Sociological Perspectives on Education
By Notes Vandar
Sociological Perspectives on Education
The sociology of education is the study of how public institutions and individual experiences influence education and its outcomes. It is most concerned with the public schooling systems of modern industrial societies, including the growth of higher, further, adult, and continuing education.
Some scholar’s hold that whereas great importance is given to the philosophical, psychological and scientific basis of education, the need of modern times is that due importance should also be attached to the sociological basis of education. The sociological basis of education means that in the educational organization due weight should be given to the needs, ideals and aspirations of society. In other words, by means of education social qualities and social feelings should be developed in children, so that they are able to discharge efficiently their obligations and enjoy their rights in such a manner that they are capable to lead their lives with self-confidence and self-reliance and are able to contribute their utmost to the social welfare and progress. In this way, sociological basis of education lays great emphasis on the development of capable, dynamic and enterprising citizens of strong character who are able to achieve more and more progress and development by means of education. Before discussing this basis in some detail, it is essential to know well about the various aspects and entities of sociology, society, community, socialization process and its social interactions to make the sociological basis of education are quite clear.
4.1 Relation between sociology and education
Definition of sociology of education
This essay will firstly define education and sociology then it will define what sociology of education is and come up with a suitable definition on sociology of education from various definitions. This suitable definition will be discussed further because it speaks much of what goes on in education system.
Ezewu (1990) defines sociology of education as “a scientific study of human behavior in groups having for its aim the convening of regularities and order in each behavior and expressing these sceneries as theoretical propositions that describe a wide variety of patterns of behavior in learning environment”. This definition shows that there is a very close relationship between the individual and the society. It looks at how children become fully-fledged socialization. Furthermore, the definition talks about social relations in a learning environment and network of such relations which are known as society.
Peter Harold (1968) defines sociology of education as “the study of origins, organizations, institutions and development of human society”. His definition refers to the study of sociology of education by using the historical approach. It studies initial specific conditions. For any institution, organization or society to develop properly there is needed to trace the origin or background. In other words this approach explains how society and the institution develop. It looks at interactions within the society and also society and other institutions. There are also possible outcomes or achievements of these interactions.
Peter Snelson (1974) defines education as a condition of human Survival. It is the means where by one generation. Transmits the wisdom, knowledge and experience which prepares the next generation for life duties and pleasure. This definition on education helps us to act with more insight and more intelligence in molding the youth in an acceptable manner. We can give a sound academic mission to the youth by teaching them survival skills such as carpentry, pottery, basketry and other survival skills which can better their lives. Human beings not only acquire new skills but also from the society. To this effect parents and teachers should work hand in hand in order to help the youths themselves have knowledge and in coming up with relevant ways it’s a matter of assisting them. By teaching the young ones, knowledge is transmitted from one generation to the next. This simply enlightens us that education is a continuous process. The statement “sky is the limit” helps us to have a wide knowledge about all aspects of education. Education prepares individuals to do things it is their responsibility to do them. For instance parents have the duty to teach children good morals in order to prepare them for the challenges ahead.
It is of paramount importance to define sociology before defining sociology of education. This is because sociology is related to sociology of education. Auguste Comte was the first man to come up with the term sociology, which means “the study of society”. A society is where a group of people live as a community. A society could be a village, a school, a rest house, a college or a university. All these units of society mentioned are part of the human beings and their social environment. Human beings belong to different groups where socialization takes place and they have influence on others.
Relation between sociology and education
The relation between sociology and education has always been a subject of debate. Education and sociology are mutually interrelated and interdependent disciplines. They are so closely intertwined and interconnected that their subject matter and method of study are often overlapped to a great extent. The following are the arguments to highlight the relationship between education and sociology:
- Sociology is the science of society and education in an implicit aspect of any social system.
- Sociology studies the structure and functions of social systems, while education is one of the important functions of any social system.
- The prime concern of sociology is socialized individuals while education is the process of socializing individuals.
- Education is the means for achieving the goals of sociology.
- Education is the laboratory and workshop of sociology.
- Sociology develops methods and techniques to be utilized by educational system to attain its goals.
- Sociology contributes greatly to the planning, execution, monitoring and evaluation of educational process.
- Sociology attempts to ascertain the functions performed by the educational system while education adopts the principles of sociology to improve its functioning.
- In the modern society, sociology generates the data base which is consumed by educational system to realize the goal of social life.
- Sociology develops laws and principles which are adopted by the educational system for its improvement.
