Singapore University of Social Sciences

Sociology of Education

Sociology of Education (SOC263)

Synopsis

Sociologists perceive education as a social institution that shares an interdependent relationship with other social institutions like family, religion, and others. As the primary site of socialisation outside the family and a key site for knowledge production, education has wide implications for individuals and societies. This course aims to offer a critical discussion on the functions, processes and practices relating to education, engaging local and international examples whenever relevant. The study of education in this course can be classified into three broad themes: education as a social institution, education as a site of cultural reproduction, and education as change and development. It introduces both classical and contemporary Sociological theoretical perspectives on education to provide theoretical conceptualizations within which educational structure, practices and processes can be discussed and analysed. Then the social context within which schools operate as well as the formal structure of schools are investigated. The course then opens up further discussions on meritocracy and social stratification, social identities and socialization, cultural reproduction, hidden curriculum and informal system, higher education and development, educational in the international context.

Level: 2
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: Every January

Topics

  • Sociological perspectives on education
  • Schools as organisations in a social context
  • School stratification and cultural reproduction
  • Knowledge production and cultural reproduction
  • Higher education and development
  • Education in the international context

Learning Outcome

  • Discuss the key sociological approaches to education
  • Apply key sociological perspectives to the analysis of educational policies, practices and processes
  • Demonstrate the role of education in socialization and cultural and socio-economic reproduction
  • Analyse how social identities such as ethnicity and gender affect the experience of schooling and how that in turn contributes to the educational opportunity and outcome for diverse populations
  • Examine the workings of power through education and how we might use power to improve equity in education
  • Discuss the key impact of social processes such as colonization and economic development on education in Asia
  • Compare educational policies and practices in different societies
  • Recognise the workings of educational policies and practices and how they impact on individuals and societies
  • Identify the interdependent relationship between education and other social institutions
  • Explain the factors shaping educational outcomes
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