Sociology

Sociology Study Guide

The threat of educational decline worries most Americans so much that they are willing to fund improvements in the system through greater taxation. Some such innovations include: • Closed circuit television used in the classroom • Team teaching • Open classrooms • Paraprofessionals • Computers (now almost universal at every level of education) These programs have had varied success. Voucher systems have also been instituted that have given families a choice of where to send their children to school, whether it be a private, charter, ormagnet school. Perspectives • Functionalist Perspective: From a functionalist perspective, education provides many intended, and some unintended, functions and is necessary for social function. An unintended function of education is childcare. The five intended functions of education include: o Socialization: The culturally-based transmission of knowledge, technical skills, values, andnorms.  Geography, math, science, communication along with politics, behavior, morality, and heritage. o Social control: Teaching culturally appropriate behavior, cooperation, loyalty, and obedience. o Selection and allocation: Screening and selection for different types of jobs through diplomas and certifications. o Assimilation: Social integration of minorities into the dominant society through the teachingof the English language, patriotism, U.S. history, customs, and traditions. o Innovation and change: Develops new knowledge and skills to add to the cultural heritage. Education stimulates intellectual curiosity and provides opportunity for research and experimentation.  Basic research: Systematic inquiry concerned with establishing new knowledge by uncovering basic aspects.  Applied research: experimenting with practical uses of existing knowledge. • Conflict Perspective: In direct contrast, the conflict theorist believes that the educational system is the vehicle that perpetuates social inequalities. School is an important aspect of moving from one social status to another, but the relationship between a parent’s social status and their child’s educational success is direct. Social programs tend to use educational programs in an attempt to gain or maintain power, wealth, or prestige. In fact, the ruling class uses two powerful tools to limit access to higher educational opportunities. These toolsare: o Tracking: Grouping students into classes based on standardized tests. In this system, students are grouped together in an effort to direct them toward specialized goals. Dividing children in the ‘smart’ and ‘not smart’ leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy.

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