Educators an instrument to Social Change
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Educators an instrument to Social Change
Regina Phang
1007663
August 20, 2020
Course: Education and Society
Instructor: Dr. Junior Martin
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In our society, it is believed that education is only used to impart knowledge but that is not
perception. We need a reform of our mindset and thoughts as we think of education. Education
plays an important role in the growth and development of society; it allows individuals to create
a perspective of the world and the progress its making and how they can contribute to that
progress. Education gives us experiences that will influence an immediate or future change in
our society – because aspects of our lives will change, for example, our thought process,
perspectives, and decision-making skills among other things. When we gain an education, our
way of life in this global community is enlightened and an opportunity for change is created.
In this paper, the themes of education and social change will be highlighted and how it is related.
As an educator, you will be enlightened on how you can become a change agent in the classroom
and not imparting knowledge.
I have adopted a saying from the article on ("How Does Education Facilitate Social Change?”
n.d.), "The importance of education to society is summarized by the maxim: the pen is mightier
than the sword. While swords may conquer empires, to keep an empire to be self-sufficient and
successful for many generations, there has to be education. Look at all the great ancient
civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Sumerians, Mayans, Greeks, and Romans; they all had one
thing in common- education."
Therefore, it is seen throughout the different eras of life one this is common – education, and as
the saying goes that change is the only constant. Change and education go hand in hand when it
comes on to societal change.
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Definition of Education and Social Change
Education is one of the main pillars of society. According to ("Definition of education |
Dictionary.com", n.d.), education is a discipline and development by means of study and
learning; the development of the abilities of the mind (learning to do). G.K Chesterton created a
quote that states that “Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation
to another." Without education, the change or even modernization in our society is impossible
because it (education) is the vehicle of transformation. John Dewey contributed a vast amount to
education and the concept of progressive education. (Gutek, 2014) states Dewey’s view on
education is that all should have a responsibility to make the world a better place to live in
through education and social reform. According to Schiro (2012), Dewey believed that education
was "a crucial ingredient in social and moral development" (p. 174). (Dewey, 1938) explores
Dewey's belief in progressive education which includes socially engaging learning experiences
that are developmentally appropriate for young children. Dewey was already thinking about
using education as a vehicle of change, more so social change, and not an avenue to impart
knowledge.
(Mondal, n.d.) wrote in her paper about Samuel Koenig’s definition of education, it is defined as
the process whereby the social heritage of a group is passed on from one generation to another as
well as the process whereby the child becomes socialized, i.e. learns the rules of behavior of the
group into which he is born.
Durkheim defined education as "the action exercised by the older generations upon those who
are not yet ready for social life. Its object is to awaken and develop in the child those physical,
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intellectual, and moral states which are required of him both by his society as a whole and by the
milieu for which he is specially designed".
Manheim (1940) stated that: “Sociologists do not regard education solely as a means of realizing
abstract ideals of culture, such as humanism or technical specialization, but as part of the process
of influencing men and women. Education can only be understood when we know for what
society and for what social position the pupils are being educated.”
Therefore, it is emphasized once again that a medium for change. ("What is Change | IGI
Global", 2020) defines change as a general transition of something or phase to another state
condition. (Spanos Dunfey, 2019) stated that sociologists define social change as changes in
human interactions and relationships that transform cultural and social institutions. These
changes occur over time and often have profound and long-term consequences for society.
Gillin and Gillin define "Social changes are variations from the accepted mode of life, whether
due to alteration in geographical condition, in cultural equipment, the composition of the
population. Or ideologies & whether brought about by diffusion or inventions within the group."
A few features of social change are universality, continuity, variation, criteria for the larger
population, independence, forces (external and internal), and structural or functional.
Social change may be brought about in many ways including economic situations, political
situations, scientific and development in philosophical thinking. In all these areas, education will
always play an important role in its propagation.
The educational system must reflect the philosophy of society.
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The role of education as an agent of social change has been discussed for decades by many
philosophers and educators.
The relationship between education and social change takes a dual form-education as an
instrument and education as a product.
Education as an instrument for social change means how can education help people bring social
change. Traditionally, education changes the outlook and the traditional approach towards social
and economic problems in society. Technical education helps in the process of industrialization
which results in vast changes in society.
Education makes a person aware of the social inequities and inequalities, most likely creating a
desire for social change that might not have existed before the educational endeavor.
Freire believed that the classroom was where social change could take place. Freire, like Dewey,
believed that each student should play an active role in their own learning, instead of being the
passive recipients of knowledge. Freire believed that education was the key to freedom because
it gives each individual the right to make a choice and to be independent beings. *
(Brown & Baltes, 2017) their journal did research on social change and education and they
stated that students not only need to be knowledgeable but their attitude towards their role in
society is very important. Ireland's president challenged universities to enable their students to
develop intellectual skills in order to eliminate major world crisis, for example, climate change,
eliminate poverty, and finding solutions for conflict and displacements; he emphasizes that
universities need to educate their students to become active social change agents.
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In the journal by (Brown & Baltes, 2017), it has proven that there is a significant relationship
between education and social change. The experiment showed that with the increase in the
number of students that demonstrated being social change agents (being volunteers, community
service, or even participating in service-learning activities) have developed an ethical
responsibility. Therefore, it can be assumed that more humans are actively engaged in making
the world a better place for all.
(Walden University, 2011) in their report wrote that educational institutions have a strong role in
laying the foundation for a society of change-makers. More than 60% of adults find it personally
important to be involved in social change and reported that the reason they find it important is
because of the way they feel due to what they have learned and the activities they are involved
in.
