230 likes | 481 Views
Chapter 13, Education and Work. Schooling and Society: Theories of Education Does Schooling Matter? Education and Inequality Economy and Society The Changing Global Economy Theoretical Perspectives on Work Characteristics of the Labor Force Power in the Workplace.
E N D
Chapter 13, Education and Work • Schooling and Society: Theories of Education • Does Schooling Matter? • Education and Inequality • Economy and Society • The Changing Global Economy • Theoretical Perspectives on Work • Characteristics of the Labor Force • Power in the Workplace
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.
The Industrial Revolution Brought far-reaching social changes including: • The separation of work and family • Transformation of the consumption of energy • Specialization • Cash-based economy
Economic Systems • Capitalism - based on market competition, private property and pursuit of profit. • Socialism - the means of production are the property of the state. • Communism - state is the sole owner of the systems of production.
Changing Global Economy • Links the lives of million of Americans to other people throughout the world. • Fewer workers are required since machines can do the work people once did. • New technologies are still bringing major changes to work, how it is organized, who does it and how much it pays.
Theoretical Perspectives on Work • Functionalism - work teaches people values and integrates people within the social order. • Conflict theory - work generates class conflict because of unequal rewards associated with different jobs. • Symbolic interaction - work organizes bonds between people who interact at work.
Categories of Workers • Managerial and professional • Technical, sales and administrative support • Service occupations • Precision production, craft and repair • Operators, fabricators, and laborers • Farming, forestry and fishing
A Diverse Workplace • Manufacturing industries, where racial minorities have historically been able to get jobs, are in decline. • New technologies, corporate layoffs, underemployment, and the decline in real income are all features of today’s experience in the workplace.
Sexual Harassment Two primary forms are recognized in the law: • Quid pro quo - forces sexual compliance in exchange for an employment or educational benefit. • Hostile working environment - unwanted sexual behaviors are a condition of work.
Worker Satisfaction and Safety Greater worker satisfaction is associated with work that is: • Rewarding and challenging • Provides for advancement • Makes workers feel responsible for their achievements.