SOCIAL DIMENSION OF EDUCATION

(SDE)

Course Title: Social Dimension of Education

Course Code : SDE
Prelim Coverage

Credit Units: 3
 Course Description: This course is an introduction to social science
theories and researches related to education. It focuses on an
understanding of the four pillars of education which are fundamental to
learner’s understanding and decision making as active members of society
and as global citizens of the 21 st century. It also aims to develop among
teachers and students alike a deep understanding of the transformation of
education brought about by global issues and technology.

MODULE 1
Chapter 1 – Introduction to the Social Dimension of Education

Learning Outcomes:

⮚ Differentiate the various social science theories

⮚ Explain the relationship between the conflict, consensus, functionalism

and interactionist theories and educational systems
⮚ Determine how the various social theories affect the functions of schools

Introduction
Sociologist see education as one of the major institutions that constitutes
society. While theories guide research and policy formulation in the sociology of
education, they also provide logical explanations for why things happen the way
they do. These theories help sociologists understand educational systems.
This chapter presents an introduction to the social science theories of education-
consensus and conflict, structural functionalist and interaction theories as
related to education.

Discussion:
In order for us to understand why sociological theories could be classified into
‘consensus’ and ‘conflict’ perspectives .
Consensus is a general or widespread agreement among all members of a
particular society. Conflict is a disagreement or clash between opposing ideas,
principles or people which may be covert or overt.
Dahrendorf (1959,1968) as cited by Ritzer (2000) is the major exponent of
position that society has two faces (conflict and consensus) and the sociological
theory therefore should be divided into two parts, conflict theory and consensus
theory.
Consensus theories view shared norms and values as fundamental to society,
focus on social order based on tacit agreements, and view social change as
occurring in a slow and orderly fashion.
Conflict theories emphasize the dominance of some social groups by others, see
social order as based on manipulation and control by dominant groups and view
social change as occurring rapidly and in a disorderly fashion as subordinate
groups overthrow dominant groups (Ritzer, 2000).

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Dahrendorf recognizes that society can not exist without both conflict and
consensus, which are prerequisites for each other. Thus we cannot have conflict
unless there is some prior consensus.
Conflict theorists ask how schools contribute to the unequal distribution of
people into jobs in society so that more powerful members of society maintain
the best positions and the less powerful groups (ofter women, racial and ethnic
groups) often minority groups, are allocated to lower ranks in society. The larger
issue for conflict theorists is the role that education plays in maintaining the
prestige, power, and economic and social position of the dominant group in
society (Ballantine and Spade, 2004).
Conflict theory focuses on the struggle of social classes to maintain dominance
and power in social system. Consensus theory emphasizes on social order,
stability and social regulation.
Conflict theorists emphasize social change and redistribution of resources.
Status cultures refer to groups in society with similar interests and positions in
the status hierarchy.

Structural Functionalism
 - states that society is made up of various institutions that work together in
cooperation.
Structural functionalism, especially in the work of Talcott, Parsons, Robert
Merton, and their students and followers, was for many years the dominant
sociological theory.
Parsons’ structural functionalism has four functional imperatives for all “action”
systems, embodied in his famous AGIL scheme. These functional imperatives
that are necessary for all systems are:
These functional imperatives that are necessary for all systems are:

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1. Adaptation: A system must cope with external situational exigencies. It

must adapt to its environment and adapt environment to its needs. (the behavioral
organism is the action system that handles the adaptation function by adjusting
to the transforming the external world) 2. Goal attainment: a system must define
and achieve its primary goals.
(personality system performs the goal –attainment function by defining system
goals and mobilizing resources to attain them)
3. Integration: a system must regulate the interrelationship of its component
parts. It must also manage the relationship among the other three functional
imperatives (AGL).
(social system copes with the integration function by controlling its component
parts)
4. Latency: (pattern maintenance): a system must furnish, maintain, and renew
both the motivation of individuals and the cultural patterns that create and
sustain the motivation.
(cultural system performs the latency function by providing actors with the
norms and values that motivate them for action (Ritzer, 2000)
Cultural System Social System

Action System Personality System

Structure of the General Action System

(Source: Sociological Theory, George Ritzer, 2000)

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Parsons found his answer to the problem of order in structural functionalism,

which operates in his view with the following sets of assumptions:
1. Systems have the property of order and interdependence of parts. 2.
Systems tend toward self-maintaining order, or equilibrium. 3. The
system may be static or involved in an ordered process of change.
4. The nature of one part of the system has an impact on the form that the other
parts can take.
5. Systems maintain boundaries with their environments.
6. Allocation and integration are two fundamental processes necessary for a
given state of equilibrium of a system.
7. Systems tend toward self-maintenance involving the relationships of parts to
the whole, control of environmental variations, and control of tendencies to
change the system from within.
These assumptions led Parsons to make the analysis of the ordered structure of
society his first priority.
Parson’s conception of the social system begins at the micro level with
interaction between ego and alter ego, defined as the most elementary of the
social system. He defined a social system which consist of a plurality of
individual actors interacting with each other in a situation which has at least a
physical or environmental aspect, actors who are motivated in terms of a
tendency to the “optimization of gratification” and whose relation to their
situations, including each other, is defined and mediated in terms of a system of
culturally structured and shared symbols.
In his analysis of the social system, Parsons was primarily interested in its
structural components. In addition to a concern with the status-role, he was
interested in such large – scale components of social systems as collectives,
norms, and values. Parsons was not simply a structuralist but also a
functionalist.

