educational sociology and philosophy

237 Pages·2009·7.85 MB·English

HBEF1103 (M)
EDUCATIONAL
SOCIOLOGY AND
PHILOSOPHY
Noryati Alias
Project Directors: Prof Dr Mansor Fadzil
Assoc Prof Dr Widad Othman
Open University Malaysia

Module Writer: Noryati Alias

Moderator: Assoc Prof Hazidi Abdul Hamid

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Open University Malaysia

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First Printing, September 2009
Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM), September 2009, HBEF1103(M)

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without the written permission of the President, Open University Malaysia (OUM).

Version September 2009
Table of Contents

Course Guide ix-xiv

Topic 1 Sociology of Education 1
1.1 Sociology as a Discipline 3
1.2 Primary Social Institutions 5
1.2.1 Family 6
1.2.2 Education 8
1.2.3 Religion 9
1.2.4 Economic and Political Institutions 10
1.3 Sociology of education 11
1.3.1 Definitions 12
1.3.2 Main Areas of Concern 12
1.4 Theoretical Approaches to Sociology of Education 13
1.4.1 Functionalism 13
1.4.2 Conflict Theory 14
1.4.3 The Interpretivistic and Interaction Approach 15
1.4.4 Recent Theories 15
Summary 17
Key Terms 18
References 19

Topic 2 Functions of Education 20
2.1 Functions of Socialisation 22
2.2 Functions of Cultural Transmission 24
2.3 Function of Social Control and Personal Development 25
2.4 Function of Selection and Allocation 27
2.5 Function of Change and Innovation 29
Summary 30
Key Terms 32
References 32

Topic 3 The School in Society 34
3.1 Education and the Process of Stratification 35
3.2 Stratification and Equality of eEducational Opportunity 38
3.3 Issues of Race, Class and Gender in Achieving
Quality of Opportunity 42
i v (cid:88) TABLE OF CONTENTS
3.4 Ability Grouping and Teacher Expectations 44
Summary 51
Key Terms 52
References 52

Topic 4 The School as a Social System 54
4.1 Social System of the School 56
4.2 Goals of the School System 58
4.3 The Purpose of the School 59
4.4 The School as an Organisation 61
4.5 Centralised Versus Decentralised Decision-Making 63
Summary 65
Key Terms 66
References 67

Topic 5 The School as a Social System 54
5.1 Students and Their Environments 69
5.2 School Effectiveness 73
5.3 Educational Movements and Reform 76
5.4 Change and Planning in Educational Systems 78
Summary 82
Key Terms 83
References 84

Topic 6 The School as a Social System 54
6.1 What is philosophy? 88
6.2 Branches of Philosophy 91
6.2.1 Metaphysics 92
6.2.2 Epistemology 93
6.2.3 Logic 93
6.2.4 Ethics 94
6.3 The Meaning of Education and Philosophy of Education 95
Summary 97
Key Terms 98
References 99

Topic 7 Idealism, Realism, and Pragmatism in Education 100
7.1 Idealism 101
7.1.1 Platonic Idealism 102
7.1.2 Religious Idealism: Augustine 104
7.1.3 Modern Idealism: Rene Descartes, Immanuel Kant,
and Friedrich Hegel 106
TABLE OF CONTENTS (cid:87) v
7.2 Realism 112
7.2.1 Aristotle Realism 113
7.2.2 Religious Realism: Thomas Aquinas 115
7.2.3 Modern Realism: Francis Bacon and John Locke 118
7.2.4 Contemporary Realism: Alfred North Whitehead
and Bertrand Russell 122
7.3 Pragmatism 125
7.3.1 Centrality of Experience: Francis Bacon
and John Locke 125
7.3.2 Science and Society: Auguste Comte, Charles
Darwin, and John Dewey 126
7.4 Idealism, Realism, and Pragmatism and its Critique in
Philosophy of Education 129
7.4.1 Idealism in Philosophy of Education 129
7.4.2 Realism in Philosophy of Education 131
7.4.3 Pragmatism in Philosophy of Education 133
Summary 136
Key Terms 140
References 141