- The ever-cherishing social values are those attained through education.
- Sociology provides the principles and education practices them.
- Sociology put forth the ideals and values which education is to achieve.
- Education preserves the social and cultural heritage which is owned by sociology.
- Education brings about reforms and changes in the field of sociology.
4.2 Socialization as a base
4.2.1 Concept of Socialization:
Socialization is a process of making an individual social. In other words, socialization is a process through which society develops an individual according to its ideals, beliefs and traditions and bestows recognition as social being. In short, the basis of socialization is interaction. In other words, socialization means that process through which an individual interacts with other individuals and learns social ideas, attitudes and patterns of behavior. The individual, inspired by the ideals of social service and social welfare through interaction, makes himself well adjusted with his family, Neighbourses and other social groups so that he himself becomes a true social being in the real sense of the term. In this way, the whole process of socialization falls within the scope of interaction or the social act.
A child learns manners, habits, friendship and many patterns of behavior and other social processes in the society. We use language which has got great importance in society. The child has to learn all these social processes, and then only he would achieve proper development of his personality. Socialization takes place through social interaction. In it, children come into contact with one another. This social interaction occurs on two levels. Primary interaction occurs among individuals and subsidiary interaction occurs within the individual.
A. Definition of Socialization
To make the meaning of socialization more clear, the following definitions are adduced—
- “Socialization is the development of we-feeling in associates and the growth in their capacity and will to act together.”— J.S. Ross.
- “Socialization is the process by which children learn the ways of their society and make these ways part of their own personality.”—Havighurst and Newgarton.
- “Socialization is the process whereby persons learn to behave dependably together on behalf of human welfare and in so doing experiences social self-control, social responsibility and balanced personalities.”— Bogardus.
B. Process of Socialization
As discussed above, the process of socialization makes a child social. Among the various factors which play a vital role in this process, the following are the prominent ones—
- Child Rearing— The upbringing of a child plays a significant role in the socialization of a child. As the way in which the parents bring up the child and as the atmosphere which is available to the child in his early childhood, accordingly the feelings and experiences develop in the child.
- Sympathy— like upbringing, sympathy also plays an important role in the socialization of a child. It may be noted that during infancy, a child is fully dependent on his family for the fulfillment of all his needs and requirements.
- Co-operation—Society makes the child social. In other words, the Co-operation of society plays an important part to socialize the child.
- Suggestion— Social suggestion powerfully influences the socialization of a child. It is a natural fact that a child acts according to the suggestion received from his well wishers.
- Identification— Sympathy, love and suggestion of parents, relations and well wishers develop in the child a feeling of identification with others.
- Imitation—The basic fact or in socialization is the process of imitation. This is the most potent way of learning by a child.
- Social Teaching—Besides imitation, social teaching also influences the socialization of a child. It may be noted that social teaching takes place in the family, among friends and relations who guide the child in one way or the other.
- Reward and Punishment—They have a great influence on the socialization of a child. When a child behaves according to the ideas and beliefs of society, people appreciate and approve his behavior. On the contrary when he does some anti-social act, he is criticized and condemned by society. This type of punishment weans the child away from unsocial activities leading him towards proper socialization.
4.2.2 Modes of Socialization
Socialization is an important process by which a child engages himself in various activities of society such as roles and learning of societal phenomena and developmental tasks in easy ways. On the activities of social work, he became a virtual individual in society. According to sociologists of Broom and seizmic, there are following two types of mode of socialization similarly, the concepts of modes of socialization are related to the ways adopted by social agencies to socialize a child. Social agencies generally use the following two modes to socialize a child—
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Repressive mode of socialization
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Permissive or participatory mode of socialization
1.Repressive mode of socialization
It is a parent-centered or society-centered mode of socialization. In this mode, the parents or society decide the pattern of behavior, which the children should follow. They do this for the welfare of the child. They develop a code of conduct for the child and they wish the child should follow this code of conduct without any questioning. This mode of socialization does not take care of the child’s wish and interest. It gives more emphasis on the execution of the discipline. Communication takes place in the form of command, which is generally one-way. It requires the child to follow the command fully without any question. This mode of socialization is less time consuming. It shapes the behavior of the child in a pre-specified manner; therefore, it tries to develop a homogeneous society. It makes the child more conformist rather than a creative child. A conformist child is that obedient child who tries to confirm the behavior taught to him or her. They are just good followers. Repressive mode of socialization gives more emphasis to make a child a good follower of adults. For the development of prescribed behavior, it rewards the right behavior and punishes the wrong behavior. The reward in repressive mode of socialization is material and punishment is physical.