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Functional Requisites of a Social System

1. Social system must be structured so that they operate compatibly with other
systems.
2. To survive, the social system must have the requisites from other systems.
3. The system must elicit adequate participation from its members. 4. The
system must elicit adequate participation from its members.
5. It must have at least a minimum of control over potentially disruptive
behavior.
6. If conflict becomes sufficiently disruptive, it must be controlled. 7.
Finally, a social system requires a language in order to survive. - Talcott
Parsons

Key principles of the functionalist perspective (Farley, 1990)

1. Interdependency.
This means that every part of the society is dependent to some extent on other
parts of society, so that what happens at one place in society has important
effects elsewhere.
2. Functions of Social Structure and Culture
Social Structure refers to the organization of society, including institutions, its
social positions, and its distribution of resources.
Culture refers to a set of beliefs, language, rules values, and knowledge held in
common be members of a society.

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3. Consensus and cooperation

- societies have a tendency toward consensus; that is to have certain basic
values that nearly everyone in the society agrees upon.
- societies tend toward consensus in order to achieve cooperation
4. Equilibrium
- a characteristic of society that has achieved the form that is best adapted to its
situation.
- when it has reached a state of balance or equilibrium, it will remain in that
condition until it is forced to change by some new condition

Structural functionalism
- puts emphasis on social order and social stability not on conflict.
- provides that society is made up of different institutions or organizations that
work together in cooperation – to achieve their orderly relationship and to
maintain social order and social stability.

Parsons believes that education is a vital part of a modern society, a society that
differs considerably from all previous societies.
-- schooling performs an important function in the development and maintenance
of a modern, democratic society, especially with regard to equality of opportunity
for all citizens—

-in modern societies education becomes the key institution in a meritocratic

selection process

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- education plays a significant function in the maintenance of the modern

democratic and technocratic society

In a political democracy—
--schools provide citizens with the knowledge and dispositions to participate
actively in civic life

Technical society –
--schools provide students with the skills and dispositions to work in such
society

Schools teach specific work skills –

-- schools also teach students how to learn so they may adapt to new work roles
and requirements

Interactionist Theories

--about the relation of school and society are critiques and extensions of the
functionalist and conflict perspective
-- critique arises from the observation that functionalist and conflict theories are
very abstract and emphasize structure and process at a societal (macro
sociological)level of analysis
- attempt to make the “commonplace strange” by turning on their heads everyday
taken-for-granted behaviors and interactions between students and students and
between students and teachers

Basic forms of Social Interaction

1. symbolic interaction
which require mental processes

2. non-symbolic interaction
which does not involve thinking

Principles of Symbolic Interactionsim

1. Human beings unlike lover animals are endowed with a capacity for thought.
2. The capacity for thought is shaped by social interaction.
3. In social interaction, people learn the meanings and the symbols that allow
them to exercise their distinctively capacity for human thought.
4. Meanings and symbols allow people to carry on distinctively human action
and interaction
5. People are able to modify or alter meanings and symbols that they use in
action and interaction on the basis of their interpretation of the situation.
6. People are able to make these modifications and alterations because, in part,
of their ability to interact with themselves, which allows them to examine
possible courses of action, assess their relative advantages and disadvantages,
and then choose one.
7. The intertwined patterns of action and interaction make up groups and
societies.

Non-Symbolic Interactionism
Mead’s approach to symbolic interaction rested on three basic premises
1. The first is that people act toward the things they encounter on the basis of
what those things mean to them.
2. Second, we learn what things are by observing how other people respond to
them, that is through social interaction.
3. Third, as a result of ongoing interaction, the sounds (words), gestures, facial
expressions, and body postures we use in dealing with others acquire symbolic
meanings that are shared by people who belong to the same culture.

Blummer differentiates among three types of objects:

Physical objects--such as chairs or tree

Social objects –- such as student or a mother

Abstract objects –such as an idea or a moral principle

Objects are seen simply as things “out there” in the real world: what is of
greatest significance is the way that they are defined by actors. The latter leads to
the relativistic view that different objects have different meanings for different
individuals: “A tree will be a different object to a botanist, a lumberman, a poet,
and a home garderner” (Blumer as cited by Ritzer, 2000)
Another important concept that has long been used by symbolic interactionist is
the looking-glass self.

Summary:

10 | P a g e
 Education is one of the major institutions that constitute society. There are
various social science theories that related to education – consensus, conflict,
structural functionalist and interaction theories.
Conflict theory deals with the emergence of conflict within a particular
human society while consensus is a concept of society in which the absence of
conflict is seen as the equilibrium state of society based on a general or
widespread agreement among all members of a particular society. The consensus
and conflict theories are reflected in the works of certain dominant social
theorists such as Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber and other social
theorists.
Structural functionalism is concerned with the functions of schooling in
the maintenance of social order. It provides that society is made up of different
institutions or organizations that work together in cooperation to achieve orderly
relationship and to maintain social order and social stability.
Symbolic interactionists are interested not simply in socialization but in
interactions between students and students and between students and teachers.
All types of interactions refine our ability to think.

MODULE 2
Chapter 2 – The Four Pillars of Education
Learning Outcomes:

⮚ Identify the four pillars of education

⮚ Internalize the importance of living in harmony with each other and with the
environment
⮚ Demonstrate solidarity of mankind regardless of race, religion, and culture
in various situations
⮚ Apply the four pillars of education in different learning experiences

Introduction
“Learning the Treasure Within” , the report of the International Commission on
Education for the Twenty-first Century, chaired by Jacques Delors, and published
by UNESCO in 1996. It stresses that each individual must be equipped to seize
learning opportunities throughout life, both to broaden his/her knowledge, skills
and attitudes, and adapt to a changing, complex and interdependent world. This
is referred to as “lifelong learning”.

Discussion:
What Are The Four Pillars of Education?
The International Commission of Education for the 21st Century advocates four
pillars of education.
The four pillars of education is proposed as a framework to understand what
students need to acquire and develop in themselves.
What do the Four Pillars mean to you?

