Week of Sept. 19th Agenda Session 2

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Week of Sept. 19th AgendaSession 2

• Time Activity
• 1230 Course Schedule
• 1240 Lecture Chapter 1
• 145 Break
• 200 Assignment One Introduction - H104

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SOCI2095 SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATIONIn-Class
Assignment - for week of Sept. 26/05

• 1. a) Which two tables, in the Statistics Canada
  Community Profile, gives you information on how
  multicultural your community is?
• b) Why is this information important for a
  teacher to know?

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SOCI2095 SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATIONIn-Class
Assignment - for week of Sept. 26/05

• a) From the article, Confidence in Public
  Education on the Rise, how has educator
  confidence changed over the past year?
• b) Is this potentially reflected in the data on
  staying in teaching longer? If so, how?

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SOCI2095 SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATIONIn-Class
Assignment - for week of Sept. 26/05

• 3. a) Where was the greatest divergence in
  opinion between teachers and the public?
• b) How might this be related to school
  performance and funding allocations?

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Sociology of Education- a subfield of Sociology

• Two major foci
• Focuses on the relationships of schooling
  processes, practices and outcomes to the
  organization of society as a whole (How is
  education serving the needs of society?).

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Sociology of Education- a subfield of
Sociology

• 2. At the level of the school system and within
  the school itself, Sociology of Education focuses
  on the social groups (students, teachers,
  parents, school administrators etc.) and their
  interactions to produce outcomes (mainly student
  success).

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Three Types of Education in Modern Society

• Informal education Learning that takes place
  outside of school, through the process of social
  interaction.

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Three Types of Education in Modern Society
(contd)

• 2. Formal education the set of organized
  activities that are intended to transmit skills,
  knowledge, and values as well as to develop
  mental abilities.

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Three Types of Education in Modern Society
(contd)

• 3. Nonformal education organized instruction
  that takes place outside school settings (e.g.
  girl scouts, music lessons, sports groups).

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Education is sociological

• Education is sociological because it is part of a
  network of interrelated societal institutions
• Education is a social process
• Social Process sequence of activity driven by
  social interaction.

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Education is sociological

• It involves human beings and requires them to
  interact in order for the intended knowledge,
  skills, and values to be transmitted and for
  mental abilities to develop.

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Education is sociological

• Key players - teachers and students bring to
  class their prior life experience, their social
  class background, their language, their gender,
  their beliefs about each other and about
  education, and their notions about how boys and
  girls are supposed to behave in the classroom.
• Social class an individuals position in
  societys hierarchy based on their possession of
  whatever criteria (e.g., education, income,
  athletics) are most highly valued by the dominant
  class.

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Education is sociological

• Some school settings are more complex that others
• Large immigration to Canada since WWII (1945)
• Schools, in large urban areas, tend to be very
  multicultural and multilingual

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Education is sociological

• This diversity means teachers need to be prepared
  to teach children who bring many different kinds
  of prior experiences.
• Diversity a society in which the members are of
  different ethnic backgrounds, races, cultures, or
  religions.

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Education is sociological

• It is not only the social context of teaching and
  learning that is important, but the context of
  the experience that each child brings to school.
• Social context the societal circumstances in
  which an event takes place.
• To contextualize instruction is to address these
  aspects of the culture of schooling.

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Functions of Formal Schooling

• Functions of schooling can be categorized as
• Intended (manifest)
• Unintended (latent)
• There is considerable overlap between the two.
• The unintended functions are also considered to
  be a part of the Hidden Curriculum

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Functions of Formal Schooling

• 1. Transmission of generalized as well as
  specialized knowledge.
• Teaching children so that they become
  functionally literate.
• Functionally literate the ability to read,
  write, and calculate well enough to get along in
  ones society.
• At the specialized level facts in subjects
  (history, geography, art, music, and literature)
  procedures and formulae (science and
  mathematics) computer skills and other job
  specific skills

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Functions of Formal Schooling (contd)

• 2. Transmission of the existing culture from one
  generation to the next and to new members of the
  society.
• Culture the ways of perceiving, thinking,
  believing and behaving that characterize the
  members of a particular social group.
• This social structure is stratified in Western
  cultures.
• Social structure Society conceived of and
  organized as a unit distinct from the particular
  individuals who make it up

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Functions of Formal Schooling (contd)

• The structure is also maintained through the
  division of labour, which to a large extent is
  determined by education.
• Division of labour the organization of economic
  activity into parts.

