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Functions of Education

The document discusses the functions and purposes of education from sociological perspectives. It addresses how education serves to (1) socialize individuals and teach them the norms, values and behaviors appropriate for their social position; (2) promote social integration and the sharing of experiences and history among groups; and (3) determine social placement by identifying students' abilities and preparing them for their roles in society. Education also functions to (4) drive social and cultural innovation by educating scientists, artists and thinkers.

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Karren Joy Savuro Palma
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820 views

Functions of Education

The document discusses the functions and purposes of education from sociological perspectives. It addresses how education serves to (1) socialize individuals and teach them the norms, values and behaviors appropriate for their social position; (2) promote social integration and the sharing of experiences and history among groups; and (3) determine social placement by identifying students' abilities and preparing them for their roles in society. Education also functions to (4) drive social and cultural innovation by educating scientists, artists and thinkers.

Uploaded by

Karren Joy Savuro Palma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Functions of Education

(Topic)

Reference: http://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/16-2-sociological-perspectives-on-
education/

1. Socialization

 a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns


the norms, values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position.
(Dictionary.com)
 In sociology, socialization is the process of internalizing the norms and ideologies of
society. Socialization encompasses both learning and teaching and is thus "the
means by which social and cultural continuity are attained" (Wikipedia)
 Socialization, the process whereby an individual learns to adjust to a group (or
society) and behave in a manner approved by the group (or society).
(Britannica.com)
 Socialization is the process whereby an individual learns to appreciate the meaning
and values that exist in the culture at large and eventually internalizes such beliefs
and values as guides for human conduct.

2. Social Integration
 In a broader view, social integration is a dynamic and structured process in which
all members participate in dialogue to achieve and maintain peaceful social
relations.
 Integration was first studied by Park and Burgess in 1921 through the concept of
assimilation. They defined it as "a process of interpenetration and fusion in
which persons and groups acquire the memories, sentiments, and attitude of
other persons and groups and, by sharing their experience and history, are
incorporated with them in a common cultural life.

3. Social Placement

 Beginning in grade school, students are identified by teachers and other school
officials either as bright or motivated or as less bright and even educationally
challenged. Depending on how they are identified, children are taught at the
level that is thought to suit them best. In this way they are prepared in the most
appropriate way possible for their later station in life. Whether this process
works as well as it should is an important issue, and we explore it further when
we discuss school tracking shortly.

4. Social and Cultural Innovation

 Our scientists cannot make important scientific discoveries and our artists and
thinkers cannot come up with great works of art, poetry, and prose unless they
have first been educated in the many subjects they need to know for their
chosen path.

A. Functions of education towards individual:


http://www.preservearticles.com/201102244178/what-are-the-functions-of-education-
towards-individual-society-and-country.html

(1) Development of inborn potentialities- Education helps the child to develop the
inborn potentialities of child providing scope to develop.

(2) Modifying behavior- Education helps to modify the past behavior through learning
and through different agencies of education.

(3) All-round development- Education aims at the all round development of child-
physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual.

(4) Preparing for the future- After completion of education the child can earn its
livelihood getting proper education, which has productivity. The education should be
imparted according to the own interest of the child.

(5) Developing personality- The whole personality of the child is developed physically,
intellectually, morally, socially, aesthetically and spiritually. He is recognized in the
society.

(6) Helping for adjustability- Man differs from beast. Man has reasoning and thinking
power. Man tries his best to adjust with his own environment through education.

B. Functions of education towards society:

(1) Social change and control:

The society is never station. It is progressive and dynamic. The child lives in society. It is
the social environment where the personality of the child can be developed. The old
traditions, customs are preserved and transmitted with the situations, which are ever
changing. We should not think or believe in the blind beliefs, which are hindrances
towards our development. Education helps to walk with the development of science and
technology.

(2) Reconstruction of experiences:


Education is life-long process. Life is education and education is life. Life is full of
experiences. One cannot live with his past experiences which are unable to adjust in the
society. So education helps the individual to reconstruct the experience and adjust with
the environment.

(3) Development of social and moral value:

Society is always in tension with narrowism. There is no social or moral value. Now the
man is behaving like an animal. Animality can be changed with moral education.
Education teaches the moral value and social value like co-operation, tolerance,
sympathy, fellow feelings, love affection, respect towards elder, helping the poor and
needy persons.

(4) Providing opportunity or equality:

Indian Constitution has introduced the term ‘equality’ because we are not getting equal
opportunities in all aspects. Education teaches us to give equal opportunities in all
aspects irrespective of caste, creed, color, sex and religion.

C. Functions of education towards nation:

(1) Inculcation of civic and social responsibility- Education helps to make rising
generation to understand its rights and duties as citizens of a democratic country.

(2) Training for leadership- The leadership quality of the individual is developed when he
participates in all spheres of social, political, religious and educational activities.

(3) National integration- We are living in one country having diversities in respect of
color, caste, language, diet, dress, habits and physical environment.

Educational integration leads to emotional integration. Education trains people for


unity, not for locality, for democracy and not for dictatorship.

Education serves the most important end of educating the man.

(4) Total national development- Education helps for bringing about total national
development by developing its all aspects i.e. social, economic, cultural, spiritual, moral,
educational, etc.
Therefore, really education is an essential ingredient for all ages and stages of the life of
an individual, society as well as the nation. Education can be a real panacea for all social
evils.

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