The framework organized lifelong learning into four pillars:

Learning to know
Learning to do
Learning to live together
Learning to be
-which are fundamental in reshaping 21st century education.

✔ Learning To Know

∙ Implies learning how to learn by developing one’s concentration, memory

skills and ability to think
∙ Includes the development of the faculties of memory, imagination, reasoning,
problem solving, and the ability to think in a coherent and critical way
∙ Involves the development of knowledge and skills that are needed to function
in the world.
∙ The skills include literacy, numeracy, critical thinking.

∙ It also presupposes learning to learn (autonomous learning) so as to benefit

from the “opportunities education provides throughout life.”

❖ To learn to know students need to develop learn-to-learn skills as:

▪ learning to read with comprehension

▪ listening

▪ observing

▪ asking questions

▪ data gathering

▪ note taking

▪ accessing, processing and selecting information

What is then the role of the 21st century teacher?

In the 21st century, the emphasis is not on “what there is to know” but on
“learning to know”. The teacher then becomes a facilitator, catalyst, monitor and
evaluator.

The teacher helps the learners to:

⮚ develop values and skills for searching for knowledge and wisdom,

⮚ learn to learn,

⮚ acquire a taste for learning throughout life,

⮚ develop critical thinking,

⮚ acquire tools and processes for understanding,

⮚ develop intellectual curiosity

As a result, the learner is transformed – more Enlightened, more Empowered,
more Enriched.

✔ Learning To Do

∙ Involves the acquisition of skills that would enable individuals to effectively

participate in the global economy and society (Zhou, 2006). ∙ Implies the
application of what learners have learned or known into practice and is closely
related to vocational-technical education and work skills training how one’s
knowledge can be applied or put into practice as one progresses through life-
from school to the world of work. ∙ Demonstrates that in order to learn to live
and work together productively and harmoniously, we must first find peace
within ourselves, expand our acceptance and understanding of others, and
continually strive towards living the values which enable us to contribute
more fully to the development of a peaceful and just society.
∙ Is anchored within the context of lifelong learning and technical and
vocational education and training, in preparation for life and the world of
work.
 ∙ Involves not only as putting knowledge and learning into practice
innovatively through skills development and practical know-how, but also
as the development of competence, life skills personal qualities, aptitudes
and attitudes.

Learning to Do can no longer have the simple meaning of preparing someone for
a clearly defined task and can no longer be regarded as the simple transmission
of a more or less routine practice…..the ascendancy of knowledge and
information…is bringing personal competence to the fore…employers are
seeking competence, a mix, specific to each individual, or skill, social behavior,
of an aptitude for teamwork, and of initiative and a readiness to take risks.
What then should be the focus of education in relation to the pillar of Learning to
Do?
Education, incorporating general and vocational education should enable learner:

▪ to launch into a lifelong continuum of knowledge, values, attitudes,

competencies and skills
▪ the changing work environment requires the development of new
knowledge and skills
▪ the increasing globalization and free trade resulting to new economic
pressures requires both individuals and business to continually upgrade
knowledge and skills to maintain their competitive edge.
▪ the need to remain competitive throughout life raises the obvious concern
of equitable access to learning opportunities and also to meaningful work
for all, and the urgency for maintaining and advancing human dignity and
worth.
▪ the need for values in education and training associated with life skills,
developing the ability to manage one’s life and time effectively, and the
capacity for team work, responsible corporate and global citizenship and
 democracy.

College Department
To summarize, learning to do involves putting knowledge and learning into
practice innovatively through

⮚ Skill development

⮚ Practical know-how

⮚ Development of competence

⮚ Life skills personal qualities

⮚ Aptitudes

⮚ Attitudes

✔ Learning To Live Together

Of the four pillars of education, “learning to live together” is the one most vital to
building a genuine and lasting culture of peace in both the Asia-Pacific region
and throughout the world. The three other pillars – “learning to know”, “learning
to do”, and “learning to be “ – are the bases for learning to live together.

Learning to Live together

∙ Involves the development of social skills and values such as respect and
concern for others, social and interpersonal skills and an appreciation of
the diversity among people.
∙ is a dynamic, holistic and lifelong process through which mutual respect,
understanding, caring and sharing compassion, social responsibility,
solidarity, acceptance and tolerance of diversity among individuals or
 groups (ethnic, social, cultural, religious, national and regional) are
internalized and practiced together to solve problems and to work towards
a just and free, peaceful and democratic society.
∙ involves developing, broadening or changing perceptions of an attitude
toward ourselves and others and consequently, the way we behave in our
daily encounters and interactions with others.

What is the role of the teacher in relation to the third pillar?

⮚ The teacher helps the students to develop an understanding of other people

and appreciation of interdependence since we live in a closely connected
world.
⮚ The teacher provides students to realize the value of being able to live
together in their gradually enlarging world: home, school, community,
town, city, province, country, and the world as a global village.
⮚ The teacher provides a safe and accepting learning environment for
learning.
⮚ The teacher helps students develop life and career skills as social and
cross-cultural skills and flexibility and adaptability
⮚ The teacher helps students develop self-awareness and self-esteem as well
as empathy and respect for other and requires the capacity for active
citizenship, development of both local and global identity and an ability to
understand others and appreciate diversity.

✔ Learning To Be
is the dominant theme of the Edgar Faure report Learning to Be: The World of
Education Today and Tomorrow, published by UNESCO.
The Learning to Be pillar, first used as the title of the 1972 Report to UNESCO of
the International Commission on the Development of Education, refers to the role
of education in developing all the dimensions of the complete person: : the
physical, intellectual, emotional and ethical integration of the individual into a
complete man, which is a broad definition of the fundamental aims of education
(Delors, 1996, p. 156).
The International Commission on Education for the 21 st Century picks up on this
theme and clearly sets as a fundamental principle that “education” must
contribute to the all-round development of each individual – mind and body,
intelligence, sensitivity, aesthetic sense, personal responsibility, and spiritual
values. It describes Learning to Be as, “the complete fulfillment of man, in all the
richness of his personality, the complexity of his forms of expression and his

Mount Carmel College of Escalante, Inc.

