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Sample Statement of Purpose for Education
It is my conviction that the meaning of life does not dwell in the
length of time that one can live or the material abundance that one
can acquire, but in the richness and the wonderfulness of life itself.
With the increase of my age, many things in my life have changed. But
one thing remains constant, that is, I will consistently insist on
doing what I like to do and hope that my endeavors can be valuable to
the life of others. I see this as the only way whereby I can realize
the value of my life.
My undergraduate study focused on economics and I achieved remarkable
scholastic performance in this field. My GPA is 3.44 (my GRE score is
2020 and TOEFL---- ). For four consecutive years of my undergraduate
study, I received scholarships for my distinguished academic
performance. Due to my equally prominent performance in
extracurricular activities I was conferred on the Outstanding Student
in Campus Activities. However, honestly speaking, my real interest
lies not in economics, but in education. Ever since I was a primary
school student, I had cherished a strong desire for a teaching career
exemplified by my teachers. In the actual teaching career that I
embarked on upon my graduating from university, I have become
increasingly aware that the existing educational conditions in China
are far from satisfactory. The backward teaching methodology and the
prevailing pedagogical ideology have rendered Chinese education out of
place with the modern international development in education. On the
macro level, the current education theory and practice in China lag
significantly behind advanced countries in the West. For instance,
though education via the internet has achieved considerable
development in past two years, in practical operation such education
has more often than not deteriorated into an extended form of the
conventional examination-oriented education instead of a really
interactive process. In my personal experience, despite the fact that
some of the problems that I have encountered in my teaching career can
be solved by consulting relevant technical literature, I have found
that the more serious flaws inherent in China's current educational
system cannot be worked out easily. Under such circumstances, an
advanced program in education becomes necessary.
In this age of information, traditional education, both in its
ideology and methodology, has met unprecedented challenge like many
other aspects of human existence. Meanwhile, the pursuit for higher
levels of educational development and of the quality of life has
largely transformed the educational value orientation of the general
public. The educational model that is centered around the cognitive
and intellectual instruction has been seriously questioned. Greater
attention has been devoted to the cultivation of well-developed
personality and to the ontological status of the individual in
education. Such issues as the internal studies of education science,
scientific decision-making in education, and meta-education have also
been increasingly emphasized upon. There have also been innovations in
educational research methodology. The tendency has been to combine
modern technology with humanistic research categories and with
naturalistic research categories, and to organically integrate
qualitative descriptions with quantitative descriptions. It is also
important to carry out educational experimentations in which
educational predictions are complemented by educational feedbacks.
Both the complexity of education and the complexity of human
individuals have made the comprehensive application of diverse
educational approaches necessary. Those new horizons are what
fascinate me.
In view of the following qualifications that I have acquired, I
believe that I will acquit myself satisfactorily in the prospective
Ph.D. program in education that I am currently endeavoring to apply
for. First and foremost, as is often claimed, one's interest is one's
best director. I believe that I will do well what I am really
interested in doing. Secondly, though I majored in economics as an
undergraduate, my trainings during that stage helped develop effective
modes of thinking and research approaches. In addition, I
conscientiously self-studied many works related to education,
including A Developmental History of Educational Science in the West,
which enabled me to construct a solid groundwork for more advanced
studies in this field. Next, it can be safely asserted that education
and economics are not entirely separated. For example, it is necessary
to apply many statistical methods in educational psychology and my
academic record indicates that statistics is the subject that I am
most good at. Last but not the least, my current teaching career and
my teaching experience will play a positive role in facilitating my
target degree program.
The reason why I apply for the University of ------------ is that it
is the first state university with a time-honored history. The School
of Education in this university is quite prominent among its
counterparts in the field. I am particularly attracted by the School's
powerful pedagogical resource, vibrant intellectual atmosphere and a
comprehensive curriculum. I plan to apply for a degree program in
Instructional Technology or Educational Psychology, both of which
enjoy unparalleled academic reputation in the world. My application
for Instructional Technology is motivated by my strong interest in the
application of modern science and technology, especially the
information technology represented by the Internet, in the field of
education and in the nature of a series of revolutionary changes
resulting thereof. Instructional Technology is a new discipline that
has emerged as a result of the rapid development of modern
communication technology since the late 20th century. It has
tremendous potential for development and commercial application. As
for my motive in selecting Educational Psychology as another possible
area of specialization in my degree program, it is my long-cherished
interest that primarily counts. On the other hand, all the
accomplished educators since the 1960's have been well-versed in
psychology. Almost every important new educational theory is derived
psychological findings in one way or another so that educational
psychology has subsequently developed into a fundamental subject for
the science of education. The tendency in the 21st century is to
emphasize on the micro research of educational activities and against
this backdrop educational psychology will be attached greater
importance. In Instructional Technology, I would like to focus on the
following studies: how to improve educational efficiency by applying
research results from natural sciences and engineering technology; how
to explore the combination and coordination of pedagogical contents
and to improve teaching methodology by exploiting the theoretical
findings from psychology and educational science concerning the
process of teaching and learning. In Educational Psychology, I will
concentrate on applied cognition and development, gifted and creative
education, genetics and children development, personality structure
and individual differences and other related subjects.
For me, to shift from economics to education and to pursue an advanced
degree in the United States is not so much a challenge as an
opportunity. At present, major reforms are being introduced into
virtually every important aspect of Chinese society. The field of
education especially calls for comprehensive reforms. The United
States occupies an absolutely leading position in the present-day
world in education. It is my conviction that, in the United States,
advanced educational theories, technologies and information will
facilitate me immensely in the achievement of remarkable academic
progress, fulfilling my aspiration to become an accomplished
professional in the field of education. This will not only bring my
patriotic fervor into reality but also make my life more meaningful
and rewarding. |
