Sociological Foundation of EducationLinks between Education and Society
Education
- (broadest perspective) refers to all efforts to impart knowledgeand shape values
(socialization).perspective) refers to the deliberate process, outside
thefamily, by which societies transmit knowledge, values, and norms toprepare young people
for adult roles (and, to lesser extent, prepare adultsfor new roles). (Clark, 1968).- Education
plays a very important role in our society. We cannot thinkwhat exactly our society will look
like if there is no education. Education,therefore, is a dynamic, it is a non-stop process of
giving-takingknowledge (sharing), and as long as there is society, education will alwaysexist.
Society
- refers to a system of social relationship within a group. It includesevery kind and degree of
relationships shared into by man.- means
(MacIver)stable moral union of
rational beings for common
(Thomas Aquinas) All definitions above directly or
indirectly attest one fundamental truthabout society that it is a system of social relationships,
pure and simple, and not just a
Th
e Importance of Society in Education
Since the school is established by a society to serve its needs, the content of education
(school programs) should deal primarily with the nature, background, andneeds of society.
(School Administration and Supervision, H. Gregorio, Ph.D.).Note that the school is
established by the society, we can say, therefore, that the school cannot exist without the
presence of society.
Elements of Society
1. System of Social Relationship- Society is "a web of social relationship". Social
relationship is the basis of Society (MacIver). One good example of this element is the
family. Family alone is said to have many relationships based on age, sex and generation.
Outside thefamily there is no limit to the number of possible relationships.- " Just as life is
not a things but a process of living, so society is not a thingbut a process of associating"
(Reutor).-We can clearly understand the meaning of social relationship if we draw
adistinction between physical and social relation. The relationship between pen andink is
physical relationship because these physical objects do not have any reciprocalawareness
what so ever. On the other hand, the social relations exist between themother and the child,
the teacher and the thought are determined by reciprocalawareness. Without this awareness,
there can be no social relationship, andtherefore no society.2. Likenessmeans
likeness". It exists among the like beings, like-bodied andlike-minded". (MacIver)- It is
likeness or similarity, which provides for understanding each by theother. An understanding
of this sort lies at the root of our friendship, intimacy,association, institution and any such
other type of social relationship. Peopleestablish similar social relationships in a society on
account of similar traditions,folkways, mores etc. Thus, similarity or likeness is the basis
of society.3. Difference- Society also implies difference. If individuals are exactly alike, their
socialrelationship would be very much limited. There would be little reciprocity, little
giveand take, for example, rests on biological difference of sexes.- People differ from one
another in their attitude ability, talent; personalityetc. people peruse different activities
because of these differences.4. Interdependence- Inability to exist or survive without each
other.- One of the examples of this element is the family. Family is based on thebiological
interdependence of sexes. One depends upon the other for thesatisfaction of one's needs.
5
. Co-operation-operation is the most elementary process of social life without
whichsociety is impossible. (P. Gisbert)- Society is based on co-operation. It is the very basis
of social life. Unlesspeople cooperate with each other they cannot lead a happy and
comfortable life. Nosociety can be healthy and prosperous without co-operation. For
example, familyrests on co-operation with one another to live happily.6. Culture- Refers to
the social heritage of man.- Every Society is unique because it has its own culture. Culture is
a thingwhich only human beings possess. It includes our attitude, moral values, beliefs,ideas,
ideologies, our institutions, political, legal economic, our sciences andphilosophies (nonmaterial part of culture). The member of a society shares acommon culture.7. Society is
Abstract - It consists of social relations, customs, laws and mores etc.- Society is an
organization marked by division of labour of some kind orother. These social relations are
abstract and intangible. It cannot be seen ortouched. It can only be realized. In this way,
abstractness is an element of society.
B
eliefs about t
h
e Purpose of Education
Education is believed to be responsible for the cultivation of a civilized societyImparting
education to the citizens enables the development of a responsibleand thoughtful society.
Education helps in imbedding moral and ethical values in theindividuals and their education,
in turn, helps in the creation of a healthy society.To bring about progress in practical fields to enable each educated individual of society to
earn a livingEducation aims at making the individuals of society self-sufficient. Educationof
the various practical fields produces productive human resources, who cancontribute to the
creation of society.
For social development The social development brought about by education is apparent in
theabilities of an individual as a part of society. Education helps an individual to thrivein
society, to interact with other social person and helps a person attain andmaintain a certain
degree of social well-being. During the process of education, oneis always a part of a group,
be it school or college. The process of education thuscontributes to one's interpersonal
intelligence.To teach us how to think, rather than telling us what to think (Bill Beattie)Here, the role of
education is to implant every individual a
and facility tolearn. Education should
produce
individual and not necessarily learnedones.-
Education should aim at creating people who continually ask questions (BishopCreighton).
