LECTURE 2 EDUCATION Flashcards
Trends in education (part 1)
3 reasons why public education became compulsory
- It provided training for jobs, to help businesses and the economy grow
- It created a population that was more compatible with democracy and functioning gov institutions
- It helped reduce class differences and class inequality by providing access to education, which prior to this was limited to those who could afford it
Ideal type (Max Weber)
- a mental construct where various phenomena are placed together based on their common elements to form an ideal construct.
- specific details are forgotten in favour of shared commonalities that make up the essence of the construct
Structural functionalism (macro theory)
- society consists of different parts that work harmonious together to maintain balance
- human behaviour is governed by relatively stable patterns of social relations/ structures
- social structures are based on shared values and preferences and either maintain or undermine social stability
- re-establishing equilibrium can resolve most social problems which undertaken by examining the relationship between different parts and adjusting current shared values/ understandings
- old man theory
Selection/ sorting (main factor of education system)
- various jobs have different levels or prestige and compensation
- competition for jobs should be meritocratic (based on effort and demonstrated abilities)
- education provides means of ensuring meritocracy
- in short, one manifest function of the education system is to sort people to a fair and open competition which allows society to run smoothly as the most competent people are occupying the important and complex positions
Socialization (main function of education system)
- the ubiquity of the school system enables it to reach members of entire population
- people are taught shared values and ideas
- divisive topics are beneficial as it evokes and reaffirms collective sentiments
- socialization as another manifest function of education system
Job training (main factor of education system)
- final manifest function: developing skills and knowledge into people important for work and functioning of daily life
- related to human capital theory
- hence, while public education is expensive, gov investment will produce benefits for country
Human capital theory
- a well education population can work more effectively, efficiently, and creatively
Conflict theory (macro theory)
- Society is compared of different interests that compete for power and resources
- Members of privileged groups try to maintain their advantages while subordinate groups struggle to increase theirs
- Decreasing privilege will lower levels of conflict and increase sum of human welfare
- Focuses on macro level structures
Selection/ sorting (conflict theory)
- meritocracy in education is overstated as it only considers equality of opportunity and not equality of condition
- education is not a fair competition as some people have advantages others don’t
- disadvantages can be overt, subtle, and systemic
Bourdieu’s forms of capital
- Economic capital: money, wealth, property
- Social capital: social networks
- Cultural: tastes, habits, clothes, depositions, mannerisms
Conflict theorists all argue that these forms of capital provide advantages and disadvantages to students
Conflict theory on socialization
Latent (unintended) effect of education system is socialization students into hidden curriculum to be docile, obedient, and not question authority
Symbolic interaction is (micro theory)
- Human behaviour is shaped by definitions and meanings created through interaction
- Focuses on face to face interactions and the meaning people ascribe to their thoughts, actions, and circumstances
- Stresses people have agency to create their social circumstances
- Validates unpopular view points, thereby, increasing our understanding of people different than us
Labelling theory
Maintains how we label something shapes how we view, respond, and handle it
(Ex: gun laws, sex and nudity in movies)
