KEYSTONE COLLEGE

#13, Marcos Highway, Bakakeng Central, Baguio City, Philippines

e- mail Address: keystonecollegebaguio@gmail.com
Tel. No. : (074) 442- 1890

A Module in

SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF
EDUCATION

Author:

ROSE P. GENEROSA

Approval:

This is to certify that this module in Social Dimensions of Education is the

official module for the 1st Semester of Academic Year 2020-2021.

ROSE P. GENEROSA

Department Head-College of Teacher Education

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DR. JHOSEPHINE A. FLORES

Keystone College President

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF EDUCATION

What is Consensus and Conflict Theory?

Consensus is a general or widespread agreement among all members of a
particular society. A concept of society in which the absence of conflict is seen as the
equilibrium state of society based on a general or widespread agreement among all
members of a particular society.
Conflict is a clash or disagreement between ideas, principles and people
Consensus theories see shared norms and values as fundamental to society; focus
on social order based on tacit agreements, and view social change as occurring in a slow
and orderly fashion. In contrast, conflict theories emphasize the dominance of some
social groups by others, see social order as based on manipulation and control by
dominant groups and view social change as occurring rapidly and in a disorderly fashion
as subordinate groups overthrow dominant groups (Ritzer, 2000). It is a theory or
collection of theories which places emphasis on conflict in human society (Jary and Jary,
2000:105).
Is it possible in such society to have no conflict?
Dahrendorf recognizes that society can not exist without both conflict and
consensus, which are prerequisites for each other. Thus, we cannot have conflict unless
there is some prior consensus.
What is the focus of Conflict Theory?
According to Horton and Hunt (1984), conflict theory focuses on the
heterogeneous nature of society and the differential distribution of political and social
power. A struggle between social classes and class conflicts between the powerful and
less powerful groups occur.
What is the larger issue for conflict theorists?
The larger issue for conflict theorists is the role that education plays in
maintaining the prestige, power, and economic and social position of the dominant group
in society (Ballantine & Spade, 2004).
Where the conflict theory did came from?
Grew out from the work of Karl Marx and focuses on the struggle of social
classes to maintain dominance and power in social systems.
They explained change as emerging from the crisis between human beings and
their society.
They argued the theory characterized by class conflicts: bourgeoisie (rich
owners) and proletariat (poor workers).
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 What is status culture?
Refer to groups in society with similar interests and positions in the status
hierarchy.
Max Weber argues that schools teach and maintain particular “status cultures”
Education systems may train individuals in specialties to fill needed positions or
prepare “cultivated individuals” (those who stand above others because of their superior
knowledge and reasoning abilities (Sadovnik, et. Al, 1994).
What is structural functionalism?
States that society is made up of various institutions that work together in
cooperation.
Structural functionalism was for many years the dominant sociological theory in
the works of Talcott Parsons, Robert Merton and their students and followers. However in
the last 3 decades it has declined dramatically in importance (Chris, 1995).

Parson’s Structural functionalism has 4 Functional Imperatives for all “ACTION

SYSTEMS”, embodied in his famous AGIL scheme. These functional imperatives that
are necessary for all systems are:
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 3 functional imperatives (AGL).
4. Latency- (pattern maintenance) a system must furnish, maintains, and renews both the
motivation of individuals and the cultural patterns that create and sustain the motivation.
Parsons designed the AGIL scheme to be used at all levels in this theoretical
system:
o Action System- handles the adaptation function by adjusting to an transforming the
external world.
o Personality system- perform the goal-attainment unction by defining system goals and
mobilizing resources to attain them.
o Social System- copes with the integration function by controlling its component parts.
o Cultural System- performs the latency function by providing actors with the norms
and values that motivate them for action (Ritzer, 2000).

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 Key Principles of the functionalist theory:
o Interdependency
o Functions of social structure and culture
o Consensus and cooperation
o Equilibrium
The component parts of a social structure:

· Families
· Neighbors
· Associations
· Schools
· Churches
· Banks
· Countries
What is the role of structural functionalism to education?
· As cited by Ballantine and Spade (2004), Parson believes that education is a vital
part of a modern society, a society that differs considerably from all previous societies.
From this perspective, schooling performs an important function in the development and
maintenance of a modern, democratic society, especially with regard to equality of
opportunity for all citizens. Thus, in modern societies education becomes the key
institution in a meritocratic selection process.
What is Interaction Theory?
· Interactionist theory has its origin in the social psychology of early 20th century
sociologists George Herbert Mead and Charles Horton Cooley.
· Mead and Cooley examined the ways in which the individual is related to society
through ongoing interactions.
· This theory attempt to make the “commonplace strange” by turning on their heads
everyday taken-for-granted behaviors and interactions between students and students and
between students and teachers.
Basic Forms of SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
· Symbolic interaction which require mental processes and views the self as socially
constructed in relation to social forces and social structures. (Ritzer, 2000)
- Mead’s approach to symbolic interaction rested on 3 basic premises:
1. People act toward the things hey encounter on the basis of what those things mean to
them.
2. People learn what things are by observing the things they encounter people respond
to them that is through social interaction.
3. As aDimensions
Page 4 of 10|Social result of ongoing interaction, the sounds (or words, gestures, facial expressions
of Education
and body postures we use in dealing with others acquire symbolic meanings that are
shared by people who belong to the same culture.
ACTIVITY #1: Discuss the following questions.
A. Explain the relationship of the various social theories and functions of schools.

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B. Interview a teacher on the influence of the conflict and consensus theories on their work as a
teacher. Submit a write-up of the interview.

