UCSP Unit 13 Education as a Social Institution PDF

UNIT 13: Education as a Social Institution Table of Contents Introduction 2 Essential Questions 3 Learning Targets 3 Lesson 1: Functions of Educatio...

UNIT 13: Education as a Social Institution Table of Contents Introduction 2 Essential Questions 3 Learning Targets 3 Lesson 1: Functions of Education in a Society 3 Starting Out 4 Learn about It! 4 History Maker 10 Check Your Understanding 11 Putting Value 12 Lesson 2: Education as a Human Right 13 Starting Out 13 Learn about It! 14 History Maker 18 Check Your Understanding 19 Putting Value 20 Real-world Challenge 21 Society and I: Self- Check 23 Wrap Up 24 Bibliography 26 Answers to Check Your Understanding 27 Glossary 28 1 GRADE 11/12 |Understanding Culture, Society and Politics UNIT 13 Education as a Social Institution Education is an important part of society because it ensures that knowledge from one generation can be passed on to the next. Aside from passing on factual information, education is also an important vehicle of socialization. It passes on the norms and values of a society and helps ensures the society’s longevity. Fig. 1. Students on graduation day Accessed on March 7, 2018. https://www.pexels.com/photo/accomplishment-ceremony-education-graduation-267885/ We learn a great deal from our families, peers, mass media, and other social groups. But much of our learning takes place in formal educational institutions. In this unit, we will explore the functions of education in society, as well as the various issues educational institutions have to face in these modern times. 2  What is education? What is the role of education in society? Why is education considered as a human right? What are the various issues in modern educational systems? Learning Targets In this unit, you should be able to: evaluate how functions of education affect the lives of people in society; and promote primary education as a human right. Lesson 1: Functions of Education in a Society Albert Einstein once said, “The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.” Many of us who have encountered it may wonder: what is the difference between learning and education? What did Einstein mean when he said these words? Education from a decade ago has changed drastically. In the Philippines alone, all students are now required to take 13 years of formal school, instead of just ten years. Moreover, curriculums have been adjusted so that students can have sufficient time to master skills and concepts. Whether the change was successful or not, it is still too early to say since the first grade 12 students of the public school system are graduating only on March 2018. 3  Starting Out Write a, b, or c. Do you know when these changes in the Philippines’ educational system were implemented? Write in the space provided if introduction of the following changes occured during the American, Spanish, or Japanese time. ________1. public school system ________2. scholarships offered by the government ________3. book publication ________4. focus on Tagalog, Philippine History and character education ________5. establishment of a commission of education ________6. establishment of schools for those who want to become teachers ________7. opening schools to all races and individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds ________8. colleges and universities were established ________9. education for industrial work ________10. secularization of education Learn about It! Definition of Education Most people equate education with schools, but there is a huge difference between these two. Education refers to the various ways through which knowledge is passed on to the other members of the society. This knowledge can be in the form of factual data, skills, norms, and values. On the other hand, schooling refers to the formal education one receives under a specially trained teacher. This was what Mark Twain, author of the novels The Adventures of Tom 4 Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn meant when he said, “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” Education evolves from time to time and from country to country. For example, in the Middle Ages in Great Britain, education was reserved only for the nobility, and the kind of education they received was focused on classical subjects that had nothing to do with earning a living. Around the same time in Japan, education was open to the nobility, but it was the Zen Buddhist monasteries and the Ashikaga Gakko – which focused on Chinese medicine, Confucianism, and the I Ching – that drove it forward. Education refers to the various ways that knowledge – factual information, skills, norms, and values – can be passed on to the next generation. Meanwhile, schooling refers to formal education received under trained teachers. Meanwhile, in the 1900s, education became more mainstream and could be accessed by workers and commoners. In Russia, education became a key component to becoming an industrial power, hence prompting the creation of a standardized educational system that was under the control of the government. Unlike in the earlier years when students had the freedom to choose what they wanted to learn, teachers were then required to teach based on a pre- defined curriculum. Often, that curriculum focused on socialist values and academic excellence. Industrialization also seems to be a major contributor to the expansion of education in the United States. Unlike socialist Russia or its mother country Great Britain, however, education in the US focused on political participation. According to Thomas Jefferson, allowing education to focus on the value of freedom and citizen participation in governance would enable Americans to “read and understand what is going on in the world.” The US was also the first country to enact mandatory education laws. Because the government paid for education in the country, it was necessary to produce practical consequences. As a result, each generation of students received a fixed body of knowledge which often reflected the concerns and needs of the generation. For example, modern education in the US is focused on developing skills that 5 students will need when they enter the