Social Theories (And Education In A Global Context):
ADMPS 3089 – 1180 (29578):
Spring 2015
Maureen W. McClure
Administrative and Policy Studies
School of Education
Face-2-Face Meeting Dates And Times:
5700 Posvar Hall 1.00 -5.00 p.m.
January 10
February 7
March 7
April 4,
Else Online
OFFICE HOURS: TBA (Confer with class on January 10)
Course Focus
Ultimately, this course is about you, situating yourself in an increasingly global context,
driven by technology and globalization. As a consequence, the course will encourage you to
explore the impact of these changes on your future life.
What do you believe in passionately? How can social theories help strengthen and
challenge your views? Far from being dry, academic reading, they drive policy - politics,
business, and many other aspects of your everyday life. What kind of leadership role do
you want to create for yourself in your career? What are you willing to advocate for? How
can this course help?
Many students have very jumbled thinking about the things they feel most strongly about.
They know what is right for them, but often can’t explain how very clearly. This makes it
difficult to convince anyone besides those who already agree with you. This will limit your
political success, as contested issues need complicated, but clear thinking.
One of SCAE’s international strengths is learning how to manage multiple perspectives, a
critical skill in a globalizing world. How do people construct the world so that it makes
sense to them? How do we negotiate the contested meanings that arise? Finally, how does
the next generation learn about its cultural endowments?
Course Narrative
Civilizations are learned, one child, one generation at a time. Education is the principal means for
societies to pass on identities based on values, beliefs, assumptions, knowledge and skills.
Education can be formal (public, private K-20), nonformal (religious instruction, athletic clubs) or
informal (families, peers, social networks, etc.). Thinking about education is complicated, in part
because it crosses so many disciplines (economics, sociology, philosophy, linguistics, political
science, psychology, anthropology, history, literature and its criticism, biology, chemistry, physics,
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neurosciences, etc.). Each of them contribute to thinking and theories about how education within
societies function. It is simply not possible to cover all social theories related to education in a
single course, so the basics in economics and sociology will be covered, and you are encouraged to
learn about others that are introduced to you.
As education is an interdisciplinary study, sometimes definitions can vary widely. Economic and
sociological definitions vary, for example, because the disciplines focus on different research
questions. The important thing to remember is that a map can be very useful in understanding
what is or is not present in different reform arguments.
There are several unifying themes that run across many of these theories. First is the power of
structure. The formal and informal organizations in which you participate can and will affect the
next generation. For example, families and schools have a major influence on most children. Second
is the power of personal agency, basically individual free will and the freedom to choose. The
tension between the two is chronic, and cannot be “solved.” Consequently, this tension gives rise to
multiple social theories based on differing balances of the two.
For example, theories based on social behavior as predictable natural laws may not leave much
room for personal agency. Or theories based on the primacy of agency may give rise to policies
emphasizing the primacy of choice over other values, such as social cohesion. In any case,
education has seen many different definitions over the centuries. Where are we now?
In the 19th Century, public education was emphasized and focused on nation building by unifying
identities across citizens. In the 20th Century, attention turned toward education for national
economic opportunity. This historical period saw the rise of international education with the
growth of concerns for national economic competitiveness and security. Diversity issues with the
growth of civil rights issues became both more visible and more valued.
In the 21st Century, attention to these areas remains. But now, in addition, there is growth in multinational concerns for globalization, urbanization, pollution, public health, income inequality and
inter-generational stability. These issues are pushing the development of global education with
technology serving as an acclerator. How then do different civilizations learn to balance the
multiple problems of voice and identity across multiple meanings of “citizenship”: political
(regional, national, international, global), economic (workplace, science, technology), cultural
(ethnic, religious, modernity), and generational (family, historical, future)?
This course focuses on the 21st Century needs for global competence. What does it mean? Why is it
so contested? What social theories help shape different points of view?
Time pushes us on relentlessly; today’s children must learn quickly to inherit an extraordinarily
complex world. These generational obligations accrue to us all, and cannot be traded away in the
marketplace. Do they trump personal choice? Can or should science lead the way? Then what
about the generational moral obligations of in loco parentis? Should democratically elected
governments control school funding? And if they do fund them, then should parental choice be
subsidized by elderly taxpayers? Perhaps. Perhaps not. This is for you to discover, to struggle with
and to decide. To guide you are multiple, contradictory social theories that offer you complicated
ways of knowing about complicated situations without permanent solutions. We call them wicked
problems. Or, in some cases, super-wicked problems.
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Course Assumptions
This course assumes the following fortune cookie snippets:
 Education is often contested, so understanding multiple points of view is critical
 It is important to challenge generic thinking.
 It is important to question everything, and still be respectful when called for.
 Education is an inter-disciplinary subject that reaches across the arts and sciences.
 “One right way” thinking can quickly become problematic. It may work for skills, but not for
values. They are not the same.