Repressive mode of socialization refers to the following characteristics:
- Sparing the road and spoiling the child
- Punishing wrong behavior.
- Material rewards and punishment and punishment oriented.
- Non-verbal communication.
- Communication as command.
- Child’s discernment.
- Old concept and order-oriented.
- Society-centered.
- Child’s discernment of parent’s wishes or Parent of Adult oriented.
- Development of negative concept or Negative mode.
- Leader-oriented and obedience.
- Greater significance of family.
- One way communication process.
2.Permissive or Participatory mode of Socialization:
It is a child centered mode of socialization. This mode of socialization respects the child’s wishes, needs, freedom and interest. Children themselves make their own code of conduct by trial and error process based on the theory of “Learning by doing”. Children are permitted to select the pattern of behavior according to their needs and make their own course of discipline. Society and parents play the role of guide in this form of socialization. The communication in this type of socialization is always two-way. Parent and child both communicate to establish the code of conduct. Although this socialization process takes more time to develop a particular code of conduct in this system, it makes the child more creative. Children explore relevant behavior by their own experience. There is an individual difference in the socialization of a child; therefore, it develops a heterogeneous society. Similar to repressive mode of socialization, it also rewards the right behavior and punishes the wrong behavior, but the reward is symbolic and punishment is corrective.
Permissive mode of socialization can be further classified into two types:
- Laissez faire mode of socialization: In this type of socialization, children enjoy total freedom for choosing their code of conduct. Code of conduct is decided based on the will and experiences of a child. There is no or very little intervention of parents in the learning of a child. The child should be totally responsible for him or herself. Such Socialization can lead the behavior of child to both right and wrong. At present time, laissez faire mode has become a common mode in many developed societies, especially for grown up children. It leads to individuality rather that socialization.
- Democratic mode of socialization: This type of socialization is more planned and prescribed in comparison to laissez faire mode. Children are socialized according to a predetermined plan and a prescribed set of behavior. They are trained to respect others’ will while performing any activity. However, they are permitted to learn all these behavior via their own experience. Their will and interest is paid a regard, but they are taught to respect others’ will and interest.
Permissive mode of socialization refers to the following characteristics:
- Rewarding good behavior.
- Symbolic rewards and punishment.
- Autonomy of child and positive development.
- Communication as interaction.
- Verbal communication.
- Child centered socialization.
- Parent’s discernment of child’s wishes.
- New concept and participatory role.
- Reward centered, freedom centered, and interaction centered mode.
- Two-way communication.
- Greater importance of individual.
Comparison or Differences between Repressive and permissive mode of Socialization.
S.N |
Repressive Mode |
Permissive Mode |
1. | Children are punished for wrong behavior. | Children are rewarded for good behavior. |
2. | Material rewards and punishment are provided for acceptable and unacceptable behavior. | Symbolic rewards and punishment are provided. |
3. | Children should be obedient to their elders. | Children enjoy autonomy and use their common sense. |
4. | Non-verbal or one way communication takes place between the elders and the child. | Verbal or two-way communication is regarded as the sign of finding a conclusion. |
5. | Communication is the sign of command. | Communication is a process of interaction. |
6. | It is a parent centered socialization. | It is child centered socialization. |
7. | Child’s discernment is initiated to fulfill the wishes of parents. | Parent’s discernment is to fulfill the wishes of their children. |
8. | Family is regarded as significant. | Family is regarded as general. |
9. | Children are deprived of human emotions. | Children enjoy human emotions. |
10. | Externally imposed discipline. | Self-discipline. |
11. | Development of a conformist child. | Development of a creative child |
4.3 Agencies of socialization
In our society, there are different types of social groups or agencies. Each of the groups has definite aims and objectives which help to them makes capable to lives in society and providing information of social activities that are emerging in society. The different social groups’ plays important roles in socialization process of man. There are different social agencies establish in society such as family, school, Peer group, community, associations, radio, Television, news papers, films etc. help to promote socialization on the limited boundary of rules and regulations of our society. Education as the major tools of socialization for individual and groups of peoples in society which is insisted in different agents such is known as agents of socialization that are illustrated as under.
Agencies of Socialization
Socialization helps people learn to function successfully in their social worlds. How does the process of socialization occur? How do we learn to use the objects of our society’s material culture? How do we come to adopt the beliefs, values, and norms that represent its nonmaterial culture? This learning takes place through interaction with various agents of socialization, like peer groups and families, plus both formal and informal social institutions.