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Functions of Formal Schooling(contd)

• 3. Schools transmit new knowledge that is
  produced in universities and industry
• Transmission of culture also involves cultural
  diffusion the dissemination of a societys
  knowledge and culture.
• This cultural diffusion is increasingly global
  through the textbook industry controlled by
  Western capitalist interests
• Cultural production the role that higher
  education institutions play in producing new
  knowledge in technology, science, the social
  sciences, the humanities, business, art, and
  other areas
• Through a complex decision making and
  implementation process, new knowledge is
  incorporated into the school curriculum and
  passed on the next generation

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Functions of Formal Schooling(contd)

• 4. Schools provide opportunities for social
  mobility
• Based on an understanding of social structure
  the way peoples relations in society are
  organized to form patterns or networks
• Functional perspective Theoretical view that
  sees education as a structure that contributes to
  the stability and equilibrium of society.
• society compared to an living organism that is
  basically stable
• Social mobility takes place within an established
  structure or network of personal and
  institutional relations where people occupy
  difference statuses and roles
• The persistence of inequity is considered
  functional for the society as a whole, though not
  for individuals

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Functions of Formal Schooling(contd)

• Conflict perspective a perspective that
  characterizes formal education as a system that
  contributes to social inequality. This approach
  emphasizes dominant class interests and how these
  are imposed on the lower and middle classes.
• Inequity is considered dysfunctional - something
  imposed by those in positions of power and tends
  to be taken for granted by most people

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Functions of Education (contd)

• Social Stratification the system of organizing
  individuals and groups into a hierarchy based on
  societys values (e.g. education, income,
  occupation)
• Every society is stratified
• Society is organized in a hierarchy based on
  peoples access to and possession of whatever is
  most valued in the particular society
• Individuals are accorded prestige and
  power/status based on such matters as education,
  income, occupation, race, ethnicity, religion,
  language, and gender.
• Canadian society is stratified on the basis of
  ethnic and linguistic background, occupation,
  education, and income.
• Stratified on both ascribed status and achieved
  status

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Functions of Education (contd)

• Ascribed status Social position (status) based
  on characteristics that are present from birth,
  such as gender, ethnicity, and social class
• Achieved status status Social position gained
  largely through ones own efforts.
• Canadian system of stratification is open and
  allows for social mobility
• Social mobility an individuals upward movement
  in societys hierarchical system.
• Mobility is limited by ascription

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Other terminology fromIntended Functions of
Schooling

• Dominant group the group that hold the most
  important and powerful positions in society
• Acculturation the changes that occur in values,
  attitudes, and ways of behaving within a group
  through first-hand cultural contact.
  Socialization into a new culture.
• Culture contact the contact that occurs when
  members of one cultural group live in close
  proximity to members of another cultural group.

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Other terminology fromIntended Functions of
Schooling

• Equality of educational opportunity equal access
  to schooling, equal treatment within schools, and
  the potential for equal results.
• Meritocracy a system of stratification based on
  personal achievement.
• Legitimating ideology a set of beliefs that
  justifies or supports the status quo.
• Selection and allocation function the
  distribution of individuals into certain roles
  and positions based on social class, ethnicity,
  and other ascriptive criteria within the
  educational system.

