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Perceptions about the role of education at the College of Micronesia: Federated States of Micronesia
Abstract
This study describes the evolution and range of goals attributed to the College of Micronesia in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). In doing so, it traces the transformation of education from community-based, traditional Micronesian activities, to missionary and Japanese schools, to American formal education, and finally, to the public school system that exists in the FSM today. It tracks the evolution of the College of Micronesia--FSM from its earliest roots in the 1950s to the present. The study includes an interview and questionnaire process that identifies numerous College roles and then asks representative student and staff groups, to evaluate each role in terms of importance. The process allowed comparisons of student and staff perceptions and examined, in-depth, the ramifications of following the eight most-highly valued College roles from each group. Although the College of Micronesia was originally conceived as a teacher education institution, it has evolved into a liberal arts institution, which by having an unclear mission, appears to fill the expectations of its different stakeholders. In all, the College was found to have 25 distinct missions; ranging from teaching English to providing manpower for national development. Two groups, students and staff, were found to view all but one of the missions as important. On the whole, student and staff were found to be in general agreement about the various missions of the College, but for different reasons. Whereas staff tended to see the College a nation-building institution, students tended to see the degrees the College offered, as a vehicle for obtaining government jobs and a higher living standard. Both groups were found to have broad ranges of expectations. The argument was made that in light of decreasing resources, the College should begin to focus its mission. In final analysis, the study sheds light on similarities and contrasts of Micronesian and American educational goals and values and illuminates difficulties of managing colleges in developing micro-states. It presents a detailed look at one of the world's least known national colleges so that its future can be plotted more systematically.
Subject Area
Higher education|Education history|History
Recommended Citation
Suhm, Grant Kelsey, "Perceptions about the role of education at the College of Micronesia: Federated States of Micronesia" (1996). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9709660.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9709660