Education

Sociological Perspectives on Education

Education is social institution that formally socializes members of societyProportion of people age 25 or over with a high school diploma increased from 41% in 1960 to more than 86% in 2008

Proportion with a college degree rose from 8% in 1960 to 29% in 2008

Functionalist View

Transmitting CultureExposing young people to existing beliefs, norms, and values of their culture

Internet offers new and potentially revolutionary way to transmit culture

Promoting Social and Political Integration

Common identity and social integration fostered by education contributes to societal stability and consensus

Functionalist View

Maintaining Social ControlSchools teach students punctuality, discipline, scheduling, responsible work habits, and how to negotiate a bureaucratic organization

Serving as an Agent of ChangeSchools serve as a meeting ground

where people can share distinctive beliefs and traditions

Conflict View

Schools socialize students into values dictated by the powerful and stifle individualism and creativity to promote relatively insignificant change

Education is instrument of elite domination

Conflict View

The Hidden Curriculum:Standards of behavior deemed proper by society are taught subtly in schools

Credentialism: Increase in the lowest level of education needed to enter a field

Module 42

Conflict View

Bestowal of StatusSchools tend to preserve social class inequalities in each new generation

Tracking: Practice of placing students in specific curriculum groups on the basis of test scores and other criteria

Correspondence principle: Promotes values expected of individuals in each social class; perpetuate social class divisions

Module 42

Feminist Views

In 20th century, sexism found in:

Stereotypes in textbooks

Pressure to study traditional women’s subjects

Unequal funding for athletics

Employment bias

Women have made strides in continuing education

Module 42

Interactionist View

Labeling approach suggests that if people are treated in particular ways, they may fulfill expectationsTeacher-expectancy effect:

Impact of teacher expectations and their large role on student performance

Module 42

USA, 2006-2009 data

Figure 42-1: Higher Education Completion Rates (BA/BS), Selected Countries

Figure 42-2: Annual Median Earnings by Educational Level

Teachers: Employees and Instructors

Teachers undergo many stressesBetween a quarter and a third of new teachers quit within their first 3 years

Fewer students choose teaching as career due to perceived low income

In 2009, 4.1% first-year college students were interested in elementary education and 4.4% in high school education

Student Subcultures

Collegiate subculture

focuses on having fun and socializing.

Academic subculture

identifies with the intellectual concerns of the faculty and values knowledge for its own sake

Vocational subculture

interested primarily in career prospects and views college as a means of obtaining degrees that are essential for advancement.

Nonconformist subculture

Hostile to the college environment and seeks ideas that may or may not relate to academic studies

Sad Truth About Education in the World

61 million children of primary school age are out of school. 42 percent of these children live in conflict‐affected poor countries

At least 250 million children are not able to read, write or count well even for those who have spent at least four years in school.

In at least 63 countries , young women from poor households are significantly less educated than poor young men

775 million adults are illiterate. Almost 500 million of them are women

171 million children in developing countries are stunted by malnutrition by the time they reach age five, which means their ability to learn is likely to be affected

Only two percent of humanitarian aid goes to education

end