Carmelite Street, Escalante City
College Department
various commitments – as individual, member of a family and of a community,
citizen and producer, inventor of techniques and creative dreamer” (Delors, 1996,
p. 95).
The Delors Commission further defines Learning to Be as a “dialectical process,
which starts with knowing oneself and then opens to relationship with others.
Faure’s Report refers to the individual as “unfinished,” “divided,” and
“incomplete.” Education therefore must be directed towards the development of
the “complete man.” The physical, intellectual, emotional and ethical integration
of the individual into a complete man is a broad definition of the fundamental aim
of education.
According to Paulo Freire, an outstanding Brazilian educator, recipient of the
UNESCO International Award on Education, the Comenius Medal, “humanization
is man’s ultimate vocation and destiny,” and this can be accomplished through
conscientization.
The Faure Report, Leaning to Be, summarizes the universal aims of education as
follows:
1. Towards a scientific humanism, based on scientific and technological training.
2. Creativity means preserving each individual’s originality and creative
ingenuity…
3. Towards social commitment consist of preparing the individual for life in
society, moving him/her into a coherent moral, intellectual and affective universe
composed of sets of values, interpretations of the past and conceptions of the
future; a fundamental store of ideas and information a common inheritance.
4. Towards the complete man respects the many-sidedness of personality as
essential in education if the individual is to develop for him/herself as well as for
others.

Learning to Be operates on the fundamental principle that education must

contribute to the total development of the whole person – body and soul, mind

and spirit, intelligence and emotion, creativity and sensitivity, personal autonomy
and responsibility, social conscience and commitment, human, ethical, cultural
and spiritual values.

The teaching-learning cycle of the valuing process starts with knowing and
understanding oneself and others, leading to the formation of a wholesome
concept, a sense of identity, self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence, as well
as a genuine respect for others.

Summary:

The four pillars of education stressed in the report of the International

Commission on Education for the 21 st century are: learning to know, learning to
do, learning to live together, and learning to be. These pillars are crucial to peace
and mutual understanding by emphasizing the value of education as a
manifestation of the spirit of unity. This stems from the will to live together as
active members of a global village and contribute to attainment of a culture of
peace.

MODULE 3
Chapter 3 – Intercultural Communication
Learning Outcomes:

⮚ Identify what intercultural communication is, its elements and

importance to communication
⮚ Explain the role of language

⮚ Illustrate the characteristics of culture

 ⮚ Describe the relationship between language and culture

Introduction
The world today is characterized by an ever growing number of contacts resulting
in communication between people with different linguistic and cultural
background. This communication takes place because of contacts with the areas
of business, military cooperation, science, education, mass media, entertainment,
tourism but also because immigration brought about by labor shortage or
political conflicts (Allwood, 2003)
In all these contacts, there is communication which needs to be as constructive
as possible, without misunderstanding and breakdowns. It is our belief that
problems in communication can be resolved through research on the nature of
linguistic and cultural similarities and differences.
There is therefore a need to explain the manner in which intercultural
communication skills enable greater effectiveness in personal and professional
life, in a globalized and technologized social context.

Discussion:
What is Intercultural Communication?
Intercultural communication

∙ refers to the effective communication between people, workers and people of

different cultural backgrounds.
∙ refers to communication between people whose cultural perceptions and

symbol systems distinct enough to alter the communication event. ∙ an

academic field of study which seeks to understand how people from different
countries and culture behave and communicate and perceive the world
around them (http//www.intercultural .org/)
∙ the interpersonal interaction between members of different groups which
differ from each other in respect of the knowledge shared by their
members and in respect of their linguistic forms of symbolic behavior
(Karlfried Knapp).

Elements of Intercultural Communication

∙ Perceptions: beliefs, values, attitudes, world views, social organization ∙

Verbal processes: the ways in which cultures employ symbols to portray
things and experiences
∙ Non-verbal processes: shared thoughts and feelings of bodily behavior, time
 and space
∙ Contextual elements: business, education and health care, tourism and
personal relationships

Why do we study Intercultural Communication?

There are several reasons why we study intercultural communication, such as

▪ Self-awareness

▪ Demographic changes

▪ Workplace and Economic Globalization

▪ Creative Problem Solving

▪ Global and Intrapersonal Peace Respect

Importance of Intercultural Communication in Education

Education relies on effective interaction between teachers and learners.
Intercultural communication has become important because the schools are
becoming more diverse culturally. Roux (2002) argued that successful educators
are effective communicators and thus culturally competent in cross-cultural
encounters. Teachers should therefore be sensitive to the potentially problematic
outcomes of intercultural communication in the culturally diverse class.
Communication can be a useful source of intercultural knowledge and mutual
enrichment between culturally diverse students if managed proactively by the
teacher. Otherwise, communication could be a source of frustration,
misapprehensions, intercultural conflict and ultimately school failure.

Communication is far more than speech and writing. Most of us are unaware that
we are communication in many different ways even when we are not speaking.
Growing up in a society, we learn how to use gestures, glances, slight changes in
tone of voice, and other auxiliary communication devices to alter or emphasize
what we say and do.
Linguists refer to all of these auxiliary communication devices as paralanguage.
It is part of the redundancy in communication that helps prevent ineffective
communication. Paralanguage is often more important in communication than
what is actually being said orally. The most obvious form of paralanguage is body
language or kenitics. This is the language gestures, expressions, and postures.
What is Language?
A language is a system of verbal and, in many cases, written symbols with rules
about how those symbols can be strung together to convey more complex
meanings. It is impossible to overstate the importance of language in the
development, elaboration, and transmission of culture. Through language, we are
able to learn about the from the experiences of others. In addition, language
enables us to transcend the here and now, preserving the past and imagining the
future. It also makes possible the formulation of complex plans and ideas
(Calhoun, et al. 1994).

