What Are The Characteristics of

A Western Education?
And How Does It Differ
from a Traditional Asian Education?
Children develop at
different speeds and we
cannot expect them all
to master the same
material at the same
rate.
Children have different
strengths and weaknesses
and the purpose is to
identify both and sort
students according to their
abilities.
Comparative Emphasis of Western and Asian Education
Western Education Traditional Asian Education

Each child is special and
has a different learning
style of his or her own
that must be honored if
good learning is to take
place.


Every individual is a
member of a society
and the needs of
society are more
important than the
needs of any individual.

Western Education Traditional Asian Education

Western Education Traditional Asian Education

True learning is more than
just memorizing; it is a deep
understanding of the
importance of these things
and an ability to apply what
one knows in a variety of
situations.
o It is important memorize
the wisdom of the past.
o Memorizing and then
writing down what has
been memorized are
important tools of learning.



Western Education Traditional Asian Education
To understand better
we need to create a
personal meaning from
what we are studying


Creating personal
meaning is not as
important as
understanding and
accepting the wisdom
of the past.

Western Education Traditional Asian Education
In order to create
personal meaning
students are
encouraged to ask
questions and challenge
ideas.

Asking questions or
challenging a teachers
presentation of material
can be disrespectful.

Western Education Traditional Asian Education
The teachers role is to
be a guide of learning
rather than a giver of
knowledge.



The teachers role is to
be a giver of knowledge
and a model of
scholarship and virtue.
Western Education Traditional Asian Education
Students must be taught to
take responsibility for their
own learning. This means
being responsible for
recording their homework
assignments, meeting
deadlines, and for asking
questions and for help
when they do not
understand something.

It is believed that students
are not capable of taking
full responsibility for
completing the school work
required of them. Therefore
parents expect that
teachers will do whatever
needs to be done to insure
that students complete all
assignments.
Western Education Traditional Asian Education
Students are taught to
be and encouraged to
be critical thinkers,
creative problem
solvers, and decision
makers.


The ability to imitate
and to produce
accurate replicas of
something is highly
valued.

Other differences between Western
Education and Asian Education

History is linear and
progressive

History is circular and
repetitive.
Traditional Asian Education
and
Western Education
They may be different but
Both have much to offer.