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 MODULE 2: THE FOUR PILLARS OF EDUCATION

Education throughout life is based on four pillars: learning to know, learning to do,
learning to live together and learning to be.

• Learning to know, by combining a sufficiently broad genera! knowledge with the

opportunity to work in depth on a small number of subjects. This also means learning to
learn, so as to benefit from the opportunities education provides throughout life.

• Learning to do, in order to acquire not only an occupational skill but also, more broadly,
the competence to deal with many situations and work in teams. It also means learning to
do in the context of young peoples' various social and work experiences which may be
informal, as a result of the local or national context, or formal, involving courses,
alternating study and work.

• Learning to live together, by developing an understanding of other people and an

appreciation of interdependence - carrying out joint projects and learning to manage
conflicts -in a spirit of respect for the values of pluralism, mutual understanding and
peace.

• Learning to be, so as better to develop one's personality and be able to act with ever
greater autonomy, judgement and personal responsibility. In that connection, education
must not disregard any aspect of a person's potential: memory, reasoning, aesthetic sense,
physical capacities and communication skills.

• Formal education systems tend to emphasize the acquisition of knowledge to the

detriment of other types of learning; but it is vital now to conceive education in a more
encompassing fashion. Such a vision should inform and guide future educational reforms
and policy, in relation both to contents and to methods.

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ACTIVITY #2:
A. How would you apply your knowledge of the four pillars of education in your day-to-day living?
Cite concrete illustration.

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B. Collect clippings from magazines and newspapers about peoples activities aimed at achieving
unity and solidarity in the society. Share your opinions on the ideas expressed. (Your opinions
must be encoded in a separate sheet of paper together with the clippings.)

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 MODULE 3: INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Intercultural communication is defined as situated communication between

individuals or groups of different linguistic and cultural origins. This is derived from the
following fundamental definitions: communication is the active relationship established
between people through language, and intercultural means that this communicative
relationship is between people of different cultures, where culture is the structured
manifestation of human behaviour in social life within specific national and local
contexts, e.g. political, linguistic, economic, institutional, and professional. Intercultural
communication is identified as both a concept and a competence. Intercultural
competence is the active possession by individuals of qualities which contribute to
effective intercultural communication and can be defined in terms of three primary
attributes: knowledge, skills and attitudes. In the context of this document, the acquisition
of skills and human attributes likely to enhance intercultural communication is viewed
exclusively as a component of language programmes, i.e. as an accompaniment to the
practical acquisition of language itself.
Intercultural communication is an implicit element of most language courses or
features as an autonomous subject in other disciplinary fields. Where intercultural
communication features as an autonomous subject the content is theoretically grounded in
a specific discipline, e.g. anthropology, linguistics, philosophy and sociology.
Alternatively, it is frequently linked to subjects like business studies, economics and
tourism with the aim of providing students with the competence to operate in the
professional sector concerned. In some cases it is taught not only as knowledge and a skill
but also with the aim of promoting an appropriate attitude / awareness as an integrated
part of language learning. Intercultural communication is sometimes associated with
translation or with intercultural knowledge dissemination. In some business schools it is
taught as part of business language degrees. In general, foreign language degree
programmes do not offer courses in intercultural communication as such. Business
schools and the business / economics faculties of universities offer a variety of courses on
cultural theory and behaviour but many of these have no direct connection to languages at
all. In the context of language learning the emphasis will be on the integration of
intercultural communication and language learning.

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 Knowledge, understanding and skills (competences)
Having completed a first cycle higher education programme of language study,
incorporating explicit study of intercultural communication, in higher education, students
should have acquired:
 knowledge of the cultures, institutions, histories and ways of life of different
communities and the ability to recognise their impact on behavioural norms in
given fields of communication
 understanding of the relationship between culture, contexts of communication
and language use
 insight into the roles and conventions governing behaviour within specific
intercultural environments
 critical awareness of their own and others’ beliefs and values
 sensitivity towards cultural stereotypes and related obstacles to successful
intercultural communication
Students who have acquired such knowledge and understanding will be expected to
demonstrate the capacity for:
 effective communication in the language of their interlocutor
 application of the knowledge of culture and cultural values to the management of
intercultural contexts
 adaptation of their behaviour according to the demands of different intercultural
situations
 identification and critical analysis of the cultural components of authentic media
of communication
 reflection on the cultural factors influencing their own behaviour and that of
others

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 Intercultural communication (IC) is a dynamic field incorporating social,
economic and political contexts which are constantly evolving. IC is generally an
integrated sub‐component of language learning which is often not articulated as a
separate activity in HE degree programmes. It comprises a complex combination of
knowledge, skills and attributes which are reflected in learners behaviour and are
infrequently taught and evaluated holistically. In focus are courses involving intercultural
communication in language degree programmes and integrated elements or modules in
language teaching programmes primarily for university students at BA level. The courses
provide students with knowledge and understanding about language, culture, institutions
and different ways of life in differing communities, facilitate the application of this
knowledge in intercultural situations by training in linguistic and intercultural skills and
encourage reflection about their own cultural and linguistic behaviours, practices and
attitudes as well as those of others.
Teaching and learning
Some of the following teaching tools and methods may be used to promote
intercultural communication skills:
 simulation activities, followed by reflective discussion and/or written analysis
 informal face‐to face interaction in hypothetical contact situations
 guided group activities
 learner diaries
 questionnaires
 peer teaching
 tandem exchanges
 study visits abroad or local contact with speakers of other languages
 cross‐cultural study projects
 reports

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