Why did public education become compulsory?
provided training for jobs to help businesses and the economy grow
helped with democracy and functioning government institutions
helped reduce class differences and class inequality by accessibility
what is the overall trend in education?
the number of people attending post secondary institutions is increasing
Ideal types
mental construct or thought exercise where you observe things of the same type and try to find common elements to form an ideal construct based on what they all have in common
what is the key to ideal type?
letting go of specific differences and details and seeing the commonalities
what are the main points of structural functionalism?
human behaviour is governed by relatively stable patterns of social relations/structures
social structures maintain or undermine social stability
social structures are mainly based on shared values or preferences
re establishing equilibrium can best solve most social problems
how do you describe someone who is “strait-laced”?
follows society’s rules
sees the good in every part of society
believes that society is a stable set up
how would you analyze issues from a structural functionalist’s perspective?
look at different parts of society and try to identify the relationships between them
problem solving through a big picture/holistic perspective
everything serves a purpose
why is the human body a good analogy for structural functionalism?
there are different parts that do different things but every part serves a purpose
everything is connected
what are the 3 main functions of the education system?
selection/sorting
socialization
job training
what does the theory of stratification argue?
different jobs have different levels of importance and difficulty
you need to reward important difficult jobs with higher compensation
motivation for people to pursue them
what is meritocracy
a system of rewards based on personal attributes and demonstrated abilities
what is the opposite of meritocracy?
a system based on nepotism, favoritism, bias, prejudice, preference and discrimination
how is meritocracy now ensured ?
by free and public education
what is a manifest function? what an example of one in the education system?
an intended function
sorting people according to a fair and open competition
How is socialization used in the public education system?
fostering patriotism through national anthems
learning the importance of exercise and healthy food
reaffirming respect, accepting diversity, and no bullying
saying no to drugs and alcohol
what are divisive topics in education?
sex education
teaching different gender identities/sexualities
nation’s history of racism
what are structural functionalists opinions on these divisive topics?
beneficial to developing and re affirming shared values
platform for discussion
human capital theory
education is necessary to improve economic or productive capacity of a population.
well educated population will be able to work more effectively and creatively
what are the main advantage of human capital?
skills and knowledge obtained through education is inalienable
employers prefer educated workers especially due to the increase in globalization
conflict theory
society is made up of different groups with different interests that compete for power and resources
how does the conflict theory analyze society?
looks at which groups have power and benefit from a social arrangement
who is karl marx?
started the conflict theory
looked at the bourgeoisie and how they exploited the proletariat
bourgeoisie
very wealthy who own means of production
proletariat
those who must sell their labor to survive
what are the four main principles of conflict theory?
focuses on large, macro-level structures like relations between socio-economic classes
major patterns of inequality in society produce social stability in some circumstances and social change in others
members of a privileged group try to maintain their advantaged while subordinate groups struggle to increase theirs
decreasing privilege will lower the level of conflict and increase the sum total of human welfare
what is the conflict theory on selection/sorting in education?
meritocratic nature of education is overstated
considers equality of opportunity but ignores equality of condition
education system reproduces class inequality
equality of opportunity
equal access/opportunity to the competition
equality of condition
differences in material conditions that make someone more or less likely to succeed in the competition
equality
a state of being equal
equity
a state of being fair and impartial
overt disadvantage
very clear and not at all hidden
ex: sexism, racism
subtle discrimination
difficult to analyze or describe
systemic disadvantage
related to the structures and systems of society itself
what are Pierre Bourdieu’s distinctions between the 3 capitals?
economic capital
social capital
cultural capital
economic capital
one’s economic resources like money, wealth, property
social capital
social networks and the shared norms, values and understanding tied to who one knows and associated with
cultural capital
skills, tastes/preferences, habits, clothing, mannerisms and other symbolic elements that reflect one’s class
what is a latent effect? what is an example of one in education?
unintended consequence
reproducing class inequality and then justifying this inequality as fair
what is the conflict theory on socialization in education?
education is socializing children into a hidden curriculum
being obedient and not questioning authority
what are the two levels of analysis in sociology?
macro-sociology
micro-sociology
macro-sociology
looks at the big picture
suggests how social problems are affected at a large structural scale
what are examples of macro-sociology theories?
structural functionalism
conflict theory
micro sociology
concerned with the social psychological dynamics of individuals interacting
meaning and interaction
example: symbolic interactionism
what are the four key principles of symbolic interactionism?
focuses on face-to-face communication or interaction in micro-level settings
an adequate explanation of social behaviour requires understanding the subjective meanings people attach to their social circumstances
people help to create their social circumstances and do not merely react to them
validates unpopular and nonofficial viewpoints by underscoring the subjective meanings people create in small social settings
increases understanding and tolerance of people who may be different than us
labelling theory
how we label something is intrinsically linked to how it is viewed and handled including whether it is seen as a problem or not
what issues come with the pressure of succeeding in university?
lowers self-esteem
lowers mastery
social isolation due to feeling embarrassment and students prioritizing time spent studying over social engagements
grade chasing
self-esteem
positive or negative orientation toward oneself
overall evaluation of one’s worth or value
mastery
ones sense of having control over their life
being able to accomplish goals and tasks they set their mind to
one’s sense of being captain of one’s own ship versus being at the whims of forces around them
grade chasing
act of prioritizing the achievement of good grades above the actual process of learning and understanding of the material
growth mindset
individuals who believe their talents can be developed through hard work, good strategies and input from others
failure is an opportunity to learn and grow
fixed mindset
believe their talents are innate gifts
failure is a permanent indictment on your abilities or intelligence
how does the education system reflect and reproduces gender inequality in society?
underrepresentation in positions of power
gender representation in school activities
sexual harassment
race and ethnicity in education
canada prioritizes immigrants with higher levels of education
sacrifices from immigrant parents drives their children to perform better in school
what are examples of sacrifices made by immigrants?
adaptation to a new culture or language
loss of fundamental social network connections (family)
lack of credential recognition
racism and other forms of discrimination