COURSE OUTLINE
EDF 103: SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION AND COMPARATIVE EDUCATION
Course Description
The course gives the learner a chance to understand how interactions among individuals and
society influence teaching and learning that goes on in an educational setting. The learner will
also be exposed to other education systems. They will be expected to explain the similarities and
differences in the education systems of different countries.
Expected Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, student should be able to do the following:

Give examples and explain theories that can be applied to education systems.

Explain the interdisciplinary nature of comparative education.

Give examples of the various frameworks used to compare systems.

Compare similarities and differences among cultures and their impact on education.
TOPIC
SUB – TOPIC
1. Introduction:
Meaning of sociology, Definition of society;
Origin
and
development;
Branches
of
sociology; Relation of sociology to other social
sciences; Theories and methods of sociology;
2. Family Social Position:
Socio-economic status, race, religion, social
system, family structure and interrelations;
effects of gender on personal abilities,
personality traits, motivation and socialization;
I.Q, its origin, cognitive style, creativity and
3. Individual Abilities:
testing consequences;
Principal, teachers, special service personnel,
4. The school as a Social System:
the
students;
student/teacher
classroom
roles,
role
structure,
teacher
structure,
relationship;
Characteristics of students, school size, social
5. The Effectiveness of the School:
context, equality of educational opportunity;
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School board, government role in education,
6. school Environment:
centralized vs. decentralized school system
and policy, effects of external examination;
7. Cross-Cultural
Comparison of Societies and Schools:
Relations of societies and schools, work
ideologies, moral instruction, vocational
training, cross cultural difference in
achievement;
Social, marital and family problems,
8. Some Social Issues in Education Today:
adolescents, juvenile delinquents; educational
problems,
inequality,
religious
conflicts,
unemployment;
poverty,
population
problems, birth rate, health, minority groups,
class conflict; HIV/AIDS and drug abuse
Definition,
9. COMPARATIVE EDUCATION
development
of
comparative
education as a discipline (PHASES), problems
in comparative education.
10. The Major Contrasting Educational Discuss the following elements of each of the
country’s system of education:
Systems;
a. Kenya and Ghana
Goals, Objectives, Structure, Administration
b. Nigeria and South Africa
and control, Financing, Teacher training,
Curriculum development, Supporting services
and Future trends education.
11. The Major Contrasting Educational Discuss the following elements of each of the
country’s system of education:
Systems;
a) South Korea and Japan
Goals, Objectives, Structure, Administration
b) Canada and France
and control, Financing, Teacher training,
Curriculum development, Supporting services
and Future trends education.
12. The Major Contrasting Educational Discuss the following elements of each of the
country’s system of education:
Systems;
a) Britain and USA - DONE
Goals, Objectives, Structure, Administration
b) Russia and Germany
and control, Financing, Teacher training,
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Curriculum development, Supporting services
and Future trends education.
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