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Unintended Functions of Schooling

• 1. Social Control social pressures that ensure
  compliance with established norms.
• Not just the control of undesirable behaviour
• The definition and imposition of the expected
  behaviours
• For boys, girls, blacks whites, teens everyone!
• The role the school plays in perpetuating social
  class differences unwritten rules about who is
  to get ahead and who is not
• Sometimes results in subtle or not-so-subtle
  rejection of the individual who steps out of
  line by choosing an inappropriate occupation

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Unintended Functions of Schooling (contd)

• 2. Custodial the role of the school in looking
  after children during school hours.
• Elementary schools are places for children to be
  looked after
• Guaranteed the same safety as at home
• Now many schools provide daycare during working
  hours
• Reinforced through laws teachers to be
  substitute parents in loco parentis
• In loco parentis - Latin for in the place of
  parents refers to the assumption of parent-like
  responsibility by the schools.

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Unintended Functions of Schooling (contd)

• 2. Custodial - contd
• Schools held responsible for safety and care
• Not yet legally responsible when children fail
  academically
• Failure belongs to the individual
• Secondary schools responsibility not so clear
• Some schools not safe drugs, violence,
  rudeness, defiance and truancy

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Unintended Functions of Schooling (contd)

• 3. Establishment of social relations and subgroup
  maintenance
• Learn how to get along with their peers
• Learn to work in groups
• Geographic location of schools tend to have
  students working with people of similar
  socio-economic ethnic backgrounds
• Friendships last into adult life reinforcing and
  maintaining the cohesion of particular ethnic,
  linguistic, social class, and other subgroups

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Unintended Functions of Schooling (contd)

• 4. Promotion of critical analysis
• May be a myth that schools teach students to
  think critically about the society they live in
  as well as about global issues
• Very little critical analysis actually occurs
  until the graduate level of university

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Week of Sept. 19th AgendaSession 2

• Time Activity
• 330 Chapter One - Part II
• 420 Assignment One Tables
• 445 Break
• 500 Seminar Activity

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The Canadian Educational Systemin an
International Context

• Educational systems vary worldwide
• Some of the more obvious differences relate to
  structure, governance, goals, and historical
  influences
• Structure - the formal organization of schooling
• the number of years for elementary and secondary
  education
• the presence/absence of junior/senior
  kindergarten
• the total minimum number of years of compulsory
  attendance.

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The Canadian Educational Systemin an
International Context

• Governance - the way the educational system is
  controlled and operated

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Structure and Governance

• Canadas system of education is unique in terms
  of governance.
• National level is highly decentralized.
• Within each of the provinces it is centralized.

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Structure and Governance

• Decentralized education system - a system that
  is controlled by local authorities, the
  community, or parents.
• Centralized educational system - control of the
  educational system by the state/province.

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Structure and Governance

• There are actually thirteen systems of education
  in Canada - one in each of the ten provinces and
  one in each of the three territories.
• While each territory has its own educational
  system, the systems are funded by the federal
  government.
• In Canada
• 6/7 years for elementary school
• 5/6 years for secondary school
• Most elementary schools provide Kindergarten (not
  mandated nor is attendance compulsory).

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Structure and Governance

• Canada
• We have universal access
• Attendance is compulsory to age 15/16
• Many other countries do not provide universal
  access and to not have compulsory attendance
• What is universal is the parental desire for
  their children to be educated
• When faced with economic difficulties there is
  still the tendency to educate their sons longer
  than their daughters.