job market. Practical arts and art have less room in the curriculum, but computer science and coding have gained center stage. From the short discussion, one can already see that education is an important factor in maintaining the stability of a society. Note, however, that education can happen on various fronts. There is formal education (or schooling) which refers to the complete educational ladder all children must go through from childhood up to adulthood. And then there are the alternative forms which are not controlled by the government (often called private education, indigenous education, informal learning, and self-directed learning). With the advance of the internet, a new form of education has emerged: open education through online courses. Regardless of these developments in education, formal education remains to be of paramount importance. Every child, in every country, has to go through it. As such, its functions remain the same. Formal education performs the following functions: socialization, social integration, social placement, cultural innovation, and latent functions such as childcare and the establishment of lasting social ties. The functions of formal education include socialization, social integration, social placement, cultural innovation, and other latent functions. The Five Functions of Formal Education Socialization As has been discussed above, education is used to promote the norms and values of a society from one generation to the next. In some countries, the transmission function of education is taken on by families. However, in more advanced countries, social institutions such as schools 6 become important as the family can no longer provide the tools and important knowledge needed by the young student. This is the reason why formal education was developed. From early childhood, students in formal education learn their native language, as well as the mathematical skill they will need to function in society. Such learning expands in secondary and tertiary education, as students are prepared to adapt to his changing realities. As can be seen in the example of Russia and the US, education can be used to promote specific values which may be cultural or political in nature. In many countries, students are oriented towards competition, as can be evidenced by exams and the grading system adopted by formal educational institutions. Social Integration Because education is used to transmit norms and values, it can also be regarded as a unifying force. It promotes desired values and ensures conformity. In cases of deviance, it provides widely known approaches to convert. For example, mandatory education laws in the US ensured that all immigrants to the country knew what was desirable and undesirable in the US society because they had to be educated in the US schools. Social Placement Formal education helps students to discover approved statuses and roles that will help the society’s longevity. Educational systems consider the various talents and interests of students and attempt to provide opportunities that provide a good fit for these talents and interests. Formal education, in a way, is an equalizer. It focuses on achievement, rather than educational background. Cultural Innovation Educational institutions are the center of cultural innovation because they stimulate intellectual inquiry and promote critical thinking. It enables new ideas to develop, as well as provide bases for new knowledge to become accepted in the mainstream. Through schools, theories are 7 proven; technologies are improved; and cultures can adapt to the changing society. Latent Functions of Formal Education As more families have both parents working at the same time, schools tend to become an institution of child care. As children have to be in school, parents can have time to perform their economic duties without being burdened with childcare duties. Another latent function of formal education is the establishment of social relationships that would have a lasting impact on the life of a child. We have heard of students ascribing their success to their teachers or successful businesspeople who rely on their social networks to promote their businesses. Many of the social ties a child forms in the course of their schooling are lasting social networks and would impact various aspects of their lives. How has education in the Philippines changed for you? Ask your parents about their experiences in school, and compare them with your experiences. Do you notice a huge difference? Do you see similarities? 8 Fig. 2. Books are important part of education. They can transmit information from generation to generation without the need for human interaction. Accessed on March 12, 2018. https://pixabay.com/en/library-literature-book-wisdom-3185061/ The French Revolution is said to be the beginning of the modern world. Research on education before, during and after the revolution and answer the following questions: 1. How has education brought about the French Revolution? 2. What principles in our current educational system can be traced back from the ideas of the French Revolution? 3. Which changes in the educational system that resulted from the Revolution are beneficial for our modern world? 4. Which changes in the educational system that resulted from the Revolution are not appropriate for our modern world? 9  Fig. 3. Charlemagne and Alcuin, a scholar Accessed March 12, 2018. