Social Science Theories and
Their Implications to Education
VA Intended Learning Outcome:
At the end of the Chapter, the students must be able to
explain three social science theories and their implications
to education.
er tol
Sociologists today employ three primary theoretical perspectives:
the functionalist perspective, the conflict perspective and the
symbolic interactionist perspective. These perspectives offer
sociologists theoretical paradigms for explaining how society
influences people, and how people influence society. Each
perspective uniquely conceptualizes society, social forces, and
human behavior.
Sing this song: Dem Bones
(Refer to https:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=for the melody)
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!
The toe bone’s connected to the foot bone,
The foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone,
The ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!
35The Teacher and the Community, School Culture and Organizational Leadership
2.
The leg bone’s connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone’s connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone’s connected to the hip bone,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!
The hip bone’s connected to the back bone
The back bone’s connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone’s connected to the head bone,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!
The finger bone’s connected to the hand bone, |
The hand bone’s connected to the arm bone,
The arm bone’s connected to the shoulder bone,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!
Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around
Now shake dem skeleton bones!
a) Choose any object in the room to symbolize your care for some-
one. Keep the meaning to yourself. Give that symbol to someone
in class.
b) Ask that someone for the meaning he/she gave to your symbol.
Is it the same meaning that you originally gave?
PET eCRoernr)
1. According to the song what are connected?
2. What do you expect if these bones are connected? Does malfunc-
tioning of one bone affect the other bone?
3. In Activity #2 was the meaning that you gave to your symbol the
same with the meaning that the receiver gave? If not, how did
this affect you? Do you feel you were misunderstood?Chapter 3 ~ Social Science Theories and Their Implications to Education
Ene ee
The Dem Bones song introduces us to one of the 3 social
theories we shall learn in this Chapter, the functionalist theory.
Three Social Theories
1) Structural—functional theory
Herbert Spencer, the proponent of structural-functional views
society as “a system of interconnected parts each with a unique
function. The parts have to work together for stability and balance
of society.” Society is compared to the human body with different
but interrelated parts performing different functions. Just as the
human body has many parts, society has different but interrelated
components such as the family, the state, the school, the Church,
mass media, economics. These must coordinate and collaborate for
society to function well. If one part of the human body does not
function well, the whole body is affected. In the same way, when one
component of society does not do its part, society will not function
well. The overall health of the organism (society) depends upon the
health of each structure.
This is exactly the message of the song, Dem Bone. The bones
are interconnected. Each has a unique function.
For instance, there is peace, stability, equilibrium and harmony
in society if families do their part in bringing forth children,
nurturing and socializing them; if education or schools effectively
transmit knowledge, skills and values; if politics governs citizens
well; if economics takes care of food. production, distribution of
goods and services and if religion strengthens the moral fiber of the
members of society. Failure of one social institution to do its part
means disruption of stability in society. For example, the rise of
single parent and dual earner families means families have less time
or sometimes no more time left for the supervision of children in
their homework which may result to an increase of non-performing
students in school.
In a high tech world, educational institution must teach adults
the new skills to relate to the tech-savvy young and the world and
to be more effective in the workplace. With more women in the
workplace, policies against sexual harassment and discrimination
were formulated. The Cybercrime Act of 2012 came about to address
legal issues concerning online interactions and the internet in the
Philippines.
The functionalist theory of education focuses on how education
serves the need of society through the development of skills
37‘The Teacher and the Community, Schoo! Culture and Organizational Leadership
encouraging social cohesion. The role of schools is to prepare
students for participation in the institutions of society. Education
is concerned with transmission of core values for social control.
Education is concerned with socializing people by bringing together
people from different backgrounds. The functionalist. theory is
focused on social stability and solidarity. Functionalists ’ see
education as a beneficial contribution to an ordered society
Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active
role in changing their social environment, even when such change
may benefit them. Instead, functionalism sees active social change
as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate
naturally for any problems that may arise. For example, schools can
compensate for the lack of time and the lack of parental advice from
home.
Purposes of Schooling according to Functionalists
The purposes of schooling according to the functionalist theory are:
1) Intellectual purposes - acquisition of cognitive skills, inquiry
skills 5
2) Political purposes - educate future citizens; promote patriotism;
Promote assimilation of immigrants; ensure order, public civility
and conformity to laws
3) Economic purposes - prepare students for later work roles;
select and train the labor force needed by society
4) Social purposes - promote a sense of social and moral
responsibility; serve as a site for the solution or resolution of
social problems; supplement the efforts of other institutions of
socialization such as the family and the church
An examination of the present curricula in basic and in tertiary
education shows that these 4 functions are given attention to.