Four Areas of the Study of Language

1. Phonology, the system of sounds that a particular language uses, includes
not only the language’s basic unit of sounds, or phonemes, but rules about
how we put phonemes together to the proper intonation patterns for
phrases and sentences.
2. Semantics is the study of word meanings and word combinations.
Comprehension of written as well as spoken language requires not only a
knowledge of specific words and their definitions but an understanding of
how we use words and how we combine them in phrases, clauses, and
sentences.
3. Grammar describes the structure of a language which consists of two major
parts: morphology and syntax. Morphology is the study of language’s
smallest units of meaning, called morphemes – prefixes, suffixes, and root
words – and of how these units are properly combined.
4. Pragmatics, the fourth component of language, consists of rules for the use
of appropriate language in particular context. Thus pragmatics is
concerned not only with speaking and writing but with social interaction,
and it directly addresses the issue of communication.

Language and Culture

Language is an integral part of culture and human culture cannot exist without it.
All human societies have languages. In some simple societies where people
cannot read or write, they have a spoken language. Through the use of language
wide vistas of reality have been opened. What we have observed and
experienced, as well as our norms, values, and ideas exist because we have
learned to identify or experience these things through language. These things are
shared and transmitted from one generation to another through the process of
socialization (Panopio et al, 1992).
One long-standing claim concerning the relationship between language and
culture is that the structure of a language determines the way in which speakers
of that language view the world. This claim has intrigued many anthropologists
and linguists and there is a fairly extensive literature concerning it. Edward Sapir,
a linguist, acknowledged the close relationship between language and culture,
maintaining that they were inextricable related so that you could not understand
or appreciate the one without a knowledge of the other
(http://www.joshmanning.com/friends/whorfhitm ).
Culture
As our nation continues to change, we all will interact with others from quite
different backgrounds from our own, especially in the classroom. The manner in
which we respond to others who seem different can have a serious impact on
success in school, work, and harmonious relationship with others. An
understanding of culture will provide individuals with a better appreciation of the
different cultures of people with whom they may relate now and in the future.

What is Culture?
Culture is defined as the set of learned behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, values, and
ideals that are characteristics of particular society or population (Ember, 1999).
Culture, as defined by Calhoun, et al., (1994) is the learned norms, values,
knowledge, artifacts, language, and symbols that are constantly communicated
among people who share a common way of life.
Allan Johnson (1996) said that culture is the sum total of symbols, ideas, forms of
expressions, and material product associated with a system. It is dynamic
medium through which societies create collective way of life reflected in such
things as beliefs, values, music, literature, art, dance, science, religious ritual and
technology.
An eminent English scholar, E.B. Taylor, defines culture as that complex whole
which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other
capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society (Panopio, 1992).
More recently, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) (2002) described culture as follows: culture should be
regarded as “the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual, and emotional
features of society or a social group, and that it encompasses, in addition to art
and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and
beliefs.”
Characteristics of Culture
1. Culture is learned.
2. Culture is shared by a group of people.
3. Culture is cumulative.
4. Cultures change.
5. Culture is dynamic.
6. Culture is ideational.
7. Culture is diverse
8. Culture gives us a range of permissible behavior patterns.
Components of Culture
A. Communication component
1. Language
2. Symbols
B. Cognitive Component (how we think)
1. Ideas/Knowledge/Beliefs
2. Values
3. Accounts
C. Behavioral Component (how we act)
 1. Norms
Type of norms
∙ Mores

∙ Laws

∙ Folkways

∙ Rituals

∙
D. Material Component
Humans make objects, sometimes for practical reasons and sometimes for
artistic ones. To form and functions of these objects is an expression of
culture and culturally-defined behavior often depends on the presence of
specific objects..

The Organization of Culture

While the culture of a group is an integrated network of folkways, mores, systems
of beliefs, and institutional patterns, it can be broken into simple units or
elements or elements called cultural traits. A cultural trait, either of a material or
non-material culture, represents a single element or a combination of elements
related to a specific situation.

How is Culture Transmitted

1. Enculturation. it is the process of learning culture of one’s own group.
2. Acculturation. It is the process of learning some new traits from another
culture.
3. Assimilation. It is the term used for process in which an individual entirely
loses any awareness of his/her previous group identity and takes on the culture
and attitudes of another group.

Importance and Functions of Culture

1. Culture helps the individual fulfill his potential as a human being. It helps in
the regulation of a person’s conduct and prepares him so he can
participate in the group life.
2. Through the development of culture man can overcome his physical
disadvantages and allows us to provide ourselves with fire, clothing, food
and shelter. The invention of the buses, ships, and airplanes enables man
to reach places in a shorter period of time. With modern technology, man
 easily communicates with friends and relatives in distant places.
3. Culture provides rules of proper conduct for living in a society. 4. Culture
also provides the individual his concepts of family, nation, and class. It also
creates new needs and arranges for their satisfaction.
Summary:
Throughout the world, human beings use thousands of language to
communicate with one another. Some of these are spoken in many countries and
enjoy international status, while others are used in country or region or even in a
single village. Some languages have expanded over the centuries, but there are
also many that have come extinct. With the globalization of communications, a
trend in the number of language in the world has recently been observed. We are
still far, however, from a situation where everyone would speak the same
language.
Every society has a culture, no matter how simple the culture may be, and
every human being is cultured, in the sense of participating in some culture or
other. As our nation continues to change, we all will interact with others from
quite different backgrounds from our own, especially in the classroom.
An understanding of culture, its elements and characteristics, its
organization, and how it is transmitted will provide us with a better appreciation
of the different cultures of people with whom they may relate now and in the
future.

