Social Dimension of Education 1

SOCIAL DIMENSION OF
EDUCATION
Edgar B. Collantes, Ed.D.
Topics:
 Society
 Sociologist
 Education
 Theories
 Consensus
 Conflict
 Interaction
 Socio- Cultural
 Socio-Political
 Socio-Economic
 Socio-Psychological
Origin of Sociology of Education
 The sociology of education is the study of

how social institutions and individual
experiences affects education and its
outcome.
 It is relatively a new branch and two great
sociologist Émile Durkheim and Max Weber
were the father of sociology of education.
Émile Durkheim's work on moral education
as a basis for social solidarity is considered
the beginning of sociology of education.
Sociologists see education as one of
the major institutions that constitutes
society. While theories guide research
and policy formulation in the
sociology of education.
This theories help sociologists
understand educational systems.
Sociology
 The word Sociology originates from

latin prefix :socius, "companion"; and
the suffix -ology, "the study of", from
Greek lógos, "knowledge" .
 Sociology is the systematic study of
society.Sociology encompasses all the
elements of society ie social relation,
social stratification, social interaction,
culture.
Society
 : people in general thought of as
living together in organized
communities with shared laws,
traditions, and values
 : the people of a particular country,
area, time, etc., thought of
especially as an organized
community
Education
 Education is a broad concept, referring
to all the experiences in which learners
can learn something .
 It is a social endeavour designed to get
the maximum from the ability of each of
the member of the society. Education is
covers both the teaching, learning of
knowledge and values.
 Education consists of systematic
instruction, teaching and training by
professional teachers.
THEORIES
According to some
sociologist; society
has two faces; the
face of consensus
and the face of
conflict.
Further, they
emphasized that
sociological theory
should be divided
into two parts
between the
consensus theory
The proponents of consensus and
conflict sociological and social
theories are:
 Karl Marx
 Emile Durkheim
 Max Weber
 Talcott Parsons & Robert Merton
 Louis Althusser & Ralph Dahrendorf
 Herbert Mead & Herbert Blumer
Karl Marx
Marx's class theory rests
on the premise that "the
history of all hitherto
existing society is the
history of class
struggles." According to
this view, ever since
human society emerged
from its primitive and
relatively undifferentiated
state it has remained
fundamentally divided
between classes who clash
in the pursuit of class
interests.
Emile Durkheim
Durkheim discusses how
modern society is held
together by a division of
labor that makes
individuals dependent
upon one another
because they specialize
in different types of
work. Durkheim is
particularly concerned
about how the division of
labor changes the way that
individuals feel they are
part of society as a whole.
Max Weber
Max Weber believed that
it was social actions that
should be the focus of
study in sociology. To
Weber, a “social action’”
was an action carried out
by an individual to which
an individual attached a
meaning. Therefore, an
action that a person
does not think about
cannot be a social
action.
Talcott Robert
Parsons Merton
Louis Ralf
Althusser Dharendorf
George Herbert Charles Horton
Mead Cooley
Conflict Theory
 emphasizes the role of
coercion and power in
producing social order.
This perspective is
derived from the works of
Karl Marx, who saw
society as fragmented
into groups that compete
for social and economic
resources.
According to conflict theory, inequality exists
because those in control of a disproportionate
share of society’s resources actively defend
their advantages.
The conflict model is Social Structures
concerned with the produce patterns
stresses and conflicts of inequality in the
that emerge in society distribution of
because of scarce resources.
competitions over
scarce resources.
Conflic
It focuses on the t
inequalities that are
built into social
structures rather than Reorganization and Change
on those that emerge
because of personal
characteristics. The Conflict
Model
Consensus Theory
 Is a social theory that states that social
change should occur in institutions that
are provided by a political or economic
system, which is fair. The theory also
states that the absence of conflict within
a society is the state of equilibrium.
 It is being considered in these theories
that the social order in society should be
maintained, based upon the accepted
norms, values, roles or regulations that
are accepted by the society in general.
Consensus Theories Conflict theories
Emphasize the
See shared norms and
dominance of some
values as fundamental
social groups by others
to society
See social order as