2. Conflict Theory
According to this theory, there are always two opposing sides in
@ conflict situation. People take sides between maintaining the status
quo and introducing change then arrive at an agreement. Conflict
theory welcomes conflict for that is the way to the establishment of
a new society. Conflict theorists find Potential conflict between any
groups where inequality exists: racial, gender, religious, political,
economic, and so on. Conflict theorists note that unequal groups
usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to
compete against one another. This constant competition between
groups forms the basis for the ever-changing nature of society.Chapter 3 — Social Science Theories and Their Implications to Education
The factory workers want change - better working conditions,
higher salaries. The factory owners naturally are opposed to such.
The resolution of the conflict, however, leads to a compromise, a
change in the way the factory is managed where both workers and
owners are happy.
How Proponents of Conflict Theory Regard Education
According to the conflict theory, education is not truly a
social benefit or opportunity as seen by the functionalists. Rather,
education is a powerful means of maintaining power structures and
creating a docile work force for capitalism. The purpose of education
is to maintain social inequality and to preserve the power of those
who dominate society and teach those in the working class to accept
their position as a lower class worker of society. Conflict theorists
call this the “hidden curriculum”. The “hidden” curriculum socializes
young people into obedience and conformity for them to be developed
as docile workers.
Functionalists disagree strongly. They assert that if schools
teach adherence to policies, obedience to rules, respect for persons
including authorities, punctuality and honesty, civil right it is
because they are the very principles dear to a democratic way of
life. It is not because they want to make the workers remain docile,
unquestioning and subservient forever while those in power remain
in power.
3. The symbolic interactionist theory perspective
‘Three tenets of symbolic interactionist theory are:
1) An individual’s action depends on meaning. We act based on
the meaning we give to symbols. Symbols can be actions, objects
or words. If a student understands that teacher believes in his
/her ability he/she tries his/her best prove that indeed he/she
is able. If a teacher does otherwise, a student tends to behave in
accordance with teacher's poor perception.
2) Different people may give different meanings to the same
thing. When teachers are strict, some students see it as an
expression of care. Others may rebel because they perceive
teacher's behavior as limiting their moves and desires. A
businessman may look at a tree and starts estimating how much
money he can get if he has the tree cut down for lumber. A
philosopher or a poet may look at it with the thought, “they also
serve who only stand and wait” like John Milton’ 's from his poem
“On his Blindness".
39and the Community, Schoo! Culture and Organizational Leadership
3) Meanings change as individuals interact with one another. A
negative meaning that you used to associate with hospital when
you went to a hospital which looked more as a hotel than the
usual hospital you know is changed. After you have taught well,
your first impression of teaching as boring is changed to teaching
is exciting.
Implications to Teaching
Let us continue to teach for meaning. Let us promote and create
opportunities for genuine interaction among our students, teachers,
between students and teachers. Interaction does not only mean
dealing with warm bodies. Interaction includes reading, listening,
viewing. Other people’s views and meanings are conveyed in what
they have written, in speeches and lectures they have delivered.
Let us use positive symbols - in the form of gestures, words,
actions, and appearances - to express our trust, belief in our
students’ abilities, an affirmation of their being. In fact, our belief in
our students also has positive effect in us. We find ourselves more
prepared in class, more caring, truly professional.
The symbolic interactionist perspective, also known as
symbolic interactionism, directs sociologists to consider the
symbols and details of everyday life, what these symbols mean, and
how people interact with each other.
As the term implies, symbolic interactionist theory states that
people interact with one another through symbols. Language is
a predominat symbol among people. According to the symbolic
interactionist perspective, people attach meanings to symbols,
and then they act according to their subjective interpretation of
these symbols. Verbal conversations, in which spoken words serve
as the predominant symbols, make this subjective interpretation
especially . evident. The words have a certain meaning for the
“sender,” and, during effective communication, they hopefully
have the same meaning for the “receiver.” In other terms, words
are not static “things”; they require intention and interpretation.
Conversation is an interaction of symbols between individuals who
constantly interpret the world around them. To ensure mutual
understanding, the sender of the symbol and the receiver of the
symbol must give the same meaning to the symbol or run the risk of
misunderstanding.
Faulty communication can result from differences in the
perception of the same events and symbols. Did you experience
this in your activity of giving symbols of caring? While you
looked at your symbol as something expressing your love and
care, your partner may have not understood it that way atChapter 3 — Social Science Theories and Their implications to Education
all. This happens in real life. It is important that our symbols
are understood by others in the way they were intended to be.
‘Sometimes it happens in the language (which is a symbol) we speak.
Often we are misunderstood or we misunderstand others. So let's "
"keep on communicating.
Weakness of Symbolic Interaction Theory
Critics claim that symbolic interactionism neglects the macro
level of social interpretation—the “big picture.” In other words,
symbolic interactionists may miss the larger issues of society by
focusing too closely on the “trees” or by restricting shee ea, to
small or individual interactions. ne
Symbolic interactionism traces its origins to Max Weber's
assertion that individuals act according to their interpretation of the
meaning of their world. However, it was the American philosopher
George H. Mead (1863-1931) who introduced this perspective to
American sociology in the 1920s.