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Structure and Governance

• Figures on pages 10-12 illustrate a comparison of
  various Canada and other countries.
• Canada
• Similarity across the provinces - consensus
• Allows for mobility of children without too much
  loss
• Not cross-national - immigrant children may be
  ahead or behind in the curriculum

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Structure and Governance

• B.N.A. Act, 1867 (Canadian Constitution)
• education falls under the control of the
  provinces and territories - Federal Govt ensures
  equalization of funding
• Provincial Ministries of Education
• Organization of school boards
• Parent involvement in school management
• Curriculum Examinations
• Teacher Education and Certification

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Educational Goals

• Educational Goals the stated purpose of a formal
  system of education.
• Most industrialized/developed countries have a
  national system of education
• They have been influenced historically
• Europe England or United States

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Political Agendas

• Late 18th and 19th century ensuring politically
  friendly relations (reducing chance of war)
  reserved for the political elite
• State control of education promoted education of
  masses took away control from elite, church and
  families

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Political Agendas

• Capitalist class sought for the provision of
  compliant workers.
• Late 19th century universal, public education
  introduced

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Educational Goals

• Little variation in general goals
• Vary in specific goals (tied to economic
  conditions and needs)
• Goals dependent on who has the responsibility for
  determining the goals
• (e.g. Family the Church or the State)

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Educational Goals

• South Africa
• Blacks not permitted access to certain schools or
  universities
• Curriculum and program excluded Blacks from
• quality education
• certain occupations
• Full participation in broader society

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Educational Goals

• Statements of Goals tend to address the theme of
  producing good people who are faithful citizens
  with the ability to contribute to their
  communities
• Specific goals tend to have different views of
  the learner

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Educational Goals

• Where opportunities are limited
• Memorization of curriculum to pass a national
  exam
• This determines who goes forward to fill the
  limited number of spaces in secondary and
  post-secondary facilities
• Determines individuals chances for further
  education and his/her life-long occupational
  opportunities

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Educational Goals

• Here, failure has little to do with what the
  student has learned
• It simple identifies a right of access who can
  be absorbed into the next level of the system
• People end up living in an artificially defined
  and externally imposed sense of failure

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Educational Goals

• In areas of greater access
• Focus on teaching children how to learn how to
  study and how to judge what they read etc.
• Ensures broader opportunities for further
  education, occupational options and social status
• Do we appreciate what we have?

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Education of CanadasFirst Nations People

• While we have noted that Canadas population has
  become diverse since W.W.II - it has always been
  diverse
• Not always acknowledge (about the last 20-25yrs)
  - the invisible Canadians!
• Discussions of the two founding peoples -
  French English - inaccurate!
• Aboriginal peoples were the original people of
  our land!

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Education of CanadasFirst Nations People

• Involuntary minority groups which are formed
  through colonization by other peoples.
• Generally treated harshly, in a racist manner, or
  even with segregation - apartheid in South Africa
  and the native reserves in N. America
• Voluntary Minority an immigrant who has chosen
  to leave their homeland in expectation of
  improving their own or their childrens lives.

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Education of CanadasFirst Nations People

• Aboriginal peoples around the world are beginning
  to take charge of their own communities, land,
  welfare, and schooling
• They have established working relationships with
  their respective federal governments.
• Traditional education was non-formal, oral, and
  adapted to the economic/survival needs of the
  group.

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Education of CanadasFirst Nations People

• Early formal education in Canada was carried out
  by missionaries who sought to convert native
  people to Christianity
• This conversion usually meant stripping them of
  their language and their cultural traditions
• This led to placing native children in
  residential schools, forcing European curriculum
  on them and severing family relations.

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MINORITY RIGHTS

• Canada provides the right to linguistic and
  religious minority groups to establish their own
  schools.
• BNA Act (1867) and the Canadian Charter of Rights
  and Freedoms (1982) establish these rights
• Each province must provide a public (free)
  education fro the Protestant as well as the
  Catholic majorities
• Religious and ethnolinguistic minorities have the
  right to establish private, fee-paying schools
  with some government subsidization

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Research inSociology of Education

• Macro level analysis studies which focus on
  larger structural processes (Nation, province,
  board)
• Mid level analysis studies which focus on
  mid-level institutional analysis (Board, school)
• Micro level analysis studies which focus on
  small scale-analysis of social activity or social
  interactions. (School, classroom)

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Research inSociology of Education

• Interpretive Theorists researchers who view
  society as emerging from and maintained by social
  interaction.
• Qualitative Paradigm a research perspective that
  includes subjective interpretations of events and
  processes.
• Quantitative Paradigm a research perspective
  that relies on objective recording of events and
  on controlled experimentation.