Focus on social order based on manipulation
based on tacit and control by
agreements dominant groups
View social change as

occurring rapidly in a
View social change as
disorderly fashion as
occurring in a slow and
subordinate groups
orderly fashion
overthrow dominant
Structural Functionalism
Structural Functionalism states that society
is made up of various institutions that
work together in cooperation.
Parsons’ structural functionalism has four
functional imperatives
also known
as AGIL
scheme.
Structural Functionalism (AGIL)
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 three functional imperatives (A,G,L)
4. Latency (pattern maintenance)- a system must furnish,
maintain and renew both the motivation of individuals and
the cultural patterns that create and sustain the motivation.
Structure of the General Action System
(Ritzer 2000)
Cultural system Social system

(Latency Function) (Integration Function)
providing actors with the
controlling its
norms and values that
motivate them for action components parts
Action system Personality system

(Adaptation Function) (Goal Attainment)
adjusting to and defining system goals
transforming to the and mobilizing
external world resources to attain
them
Functional Requisites of a social
system
1. Social system must be structured so

that they operate compatibly with
other systems.
2. To survive, the social system must
have requisite from other systems.
3. The system must meet a significant
proportion of the needs of its actors.
4. The system must elicit adequate
participation from its members.
5. It must have at least a minimum of
control over potentially disruptive
behavior.
6. If conflict becomes sufficiently

disruptive, it must be controlled.
7. Finally, a social system requires a

language in order to survive.
-Talcott Parsons
Interaction Theory
 Is the relation of school and

society are critiques and
extensions of the functionalist
and conflict perspectives.
 Interactionist theories are
critiques and extensions of the
functionalist and conflict
perspectives.
This level of analysis helps us to
understand education in the “ big
picture”.
Interactionist theories 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.
Symbolic Interactionism
 Symbolic interaction theory analyses
society by addressing the subjective meanings
that people impose on objects, events, and
behaviours.
 Has its own origin in the social psychology of
early twentieth century sociologist George
Herbert Mead and Charles Horton Cooley.
 This school of thought, known as symbolic
interactionism, views the self as socially
constructed in relation to social forces and
structures and the product of on going
negotiations of meanings.
Principles of Symbolic Interactionism
1. Human beings are endowed with the
capacity for thought.
2. The capacity for thought us shaped by
social interaction
3. In social interaction, people learn the
meanings and the symbols that allow
them to exercise their distinctively human
capacity for thought.
4. Meanings and symbols allow people to
carry on distinctively human action and
interaction.
5. People are able to modify or alter
meanings and symbols that they use in
action and interaction on the basis of their
interpretation of the situation.
6. People are able to make these
modifications and alterations because, in
part, of their ability to interact with
themselves, which allows them ton
examine possible courses of action, assess
their relative advantages and
disadvantages, and then choose one.
7. The intertwined patterns of action and
interaction make up groups and societies.
Socio-Cultural Functions
 The regularization of common tasks and

activities of collective life; this function gives
rise to routines, norms, public behavior and
standard operating procedures.
 The atonement and instilment in the social
members of the customary laws and values
guide and direct the members towards
enlightenment, ennoblement, and
perfectibility.
 The veneration of all that are beneficent to
the human race and society through the
collective acts of celebration, recognition and
Socio-Economic Functions
 Promotion of self-sufficiency for the

populace by both the government and
the private sectors.
 Strengthening the agricultural and
industrial economies of the country.
 Intervention of government in anti-
social business practices.
 Balancing people’s needs with the
country’s export business
Socio-Political Functions
Political governance, legislation,

arbitration, social service, social
assistance, security and protection,
punitive sanctions, implementation
of social justice through laws, and
social development.
References:
 http://ser.oxfordjournals.org
 http://www.merriam-webster.com
 http://guides.wikinut.com/The-Consensus-And-
Conflict-Theory/1anshulq/
 http://psychology.about.com/
 Social Dimensions of Education, Violeta A.Vega
 Social Dimensions of Philippine Education, Dr.
Adelaida Bago

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SOCIAL DIMENSION OF

 The sociology of education is the study of

 The word Sociology originates from

See social order as

View social change as

Cultural system Social system

Action system Personality system

1. Social system must be structured so

6. If conflict becomes sufficiently

7. Finally, a social system requires a

 Is the relation of school and

Interactionist theories attempt to

 The regularization of common tasks and

 Promotion of self-sufficiency for the

Political governance, legislation,

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