Therefore, the role of education in social change is of the utmost importance for both now and
the future.
Teachers are often regarded as agents of change in society; they are looked upon as leaders and
influencers of change.
H.R.M.A. van der Heijden, J.J.M. Geldens, D. Beijaard & H.L. Popeijus (2015) highlighted the
following characteristics of how a change agent should be: lifelong learning (being eager to learn
and reflective), mastery (giving guidance, being accessible, positive, committed, trustful, and
self-assured), entrepreneurship (being innovative and feeling responsible) and collaboration
(being collegial).
Kunkel-Pottebaum, Holly E. (2013) did a study on how teachers service as agents of social
change in Social Studies Classrooms. It speaks mainly about how the teacher education programs
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provided multicultural and human relations classes to their pre-service teachers. This has enabled
the teachers to not only maintain the status quo or the existing education arrangement but to be
gatekeepers and to become social change agents (Gonzalez & Ayala- Alcantar, 2008, p.130). A
few subject areas that are perfect in exercising being a social change agent because it has so
many themes of society, such as history, government, psychology, sociology, economics,
anthropology, and geography.
Teachers need to open their minds and acknowledge that they are systemically embedded in
mindsets, worldviews, and values and experiences" (Brown, 2005, p.155) needed to be change
agents. The classroom needs to be an environment where students feel free to have active open
discussions about issues of society. Just as Kunkel-Pottebaum, Holly E. (2013) highlighted in
their paper that teaching students to be socially active in social studies classrooms allows them to
actively fight oppression and injustice so that subjugated and excluded ethnic, religious,
economic and radical groups might become full participants in American society ( Banks, 2006).
A few tips on how teachers can promote social change in the classrooms are: (1) Encourage
active participation and experimentation with ideas among students (2) Teach students how to
think instead of teaching them what to think. (3) Prepare students to expect the need for change
and to believe in their own ability to take positive steps for the benefit of society. (4) Make
classroom processes democratic to establish the idea that if we actively participate in our
communities, we can help make decisions about how they function. (5) Facilitate discussions
among teachers as a group – starting with student teachers – about the decisions they can make
to drive social change.
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Once these strategies are implemented then the classroom environment will be conducive to the
enabling of social change. It can be said that teacher as an agent of social change should be
focused on stimulating change and improvement in schools and society. Teachers need to be
intentional about bringing about changes both in their attitude towards teaching and applying
certain concepts in the classroom in order to enable social change- activating global citizens for
both now and the future.
Let’s bring about transformative change in our daily lives and classroom as educators because
we are looked upon as agents of change.
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References:
How Does Education Facilitate Social Change?. Retrieved 13 August 2020, from
https://www.aresearchguide.com/education-facilitate-social-change.html
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Macmillan.
Gutek, G. (2014). Philosophical, ideological, and theoretical perspectives on education. (2nd
Ed.). New York: Pearson.
Schiro, M. S. (2012). Curriculum theory: Conflicting visions and enduring concerns. (2nd Ed.).
Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Mondal, P. Educational System: The Meaning, Aspects, and Social Functions of Education.
Retrieved 13 August 2020, from https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/education/educationalsystem-the-meaning-aspects-and-social-functions-ofeducation/8582#:~:text=According%20to%20Samuel%20Koenig%2C%20Education,into%20w
hich%20he%20is%20born.
What is Change | IGI Global. (n.d). Retrieved 13 August 2020, from https://www.igiglobal.com/dictionary/chaos-and-complexity-approach-in-management/3646
Spanos Dunfey, T. (2019). What is Social Change and Why Should We Care? | SNHU.
Retrieved 13 August 2020, from https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/2017/11/what-issocialchange#:~:text=Social%20change%20is%20way%20human,a%20profound%20impact%20of%2
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0society.&text=These%20changes%20occur%20over%20time,long%2Dterm%20consequences
%20for%20society.
Social Change, Definition of Social Change, Characteristics of Social Change, Factors of Social
Change. Retrieved 13 August 2020, from
https://www.civilserviceindia.com/subject/Sociology/notes/social-change.html
Brown, M., & Baltes, B. (2017). The Relationship Between Social Change Involvement and
Education. Journal Of Social Change, 9(1). doi: 10.5590/josc.2017.09.1.13
Walden University. (2011). Social Change Impact Report 2011. Walden University. Retrieved
from https://www.waldenu.edu/-/media/Walden/files/about-walden/scir/2011/walden-universitysocial-change-impact-report-2011.pdf?la=en
H.R.M.A. van der Heijden, J.J.M. Geldens, D. Beijaard & H.L. Popeijus (2015) Characteristics
of teachers as change agents, Teachers and Teaching, 21:6, 681699, DOI: 10.1080/13540602.2015.1044328
Kunkel-Pottebaum, Holly E. (2013), "Mission Possible: Teachers Serving as Agents of Social
Change". Education Doctoral Dissertations in Leadership. 38.
https://ir.stthomas.edu/caps_ed_lead_docdiss/38
https://iep.utm.edu/freire/#:~:text=Freire%20believed%20the%20classroom%20was,social%20c
hange%20could%20take%20place.&text=When%20Freire%20taught%20literacy%20classes,life
%20they%20created%20for%20themselves.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1181&context=jsc
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(https://iep.utm.edu/freire/#:~:text=Freire%20believed%20the%20classroom%20was,social%20
change%20could%20take%20place.&text=When%20Freire%20taught%20literacy%20classes,lif
e%20they%20created%20for%20themselves.)*