 Globalization, demographics and technology are increasingly disruptive forces in US and
education globally because they can strongly influence revenue generation. The “who
should pay for what” question is under the radar in much of the US.
 The future is both volatile and uncertain and that is both a problem and an opportunity.
 Peer learning can help. So can the wisdom of the crowds.
 The past is not necessarily a good predictor of the future. The value of professional
experience is not growing as fast as in the past.
 Today’s pedagogy needs to reward both structure and agency. How is it playing out in
today’s reforms?
 One of the most important purposes of education is to help the next generation inherit their
civilization. It is also one of the most ignored.
 Videos are an increasingly useful source for course text.
 Asking good questions is an important skill.
 “Following the money” sometimes can be a good idea.
Assignments
The purpose of the assignments is to first help you map your own positions, and then map those of
others. Finally, with a broader view, you then can advocate for what you think is important,
drawing first on the strengths of your own positions, and then keeping in view how others may
argue. Your drafts build toward your final products, so you will work on them throughout the
semester. This will allow you to build skills not only in content areas, but also in writing for policy
advocacy, strategy and APA style use.
Your assignments will also become texts in the class, so make sure you bring enough hard copies of
your drafts to share in each class meeting. If you only have one copy of your map to share, just
bring it with you to the Saturday class.
1. In class and online participation (30 points) – Discussions and comments – You are
expected to contribute regularly to the class discussions and to offer helpful comments to
others on their drafts.
2. Map (30 points)
a. February - Draft I: – Where do you want to start? Why? Who are the major
stakeholders? What are their positions relative to each other? On what do they base
their arguments? (10 points)
b. March - Draft II: Revision – What don’t they talk about? (10 points)
c. April - Final: Pulling it all together. (10 points)
3. Policy Advocacy Brief (40 points) – no more than 3000 words, not including references
(APA Style) and appendices and including an executive summary (one half page)
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a. February - Draft I: Where do you stand now relative to global competence in
education issues and why? Where do you stand relative to the course materials so
far and why? (10 points)
b. March - Draft II: Where to you stand relative to most recent course materials and
why? (10 points)
c. April - Final: (20 points)
The Map
Your individual map will show different stakeholder points of view as they relate to the
problems of education and global competence. It could also serve as the basis for your
research paper and advocacy of your related positions. This means you need to know where
you stand on the opportunities and challenges of globalization and global competence. This
means having a clear idea of the social theories you draw upon as you develop and advocate
for your own position. The purpose of the map is so that you have a relatively clear picture
not only of support for your ideas, but also a clearer picture of those who are likely to
challenge your position and whose concerns will need to be addressed.
The Policy Advocacy Brief
The purpose of this type of brief is to give you the chance to see how theory moves into
practice. Too often theories are defined endlessly with little attention paid to their
consequences. They are wielded as shibboleths, as though their power were self-evident,
and not contested. And too often practitioners over-rely on experience to carry them
through. Both can be dangerous in worlds where the past is not a particularly good
predictor of the future. So in the 21st Century we need to pay more attention to issues of
globalization and their highly complicated effects on education.
On one hand some reformers are saying that education has to lead the way so we can
innovate our way into sustained national economic leadership. Others say, oops, too late,
only markets can cure problems. Others argue with the “rise of the rest” and an aging
nation, the innovators are now global and cheaper than those in the US. What practical
positions do we need to take when surrounded by ideologies? Or does ideology need to lead
the way when the road ahead is murky? From pension funds to foreign language learning to
STE(A)M, where does it all go from here? Should markets lead with individual choices?
Should governments lead for national security? Should the sciences of global problems
lead? Will large enrollments for online programs be the way out of high costs? Who knows?
When grasping for straws, where shall we reach?
The policy advocacy brief will spell out the issues related to organizational needs to
improve the global competence of workplaces, however they may be defined. Global
competence, as you would imagine, has multiple contested definitions, so don’t be put off by
this when you start Googling…
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Face 2 Face Class Format
Message from Capt. Obvious. You can’t be passive. You can’t expect me to so organize the
class that decisions appear inevitable for you. (That is sooo 20th Century…) This can be a
disastrous approach in highly complicated and contested environments. But you already
know that.
You’ll need to bring a good discussion question to the F2F class regarding the book to be
discussed (See syllabus and schedule). Best, the questions can be related and useful for your
project. Everyone needs to take turns leading the discussion with their chosen question.
Any necessary follow up on the assigned course materials will be next. You will then have
time to work on your assignments and review each other’s work. Finally, introductions will
be made to materials and issues coming up over the next month.
Online Format
There are 15 weeks of documented online hours of class time outlined in the schedule. Each
class “session” is calculated at 2.5 hours, resulting in 37.5 hours of instructional time. This
does not include the time in addition to class that you are expected to spend on reading,
studying, and completing assignments. For masters level courses, that time is estimated to
be 1 hour for every instructional hour. In this case, that totals 37.5 hours. For doctoral
courses, more engagement is needed.
