Examining the Different Sociological Theories on Education Essay

The issue I have chosen is the use of social networking websites and how the three sociological perspectives apply to them. The use of social networking website has become a social norm in the way our society communicates with each one another. I believe that there are benefits with using social networking websites in your private and public life. On the other hand, I do believe that with social networking websites, the boundary between our private and public life merge and become difficult to separate.

Emile Durkheim stresses the importance of the socializing agent in the education system in industrialized societies. He believed that education set the foundation which fostered a child’s cognitive and moral characteristics which was the basis upon which society was founded. Durkheim believed that these characteristics were essential in order to ensure that new member of society would be able to meet the required standards of society. Education had certain advantages over the individual which Durkheim refers to as a methodical socialization. This term refers to the younger generation or new members of society being instructed in certain values so that a certain co relation and degree of homogeneity would be developed by all members of society. Durkheim stated “It is by respecting the school rules that the child learns to respect rules in general, that he develops the habit of self-control and restrain himself. It is a first initiation into the austerity of duty.” (Durkheim 1961) Thus all members of society would be integrated

Conflict Theory sees social life as a competition, and focuses on the distribution of resources, power and inequality. Unlike functionalist theory, conflict theory is better at explaining social change and weaker at explaining social stability. Conflict theory has been critiqued for its inability to explain social stability and incremental change. For example, a conflict theorist might ask, "Who benefits from the current higher educational system in the U.S.?” The response is for a conflict theorist accustomed to imbalanced amounts of wealth, is the wealthy. After all, higher education in the U.S. is not cheap. The education system frequently siphons through poorer individuals, not because they cannot contend academically, but rather that they cannot afford to their education, monetarily. For this reason the poor are unable to achieve higher education, they are generally also unable to gain higher paying jobs, and, therefore, they remain poor. This tehn becomes a vicious cycle of poverty.

One of the sociological theories is conflict theory. The conflict theory deals with people's level on wealth, or class. The conflict theory says that social change is beneficial, contrary to focuses on social order. In the story of the woman and her children, the conflict theory plays a big role on the situation. Police of higher class are threatening the homeless woman. The conflict theory is a constant struggle of people of higher class over powering people of lower class, or the weaker. The police are trying to over power the woman by telling her to leave. Even though the woman and her children were doing nothing wrong, the police used their power to tell her to leave. Also the people of the area showed

Theories provide the foundation for educational practices, and many of them exist. While I consider my personal theory or philosophy of education to be one that is something of an ever-changing conglomerate of ideas, I realize that some of my guiding principals are directly attributed to well a well established theory.

Sociological theory creates ways to understand the social world by having different theories to explain understand social life. It aids to make sense of this social world. It draws together a wide range of perspectives to help provide the fullest picture. (Macionis & Plummer p.36) It shows that one theory can explain something that another cannot. My aim is to answer this question with reference to both functionalism and conflict theory. This will be done by comparing and contrasting both theories in relation to their perspectives on both suicide and gender discrimination as social issues relevant to this day and age. Functionalism and conflict perspectives are both macro theories. This means that they focus on the big picture, for

In this paper, I am a sociologist researching my life. This paper is a reflection of my understanding of sociological perspective that I have learned from the class. I am demonstrating competency in this subject by applying each of the sociological topics to my life I will provide an in-depth and critical examination of the force that have shaped me so far in my life

Sociological Perspectives and Theories Sociologists try to explain how society orders itself but there are many different theories for this, which often conflict with one another. Some of these classic theories include Marxism, Functionalism, and Interactionism. There are also more modern or contemporary theories such as Feminism. Each sociological perspective has different beliefs.

The Illustration of Three Paradigms in Sociological Thinking. Auguste Comte, Emile Durkheim, Herbert Spencer, Karl Max, and Max Weber are five very important sociologists. These five people helped create the Paradigms of Sociological Thinking. The Paradigms of Sociological Thinking are theoretical approaches that describe the operation of society. These three pictures describe the three theoretical approaches.

Education is inevitable. It is all around us because we can learn from virtually anything. When you are cooking, dancing, talking or any other activity you have actually had to learn several things to be able to do them. In the educational perspective, I am a pragmatist and I tend to follow after Dewey's footsteps. The concept of Pragmatism is one that developed in the 20th century. My philosophy is based on the idea that learning should involve real-life situations. Learning becomes more concrete to a student when they apply it to real-life situations, as where learning things that do not connect to them has more of an abstract sense. Personally, I would have to agree with Dewey when he said, "I

Evaluation of Sociological Theories Deviance can be described as: "Nonconformity with existing/traditional social norms. This nonconformity is often said to be pathological when it challenges power and privilege; yet it is said to be indicative of innovation or creativity when the gatekeepers of morality approve it. A loaded term, deviancy is a negative asset when the environment is stable but can be a positive asset to a society when the environment is irreversibly changing." Each perspective asks different questions and focuses on different issues regarding crime and deviance. They have different ideas about the causes of crime.

Functionalists argue that education is the most important part in society. To them, if the school system works properly, the society will function properly too because education is a key component of a social body (Parsons, 1951). Durkheim is the first sociologist to apply this theory in his research of education. He related the functions of school to deliver knowledge and expected behavior for a wellbeing of a society (1961).

In order for a society to function, individuals must be productive members of that society. This is accomplished through education. The philosophy of education is determined by society. As society changes so does the concept of education.

Conflict theory on education is that education offers status on people. Likewise, those educational systems typically deny disadvantaged students from getting the same instructive like other.

The education system has been a controversial issue among educators. Requirements of school do not let student choose what they want to study for their future. It’s a big issue to force student study specific curriculums, which don’t help them improve, and what they like to create something. Educators choose a general system for education to all students which based on general knowledge. Intelligent or genius students have to be in that system of education, which doesn’t let them improve their creativity. Educators attempt to change that system to make it better, but their changing was not that great to be an example for the world. Also, did that change qualify education system to compete other systems or not? In some examples and