SOCIAL DIMENSIONS

OF
EDUCATION
Topics
: Society
 Sociologist
 Education
 Theories
 Consensus
 Conflict
 Interaction

 Socio- Cultural
 Socio-Political
 Socio-Economic
 Socio-Psychological
Does your family
affect your
education?
 Do you consider your
religion as a factor that
could affect your
education?
 How does your
education affected by
your economic status?
How important is the
government to your
education?
Origin of Sociology of Education

The sociology of education is the

study of how social institutions
and individual experiences affects
education and its outcome.
Sociologists see education as one of the
major institutions that constitutes society.
While theories guide research and policy
formulation in the sociology of education.
This theories help sociologists
understand educational systems.
Sociology

The word Sociology originates from

latin prefix :socius, "companion"; and
the suffix -ology, "the study of", from
Greek lógos, "knowledge" .
Sociology is the systematic study of
society. Sociology encompasses all the
elements of society ie social relation,
social stratification, social interaction,
culture.
 Society
: people in general thought of as living
together in organized communities with
shared laws, traditions, and values
: the people of a particular country, area,
time, etc., thought of especially as an
organized community
 Education
 Education is a broad concept, referring to all
the experiences in which learners can learn
something .
 It is a social endeavour designed to get the
maximum from the ability of each of the
member of the society. Education is
covers both the teaching, learning of
knowledge and values.
 Education consists of systematic instruction,
teaching and training by professional
teachers.
THEORIES
According to some
sociologist; society has
two faces; the face of
consensus and the
face of conflict.

Further, they
emphasized that
sociological theory
should be divided into
two parts between the
consensus theory and
the conflict theory.
The proponents of consensus and conflict
sociological and social theories are:

 Karl Marx
 Emile Durkheim
 Max Weber
 Talcott Parsons & Robert Merton
 Louis Althusser & Ralph Dahrendorf
 Herbert Mead & Herbert Blumer
Karl Marx
Marx's class theory rests on the
premise that "the history of all
hitherto existing society is the
history of class struggles."
According to this view, ever
since human society emerged
from its primitive and relatively
undifferentiated state it has
remained fundamentally divided
between classes who clash in the
pursuit of class interests.
Emile
Durkheim
Durkheim discusses how modern
society is held together by a
division of labor that makes
individuals dependent upon one
another because they specialize
in different types of work.
Durkheim is particularly
concerned about how the division
of labor changes the way that
individuals feel they are part of
society as a whole.
Max Weber
Max Weber believed that it
was social actions that should
be the focus of study in
sociology. To Weber, a “social
action’” was an action carried
out by an individual to which
an individual attached a
meaning. Therefore, an action
that a person does not think
about cannot be a social
action.
Talcott Parsons Robert Merton
Louis Althusser Ralf Dharendorf
George Herbert Mead Charles Horton Cooley
 Conflict Theory
 emphasizes the role of
coercion and power
producing social order. in
perspective is derived This
the works of Karl Marx, who
saw society as fragmented
into groups that compete for
social and economic resources.
According to conflict theory, inequality exists
because those in control of a disproportionate
advantages.
The conflict model is Social Structures
concerned with the produce patterns of
stresses and conflicts that inequality in the
emerge in society because distribution of scarce
of competitions over resources.
scarce resources.

Conflict
It focuses on the inequalities
that are built into social
structures rather than on
those that emerge because of Reorganization and Change
personal characteristics.
 Consensus Theory
 Is a social theory that states that social
change should occur in institutions that
are provided by a political or economic
system, which is fair. The theory also
states that the absence of conflict
within a society is the state of
equilibrium.
It is being considered in these
theories that the social order in
society should be maintained,
based upon the accepted norms,
values, roles or regulations that
are accepted by the society in
general.
 Consensus Theories Conflict theories

See shared norms and values Emphasize the dominance of

as fundamental to society some social groups by others

Focus on social order based See social order as based on

on tacit agreements manipulation and control
by dominant groups

View social change as View social change as

occurring in a slow and occurring rapidly in a
orderly fashion disorderly fashion as
subordinate groups overthrow
dominant groups
 Structural Functionalism
- Structural Functionalism states that
society is made up of various
institutions that work together in
cooperation.
- Considers culture as a glue that
binds the society together, leading
to social order.
Four Functional Imperatives for all “action”
system also known as AGIL scheme:
Structural Functionalism (AGIL)
1.Adaptation – a system must cope with external
situational exigencies. It must adapt to its environment
and adapt environment to its needs.
2.Goal attainment- a system must define and achieve its
primary goals.
3.Integration- a system must regulate the interrelationship
of its component parts. It must also manage the
relationship among the other three functional
imperatives (A,G,L)
4.Latency (pattern maintenance)- a system must furnish,
maintain and renew both the motivation of individuals
and the cultural patterns that create and sustain the
motivation.
Structure of the General Action System
(Ritzer 2000)
Cultural system (Latency Social system (Integration
Function) providing actors Function) controlling its
with the norms and values
components parts
that motivate them for action

Action system Personality system (Goal

(Adaptation Function) Attainment) defining
adjusting to and system goals and
transforming to the mobilizing resources to
external world attain them
 Symbolic Interactionism

- Views individual and group behavior and

social interactions as defining features of
society.
- Believes that culture provides shared
meanings to the members of society. The
more meanings are shared, the more
society ensures social order.
 Principles of Symbolic Interactionism
1. Human beings are endowed with the capacity
for thought.
2. The capacity for thought us shaped by social
interaction
3. In social interaction, people learn the
meanings and the symbols that allow them to
exercise their distinctively human capacity for
thought.
4. Meanings and symbols allow people to carry
on distinctively human action and interaction.
5. People are able to modify or alter meanings
and symbols that they use in action and
interaction on the basis of their interpretation
of the situation.
6. People are able to make these modifications
and alterations because, in part, of their ability
to interact with themselves, which allows them
ton examine possible courses of action, assess
their relative advantages and disadvantages,
and then choose one.
7. The intertwined patterns of action and
interaction make up groups and societies.
 Socio-Cultural Functions

 The regularization of common tasks and activities

of collective life; this function gives rise to routines,
norms, public behavior and standard operating
procedures.
 The atonement and instilment in the social
members of the customary laws and values guide
and direct the members towards enlightenment,
ennoblement, and perfectibility.
 The veneration of all that are beneficent to the
human race and society through the collective acts
of celebration, recognition and commemoration of
the people.
 Socio-Economic Functions

 Promotion of self-sufficiency for the

populace by both the government and the
private sectors.
 Strengthening the agricultural and industrial
economies of the country.
 Intervention of government in anti- social
business practices.
Socio-Political Functions

Political governance, legislation,

arbitration, social service, social
assistance, security and protection,
punitive sanctions, implementation of
social justice through laws, and social
development.
 References:
 http://ser.oxfordjournals.org
 http://www.merriam-webster.com
 http://guides.wikinut.com/The-Consensus-And-
Conflict-Theory/1anshulq/
 http://psychology.about.com/
 Social Dimensions of Education, Violeta A.Vega
 Social Dimensions of Philippine Education, Dr.
Adelaida Bago