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Charlemagne_and_Alcuin_scriptor.jpg Charlemagne, also known by many as Charles the Great, was the king of France in 768AD and moved on to become the Holy Roman Emperor by 800AD. He is noted for uniting Europe under one rule. A less known fact about his rule was that he increased the number of monastic schools in France and funded book presses across the country. Charlemagne went on to become the father of education in France after ordering the organization of schools for non-ecclesiastic students. “You nobles, you sons of my leading men, soft and dandified, trusting in your birth and your wealth, paying no attention to my command and your advancement, you neglected the pursuit of learning and indulged yourselves in the sport of pleasure and idleness and foolish pastimes. By the King of the heavens I think nothing of your nobility and your beauty. Others can admire you. Know this without any doubt; unless you rapidly make up for your idleness by eager effort, you will never receive any benefit from Charlemagne.” Quoted in Notker’s The Deeds of Charlemagne 10  Check Your Understanding A. Match column A with column B. Which functions of formal education are described in column A? 1. establish long-term social ties a. socialization 2. ensure conformity and discourage b. social integration deviance 3. transmission of norms and values c. social placement from one generation to the next 4. identify and develop skills and talents d. cultural innovation of individuals 5. develop new knowledge and e. latent function technologies B. How has education in the Philippines changed in the last decade? Give examples. Answer the question in no more than 5 sentences. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ C. How have the various functions of education helped the ensure continuity and solidarity within society? _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11  Putting Value In 2010, then-secretary of Education Bro. Armin Luistro wrote the rationale for the enhanced K to 12 basic education program proposed by the Philippine Government. As a final note on the goals of the K to 12 system, he had this to say: “Every graduate of the Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program is an empowered individual who has learned, through a program that is rooted on sound educational principles and geared towards excellence, the foundations for learning throughout life, the competence to engage in work and be productive, the ability to coexist in fruitful harmony with local and global communities, the capability to engage in autonomous critical thinking, and the capacity to transform others and one’s self.” Based on your education so far, how has education helped you to become the kind of person described by Bro. Armin Luistro? Do you think you have developed the capacities you need to succeed in life? 12  Lesson 2: Education as a Human Right Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Is there any truth to this statement? How does the rest of the world look at education? Starting Out Fig. 4. Rebuilding Marawi City may require more than putting up new infrastructures. Accessed on March 7, 2017. https://www.pexels.com/photo/silver-mosque-top-dome-ornament-908278/ On October 17, 2017, President Rodrigo Durterte declared Marawi City as free from terrorist influence, and the city began to rebuild itself after five months of conflict. The war against the terrorists did not only cause deaths and destruction of property, but it also led to the interruption of education. All 59 public schools in the city were either destroyed or heavily damaged. What difficulties or challenges related to education will authorities face once they begin rebuilding Marawi? How will this affect the citizens of Marawi in the short term and the long run? 13  Learn about It! Education as a Human Right The status of education as a human right is no new thing. Many international conventions such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities have reaffirmed this right. Despite the consensus on the importance of education, human rights advocates continue to campaign for it due to two reasons: When children receive basic primary education, they will be able to learn the basics of literacy and numeracy, and hence, gain the basic social and life skills they need to be an active member of society and live a fulfilling life; and Many children around the world still do not have access even to basic primary education. In 2000, the UN launched the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which includes the goal of having universal primary education by 2015. Statistics show that by 2015, enrollment in primary education increased by 8 percent, reaching 91% from 83% from 15 years earlier. While this is a clear win for the UN, there is still a long way to go before the goal of universal primary education is reached. The campaign continues as more and more children are driven out of school due to armed conflict. In 2000, the United Nations (UN) targeted universal primary education for all by 2015. By 2015, however, the UN fell 8% short of its goal. The campaign for universal primary education continues and is expected to intensify in the coming years as various armed conflicts disrupt culture and societies around the world. 14 Three Facets of the Right to Education The right to education goes beyond having the capacity to go to school. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights underscores three basic rights in relation to education. 1. Education enables individuals to exercise all their rights. Through basic education, individuals are able to know about their rights and are able to assert them. They are able to get good paying jobs, participate fully in the political process, care for their environment, cooperate with their fellow men, and fight for equality and justice. 2. All children have a right to quality education. It is not enough that children are able to access education. Instead, they must be afforded with an education that meets their needs and prepares them for future challenges in their adulthood. In this aspect, learning outcomes are important indicators of success. 3. All children must be given the same educational opportunities. Socio-economic background, capacities, and location should not be a factor in a child’s education. Wherever the child is living, there should be schools that are able to provide him or her with an education that is at par with international standards. Children with disabilities should be allowed to go to school. The curriculum, their teachers, and class activities have to be adapted to fit their needs. Education in the Philippines As of 2013, the Philippine Statistics Authority shows that there are almost 10,000 private education institutions operating in the country. 