Sociological Theories of Education

Education is a social institution through which children are taught academic knowledge, skills, and cultural norms. While formal education is taken care of through academics, informal education includes cultural transmission for which social interaction is mandatory (Education around the world, n.d.). Hence education leads to development of skills that enhance employment and therefore happiness and a sense of wellbeing. That reversely helps in development of a well balanced society (OECD, 2013).

There are 3 sociological theories of education namely (a) functionalism, (b) conflict theory and (c) symbolic interactionism (Theoretical perspectives on education, 2010). I relate to functionalism most, that is education as fulfilling a function for social growth and development. This is rooted in theories of Plato with the early functionalist thinkers describing society as biology calling societies as analogous to organisms (Nancy, 2020). Biologically, all the parts of our body are interconnected and each part affects the other. Hence a certain level of integration around an integrating value is needed for the society to run effectively. This is the function of social integration (Theoretical perspectives on education, 2010).

Education helps socialize children. I relate to this most as it resonates with the IB philosophy of preparing children for the world. I relate all tasks in the class to life skills with the students. Each time they ask, ‘why should I work in a group?’ or ‘why should I work alone?’ I answer the questions based on the life that they would lead in the social set up post schooling. Education as a space to develop skills of living an intelligent life is the norm around which the sociological set up in the class is based on.



References

1. Education around the world. (n.d.). In Introduction to Sociology. Retrieved March 3, 2018, from https://cnx.org/contents/r-QzKsl_@7.23:voB0kEEh@6/Education-around-the-World

2. Nancy. (2020, August 22). Functionalism (Functionalist Perspective): An Overview. Retrieved December 06, 2020, from https://www.sociologygroup.com/functionalism-functionalist-perspective/

3. OECD. (2013, January 01). What are the social benefits of education? Retrieved March 04, 2018, from http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/what-are-the-social-benefits-of-education_5k4ddxnl39vk-en;jsessionid=9gickreg0ssr9.x-oecd-live-03

4. Theoretical perspectives on education. (2010). In University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing (Ed.), Sociology: Understanding and changing the social world. Retrieved March 3, 2018, from http://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/16-2-sociological-perspectives-on-education/