To adequately manage the content requirements of this course, you should plan for the
following, at minimum:
37.5 class hours + 37.5 hours class-related work = at least 75 hours of active
engagement or between 5 and 6 hours every week
Check in 3 to 5 times per week and engage in the discussions. The hours pile up fast, so try
to schedule it when you can, and check in quickly when you have a few minutes to spare.
You will receive handouts weekly for the course materials. In the past students were asked
to ask their own questions, but that quickly became complicated, requiring more down time
than many people had (some just short circuited), so I switched to a handout format.
Books (Other materials online in Blackboard, including lots of videos)
Required (but not for purchase – you can share, picked up used copies, rent, whatever, as long
as you can have access):
Brown, P., Lauder, H., & Ashton, D. (2012). The global auction: The broken promises of
education, jobs, and incomes. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN-13: 9780199926442. (March meeting).
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Hanushek, E.. A., Peterson, P. E., & Woessmann, L. (2013). Endangering prosperity: A global
view of the American school. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press. ISBN-13: 9780815703730. (March meeting).
McCandless, D. (2012). Visual miscellaneum: A colorful guide to the world's most
consequential trivia. New York: Harper Design. ISBN-13: 978-0062236524. (April meeting).
Roza, M. (2010). Educational Economics: Where Do School Funds Go? Washington, D.C. Urban
Institute Press. ISBN-13: 978-0877667643. (April meeting).
Tyack, D. (2007). Seeking common ground: Public schools in a diverse society. Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press. ISBN-13: 978-0674024205. (February meeting).
Recommended, Not Required:
American Psychological Association. (2013). Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association, (6th ed.). Washington, D.C. : American Psychological Association. Many use the
online Purdue Owl for support. ISBN-13: 978-1433805615
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/560/
Lauder, H., Brown, P., Dillabough, J., and Halsey, A. H. (2006). Education, Globalization & Social
Change. New York: Oxford University Press. A terrific, huge, reader. Good reference if you
are interested in this area. Cheap used copies available. ISBN-13: 978-0199272532
Smith, Catherine F. (2012). Writing public policy. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press. For
those of you who are interested in building your policy writing skills. ISBN 13: 978-0-19993392-1
Strunk, W., Jr. & White, E. B. (1999). The elements of style. (4th ed.). London: Longman. Good
basics. ISBN 13: 978-0205309023
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103140512
SCHEDULE
January: Social theories and Global Competence
Weeks I and II: Introduction and Overview (Lots of videos)
Kahn Social Theories Overview
PRB 2014 Data Sheets
Babies Trailer
Earth at Night
Education for the 21st Century: Global Competence
21st Century Skills
Tony Wagner
Ken Robinson
Reimers
Yong Zhao
Indonesia students
21st Century Enlightenment
RSA Networks
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RSA Power of Empathy
Sugata Mitra
The Big Picture: International and Global Education
Globalization
Flat Earth - Tom Friedman
Rise of the Rest - Fareed Zakaria
Map
Parker and Camicia
Yamamoto and McClure
Davis
Weeks III and IV: US History of Perspectives – Tyack
Seeking Common Ground: Education for Meaning
Unity- Fairness and Voice in the Polity- Social Justice and the Law
Diversity - Workforce Development in the Economy
Wisdom of crowds
Citizenship and Identity (National, Global, Generational) in the Political Economy
February: The Establishment (Hanushek et al) and The Dissidents (Brown et al)
Technology: 40 Maps of the Internet
Weeks I and II: Market Rules, Neoliberals and Natural Laws - Hanushek
Human Capital
Plank and Hanushek
McClure
World Bank: Skills Gap
Videos
Social Capital Videos
Clinton
Cultural Capital
Bezaitis Need for Strangeness
Attenborough – Wonderful World
Lakoff
Kaplan
Weeks III and IV: Market Failures and the Problems of Choice? - Brown et al
March: Costs and Contexts (Roza)
Weeks I and II: So What Does it Cost? Are You Sure?
Chavan (2014) Technology Alone Won’t Reform Education
Weeks III and IV: Contested Meanings Because Culture Matters
Reimers (2006). Citizenship, Identity and Education
Feminist Views
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International Ed
Mr. Rogers
April (McCandless)
Weeks I and II: Contested Meanings
Saleci, Renata Problems of Choice
Poststrtucturalism
Macfarlane
Wikipedia. Structure and Agency
RSA Animate Re-imagining Work
RSA Taylor Rethinking Wellbeing
Weeks III and IV: What Do We Know Now and Where Do We Go From Here?