MODULE 4
Chapter 4– Peace Education: A Transformative Response to Major Societal
Challenges
Learning Outcomes:

⮚ Define peace education and explain its key themes

⮚ Determine the contribution or importance of peace education ⮚

Describe the attributes of a peaceable classroom and teacher ⮚

Apply effective learning approaches in peace education

Introduction
The greatest resource for building a culture of peace are the people themselves,
for it is through them that peaceful relationships and structures are created.
Hence, educating people toward becoming peace agents is central to the task of
peace building. Peace building refers generally to the long-term project of
building peaceful communities, a desirable goal.

Discussion:
A Holistic Understanding of Peace
A new way of thinking about peace is so important today. The power of our
own understanding and views of peace both as a condition and as a value
cannot be underestimated. It is because our ideas shape our feelings and our
actions, as well as how we live and how we relate with others. The simplest and
most widespread understanding was that of absence of death and destruction as
a result of war and physical/direct violence.
However, an alternative view started to emerge, beginning with late 1960s.
Attention started to shift from direct to indirect or structural violence, i.e., ways in
which people suffer from violence built into a society via its social, political and
economic systems (Hicks, 1987). It was realized that it was not only war and
direct violence that caused death and disfigurement. Structural violence also led
to death and suffering because of the conditions that resulted from it: extreme
poverty, starvation, avoidable diseases, discrimination against minority groups
and denial of human rights. It was further realized that a world marked by said
conditions is a world devoid of peace and human security; it breeds anger and
generates tension leading to armed conflict and war.
There is now a consensus that we need to have a comprehensive and holistic
understanding of peace if we are to move toward a genuine peace culture. Johan
Galtung explains that peace is the absence of violence, not only personal or
direct but also structural or indirect. The manifestations of structural violence are
the highly uneven distribution of power to decide over the distribution of said
resources. Hence, he says that peace is both the absence of personal/direct
violence and the presence of social justice. For brevity, he prefers the
formulations “absence of violence” and “presence of social justice”, thinking of
the former as one that is not a positively defined condition and has called it
negative peace, whereas the latter is a positively defined condition (egalitarian
distribution of power and resources) and has called it positive peace (Galtung,
1995).
Negative peace refers to the absence of war or physical/direct violence, while
positive peace refers to the presence of just and non-exploitative relationships,
as well as human and ecological well-being, such the root causes of conflict are
diminished. Peace with nature is considered the foundation for “positive
peace”(Mische, 1987). It is because the earth is ultimately the source of our
survival, physical sustenance, health and wealth; it is not possible to provide for
human survival if nature’s capacity to renew itself is impaired.
Our understanding of peace should also include the various levels of
relationships, beginning with personal peace and expanding to wider circles.

Types of Violence
Betty Reardon, a peace educator who has made significant contributions
to the field, defines violence “humanly inflicted harm (Reardon, n.d.)Peace
Education as Transformative Education

Peace education, or an education that promotes a culture of peace, is essentially

transformative. It cultivates the knowledge base, skills, attitudes and values that
seek to transform people’s mindsets, attitudes and behaviors that, in the first
place have either created or exacerbated violent conflicts. It seeks this
transformation by building awareness and understanding, developing concern,
and finally, challenging personally and social action that will enable people to
create conditions and systems that actualize nonviolence, justice, environmental
care and other peace values.
This means that the learning process that is utilized in peace education is holistic
and tries to address the cognitive, affective and active dimensions of the learner.
The figure below illustrates the process in graphic
Peace education challenges the long-held belief that wars cannot be avoided.
Often this belief is based on an underlying view that violence is inherent in
human nature.
Educating for peace is an ethical imperative considering the negation of life and
well-being caused by all forms of violence. The ethical systems of the major
world faith traditions, humanitarian ethics and even primal and indigenous
spirituality have articulated principles inspire the striving for peace. These ethical
principles include the unity and value of life, not only of human life but also other
life forms in nature: respect for human dignity; nonviolence; justice; and love as
a social ethic, they are principles that are highly encouraged for actualization
because they are expected to bring us to the common good.
Peace Education’s Schema of Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes/Values
The following schema is an attempt to list the key knowledge, skills and
attitudes/values that are integral to peace education. The list is based on a survey
of peace education literature and of key informants/peace educators that was
done by the Center for Peace Education of Miriam College. The list is not
exhaustive and is expected to evolve, as peace education practice and
experiences as well as corresponding reflections and insights on these
experiences increase.

Figure 5: Schema of Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes/Values for Peace Education

Peace Theme 1: Upholding Human Dignity
Upholding human dignity is at the center of the values system that we
associate with social peace. Human dignity is defined as the fundamental innate
worth of a human being, a principle that is now universally accepted but has not
taken root in the actual practice of many governments, communities and other
non-state actors.
Education that seeks to uphold human dignity is often referred to as
human rights education, which is within the umbrella well peace education.
Peace Theme 2: Challenging Prejudice and Building Tolerance
Gordon Allport (1958) asserts that humans have propensity towards
prejudice. This propensity lies in their normal tendency to from generalizations
and categories whose content represents an oversimplification of their world of
experience.
Prejudice is the negative feeling or attitude towards a person or a group
even if it lacks basis.
Stereotype refers to the negative opinion about a person or group based on
incomplete knowledge.
Discrimination refers to negative actions toward members of a specific
social group that may be manifested in avoidance, aversion or even violence
(Franzoi, 1986)

Building tolerance and respect for diversity has become an imperative in a

world where intolerance for differences has become a justification for violence.

