Navigating Schools and Formal Education
EDUCATION
A process designed to develop (“bring out”) one’s general capacity for thinking critically, as well as a capacity for self-understanding and self-reliance
Formal education
Education received in accredited schools during formal teaching sessions
Social functions of formal education
Develops Knowledge and Skills
- Subject-based knowledge of concepts and principles
- Societal values such as tolerance and leadership
- Skills needed in the workplace
Provides Primary Socialization
- Teaches individuals to communicate, interact, and work as a team
Creates Opportunities
- One of the most valuable means of gaining a healthy, comfortable life with greater possibilities for upward social and economic mobility
- Provides a social network and opportunities for finding a partner
Training
Process designed to identify and practise specific routines that achieve desired results
Socialization
The lifelong social learning a person undergoes to become a capable member of society, through social interaction with others and in response to social pressures.
Types of Education
- Public
- Private
- Faith-based
- Same-sex
- Home schooling
IMPORTANT CONCEPTS
Hidden Curriculum
- Lessons delivered through formal education that are not part of the official academic curriculum, e.g. obedience, submission to authority, punctuality, how to dress and behave
- Represents formal education’s latent (i.e. hidden, unintended) function as opposed to its manifest (i.e. intended, explicit) function (Merton)
Self- Actualization
The process of helping individuals attain and use all of the resources they will need to realize their personal potential (Maslow)
Ability Grouping (Streaming)
Minimizing or controlling variation between students of different academic ability by segregating them into different tracks or streams
The Academic Revolution
The transformation of the higher education system from small, localized units to a single national system with specialized curriculums, a heavy research agenda, and an all-PhD faculty (Jencks & Riesman)
- Promotes meritocracy—a system of rule or advancement where rewards are strictly proportioned to the accomplishment
Credentialism
Bias in favour of documented skills and qualifications as a reflection of ability
- Has increased competition between universities and strengthened the link between educational and class positions
Cultural Capital
Body of knowledge and interpersonal skills that helps people get ahead socially
PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES
Costs and Funding
Schools are underfunded, and families are increasingly required to cover rising costs of tuition fees, school supplies, textbooks, and technology
Education and Inequality
Unequal access to educational opportunities
- Socioeconomic status—people from wealthier, more educated families are more likely to have the emotional, financial, and material resources required to complete a higher education degree
- Gender—school systems socialize boys and girls differently, influencing how and what they learn, as well as their interests, roles, and responsibilities
- Ethnicity and race—the “achievement gap” means minorities and less advantaged groups face obstacles to educational and occupational advancement
Pressure on Students
High rates of mental illness and unhealthy stress levels among high school and university students are linked to pressure to be “perfect,” competitive, and successful
Bullying
Includes physical, emotional, and social forms of abuse, which can have significant harmful effects on selfesteem, health, and well-being
CURRENT TRENDS
- More people are completing secondary and post-secondary education.
- Competition has increased among students for entry into educational programs.
- Jobs are requiring greater educational credentials.
- People with high levels of educational attainment are less likely to be unemployed.
- More women and minorities are entering and completing post-secondary programs.
NAMES WORTH KNOWING
Erik Erikson (1902–1994), a psychoanalyst, identified eight stages of development he believed all humans follow during their life cycle, with each stage representing new challenges.
David Riesman (1909–2002) and Christopher Jencks (b. 1936) coauthored The Academic Revolution (1968), which looks at the historical ties between schools and societies, and examines the evolving role of higher education in modern, post-industrial society.
John R. Seeley (1913–2007) investigated the connection between family life, school experience, and mental health in his classic work Crestwood Heights (1956).
James S. Coleman (1926–1995) examined adolescent socialization in schools in The Adolescent Society (1961), and studied equality of educational opportunities in the “Coleman Report,” suggesting that student achievement is largely linked to social background and socioeconomic status.
Richard Arum (b. 1963) and Josipa Roska studied the value added by formal education and found that after two years of college, a significant proportion of students demonstrate no improvement in a wide range of skills, including critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing, a conclusion presented in their book Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses (2011).
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