20.1% of them are offering pre-school education; 17.5% of them are engaged in primary education; 25.6% are in secondary education, and 26% are involved in tertiary education. Because the lack of teachers and educational facilities are perennial problems in the Philippines, having these many private schools might sound like a good idea. But Kishore Singh, the UN special rapporteur on the right to education believes that the rise in private education 15 is an indication of the government’s failure to meet their obligation in ensuring universal, free, and high-quality education for their citizens. With private schools, Singh continues, education becomes a privilege for the well-to-do and could lead to continued marginalization and exclusion of those who are already marginalized. It creates social inequality and is a clear infringement of the human rights law. The problem with privatization of education does not end with basic education. As state colleges are rare in many countries, there is unequal access to higher education. In the Philippines, until recently, a family must have at least PHP50, 000 per child per year in order to send their children to a state university. While free college education in the country is currently being implemented, there is no assurance as to how long it will continue. Moreover, most state universities and colleges can only accommodate a number of students, and a vast majority of secondary school graduates must enter private universities for tertiary education. As of 2015, tuition fees in private universities range from PHP 50,000 to almost PHP200, 000 per semester, depending on the school the students choose to enroll in. Statistics also show that the average family income for the same year was only at PHP 22,000 per month with 41.9% of the family’s total expenditures allotted for food. If an average Filipino family has two to three children, it is clear that very few can afford to send their children to good schools. Even with the Philippines’ difficulties in providing adequate educational opportunities for all its citizens, we are still better off compared to other countries. As an example, in 2017, it has been reported that about 1.75 million Syrian children are out of school due to the continuing hostilities in their country. As refugees flock Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon, these countries’ capacities to provide free, basic education are seriously at risk. In what ways is education in the Philippines better or worse compared to education in neighboring countries in Southeast Asia? 16 Fig. 5. The signing of Republic Act 10931 will provide a full subsidy for students in some colleges in the Philippines Accessed on March 12, 2018. https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-reading-book-256455/ In August 2017, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed RA 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act. Through this law, students in state universities and colleges, local universities and colleges, and state-run technical-vocational schools will no longer have to worry about paying tuition. This is a dream that many Filipinos have been asking for. What are the possible implications of this act to the Philippine society? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this move? 17  Fig. 6. Jose Rizal Accessed on March 12, 2018. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jose_Rizal_in_Spain.jpg Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda is the Philippines’ National Hero. Like his contemporaries, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, and Sun Yat Sen, Rizal advocated for liberty through peaceful means. A study of his works shows that he had high regard for education and he viewed it as a way to develop nationhood. Rizal’s strong sentiments for education showed itself when he wrote a letter to the women of Malolos after being disallowed to open a school. “Ignorance is servitude, because as a man thinks, so he is; a man who does not think for himself and allowed himself to be guided by the thought of another is like the beast led by a halter.” Jose Rizal, To The Young Women of Malolos 18  Check Your Understanding A. Enumeration. Three facets of the right to education: 1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Two reasons why human rights advocates continue to campaign for education as a human right: 1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ B. Are the three aspects of the right to education applied in the Philippines? How are they ensured by the Philippine educational system? ________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ C. Think back on what you have learned in the past few years of your life. What other social concerns affect education and its provision? _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 19  Putting Value As you prepare to graduate from schooling, what are the ways you can help support the campaign for education as a human right? 20  Real-world Challenge Group yourselves into 4-5 members. Read the GRASPS situation below and perform the following tasks. Make sure to read the rubrics for the activity. Goal: Your task is to review the government’s K to 12 program. The goal is to determine what values and end goals the government is promoting through its curriculum. The problem/challenge is: is the government able to achieve its goal for its K to 12 program? Role: You are a student assessing the education you have received in the past 10 or so years. You have been asked by the Department of Education (DepEd) to provide suggestions on how they can improve the K to 12 program so that it can address the needs of its graduates. Audience: The target audience is your classmates and your teacher who will act as themselves. Situation: DEPED needs to be able to assess its K to 12 program so that it can offer a more effective and responsive curriculum Product/Performance and Purpose: You will create a short presentation to provide your personal assessment of the curriculum you underwent. You must focus on institutional issues that may be addressed by the school or DEPED, not on specific teachers or classmates. You need to develop activities to allow your target audience to further appreciate what you are presenting. Standards & Criteria for Success: Your work will be judged by the following standards on the next page. 21  Criteria Beginning Developing