Type of Prejudice
∙ Racism – the belief that one’s own cultural or racial heritage is innately
superior to that of others, hence, the lack of respect or appreciation for
those who belong to a ‘different race’.
∙ Sexism – a system of attitudes, actions, and structures that subordinates

others on the basis of their sex where the usual victims are women. ∙

Heterosexism – negative attitudes towards lesbian and gay men. ∙ Classism –

distancing from and perceiving the poor as ‘the other’ (Lott, 1995)
∙ Languicism – negative attitudes which members of dominant language
groups hold against non-dominant language groups (Chen-Hayes, Chen &
Athar, n.d)
∙ Ageism – negative attitudes held against the young or the elderly. ∙
“Looksism” – prejudice against those who do not measure up to the
standards of beauty. The usual victims are the overweight, undersized, and
the dark-skinned (Nario0Galace, 2003)
∙ Religious intolerance – prejudice against those who are followers of religions
other than one’s own.
Education for Tolerance and Respect
One effective way to challenge prejudice is by teaching tolerance.
Tolerance is not just tolerating what is unjust but it is respecting, accepting and
appreciating the rich diversity of cultures and various forms of human expression
(UNESCO, 1995). Education for tolerance aims to counter influences that lead to
fear, discrimination and exclusion of others. Tolerance recognizes that others
have the right to be who they are.
Tolerance is taught because according to UNESCO, education is the most
effective means of preventing intolerance. There is a need for schools to educate
citizens not to accept hateful propaganda about the ‘different other’ and instead
appreciate other cultures and respect cultural differences. Major religious
traditions call on their adherents to treat others with the same respect and dignity
they give themselves.
Peace Theme 3: Promoting Nonviolence
Nonviolence is the refusal to do harm to other humans as life is sacred and
is an absolute value. It is anchored on the belief that humans have the potential
to change.
Why Nonviolence?

∙ It is both an ethical and moral choice.

∙ Destruction is no the law of humans (Gandhi, 1935).

∙ Nonviolence is a practical choice. Tools and effects of violence are costly. ∙

Nonviolence works. The classic examples of success stories of nonviolent
direct action are those initiated by Mohandas Ghandiin India, by Martin Luther
King in the United States, and the ‘People Power” that overthrow the regime of
Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines.
Peace Theme 4: Challenging the War System
War is classical or international if it is between states, or civil or internal, if
it occurs between rival groups or communities with state. Groups of non-state
armed actors are considered “political communities,” since they have a political
purpose. Aggression and major armed conflicts are interchangeably used with
the word war. Aggression is defined by the United Nations as the use of armed
force by a State against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political
independence of another State, or in any other manner (www.un documents.net)

Possible Causes of War

∙ Territorial disputes have been regarded as the more common causes of war.
Territorial disputes is defined by(Huth,1998) as the disagreement between
states or groups within a state over where their homeland or borders
should be fixed.
∙ A lack of tolerance for differences is an emerging source of conflicts.
Differences may be in nationality, clan membership, ethnicity, or religious
affiliation.
∙ Ideological or power struggles are sources of power in various countries. An
ideology is a set of beliefs which serves as guide on how power should be
allocated or how society shoud function.
∙ Another cause of armed conflicts is a history of colonialism and the process
of decolonization.
∙ War may also be caused by competition for resources, extreme abuse of
human rights, desire of leaders to stay in power, narrow or extreme
 nationalism, and sympathy for kin across borders.

The Effects of War

∙ Wars result to massive death.

∙ Wars result in the commitment of atrocities.

∙ Wars also cause people to flee their homes.

∙ Wars cause weapons to proliferate.

∙ Wars hold back development as huge amounts of government budgets

are allocated for defense.
∙ People lose their livelihoods and their access to food supply. ∙
Wars cause the loss of investments, destroys property and the
environment, and raze opportunities for tourism.
∙ Wars disrupts children’s education, and create fear and trauma among
the population.

Peace Education Theme 5: Sharing the Earth’s Resources

There is a huge number of people who live in extreme poverty, while there
are those who are extremely wealthy, demonstrating the great contrast and
financial divide between these groups.
The highly uneven distribution of wealth and resources is a situation of
violence known as structural violence. This violence refers to the systems,
institutions and policies that meet some people’s human needs, rights, or wants
at the expense of others. Hunger and poverty are symptoms of this violence.
These systems, institutions and policies are-entrenched in a global economic
international order controlled by powerful nation-states; international agencies,
and transnational corporations where inequitable trade practices prevail resulting
in more tragic gaps between the rich and the poor.
Causes of Poverty:

∙ War and other armed conflicts disrupts the people’s livelihood and all
productive activities.
∙ Political systems created by local political elite that have combined with
profit-motivated economic systems that reduce opportunities for most
people to earn enough to meet their basic needs.
∙ In equitable distribution of wealth and resources.

∙ Environmental conditions. Some places are blessed with more abundant

resources while others have to contend with lands that cannot yield crops.
 ∙ Lack of opportunities for employment

∙ Corruption

∙ Over consumption

∙ Greed

Peace Theme 6: Resolving and Transforming Conflicts

Conflict is from the Latin word conflictus which means striking together
with force. It occurs when one’s actions or beliefs are acceptable to and resisted
by the other (Forsyth, 1990). Conflicts occur in dyads, groups or larger social
structures.
In dealing with conflicts, two variables are generally considered by
disputants. One is the relationship with the adversary. The other one is the
importance of the issue at hand. Below are some options to choose from when
faced with conflicts:

∙ Avoidance or withdrawal

∙ Aggression

∙ Accommodation

∙ Compromise

∙ Collaboration
What is A Peaceable Classroom?
A peaceable classroom is characterized by affirmation, cooperation,
communication, appreciation for diversity, appropriate expression of feelings and
peaceful conflict resolution. It is a classroom where students feel safe and
secure. It is a place where they grow as a persons without threats of being
ridiculed, marginalized or hurt.
There are some ways to help create the atmosphere of love and
acceptance in our classrooms. These are:

∙ Declare your classroom as a zone of peace and establish rules to achieve

it.
∙ As the teacher, let this peace begin with you.

