Week 2

The Social Foundations of Education

In this topic, I have learned about the general overview of educational sociology and the societal influences on education. Educational sociology is defined as a branch of the discipline of sociology that studies the problems of the relationship between society and education. It is noted that the results of the sociological studies are used in this study to plan educational activities and to develop effective methods for teaching and learning processes. Besides that, Dr Majid also explained how social forces, economic forces, political forces and technological development has a great effect on the students’ performance and achievement in school. Firstly, in the discussion on social aspects, it is discussed that among the factors in determining the quality of education received by children are household income, family type, family size and parent education. That is why the children who come from families with problems are often disadvantaged in receiving education and succeeding in the school environment. Moreover, the economic aspect determines the affordability of the country to provide free education to all. Meanwhile, in the political context, education is viewed as the main agent for the political socialization of young people in the national political culture. Lastly, it is also discussed that the presence of technological advances in our country has had a positive impact on the education system. For example, new technologies make it easier for students to access resources, increase student engagement, and foster self-paced learning.