Accomplished Score (17-20 points) (0-12 points) (13-16 points) Content (Focus on details are clearly evident; it is clearly related to the topic.) Organization (Logical progression of details; clear transitions between ideas. Presentation Conventions (spelling, mechanics, grammar and usage) Creativity (shows resourcefulness in presentation and activities) Task-specific Audience Impact (interesting presentation to get the attention of students) Team Work (contributions from all members to the fruition of the work) Total Score: 22  Society and I: Self-Check Check I can… define education. identify the difference between education and schooling. explain the role of education in the society. determine why education should be considered as a human right. determine the impact of the lack of quality education in a society. Reflect I find __________________________ the most interesting because ______________________. I got ____ checks because _______________________________________________________. I need to improve on _______________________because _____________________________. I need to practice _________________________ because _____________________________. I plan to _____________________________________________________________________. 23  Wrap Up Education refers to the various ways that knowledge can be passed on from generation to generation. Education is different from schooling which refers to a kind of education received under trained teachers (also referred to as formal schooling). There are many ways for a child to receive an education: formal schooling and various alternative forms such as indigenous education, informal education, self-directed learning, and open education. Formal education has five functions: socialization, social integration, social placement, cultural innovation, and other latent functions such as child care and the establishment of lasting social ties. Education as a human right is affirmed by various international conventions such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. There are three facets to the right to education: education enables individuals to exercise their rights, all children have a right to quality education, and all children must be given the same educational opportunities. Privatization of education is an indication of the government’s failure to provide universal, free, and high-quality education. 24  Education as a Social Institution Functions of Education Education as a Human in a Society Right Definition of Education as a Education Human Right The Five Three Facets of Functions of the Right to Formal Education Education Education in the Philippines 25  Bibliography Bacungan, VJ. "Duterte signs free tuition bill into law." CNN Philippines. Accessed March 9, 2018. http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2017/08/04/president-rodrigo-duterte-free- tuition-bill-law.html. Candelaria, Anne Lan K. "Looking after the children of Marawi." Business World Online. Accessed March 8, 2018. http://bworldonline.com/looking-children-marawi/. Duncan, Arne. "Education: The Most Powerful Weapon for Changing the World." US Aid.org. Accessed March 4, 2018. https://blog.usaid.gov/2013/04/education-the-most-powerful- weapon/. Lee, Sharon E. "Education as a Human Right in the 21st Century." Democracy & Education, 1-9. Philippine Statistics Authority. “2010 Annual Survey of Philippine Business and Industry (ASPBI) - Private Education : Final Results.” Philippine Statistics Authority. Accessed March 9, 2018. https://psa.gov.ph/content/2010-annual-survey-philippine-business-and- industry-aspbi-private-education-final-results. Philippine Statistics Authority. “Average Family Income in 2015 is Estimated at 22 Thousand Pesos Monthly (Results from the 2015 Family Income and Expenditure Survey).” Philippine Statistics Authority. Accessed March 8, 2018. https://www.psa.gov.ph/content/average-family-income-2015-estimated-22-thousand- pesos-monthly-results-2015-family-income. Simmons, Ann M. “One big reason that Syria's future looks bleak: Education has been a victim of war.” LA Times. Accessed March 9, 2018. http://www.latimes.com/world/global- development/la-fg-global-syrian-childrens-education-20170309-story.html. Singh, Kishore. 2015. “Education is a Basic Human Right - Which is Why Private Schools Must Be Resisted.” The Guardian. Accessed March 6, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/apr/23/education-is-a-basic- human-right-why-private-schools-must-be-resisted. 26 "The cost of sending your child to college in top PHL universities and the world." GMA Network. Accessed March 8, 2018. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/content/512518/the-cost-of-sending-your- child-to-college-in-top-phl-universities-and-the-world/story/. Answers to Check Your Understanding Lesson 1: Functions of Education in a Society Part A 1. e 2. b 3. a 4. c 5. d Lesson 2: Education as a Human Right Part A. Three facets of the right to education: 1. Education enables individuals to exercise all their rights 2. All children have a right to quality education. 3. All children must be given the same educational opportunities. Two reasons why human rights advocates continue to campaign for education as a human right: 1. When children receive basic primary education, they will be able to learn the basics of literacy and numeracy, basic social skills, and life skills. 2. Many children around the world still do not have access even to basic primary education. 27  Glossary Cultural innovation - the function of education to develop new knowledge and technologies Education - the various ways in which knowledge is passed on to other members of the society Formal education - the kind of education received under a specially trained teacher Informal learning – a kind of education received outside of schools Open education - the kind of education facilitated by electronic means Schooling - also means formal education. Socialization - the function of education in the transmission of norms and values from one generation to the next Social integration - the function of education that ensures conformity and discourage deviance Social placement - the function of education to identify and develop skills and talents of individuals 28