Topic 8 Idealism, Realism, and Pragmatism in Education 143
8.1 Reconstructionism 144
8.1.1 Theodore Brameld 145
8.1.2 George S. Counts 147
8.2 Behaviourism 150
8.2.1 Ivan Pavlov 151
8.2.2 John B. Watson 152
8.2.3 Behaviourism and Positivism 155
8.2.4 B. F. Skinner 157
8.3 Existentialism 160
8.3.1 Soren Kierkegaard 161
8.3.2 Jean-Paul Sartre 162
8.4 Reconstructionism, Behaviourism, and Existentialism in
Philosophy of Education 166
8.4.1 Reconstructionism in Philosophy of Education 166
8.4.2 Behaviourism in Philosophy of Education 168
8.4.3 Existentialism in Philosophy of Education 170
Summary 171
Key Terms 174
References 175
v i (cid:88) TABLE OF CONTENTS
Topic 9 Islamic Philosophy of Education 177
8.1 Islamic Philosophy 178
8.2 Basic Principles of Islamic Education 182
8.3 Aims of Islamic Education 185
8.4 Islamisation of Contemporary Knowledge 187
Summary 190
Key Terms 192
References 193

Topic 10 Islamic Philosophy of Education 195
10.1 Indian Thought on Education 196
10.1.1 Vedas 197
10.1.2 Upanishads 199
10.1.3 Epics 200
10.1.4 Modern Hinduism 202
10.2 Chinese Thought on Education 204
10.2.1 Buddhism 205
10.2.2 Confucianism 208
10.3 Eastern Thought and Philosophy of Education 210
10.4 Critique of Eastern Philosophy of Education 212
10.5 National Philosophy of Education 218
Summary 220
Key Terms 221
References 222
COURSE GUIDE

COURSE GUIDE (cid:87) ix
COURSE GUIDE DESCRIPTION
You must read this Course Guide carefully from the beginning to the end. It tells
you briefly what the course is about and how you can work your way through
the course material. It also suggests the amount of time you are likely to spend in
order to complete the course successfully. Please keep on referring to Course
Guide as you go through the course material as it will help you to clarify
important study components or points that you might miss or overlook.
INTRODUCTION
HBEF1103(M) Educational Sociology and Philosophy is one of the courses
offered by Faculty of Education and Languages at Open University Malaysia
(OUM). This course is worth 3 credit hours and should be covered over 8 to 15
weeks.
COURSE AUDIENCE
This course is offered to all students taking the Bachelor in Teaching (Primary
Education) with Honours programme. This module aims to impart knowledge of
sociology and philosophy in education; identifying the major concepts and elicit
the main features of their applications, and evaluating critical issues related to
those fields of study. This module should be able to help students to build on a
strong foundation in the area of sociology and philosophy of education.

As an open and distance learner, you should be acquainted with learning
independently and being able to optimise the learning modes and environment
available to you. Before you begin this course, please confirm the course material,
the course requirements and how the course is conducted.
STUDY SCHEDULE
It is a standard OUM practice that learners accumulate 40 study hours for every
credit hour. As such, for a three-credit hour course, you are expected to spend
120 study hours. Table 1 gives an estimation of how the 120 study hours could be
accumulated.
x (cid:88) COURSE GUIDE
Table 1: Estimation of Time Accumulation of Study Hours
STUDY
STUDY ACTIVITIES
HOURS
Briefly go through the course content and participate in initial
3
discussions
Study the module 60
Attend 3 to 5 tutorial sessions 10
Online Participation 12
Revision 15
Assignment(s), Test(s) and Examination(s) 20
TOTAL STUDY HOURS ACCUMULATED 120
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1. Analyse and evaluate the four theoretical approaches in the sociological
analysis of education;

2. Discuss the functions of education, issues of stratification and equality in
educational access, the school as a social system, and educational
effectiveness and reforms;

3. Identify and explain the main philosophical ideas of the West, Islam, and
the East and its relevant to the field of education;

4. Critique and comment the influence exercised by the various philosophical
ideas associated with educational practice, specifically in terms of the aims
of education, methods of education, curriculum, and the role of the teacher.