Discussion Questions on Theories and Concepts of Sociology of Education - Paper Example

1. Provide a brief overview of functionalist theory, conflict theory, and institutional theory. Be sure to identify a few of the main authors associated with each theoretical orientation.

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a. Functionalist theory

The functionalist theory is based on the works of Emile Durkheim, Herbert Spencer, Robert Merton, and Talcott Parsons. According to them, every aspect of society is interdependent and contributes to the functioning and stability of the society as a whole. Functionalist approach examine how well societal aspects are incorporated by emphasizing on how every part is influenced by the other or how it influences others in an attempt of maintaining social order. The theory suggests that it is necessary to create a common bond among groups to avoid conflicts and promote unity. The importance of education is to create moral unity required for social harmony.

Functionalist theory further focuses on the importance of schooling in maintenance of social order. In highly integrated societies, schools mix students in appropriate values and select them according to their abilities. Educational reforms are supposed to create programs and structures that are rational and technically advanced to encourage social unity. Functionalists, therefore, scrutinize the purposes of schooling such as intellectual, social political and economic and refer to their importance in the society. They view education as a necessary institutional tool in ensuring a fair competition and just society where all members have equal advantages for socio-economic advantages.

b. Conflict theory

Conflict theory in sociology of education was proposed by Karl Marx. In his view, the powerful individuals create ideologies specifically designed to develop their positions by supporting an unequal distribution of resources and inequality. Conflict sociologists deem the relationship between schools and society as problematic. According to them, schools are like battlefields where there is mistrust amongst administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community members. This theory argues that schools should only function to bring interests to dominant groups and not to everyone. The inequity of cultural and economic resources brings about tension between the wealthy communities that saturate public school system. Conflict sociologists argue that educational credentials, for instance, university degrees are used as status representations rather than being an indicator of actual achievement. Besides, conflict theory identifies and examines government policies by the most influential people and their effects on the community based on socio-economic and racial factors.

c. Institutional theory

This approach is based on the works of sociologist John Meyer and his partners. Meyer believes that growth of education in the world does not focus on labor market demand or functional requirements but rather concentrates on the democratic certainty that educational growth is a necessity in every civil society. Through institutional and historical analysis, Meyer demonstrate that educational growth mostly preceded labor market demands and that educational growth is legalized by institutional ceremonies instead of the actual practices

2. Provide a brief description of neoliberalism, neo-conservatism, and authoritarian populism as Michael Apple portrays these and explain why he finds these orientations concerning?

a. Neoliberalism

Neoliberalism is the support of conservative modernization with the belief that whatever is private is good and that which is public is bad. Public schools and public services, for instance, are, viewed as black holes where lots of money that should go into private enterprises is invested but the results are not very impressive. Thus, the whole project of neoliberalism is primarily connected to a process of conveying blame from the decisions made by dominant groups to the state and the poor. Neoliberal policies need to be viewed as a general attack on government workers. In education, for example, they comprise an offensive against teacher unions, which are seen as too much costly and powerful.

The second alternative of neoliberalism is one that uses more state money on schools if they meet the needs articulated by capital. Resources are therefore made accessible for policies that connect education system to the projects that make the economy more competitive

b. Neo-conservatism

Neo-conservatism are typically guided by the idea of a strong state. Mandatory national curricula, national testing, patriotism, the revivification of western culture, and conservative variations of character education are among the policies being recommended under this ideology. Neo-conservatism express grief for the decline of traditional curriculum and history literature, and values it represented, though the curriculum paid no attention to most groups that compose the American population whether they were from Asia, Europe, or Africa. The idea of a strong nation is also seen in the development of a rigid state since it concerns teachers. Some states in America have specified the content that should be taught in schools and the suitable methods to be used. Such command of control is not based on trust but rather on suspicion of the teachers competence. This mistrust of teachers and concerns over the presumed loss of cultural control are among the social and cultural fears that compel neoconservative policies

c. Authoritarian populism

Authoritarian populists base their points on social policy and education in particular visions of biblical authority. Populism is highly influential and powerful in debates over education, politics, social welfare, religion and so on. Its influence is contributed by the massive commitment of its activists, its aggressiveness to pursue its agenda and its large financial base. The group believes that modern public schooling posses an immense danger to a child both patriotically, physically, sexually, economically and religiously. Authoritarian religious activists have a significant influence on curriculum policies. According to them, centering issues of morality, authority, family, and church is the only way to overcome moral decay in the society.

3. On chapter 13 (College-for-All) Do Students Understand What College Demand; Discuss that topic, theory, concept, or phenomenon as thoroughly as you can in more than two pages.

Community colleges enormously grew and increased the opportunities for students joining universities as from the 1960s. The colleges started open admission policies and remedial courses to reduce academic hurdles of getting to colleges. This saw over 62% high school graduates being enrolled in some postgraduate institutions in the early 1990s. Many high schools in this age only encourage students to attend colleges but do not inform them of the actual requirements to complete a degree. The college for all norm only helps students to plan on college without analyzing their achievements or failures. This type of encouragement misleads students later in their high school years thus leading to elevated levels of college dropouts. The following information is a valuable tool for minimizing these dropouts. Students should be informed early enough if they are not well prepared for colleges so that they can increase their efforts and work harder. Beliefs surrounding this include;Seniors believe that low high school performance does not affect college plans.

Many senior people believe they can reach college plans regardless of their low high school performance, thus exerting little effort in high school. Therefore, shielding high school students and seniors from the authenticity of college demands is shame, which prevent students from making proper plans that can improve their achievements in high school. It is highly disappointing that even after many campaigns against school dropout; over 40% seniors agree that people still do better even after dropping out. Students see no consequence on their planned professions if they do not attain good grades. However, Students differ in their views on the relevance of school to their future lives, and this is strongly associated with how hard they work on their studies.

The belief that students can still make it to college even with low grades

This has somehow grown due to the existence of community colleges because it is often seen as a second chance to those with low grades by providing open admission, remedial courses, and low tuition. Such offers from community colleges reduce educational barriers to college entrance, unlike in the past where admission standards forced poorly performing students to deal with their unrealistic college plans; the standards are currently nonexistent in most community colleges. Some students have low grades but still, have an opportunity to enroll in a two-year college. Though students are correct about getting into colleges with poor grades, they are mostly mistaken in believing that they can finish the degree.

High school accomplishments predict completion of degree only, but their plans do not foresee this relationship.

Students believe that their performance is not related to college attainment. This is because most individuals have come across teachers who gave them unfair grades and therefore grades are more than often dismissed as irrelevant and erroneous. However, low grades strongly influence the actual educational achievement. For instance, students with grade A have approximately 70% chances of attaining a BA while those with Bs only have 47% chances.

Students with low high school grades have a less economic payoff to a college degree.

Though some students perform poorly in high school, they still do get college degrees. Current analyses examine if the degrees have low payoffs for students with poor performance operational zed by the grades since it does not indicate ability but achievement and are familiar to all students. The high school and beyond data analysis suggests that those with AA and BA degrees have 10.1% and 14.5% higher earnings than the ones without degrees. Low grades forecast lower earnings for those with high school diploma only.

Therefore, it is evident that students plan on what they feel influences their high school performance. On finding that students program does not take account of how grades affect their ultimate educational achievements, one can conclude that they are not aware of the effect of high school performance in their real prospects. Guidance counselors encourage students, even those with low grades, to attend college since they would not like to frustrate young people. This, in turn, encourages them to make less use of high school since they feel it is irrelevant. Students who have little prospects of getting college degrees fail to get career training.