Chapter 16 Education

Chapter Outline Schooling and Society: Theories of Education Does Schooling Matter? Education and Inequality School Reform

Rise of Education in the U.S. 1900 - education was established by law in all states, excluding a few Southern states, where Black Americans were denied formal education. 1910 - less than 10% of White 18 year olds in the U.S. graduated from high school. 1930 - less than half of 18 year olds in the U.S. had attended high school. 1950 - the number of young adults with a diploma approached 50%.

Functionalist View of Education Education unifies and stabilizes society. Serves functions of socialization, occupational training, and social control. Schools inculcate values needed by society.

Conflict View of Education Emphasizes the disintegrative and disruptive aspects of education. Educational level can be used as a tool for discrimination via credentialism. Schools are hierarchical institutions reflecting conflict and power relations in society.

Symbolic Interactionist View of Education Focus is on what arises from the operation of the interaction process during the schooling experience. Teachers expect certain behaviors, good or bad, from students. Behavior is caused by the expectation instead of being anticipated by it.

 Effects of Education Number of years of formal education has a modest effect on occupation and income. Direct effect of class origin upon occupation and income, independent of education. The social class one is born into has a greater effect on later occupation and income than educational attainment.

Criticisms of Standardized Tests Measure limited ranges of ability, such as quantitative or verbal aptitude, and ignore cognitive abilities such as creativity. Designed by middle class, white males, and include cultural and gender biases. Predictive ability - especially for minorities and women - is compromised.

The Bell Curve Debate Two points: Intelligence is 70% inherited and 30% related to the environment. Lower classes are less endowed with genes for high intelligence than the upper classes.

Criticism of the Bell Curve Studies show standardized tests are not as accurate a measure of intelligence: Of minorities as whites. Of women as men. Of individuals of lower status as those of higher status.

Criticism of the Bell Curve Presumes intelligence is genetically heritable, but there is evidence that environment may have a greater contribution. Base a between-group conclusion on a within-group estimate of genetic heritability.

Research on Gender and Education Findings from report commissioned by AAUW: In general, teachers pay less attention to girls and women. Women lag behind in math and science ability and achievement scores. Some standardized math and science tests retain gender bias.

Research on Gender and Education Standardized math tests tend to under-predict women’s actual grades in mathematics. Teachers tend to treat Black women and White women differently. Textbooks ignore or stereotype women. As girls approach adolescence, their self-esteem tends to drop.