SOCIOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF EDUCATION

Man is a social being. Every individual is interrelated with each other- either by
bloodline or affinity- in which social responsibility and obligation emanate.
There is no greater human experience than to be with someone whom he can
communicate, share, and live with. Life would be meaningless if there is only
one man in the immensity of space and time that has nothing to do but exist
unfathomably.

Friendship, socialization and collaboration are essential human undertakings

that make the whole world blissful and meaningful. Conflicts are inevitable but
they operate to challenge and purify one’s intention and motive toward certain
principles, values, or priorities. Nobody can please everybody because each is
guided by his own reason, biases, and inclinations. Thus, no individual go
against his own ideas and convictions.

The word sociology is derived from the Latin socius which literally means,
companion (or ka-sama, ka-tropa, ka-kosa in Filipino). Thus, sociology is the
scientific study of the origin, development, and structure of human societies
and behaviour of the individual and groups in society. The Philippine society is
composed of more than a few indigenous cultural communities, ethno-
linguistic peoples, and naturalized Filipino citizens through which the present
masses live and exist collectively in the midst of fiscal crisis that nobody knows
when it will end.

The sociology of learning, in its crucial moment, analyse systematically how the
learner, teacher, school personnel, and parents interact with one another for
the improvement of quality education that could help in the development of the
nation. Good social interaction is a result of good education, while chaotic
social interaction is an outcome of defective learning process.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

The scientific study of the structure of human societies is not ancient in the
field of research. The age of Enlightenment during the 18th century prior to
French Revolution was the point of departure of several researches and
investigations because several philosophers and thinkers were convinced that
they emerged from centuries of darkness and ignorance into a new age of
reason, science and respect for humanity.

AUGUSTE COMTE (1798-1857)

He was a French positivist philosopher who coined the term sociology. Due to
the conflict between republicanism and scepticism right after the French
revolution, Comte, at his early age, rejected the Roman Catholicism and
Imperialism. His work revolved around the ethical progress of sociological
organization and he dedicated his life promoting the ideas, theories, and
practice for the better improvement of society. The repercussion of French
revolution triggered and moved Comte to help, through writing and teaching,
members of society who experience and suffered violent conflicts, coerced belief
and oppressing human condition in order to ameliorate their human situation.

He adopted several theories postulated by the Enlightenment thinkers

concerning the historical progress of society. He proposed new pattern of
spiritual order departing from out-dated supernaturalism and Christian
theology. Comte thought sociology as reduction of social facts to laws and
synthesize the totality of human knowledge in order to guide the restoration of
society.