Social Group Agents
Social groups often provide the first experiences of socialization. Families, and later peer groups, communicate expectations and reinforce norms. People first learn to use the tangible objects of material culture in these settings, as well as being introduced to the beliefs and values of society.
Family
Family is the first agent of socialization. Mothers and fathers, siblings and grandparents, plus members of an extended family, all teach a child what he or she needs to know. For example, they show the child how to use objects (such as clothes, computers, eating utensils, books, bikes); how to relate to others (some as “family,” others as “friends,” still others as “strangers” or “teachers” or “neighbors”); and how the world works (what is “real” and what is “imagined”). As you are aware, either from your own experience as a child or your role in helping to raise one, socialization involves teaching and learning about an unending array of objects and ideas.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that families do not socialize children in a vacuum. Many social factors impact how a family raises its children. For example, we can use sociological imagination to recognize that individual behaviors are affected by the historical period in which they take place. Sixty years ago, it would not have been considered especially strict for a father to hit his son with a wooden spoon or a belt if he misbehaved, but today that same action might be considered child abuse.
Sociologists recognize that race, social class, religion, and other societal factors play an important role in socialization. For example, poor families usually emphasize obedience and conformity when raising their children, while wealthy families emphasize judgment and creativity (National Opinion Research Center 2008).This may be because working-class parents have less education and more repetitive-task jobs for which the ability to follow rules and to conform helps. Wealthy parents tend to have better educations and often work in managerial positions or in careers that require creative problem solving, so they teach their children behaviors that would be beneficial in these positions. This means that children are effectively socialized and raised to take the types of jobs that their parents already have, thus reproducing the class system (Kohn 1977). Likewise, children are socialized to abide by gender norms, perceptions of race, and class-related behaviors.
Peer Groups
A peer group is made up of people who are similar in age and social status and who share interests. Peer group socialization begins in the earliest years, such as when kids on a playground teach younger children the norms about taking turns or the rules of a game or how to shoot a basket. As children grow into teenagers, this process continues. Peer groups are important to adolescents in a new way, as they begin to develop an identity separate from their parents and exert independence. Additionally, peer groups provide their own opportunities for socialization since kids usually engage in different types of activities with their peers than they do with their families. Peer groups provide adolescents’ first major socialization experience outside the realm of their families. Interestingly, studies have shown that although friendships rank high in adolescents’ priorities, this is balanced by parental influence.
Institutional Agents
The social institutions of our culture also inform our socialization. Formal institutions—like schools, workplaces, and the government—teach people how to behave in and navigate these systems. Other institutions, like the media, contribute to socialization by inundating us with messages about norms and expectations.
School
Most American children spend about seven hours a day, 180 days a year, in school, which makes it hard to deny the importance school has on their socialization (U.S. Department of Education 2004). Students are not only in school to study math, reading, science, and other subjects—the manifest function of this system. Schools also serve a latent function in society by socializing children into behaviors like teamwork, following a schedule, and using textbooks.
These kindergarteners aren’t just learning to read and write, they are being socialized to norms like keeping their hands to themselves, standing in line, and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. School and classroom rituals, led by teachers serving as role models and leaders, regularly reinforce what society expects from children. Sociologists describe this aspect of schools as the hidden curriculum, the informal teaching done by schools.
Schools also socialize children by teaching them about citizenship and national pride.Thus, children are socialized to a different national or world history than earlier textbooks may have done. For example, information about the mistreatment of African Americans and Native American Indians more accurately reflects those events than in textbooks of the past.
The Workplace
Just as children spend much of their day at school, many American adults at some point invest a significant amount of time at a place of employment. Although socialized into their culture since birth, workers require new socialization into a workplace, both in terms of material culture (such as how to operate the copy machine) and nonmaterial culture (such as whether it’s okay to speak directly to the boss or how the refrigerator is shared).
Different jobs require different types of socialization. In the past, many people worked a single job until retirement. Today, the trend is to switch jobs at least once a decade. Between the ages of 18 and 44, the average baby boomer of the younger set held 11 different jobs (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2010). This means that people must become socialized to, and socialized by, a variety of work environments.
