EDTE 102 Social Function of Education - Week 4 Lecture 4.pdf

EDTE 102: SOCIAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION IN GHANA Dr. Priscilla Commey Mintah Week 4; Lecture 4  Lecture 4 Social Function of Education 3 Main Sociological Perspectives & Paradigms 1. Symbolic Interactionist Paradigm a. They focus on mea...

EDTE 102: SOCIAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION IN GHANA Dr. Priscilla Commey Mintah Week 4; Lecture 4  Lecture 4 Social Function of Education 3 Main Sociological Perspectives & Paradigms 1. Symbolic Interactionist Paradigm a. They focus on meanings we attach to verbal and non-verbal interactions and symbols b. People attach meanings to symbols, and then they act according to their subjective interpretation of these symbols c. We make sense of our societies through communication i.e. the exchange of meaning through language and symbols. 2. Conflict Paradigm a. Developed the Conflict theory which sees society as a competition for limited resources. b. Rich becomes richer and poor becomes poorer 3. Structural Functionalist Paradigm – Developed the functionalist theory. a. They see society as a structure with interrelated parts designed to meet the biological and social needs of the individuals in that society. b. Liken society to the human body with different parts performing unique roles and working together Structural Functionalist Views of Formal Education and School (What role does school play in society?) 1. Functionalists view education as one of the most important social institutions in a society. 2. They focus on the positive functions of school and education in fulfilling the needs of a society. 3. They argue that education contributes two kinds of functions to society: a. Manifest (Or Primary) Functions & b. Latent (Or Secondary) Functions 1. Manifest Or Primary Functions of Formal Education - These are the visible and intended functions of education. 2. Latent Or Secondary Function Of Formal Education - These are the hidden and unintended functions of school and education. They are also the by-products of going to school and receiving an education. Do You Agree With This Statement? No one was born a thief, society makes them. We are who we are largely because of our Socialization What is socialization? 1. Socialization is the process by which individuals acquire the knowledge, language, social skills, and value to conform to the norms and roles required for integration into a group or community 2. It describes the processes people go through to understand societal norms and expectations, to accept society’s beliefs, and to be aware of societal values. 3. Socialization is not the same as socializing (interacting with others, like family, friends, and coworkers); to be precise, it is a sociological process that occurs through socializing. 4. Socialization is a deliberate and systematic process of learning basic norms, beliefs, way of life including simple things like holding a spoon, sitting in public, talking, etc. Socialization goes through a process  What Is The Process Of Socialization The process of socialization of a person begins with the moment of birth and ends immediately with the moment of death. Agents of Socialization Agents of socialization are the persons, groups, or institutions that teach us what we need to know in order to participate in society. 1. Primary Socialization 2. Secondary Socialization Primary Socialization Primary socialization occurs when a child learns the attitudes, values, and actions appropriate to individuals as members of a particular culture. a. Family is the most important agent of Primary Socialization for a child b. Family may include nuclear and external family members  How Does Family Function As An Agent Of Socialization 1. Family teaches language – verbal and non-verbal language 2. Family teaches values, customs, norms and beliefs 3. Family provides love and affection 4. Family teaches morals – right and wrong 5. Family teaches gender roles 6. Family teaches dress codes 7. We learn the World through the eyes of our primary agents of socialization – trust verse mistrust  Secondary Agents of Socialization 1. Involves all the individuals and social institutions apart from the family who are involved in the socialization process of a child 2. This socialization takes place outside the family and home. 3. Agents of Secondary socialization are Peer Groups, school, Religion, community and Mass Media  Peer Groups As Agents Of Socialization 1. Peer groups provide adolescents’ first major socialization experience outside the realm of their families. 2. A peer group is made up of people who are similar in age and social status and have shared interests. 3. Peer group socialization begins from childhood, adolescence to adulthood 4. There is freedom of expression and exploration 5. Values and customs learnt are indirectly acquired through non-formal ways 6. Peer group helps the child to form his own social personality i.e. his ways of getting along with other people, of being friendly or reserve, brave or timid. 7. Children learn fairness, corporation and responsibility through play with peers 8. Gender roles are also learnt through group play and socialization 9. Boys learn how to relate with girls and girls learn how to relate with boys School As An Agent Of Socialization ❖The school is the principal agent established by modern society for the socialization of children. It stands beside the family in importance. ❖These two institutions i.e. the family and the school carry the major responsibility of socialization. ❖The school contributes significantly to the preparation of the child for adult life. ❖A good school has good influence on the child. 1. The school is not only expected to transmit skills and practical knowledge but important values as well such as patriotism, ambition, concern for others and so on. 2. The school provides the child with social learning which will be valuable for him when he becomes an adult member of his community. 3. The school offers the pupils who are young citizens diverse opportunities to demonstrate the sense of civic responsibility. 3. The impact of the school is affected of course by family attitudes and behaviours, which can facilitate formal educational efforts or hinder it. That is if the family or the home co-operates with the school, the influence of the school on the child would yield good results. The opposite would however, happen if the home does not co-operate with the school. 4. The school itself includes both the formal organization with prepared curriculum and established procedures, and the teachers with whom pupils can establish personal relationship that may significantly affect their attitudes and behavior. It also provides a convenient centre for the development of informal though often important, peer groups. Religion as an agent of socialization 1. Provides moral education through its formal and informal teaching. 2. It helps in moulding the child’s personality through inculcating virtues such as honesty, respect and patriotism, and modelling our life style on that of Christ. 3. It provides models for imitation. For example the young imitate the adults’ ways of worship and their being devout Christian, Muslim, Hindu etc. 4. It helps to transmit the society’s culture to the child e.g. drumming, dancing, enacting plays. 5. Through the various groups within the church the child is trained for leadership and other responsible positions e.g. boy’s brigade, girls fellowship. 6. It provides formal education – eg. Central university, Presec, etc. 7. It directly teaches certain skills and vocations. – Talks/seminars/workshops using resource persons.  Community As Agents Of Socialization 1. The community through its various Youth Associations contributes to the education of the Ghanaian child in the following ways: 2. They help in personality development by shaping the child’s attitudes, way of thinking and values: 3. They provide models for imitation; 4. Help in cultural transmission; 5. Provide avenues for the interaction with peers; 6. Help train children for leadership and other roles; and 7. Provide avenues for learning vocational and technical skills. Mass Media As An Agent Of Socialization 1. The television which at present seems to be especially important in the socialization of children has children’s special programmes 2. There are entertainment programmes such as football; other games and sports on the television as well as on radio. 3. The radio and television programmes are given to supplement school programmes. E.g. science quiz, what do you know? 4. The radio and television programmes serving as an audio-visual aids, motivate the children. 5. News commentaries and bulletins on radio and TV serve as a source of knowledge on current world events. 6. Some of the dailies carry separate sections for children. 7. The government reports, policies etc. are published in the dailies and magazines. 8. Books and libraries are major socialization influences. Children do not only form concepts of appropriate and desirable behavior from the heroes they read about, but try to imitate those heroes 9. Online news and entertainment content