MALAWI UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND APPLIED SCIENCES (MUBAS)

COURSE OUTLINE

SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION

TED-SED-221

JULY, 2023

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 COURSE OUTLINE

1. Module code and Module title

TED - SED-221
Module code
Sociology of Education
Module title

2. Module description

In this module learners will develop understanding of sociology as it relates to

educational issues and challenges in the home, workplace and society. The module
focuses on the recognition of the effects of the changing social and economic
environments on the educational system in Malawi from the pre-industrial to the
post-industrial age.

3. Learning outcomes

By the end of the module students should be able to:

(a) Describe sociology as a field of study

(b) Discuss the three major theoretical perspectives in sociology
(c) Explain the role of education in society
(d) Discuss the agents and types of socialization
(e) Explain the Theories of Socialization
(f) Describe the bureaucratic nature of the school
(g) Discuss deviant behaviour and its implications for the home, workplace and
society
(h) Discuss the effects of emerging socio-economic trends and issues on the
educational system in Malawi
(i) Describe theories pertaining to education stratification and achievement.

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4. Module syllabus

Topic Contents/ fundamental concepts

1. Introduction to Defining Sociology, Sociology as a science, how Sociology
Sociology as a field of explains social phenomena
study

2. Sociology of Education Origin and development of Sociology of Education,

as a sub-discipline of Educational Sociology and Sociology of Education,
Sociology Theories of sociology of education, Major scholars in the
field of sociology of education, Contributions of the
major scholars to sociology of education

3. Role of education in
the Society Definitions of society, Interactions among different
groups in society, interaction, Purpose of education in
society,

4. Elements of social
Definition of roles and statuses, teaching as a profession:
structure: Social
status and roles The roles and statuses of teacher/instructor in the
classroom, school and community, The changing roles
and declining status of teachers, Role of the curriculum
in education

5. Influence of society on
education: Socialisation defined, Types of socialisation, Agents of
Socialisation
socialization, Influence of socializing agents on
education, influence of the environment on the
education system, Types of socio-economic
environments, Effects of the environment on the
educational system

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 6. Authority in schools Types of authority, Crises of authority, Application of
authority, conflict resolution strategies in education

7. The School as a
Bureaucratic organisation defined, characterisation of
bureaucratic
bureaucracy, bureaucratic structure of a school,
organization
comparing schools with other bureaucracies

8. Deviant behaviour in
Norms, deviant behaviour and forms of deviation,
schools
innovation, ritualism, retreatism, excessive conformity,
factors contributing to deviation, functions of deviation.

9. Education, Stratification and social mobility defined, principles of

stratification and
stratification, stratification and education
social mobility

10. Effects of emerging Gender, HIV and AIDS, Population growth, Inclusive and
issues on education
special needs education, Technology, Environmental
degradation, Poverty, Implications of emerging trends
and issues for education

5. Module components (Learning activities)

Lectures Groupwork and presentations

Turn ‘n’ talk sessions Debates

Case studies Question and answer

Role playing

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6. Assessment type

Assessment type Percentage

Continuous assessment 40%

End of year exam 60%

7. Required and recommended readings

Required readings:
Datta, A. (1984). Education and Society: A Sociology of African Education.
London: MacMillan

Ezewu, E. (1990). Sociology of Education. Singapore: Longman Publishers Press

Limited

Recommended readings:
Eshleman, J. R. & Cashion, B. G. (2009). Introduction to sociology. Boston: Little,
Brown and Company

Any General Sociology book

8. Feedback for evaluation

Students will be required to complete a questionnaire of evaluation of the module.

Students will complete exit slips after each lesson.

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9. Module schedule

Week Date (s) Topic Activity/Requirements

Week 1 3rd - 7th July Settling down/ Settling down

Introductions

Week 2 10th – 14th July Introduction to Handouts and

Sociology of presentations
Education:
Sociological
Perspectives

Week 3 17th -21st July Role of education in Video on ‘suing the

society education system’
Handouts

Week 4 24th - 28th July Elements of social Role play, Lecture

structure: Social Handouts
status and roles

Week 5 31st - 4th August Influence of society Lecture, video

on education: Handouts
Socialisation

Week 6 7th – 11th August Mid-semester Mid-semester exams

examinations

Week 7 14th-18th August Mid-semester Break Mid-semester break

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 Week 8 21st - 25th August Authority in schools Lecture, video
Handouts

Week 9 28th - 2nd Authority in schools Debate

September continued…

Week 10 5th – 9th September The school as a Handouts

bureaucratic Maze illustration
organization

Week 11 12th – 16th Deviant Behaviour Lecture

September in schools Handouts

Week 12 19th – 23rd Education, Case studies

September stratification and Movie: The titanic
social mobility Handouts

Week 13 26th – 30th Effects of emerging Group Presentations

September issues on education

Week 14 2nd – 6th October Revision Revision

Week 15 9th – 13th October Study week Consultations

Week 16 16th -27th October Examinations Invigilation

10. Contact details for lecturer(s)

Lecturer's Name Mrs. L. Chitsulo

Office Location Technical Education Department, Room 2
Telephone 0 999 434 105
Email lnyirenda@mubas.ac.mw
Teaching Venue NT 14
Website N/A

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 Other information Class WhatsApp group

11. Details of module website

N/A

12 Academic honesty and plagiarism

“Attention is drawn to University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and to
the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to breaches of such policy and
regulations.”