A Handbook on Sociological Foundations of Education for the Students of B.Ed. Semester-II

About Book

Sociology, according to Duncan, is the scientific study of the dynamic processes of interactions of persons and the patterns these form in relation to biological, psychological and cultural influences. Thus, sociology studies social phenomena, social organizations and cultural patterns. It seeks to discover the laws that govern social relations and the forces that develop the personality of the individual. According to the sociological perspective, education does not arise in response to the individual needs of the individual, but it arises out of the needs of the society of which the individual is a member. The educational system of any society is related to its overall social system. Education is a sub-system performing certain functions for the ongoing social system. The goals and needs of the total social system get reflected in the functions it lays down for educational system and the form in which it structures it to fulfil those functions. In a static society, the main function of the educational system is to transmit the cultural heritage to the new generations. But in a dynamic society, these keep changing from generation to generation and the educational system in such a society must not only transmit the cultural heritage, but also aid in preparing the youth for adjustment to any changes in them that may have occurred or are likely to occur in future. In contemporary societies, the proportion of change that is either planned or issues from the secondary consequences of deliberate innovations is much higher than in former times. This is more so in societies that have newly become independent and are in a developing stage. Consequently, in such modern complex societies, education is called upon to perform an additional function of becoming an agent of social change. Thus, the relationship between educational system and society is mutual; sometimes the society influences changes in educational system and at other times the educational system brings about changes in the society.

This book, Sociological Foundations of Education, deals with various aspects of educational sociology-the effects of learning on group life. The book discusses the types of social organizations and their characteristics as well as the role of individuals in organizations. Social interaction is the foundation of society. The book discusses the development of groups and the characteristics of group dynamics. The book also highlights the roles of various agencies of social education, such as the school, peer groups and family. This book, Sociological Foundations of Education, is written in a self- instructional format and is divided into six units. Each unit begins with an overview to the topic followed by an outline of the unit objectives. The content is then presented in a simple and easy-to-understand manner. The reference section is more useful aspect for students and are meant for effective recapitulation of the text. This book is designed to develop in students a sustained interest and enthusiasm to learn and develop the concepts included in a logical and stepwise manner. It incorporates a variety of illustrations to help the students understand the subject quickly and to the maximum. The entire book was written in the day hours. After a sound sleep without any academic haste, a fresh mind packed with creative ideas and innovative thoughts, has largely helped me to write this book. This textbook is a distillation of my knowledge and teaching experience in sociology of education, educational sociology and contains predigested information for good understanding, assimilation and reproducibility. Each page is crafted with a fine eye. The ultimate purpose of this book is to equip the reader with comprehensive knowledge in topics covered in this book with reference to basic as well as applied aspects.