Religion:
While some religions may tend toward being an informal institution, this section focuses on practices related to formal institutions. Religion is an important avenue of socialization for many people. The United States is full of synagogues, temples, churches, mosques, and similar religious communities where people gather to worship and learn. Like other institutions, these places teach participants how to interact with the religion’s material culture (like a mezuzah, a prayer rug, or a communion wafer). For some people, important ceremonies related to family structure—like marriage and birth—are connected to religious celebrations. Many of these institutions uphold gender norms and contribute to their enforcement through socialization. From ceremonial rites of passage that reinforce the family unit, to power dynamics which reinforce gender roles, religion fosters a shared set of socialized values that are passed on through society.
Government:
Although we do not think about it, many of the rites of passage people go through today are based on age norms established by the government. To be defined as an “adult” usually means being 18 years old, the age at which a person becomes legally responsible for themselves. And 65 is the start of “old age” since most people become eligible for senior benefits at that point.
Each time we embark on one of these new categories—senior, adult, taxpayer—we must be socialized into this new role. Seniors must learn the ropes of Medicare, Social Security benefits, and getting a senior discount where they shop. When American males turn 18, they must register with the Selective Service System within 30 days to be entered into a database for possible military service. These government dictates mark the points at which we require socialization into a new category.
4.3.1 Active groups or Agencies
In these agencies, there are two ways communication held in society. They are actively participating to help individual and others in socialization process is known as active groups. For examples, family, school, groups, associations etc. they are directly effects to each other in socialization process of teachers, parents and student in teaching learning process. Active groups are divided in to two categories:
- Formal group: Socialization process has been conducted on the basis of socially recognized rules and regulations of society. School, Social organization and associations that are established in society as a form of formal groups.
- Non-formal groups: Flexible rules steers on social activities and rules and regulations may be changeable according to time frame. There is no any formal boundaries of doing various activities is known as Non-formal groups or agencies like home, family, peer groups and community etc. Some agencies that are played enormous roles on the process of socialization has been explain as under.
I. Home /Family:
Family is basic agency, which plays an active role in the socialization of a child. Family is a formal group defined by sex relationship precise and enduring to provide for protection and upbringing of children. It is so called as the first school of a child is home because he born with in their families and begins to their pace of initial life from home and their habit, attitude, behaviors, fundamental activities of life are organized and share from the family. Child is born first as a biological being and he interacts with his families and relatives and become social being. On the consequences of their life he has matured and socially accepted and making him change whole being as a virtue of developing personality. Thus, family is active and first socializing agency. According to Ogburn and Nimkaff, the functions of family have been categories on seven points. They are Affection, Protective, Economic, Recreational, Family status, Educational, Religious.
II. School:
Schools are the formal agencies of socialization. They prepare the child to face the problems of the future in a planned manner. They develop the character of citizenship in them. Schools socialize children in a systematic manner. Schools teach all the behavior which is needed for the child to be a responsible member of society.
III. Community:
Community is a group of people having common lifestyle. The people belonging to a community have a specific value system and lifestyle and they transmit it to all new members of the community. They play an important role in socialization of the young ones. The influence of a community on an individual depends on the interpersonal relationship between them. It influences the behavior of child to a large extent.
IV. Associations:
A person may be a member of different types of associations. It may be a political, a religious or a cultural association. These all associations are formed with a specific objective. An individual becomes the member of any association voluntarily on his or her own will. These associations spread a specific value system and when a person becomes the member of that organization, he or she becomes influenced by that value system. In this way, associations play an important role in socialization of an individual. It is also an example of a secondary group, which influences the behavior of the child in a specific manner. The relationship between individual and associations is voluntary and self-motivated. This relationship also varies from person to person.
4.4 Social interaction: Concept and importance
A. Concept of Social Interaction
Social interaction is all types of action and reactions that take place between the individuals and groups of a society and through which they influence others’ behavior and also modify ones’ behavior. It is a two polar process in which a person acts both as a stimulant and a respondent. As a stimulant he or she affects other’s behavior and as a respondent, he is affected by other’s behavior. In this process, the people involved in social interaction influence each other’s behavior. It is the process by which a person learns social behavior. A person is socialized in his or her society through social interactions.
Different scholars have defined social interaction as follows:
“Social interaction is the name given to any of the possible relations between persons in a group or between the groups themselves considered as social units. It is through social interaction the cultural patterns are passed on.”—A.K.C Ottaway.
“Social interactions are the mutual influences that individuals and groups have one another in their attempt to solve problems and in their striving towards goals.” —Arnold Green.