Education should entertain the inquisitiveness of every individual.Education lays the foundation for the fulfillment of a person's dreams
andaspirations.Education helps a person meet his/her career objectives and achieve
aneconomic growth. It builds a resourceful individual out of a raw human being and
it contribute to the cultivation of a prudent person and earns the person satisfaction of having
met his/her goals.
Functions and Roles of Education
(Based in theories Structural Functionalism and Conflict Theory)
Structural Functionalism (Emile Durkhiem)is a sociological theory that originally attempted to explain social institutionsas collective
means to meet individual biological needs (originally justice functionalism)focuses on the ways that universal education serves the needs of societyLater it came to focus on the ways social institutions meet social needs(structuralfunctionalism).What is the function of education for society?preparing individual to enter the workforceconveying basic knowledge and skills to the next generationtransmission of core values and social control
Conflict Theory (Marxist-based social theory)a social theory which argues that individuals and groups (social classes)within society have
differing amounts of material and non-material resources(the wealthy vs. the poor) and that
the more powerful groups usetheir power in order to exploit groups with less power.What is
the function of education for society?Conflict theory sees the purpose of education as maintaining social inequalityand preserving
the power of those who dominate society.Conflict theorists see education not as a social benefit or opportunity, but asa powerful means
of maintaining power structures and creating a docile workforce for capitalism.
Relations
h
ip between Sc
h
ool and Society
Education is the basis of culture and civilizationThe life of society is safe in the hands of educated individuals-
It fosters principles of equality and socialism
Purposes of Establis
h
ing t
h
e Relations
h
ip between Sc
h
ool and Society
1. To improve the quality of
learningTo accomplish this purpose, it is necessary
for the school to know well thoseconditions surrounding the lives of the children which are
important to theeducational program. The school should also be familiar with the
communityresources which may be utilized and supplement the school program.2. To
improve the quality of community livingIn most democratic country, school should be made
a positive agent of socialchange. School, as social institution, should also aim to improve the
quality of lifelived by all people within the community. Example; through cooperative work,
theschool can assist in solving problems such as those of improving home andcommunity
sanitation.3. To develop an understanding and support of the
program of
publiceducationIn order that the relationship of school and society be maintained, it
isnecessary that the citizens be convinced that education is a good investment. It isalso
necessary that the general public supports the school improvements. Selling the
school to the public and being transparent is one method of gaining support for thepublic.
W
ays of Developing Good Relation between Sc
h
ool and Society
1. Provide school-visiting days for parentsSchool should make initial contacts with parents
and provide opportunity forthe parents to meet all their
teachers. Opportunities
such as allowing theparents to see the teacher and the pupils at work or to see their children
as theylearn should also be given emphasis.2. Provide public participation in the study of school
and society problemsThe school (staff, faculty, and administrators) should bear in mind
that cooperative school action is perhaps the most effective means of developing goodschoolcommunity relation. When the school and the society work together onproblems of common
concerns, a sense of essential kinship and oneness betweenthem is fostered.3. Make the
school the center of community improvement The school should take the leadership in
promoting the welfare of thecommunity. This leadership implies that the school should
cooperate with otheragencies in coordinating the community improvement in order to fulfill
its truefunction to the people of the community. The school cannot function as a
detachedorganization concerned only with the imparting of a certain amount of bookknowledge. Community-directed activities should be undertaken in addition to theregular
duties of the school.The school can be made the center of community improvement by
adoptingthe curriculum to the need of the children and adults. Problems pertaining to
thecommunity that affect the lives of the people, especially children, should beemphasized.4.
Make the school a democratic social centerThe school should advocate a wider use of their
buildings and ground as aplace for a democratic social center like public meetings, social
discussions, publicdebates, literary, national and local celebrations and the like may be held
in theschool building under proper restrictions.
5
. Encourage the society to serve the schoolThe school should stimulate the people of the
community to serve the school.This principle will tend to form closer school-community
bonds. Citizens whocontribute time, effort, talent and materials to the school will have
personal interest in that particular school. Example; those community members who have
specialtalents and abilities may offer services when the school needs assistance in musicand
dance, or we can invite any resource speaker for any forums/discussions withregard to any
social problems like drug addiction, moral recovery, PMS, earlymarriage, etc.6. Know the
community you are servingThe school must be familiar with the nature of the community,
itscharacteristics, its resources, its problems, its public improvements and its
socialdevelopment. Without knowing our own community, good perspective will
belacking.7. Be an active member of any society organizationTo know the community from
the inside, it is important that the school shouldbe members of any social organizations.