∙ Affirm your students.

∙ Express feelings appropriately and encourage students to do so. ∙

Encourage respect for and acceptance of differences.
∙ Employ more cooperative than competitive activities.
 ∙ Teach students how to resolve conflicts peacefully and constructively. ∙
Practice students’ skills of communication.
Attributes of a Peace Educator
Teachers have the power to affect the lives of children and youth. Peace
educators must serve as models for the qualities and skills they are helping
young people to develop in the peaceable classroom and school. This means first
and foremost, that there is a need to take challenge of personal transformation so
that they can be credible agents of the peace messages.
Betty Reardon (2001), well-renowned peace educator gives the attributes of
a peace educator:

∙ The teacher of peace is a responsible global citizen, an intentional agent of

culture of peace, person of vision,, capable of hope and the imaging of
positive change.
∙ S/He is motivated by service and is actively involved in the community. ∙ S/He
is a lifelong learner, one who continues to improve one’s own learning
abilities and to keep abreast of the field.
∙ S/He is a seeker of mutually enhancing relationships that nurture peace and a
sense of community.
∙ S/He is gender sensitive and alert to any possibility of gender bias in self or
students.
∙ A teacher of peace intentionally develops the capacity to care by knowing the
learners in their charge as individuals.
∙ She is an inquirer.

∙ S/He has the skills of reflective learning through which s/he applies what is
learned from teaching to depen his/her own understanding of the students
and the learning processes.
∙ A teacher of peace has the skills of communication and conflict resolution.

∙ S/He practices cooperative learning by encouraging cooperative learning

tasks and discouraging negative competition or learning tasks and
discouraging negative competition or in-group-out-group behavior
(exclusion) among students.
∙ A teacher of peace inspires understanding of alternative possibilities for the
future and for the future and for a culture of peace.

Teaching-Learning Approaches and Strategies in Peace Education The

teaching approaches that are compatible with peace education are:
 ∙ Holistic education

∙ Participatory education

∙ Cooperative learning

∙ Experiential education

∙ Humanist education
The teaching-learning strategies that are compatible with the approaches to
peace education are:

∙ Discussion

∙ Pair Share

∙ Visualization/Imagination Exercise

∙ Perspective-taking

∙ Role-Playing

∙ Simulation games

∙ Problem-solving

∙ Encouraging action

∙ Web-Charting

∙ Show and Tell

Summary:
Peace education is an important educational response in the light of major
social problems that we currently face. It seeks changes in society’s ethos,
values and structures which, in turn, should eventually led us to a world that is
more nonviolent, just and sustainable.
Peace education is considered transformative education not only because
of its purpose and content but also because of the teaching learning process it
upholds. The knowledge, skills, and value-orientations that are cultivated are
meant to inspire personal and social action towards a peaceable society.

MODULE ACTIVITIES FOR PRELIM COVERAGE

MODULE 1
Chapter 1 – Introduction to the Social Dimension of Education
Application:

⮚ Explain the relationship of various social theories and the functions of

schools.
Post Activity:

⮚ Interview a teacher on the influence of the conflict and consensus theories

on their work as a teacher. Submit a write-up of interview.
MODULE 2
Chapter 2 – The Four Pillars of Education
Application:

⮚ How would you apply your knowledge of the four pillars of education in
your day-to-day living? Cite concrete illustrations.

Post Activity:
Multiple Choice. Select the letter of your correct answer.
1.The International Commission of Education for the 21 st century chaired by
Jacques Delors advocates four pillars of education namely Learning to know,
Learning to do, Leaning to live together, and Learning to be. Since there are
peace problems in the world and everywhere, which of the four pillars should
we give more emphasis in teaching?

A. Learning to know C. Learning to live together B. Learning to

do D. Learning to be

2.Developing an understanding of life, the world around us and other

people of the world is the concern of which pillar of learning?

A. Learning to know C. Learning to live together B. Learning

to do D. Learning to be

3.Which pillar of learning is aimed at the holistic development of man and

his complete fulfillment?
A. Learning to know C. Learning to live together B. Learning to
do D. Learning to be
4.Inculcating the spirit of empathy among learners fulfills which pillar of
learning?
A. Learning to know C. Learning to live together B. Learning to
do D. Learning to be
 5.Which is an offshoot of the 4th pillar of learning “learning to live
together?
A.Schools teach care for the environment.
B.Schools teach respect for diversity.
C.Schools show concern what happens to learners after they leave
school.
D.Schools celebrate United Nations week.

MODULE 3
Chapter 3 – Intercultural Communication
Application:
Briefly discuss the following:
1. Importance of intercultural communication.
2. The relationship between language and culture.

Post Activity:

⮚ Explain the significance of understanding culture, its elements,

characteristics, and components.

MODULE 4
Chapter 4– Peace Education: A Transformative Response to Major Societal
Challenges

Application:
1. Why is there a need for peace education?
2. In what way is peace education practical and ethical?

Post Activity:

⮚ In your own, how are you going to maintain/manage a peaceable

classroom when you become and educator someday.

Reference/s: Social Dimension of Education (Revised Edition)

NOTE:
1.Module 1 and Module 2 (Pre-Activity, Analysis, Application, Post
Activity) will be submitted on or before August 23, 2021 through my
gmail account as file attachment.
2.Module 3 and 4 will be submitted on or before September 6, 2021
through my gmail account as file attachment.