“Social interaction is defined as a social process when analyzed from the standpoint of inter-stimulations and responses of personalities and groups. It is a process not structure and is ever in the state of flux.” —Radcliff Brown.
In this way, social interaction is a relationship between individuals and groups, which modifies the behavior of the people participating in it. Children learn the cultural pattern of society by social interaction. Socialization is also a result of social interaction. The two necessary conditions for social interaction are:
- Social contact and
- Exchange of ideas
Social interaction cannot take place in vacuum. There should be a direct contact between the people for social interaction. There should be exchange of ideas between them. The exchange of idea results social interaction.
B. Patterns of social Interaction:
Social interaction can be classified in different patterns on the following bases. These bases for the classification of social interaction are:
1.On the basis of number of people involved:
- Person to person
- Person to group
- Group to group
2.On the basis of Intimacy
- Primary social interaction
- Secondary social interaction
- Marginal social interaction.
3.On the basis of social process
Parks and Burgees have classified social interaction in the following four types on the basis of social process:
- Competition
- Conflict
- Accommodation
- Assimilation
- Co-operation
- Exchange
C. Concept of Social Interaction
Classroom teaching and learning is itself a social interaction. Children interact with their teacher and their classmates. They learn many behaviors from this interaction. They also influence other’s behavior in the process of this interaction. This interaction may be between pupils to pupils, pupil to group and group to group. The learning of a child is the product of all these interactions.
Human beings are a social animal. They want to make their distinct identity in the society. The need of belongingness, self-esteem and self-actualization always motivates them to make their unique identity praised by others. People co-operate to fulfill this need. The praise and recognition received by helping others through co-operation always develop their self-esteem. They develop their capabilities to co-operate other. In this way, co-operation is very much helpful in enhancing social learning of an individual.
Competition is a great motivator of learning process. In the condition of competition, one wants to supersede others for the protection of self-respect. It is a great motivating factor, which enhances learning in great amount. Similarly, the exchanges taken place in a classroom also strengthen learning of a child. The child learns a lot of behavior by the exchange with others.
A child not only learns the prescribed behavior determined by the curriculum in the classroom; he also learns how to live in the society. He or she learns how to be adjusted in society. The child learns the basis qualities of socialization through the social interaction in the classroom. All types of social interactions can be observed in the classroom. It may be conjunctive or disjunctive. It may be conflict or cooperation, but the child learns the basic skills for socialization in the larger society through the social interaction in the classroom. They compete with others, takes part in conflict, they learn how to accommodate them self in a new situation and finally they assimilate all the learned behavior as their own code of conduct. In this way, social interaction with in the classroom has great importance in enhancing the learning of the child and in socializing him or her in the larger society. The major points of importance of social interaction are as under:
- Social interaction provides opportunity to the students for illustrating his ideas and drawing conclusions.
- To provide the opportunity for increasing group mobility and create environment for individual mobility.
- Creating educational environment for conducting interaction in classroom.
- To make effective to all humanistic factors such as teacher, civil servant and students in their fields.
- It helps to make behavior is democratic to the teacher of school and civil servants.
- It applied the theory of educational behavior practically in classroom teaching.
- It develops co-operative environment in the classes.
- It helps to develop the environment in classroom for preserve, prospers and transfers the social culture through the social interaction.
- Making competition, assimilation and adjustment of environment in classroom.
“Social interaction is process whereby men interpenetrate the mains of each other”. — Dawson and Gettys.
4.5 Implications of sociological bases of education for school
- The community should provide education for mental development. It makes arrangement for vocational education. From the community the child learns about the social values, norms and also learns the art of adjusting with others.
- Children in the school as well as outside live in the company of their friends. They get influenced by each others.
- Religious, political and cultural institutions do influence the development of the child. These are called social institutions and have an impact on the development of the personality of the child. Due to the influence of these institutions, h/she acquires certain social norms and ideas from the society.
- The school is an important agency of socialization. These agencies also help the children to march from darkness to light and from ignorance to knowledge.
- School is the most important primary group or agency that brings about socialization. Really speaking, the influence of the school develops the personality of the child. The child comes in contact with the teachers, friends, elders, managers or head teacher, officials and demonstrators etc. All these members transmit the schools ideas to the child. Thus, the child knows the school customs and relations and interdependent to each others. It is the elementary effort at socialization.
- Status, group solidarity, behavior pattern, family moral and individual roles in a group has been shared and established in social institution like as school.
- Group work should be encouraged and a feeling of healthy competition should be created in the students through the local community as a school.