Membership in community organizationslike service clubs, business and professional
organizations, church etc. is desirablefor any school.8. Inform your community about the
schoolThe school must take the responsibility to inform the people of thecommunity
activities and accomplishments of the school. To accomplish this, theschool must employ
publicity or public relation techniques. Publicity throughnews/school paper is an effective
way of interpreting the school to the communitybecause it reaches the parents and the homes of the
students.9. Know the community standardsThe school should know the
standards if goodrelationship is to be maintained. Many standards of the society are imposed
on theteaching staff by the force of public opinion even though they are actuallyformulated in
regulations. On important ethical matters, the school must be flexibleenough to accept the
community standards. Likewise, the customs and traditions of
the community must also be respected if cooperative association between the schooland
community is desired.10. Observe democratic group process in dealing with the publicIf the
human relations aspects of the public relations program are wellhandled by the school, they
can vitalize the effectiveness of the entire program of the school-community relations. We, as
part of the school, should be functionallyconversant with the methods of group discussion, of
group leadership and of groupwork on problem solving. We should observe
proper consideration and respect forthe opinions, rights, abilities and feelings of others.11.
Establish working relationship with local or national organizationSome organized groups
have similar objectives as the schools. Many of theseorganizations supplement the activities
carried on in the school. The school shouldprovide leadership to coordinate their efforts to
avoid waste of efforts andduplication of functions. Auxiliary agencies like the Boy and Girl
Scout of thePhilippines, the Junior Red Cross, the Local Health Department, and the ParentTeacher Association, can work cooperatively with the school for the betterment of the
society. The linking of the personnel of the local organizations with the schoolwill no
doubt contribute to the improvement of school and community relations.12. Home-visits by
the teachers Visits of the teachers to the homes of their pupils form an essential element of
school-home relations. More systematic and frequent home visits by teachersshould be made.
However, unannounced calls should be avoided as much aspossible. Arrangement should be
made to permit the teachers at time to fulfillappointments in the home during school hours.
Home-visits will promote betterunderstanding between the teacher and parents. Cooperative
relationships betweenthe home and the school are essential to the functioning of modern
education.
Principles of Good Relation between Sc
h
ool and Society
1. The principle of leadership is the keynote to school-society relationGood schoolcommunity relations call for democratic leadership whichfunction in a group situation
through cooperative action. Democratic leadershipbelongs to the group but leadership must
be placed on those who have alreadydemonstrated leadership ability. The leader must regard
himself, not as an expert or
director who works outside the group, but as a member, working within. Ademocratic leader
must understand the subtle interactions of individuals and thegroups.2. The principle of
cooperation is basic to the development of good school-societyrelationBasic to this idea is the
development of a greater sense of sharing andcooperation in a given task or project on the
part of the school and the people in thecommunity. School-community relations can best
developed through cooperativegroup action.3. The principle of participation is essential in
developing close school-societyrelationsThis principle calls for active participation by the
school personnel in a varietyof community projects. This principle is closely related to the
principle of cooperation. To be effective, cooperation must be followed by action
orparticipation.4. The principle of coordination promotes close school-society relationsThis
principle calls for a unified action of various social groups andindependent organizations in
the community. Unity can only be accomplished byrecognizing each group as equally
important in any community projects. Closeschool-community relations develop best in an
atmosphere of cooperation andcoordinated actions.
5
. The principle of friendliness is a dynamic source of good school-society relationsThe school
personnel should be friendly with the people in the community.Likewise, the people of the
community should be friendly too. The cultivation of friendliness should be made one of the
objectives of the Parent-Teacher Association.6. The principle of objectivity is fundamental to
the development of close school-society relationsThe school-community relations program
must be objective and tenable.Facts necessary to the development of close school-community
relations andimprovement of community life should be made known to the teachers.
Explaining
the basic facts of the school-community relations should precede and determine allother
phases of public relation.7. The principle of evaluation is in integral part of good schoolsociety relationsEvaluation is a process of making judgement that are to be used as a basis
of planning. The progress and outcomes of school-community relations should beevaluated in
terms of objective research procedure. Evaluation must be done by thegroups rather than by
one individual. The appreciation of its outcome by the peopleof community is the true meaning of
success.
Th
e
T
eac
h
and
Responsibility in Promoting GoodRelations
1. The school administrator should aid the
in recognizing their importancein this
respect and the necessity for their cooperative planning and executing of thesociety relation
program.2. The school administrator should acquaint his teachers with the different media.3.
The school administrators and teachers must have the philosophy that educationshould
include not only the pupils, but the home and the society as well.4. The school administrators
and teachers must play a vital role in implementing theintegration of the school and the
society.
Ot
h
er functions and Roles of Education towards Society
Social change and controlReconstruction of experiencesDevelopment of social and moral valueProviding opportunity or equalityTo complete the socialization processTo transmit the central heritageThe formation of social personalityReformation of attitudesFor occupational placement and acts as an integrative forceEric Estrella SilandoteReporter