Impact of Sociological Theories in Education

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Impact of Sociological Theories in Education SOC101: Introduction to Sociology Emily Frydrych January 14, 2013 Education Education is very important in a person’s life. People would struggle to get by in life without a good education. To help understand education there are three theories. Some people may think that theories are just someone’s opinion but education had different theories will support it. These theories are different and will help identify education and help understand education better. The three theories are Functionalism, Conflict, and Interactionism. These theories play a vital role in understanding education and why it is important. Functionalism The functionalism theory focuses more one the way that education serves society’s needs. The first thing the functionalists do is see education in its manifest role and believe that education conveys knowledge and skills to the next generation. Emile Durkheim was the founder of the functionalist theory and he identified the latent role of education as one of socializing people into society’s mainstream. What he calls “moral education” helped form a core-cohesive social structure by bringing people together from diverse backgrounds. Functionalist’s views education as one of the most important social institutions in a society. They contend that education contributes two kinds of functions: manifest (or primary) functions, which are the intended and visible functions of education; and latent (or secondary) functions, which are the hidden and unintended functions (2012). Structural functionalism believes that society leans towards social equilibrium and social order. They see society like a human body. Institutions such as education are like the bodies important organs that keep the society/body healthy and well. Durkheim argues that in complex industrial societies, the school serves a function
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