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Research inSociology of Education

• Independent Variables The manipulated,
  influential factor in an experiment.
• Dependent Variables The factor measured in an
  experiment that may change because of
  manipulation of the independent variable.
• Controlled experiments testing for the influence
  of particular factors on specific results.
• Cause and effect A linear relationship in which
  one variable determines the other.

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Kinds of Questions Asked by Sociologist of
Education (Ballantine, 2001)

• Are children of parents who are involved in their
  schooling more successful in school?

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Kinds of Questions Asked by Sociologist of
Education (Ballantine, 2001) contd

• How effective are different teaching techniques,
  styles of learning, and classroom organizations
  in teaching students of various types of
  abilities?

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Kinds of Questions Asked by Sociologist of
Education (Ballantine, 2001) contd

• What are some community influences on the school,
  and how do these affect decision making in
  schools, especially as it relates to the
  socialization of the young?

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Kinds of Questions Asked by Sociologist of
Education (Ballantine, 2001) contd

• How does professionalization of teachers affect
  the school system? Do teacher proficiency exams
  increase teaching quality?

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Kinds of Questions Asked by Sociologist of
Education (Ballantine, 2001) contd

• How do issues such as equal opportunity and
  integration affect schools? Can minority students
  learn better in an integrated school?

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Kinds of Questions Asked by Sociologist of
Education (Ballantine, 2001) contd

• Are some students overeducated for the employment
  opportunities that are available to them?

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Kinds of Questions Asked by Sociologist of
Education (Ballantine, 2001) contd

• How does education affect potential income?

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Problems in Canadian Education

• 1. Grade inflation, Social Promotion and
  Functional Illiteracy.
• Grade inflation the rewarding of As and
  generally higher grades to students whose work
  warranted a lesser grade.
• Social Promotion passing students to the next
  grade even though they have not mastered basic
  materials.
• Functional illiteracy adults who still have
  difficulty with basic reading and writing skills
  even though they have graduated from high school.

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Problems in Canadian Education (contd)

• 2. Violence in schools
• 3. Teenage Pregnancy

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Problems in Canadian Education (contd)

• 4. Dropping Out
• Stereotypical dropout is a poorly motivated
  underachiever who prefers to live on social
  assistance and use drugs. (true or false)

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Debates in Education

• Education is scrutinized and criticized by both
  the right and the left.
• Right We need to go back to basics.
• Left Child centered learning is needed to
  produce people who are able to adapt to a rapidly
  changing society.

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Why Students Drop Out (Ballantine, 2001)

• Many students arrive in school homeless, sick,
  hungry, and destitute plagued by problems that
  often make staying and succeeding in school
  virtually impossible (DeRidder, 1990)
• Problems range from school conditions to family
  breakups to neighbourhood dangers from gangs and
  drugs.

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Why Students Drop Out (Ballantine, 2001) cont

• Some schools are so poor and crowded that they
  cannot begin to off in-school support or meet
  student needs.
• Problems such as teen pregnancy and peer group
  pressure form gangs affect drop out rates.

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Event Dropout RatesStudents in Gr. 10-12, Ages
15-24 (Ballantine, 2001)
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Accessing StatsCan Community Profile Information

• Log on to Statistics Canada Website
• http//www.statcan.ca/
• Choose Language (English)
• Select Community Profiles from the bar across
  the top of the page
• Enter the name of your community in the box
  provided
• Select the province by clicking on the arrow and
  then on Ontario
• Then click on Search

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Accessing StatsCan Community Profile Information

• This will take you to the search results and you
  then select the most accurate choice for your
  particular community and click on Go
• You should now have the tables we selected in
  class!
• Save this address in your Favourites or
  Bookmarks then you can go there directly!

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