Student presentations
Academic Integrity
Students in this course will be expected to comply with the University of Pittsburgh's Policy on
Academic Integrity. Any student suspected of violating this obligation for any reason during the
semester will be required to participate in the procedural process, initiated at the instructor level,
as outlined in the University Guidelines on Academic Integrity. This may include, but is not limited
to, the confiscation of the examination of any individual suspected of violating University Policy.
Furthermore, no student may bring any unauthorized materials to an exam, including dictionaries
and programmable calculators.
All students are required to read and sign the following statement. A signed copy must be
submitted to the instructor in order to complete the course.
Disability Services
If you have a disability that requires special testing accommodations or other classroom
modifications, you need to notify both the instructor and Disability Resources and Services no later
than the second week of the term. You may be asked to provide documentation of your disability to
determine the appropriateness of accommodations. To notify Disability Resources and Services, call
(412) 648-7890 (Voice or TTD) to schedule an appointment. The Disability Resources and Services
office is located in 140 William Pitt Union on the Oakland campus.
Statement on Classroom Recording
To ensure the free and open discussion of ideas, students may not record classroom lectures,
discussion and/or activities without the advance written permission of the instructor, and any such
recording properly approved in advance can be used solely for the student’s own private use.
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UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
Academic Integrity Guidelines
Student Agreement
I. Student Obligations
A student has an obligation to exhibit honesty and to respect the ethical standards of the profession
in carrying out his or her academic assignments. Without limiting the application of this principle, a
student may be found to have violated this obligation if he or she:
1. Refers during an academic evaluation to materials or sources, or employs devices, not
authorized by the faculty member.
2. Provides assistance during an academic evaluation to another person in a manner not
authorized by the faculty member.
3. Receives assistance during an academic evaluation from another person in a manner not
authorized by the faculty member.
4. Engages in unauthorized possession, buying, selling, obtaining, or use of any materials
intended to be used as an instrument of academic evaluation in advance of its
administration.
5. Acts as a substitute for another person in any academic evaluation process.
6. Utilizes a substitute in any academic evaluation proceeding.
7. Practices any form of deceit in an academic evaluation proceeding.
8. Depends on the aid of others in a manner expressly prohibited by the faculty member, in the
research, preparation, creation, writing, performing, or publication of work to be submitted
for academic credit or evaluation.
9. Provides aid to another person, knowing such aid is expressly prohibited by the instructor,
in the research, preparation, creation, writing, performing, or publication of work to be
submitted for academic credit or evaluation.
10. Presents as one’s own, for academic evaluation, the ideas, representations, or words of
another person or persons without customary and proper acknowledgment of sources.
11. Submits the work of another person in a manner which represents the work to be one's
own.
12. Knowingly permits one's work to be submitted by another person without the faculty
member's authorization.
13. Attempts to influence or change one's academic evaluation or record for reasons other than
achievement or merit.
14. Indulges, during a class (or examination) session in which one is a student, in conduct which
is so disruptive as to infringe upon the rights of the faculty member or fellow students.
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15. Fails to cooperate, if called upon, in the investigation or disposition of any allegation of
dishonesty pertaining to another student.
16. Violates the canons of ethics of the student's professional discipline, as promulgated by
professional organizations and/ or regulatory bodies (e.g., American College of Sports
Medicine, American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association,
and Pennsylvania Department of Education).
The alternative sanctions which may be imposed upon a finding that an offense related to academic
integrity has been committed are the following:
1. Dismissal from the University without expectation of readmission.
2. Suspension from the University for a specific period of time.
3. Reduction in grade, or assignment of a failing grade, in the course in which the offending
paper or examination was submitted.
4. Reduction in grade, or assignment of a failing grade, on the paper or examination in which
the offense occurred.
I have read and agree to follow these academic integrity guidelines.
Signed:_____________________________________________Date:_____________
Printed Your Name:____________________________________________________
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Chart 1. (WEIDMAN)
Contrasting Assumptions Underlying the Structural-Functional, Marxist-Conflict, and Interpretivist Theories of Society *
Theories/Society
Nature of Society
Nature of Elements in Society
Structural-Functional
Stable (Equilibrium)
Integrative
Function of Elements in Society
Basis of Social Structure
System Maintenance
Consensus (Values/ Norms)
Marxist-Conflict
Changing (Conflict)
Disintegrative
(Dialectical Basis)
System Modification
Coercion
Type of Change
Evolutionary (Incremental)
Revolutionary
Interpretivist
Fluid
Contingent (Meanings
Made by Individuals)
System Enhancement
Shared Patterns of
Meaning
Negotiated
Sources: Dahrendorf, Ralf. (1959). Class and Class Conflict in Industrial Society. Stanford: Stanford University Press (pp. 161162).
Feinberg, Walter & Soltis, Jonas F. (1992). School and Society. 2nd Edition. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia
University.
*Prepared by John C. Weidman, Professor of Higher and International Development Education, University of Pittsburgh
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