Essay on Impact of Sociological Theories on Education

Impact of Sociological Theories on Education Sociologists and educators argue the function of education in society. Historically speaking, education was very informal; formal education was only for the elite. Whether education serves a political or an economic agenda can be best viewed within three perspectives. These perspectives are the functionalist, conflict and interactionist perspective. We will explore the differences and similarities in functionalist, conflict, and interaction theories of education; as well as their effect on individual views, approach to social change, and views of society within education. The functionalist theory focuses on the ways that education serves†¦show more content†¦As technology and innovations progress so does the need for advanced technological knowledge and the acquisition thereof. The approach to social change is affected when educational institutions serve as opportunities for the exchange of open, uninhibited ideas. This occurs both academically and personally. Social growth occurs both academically and socially with the exploration of self. Functionalists would argue that this process takes part in establishing the equilibrium in society and is part of what keeps it in a stable state. According to Wikipedia, Parsons posited that society changes in four distinct and inevitable processes. These are: 1. Differentiation - refers to the increase in complexity of social organizations. 2. Adaptive Upgrading - whereby social institutions become more specialized in their processes. 3. Inclusion - this occurs where groups previously excluded from society because of such factors as race, gender, social class etc. are now accepted. 4. Value Generalization - this is the development of new values that tolerate and legitimate a greater range of activities (Functionalist) Like functionalism, the conflict theory views society as a system of social structures. Unlike the belief that each entity works together for the good of the whole of the functionalist perspective, the conflict theory believes that each entity is in place in order to benefit those that hold power. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Impact of Sociological Theories in Education1674 Words   |  7 PagesThe Impact of Sociological Theories in Education Crystal Taylor-Johnson SOC101: Introduction to Sociology Professor Christine Henderson November 22, 2010 Education is the most important part of a person’s life. Without a good education people would struggle in everyday life just to be able to get by. There are three theories that help understand education. Even though most people feel theories are just someone’s opinions, education has many different theories that support it because these theoriesRead MoreEssay on The Sociological Theories Impact on Education1119 Words   |  5 PagesEducation is the most important part of a person’s life. 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