Educational mobilization

It has been postulated (R A LeVine and M I White) that differences in academic achievement between countries, social classes and ethnic groups are not so much due to differences in intellectual potential but more dependent on motivation: of those teaching, of those learning, and of every individual in society. This implies that increasing investment of time, space, attention and money, both at the individual and the societal level, and increasing ideological commitment to coordinating educational activities at both these levels, would lead to increased educational performance.

Societies which traditionally value education and encourage (even by threats, punishments and beatings) a child's interest in education are demonstrated to have produced high achievers. And new systems have been demonstrably successful, for example in Japan, with educational mobilization of the whole nation (involving parental commitment and community interest); and in China, where the emphasis of educational mobilization is on moral commitment to education as a virtuous member of society, caring for and educating children to produce a morally sound and motivated population.

Problems arising in educationally mobilized societies can be due to the relative impossibility of achieving the ideal model established in a society, such [relative deprivation]

producing feelings of hopelessness, failure and inferiority. There is also the [competitive pressure]

which leads to excessive family expenditure of time, money and effort towards academic achievement. And there is a [narrowing of life course values]

, as the focus on education and career reduces the individual's interest and care in relationships and in the wider meaning of life.