerance skills, a life without discrimination, where everyone has equal opportunity to develop themselves and their communities (Allemann-Ghionda 303). Finally, learning to be is responsible for the skills that individuals need to uncover their full potential.
The last attribute within the third CESA Coub dimension is the concept of utility. It implies thinking about the education system in terms of its ultimate value and applicability for the students after graduation. In other words, it is concerned about the actual utility that the school system provides to its students, which can later be used outside the school hallways in their adult lives.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Hogwarts is a school in a fictional fantasy world – an alternative universe where magic plays a key role. It is not available to the majority of the world population, which is why gifted people – wizards – hide their presence from muggles – people without magical predisposal. Due to the possibilities and opportunities magic provides, the magic world dramatically differs from the non-magical reality. In this context, Hogwarts’ educational system is aimed at preparing young wizards to face all the peculiarities the magic world possesses.
Individual Skills and Knowledge
At the micro level, Hodwarts’ educational system pursues two major objectives. First, wizards have to understand and learn the ways how magic can, should, and should not be used. Despite wizards being able to conjure magic naturally, such cases represent uncontrolled and possibly dangerous wizardry often caused by emotional outbursts (Rowling, The Deathly Hollows). For instance, Harry Potter – the story’s protagonist – managed to trap his cousin in the snake terrarium due to a surge of anger (Rowling, Philosopher’s Stone). Thus, wizards use wands for magical focus, control, and manipulation, making wands an inseparable part of their everyday lives.
Consequently, everything associated with wands, from the conjured spells to the movement of a hand, falls into this category. From the CESA perspective, wand education includes all three attributes qualitative attributes. Each wand is individual, and every wizard has access to it. Learning to wield a wand refers to the educational qualities of learning to know, learning to do, and learning to be. Overall, the utility of wand use can be considered self-explanatory, which is why it plays a central part in the educational system.
Apart from lessons of magic, Hogwarts provides lessons of general, non-magical development. The subjects concerning history, environment, and society are present in the school’s curriculum as well. In addition, the physical development of young wizards is made possible through the inclusion of broomstick riding and quidditch lessons; the latter represents a special sport popular among wizards. All these subjects serve to complement the student’s perception of the world around them, which also incorporates qualitative educational attributes and connects the micro and macro levels of the educational system.
Collaboration and Teamwork
The meso level in Hogwarts is represented in the way how students are organized inside the school. Formally, all students are divided into four faculties based on their personal qualities. This division serves numerous purposes, such as fostering socialization, a sense of affiliation, and competition. Regarding the former, it allows for the creation of various communities that interact within the educational system. For instance, the members of the same faculty are motivated to build self-organized or child-child communities, which is achieved through the feeling of affiliation with a certain social group. Furthermore, the faculty members share common rooms that are situated directly in the school. This fact covers the learning to live together educational attribute, as students are able to interact much more frequently with each other.
The idea of living together, along with the promoted notions of diversity and equity among students, is further strengthened by the yearly competition between the faculties. In each academic year, faculties compete by earning special house points. These points are awarded as an acknowledgment of a student’s success in scholarly, sports, or personal development (Rowling, Philosopher’s Stone). Analogically, these points can be taken away in case of the display of inappropriate behavior (Rowling, Philosopher’s Stone). Consequently, the faculty with the highest number of points at the end of the year is pronounced victorious.
Such a system plays a vital role in the overall utility of education (Dos Santos 29). Students increase awareness of equality and tolerance since they have to share a school with their “rivals.”
Moreover, it motivates students to actively engage in school activities in order to contribute to their faculty’s victory. Apart from that, students learn how to cooperate with their peers, developing a sense of teamwork under a common goal. Finally, it acts as a moral compass, teaching students about socially appropriate behavior through the combination of reward and punishment. Overall, the meso level is focused on the student’s preparation for a future life in society.
Triwizard Tournament
At the macro level, the Hogwarts school offers opportunities for collaboration with other schools of magic. For example, the Triwizard Tournament is an event that occurs every five years between the largest European schools of wizardry (Rowling, Goblet of Fire). In many ways, it reflects the meso level of the educational system. The school that hosts the tournament provides room for international students for the tournament duration. In addition, it incorporates the aspect of healthy competition, yet again motivating students to pursue knowledge and personal development. This way, students become aware of the cultural differences and the world outside their country, which significantly contributes to the educational utility.
Conclusion
The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry serves as a notable example of an efficient educational system. The CESA analysis uncovered various features of the system that provide its students with great opportunities to learn, develop, and prepare for adult life. In particular, the system enables and maintains the appearance and interconnection of various communities inside the system. In addition, it fosters interaction between these communities at different levels, from individuals to nations. Finally, Hogwarts promotes accessibility, quality, and utility of education, securing the students’ ability to live independently.
Works Cited
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