Academic management

The course Social Structure and Education has an introductory character and provides basic knowledge on concepts, theories and methodologies of Sociology, with a special focus on socialization and social inequality, so as to enable students to develop their abilities of perception and scientific analysis and interpretation of social reality, and in particular, of the educational field. In other words, the central aim is that students develop the capacity to ‘read’ the school sociologically.

This course does not demand any specific skills or competences apart from those relating to access to the degree.

The general and transversal competences that students are supposed to acquire in this course can be divided into different parts. On the one hand, the instrumental competences, which comprise the capacity of analysis and synthesis (CB3) and the capacity of oral and written communication in one’s first language (CB4). On the other hand, the interpersonal competences, among which we highlight the capacity of criticism and self-criticism, team work, and interpersonal abilities, such as the appreciation of diversity and multiculturality (CG1) and ethical commitment (CG8).

Among the specific competences of the course, we should highlight the understanding of the function, the possibilities, and the limits of education in today’s society (CE12). The specific competences that should be attained in this course are, in particular: knowledge of the historical evolution of the family, the different types of families, lifestyles and education in the family context (CEM3.2); ability to critically analyze and incorporate the most relevant questions of contemporary society that affect education within the family and at school: social and educational impact of audiovisual languages; changes in gender and intergenerational relations; multicultural and intercultural relations; discrimination and social inclusion; and sustainable development (CEM3.5).

As for learning outcomes, we should highlight: knowledge and understanding of different cultures and differences among people, equality of rights and opportunities of men and women, and non-discrimination of people with disabilities (RA3.5); knowledge of the political, social, cultural, and institutional structures related to education (RA3.8); and an understanding of the function, possibilities, and limits of education in today’s society (RA3.9).

Introduction

• Characteristics of the sociological perspective
• Theoretical perspectives in Sociology.

Basic references:

• Macionis y Plummer (2012): Sociología. 4ª edición, Madrid: Pearson, Capítulo 1 y Capítulo 2, pp. 4-10 y 27-32.

Unit 1. Society, culture, and socialization

• Concepts of society and culture
• Socialization as an interrelation between the society, the culture, and the individual
• The process of socialization: definition and stages
• Agents and contexts of socialization: family, school, peer group, and the media
• Mechanisms of social control.

Basic references:

• Fernández Palomares, F. (2003): Sociología de la Educación, Madrid, Pearson. Capítulo 8, pp. 205-260.
• Julio Iglesias de Ussel y Antonio Trinidad Requena (2010) Leer la sociedad: una introducción a la sociología general, Tecnos, 3 edición, Capítulo 6. Socialización.

Unit 2. Social structure and models of society

• Types of society: segmental, feudal, class, network society.
• Social change: traditional society versus modern, industrial society.
• The educational system as historical and social construction: scholastic system, liberal system, technocratic system, and social democratic model.

Basic references:

• Fernández Palomares, F. (2003): Sociología de la Educación, Madrid: Pearson, Capítulo 2 y Capítulo 4, pp. 43-45 y 87-108.

Unit 3. Education and modenr socety: social functions of education

• The school as an institution
• Concept of function: manifest and latent functions.
• The function of guard and custody.
• The function of social cohesion and construction of national identities.
• Training for work and distribution of social positions.

Basic reference:

• Fernández Palomares, F. (2003) Sociología de la Educación. Madrid: Pearson, Capítulo 5, pp.117-142.
• Fernández Palomares, F. (2003) Sociología de la Educación. Madrid: Pearson, Capítulo 7, pp.165-199.

Unit 4. Relation family-school: education and social classes.

• Definition and nature of the family
• Theoretical analysis of the family
• Changes in the family: Towards a postmodern family?
• Influence of the family on educational success: theories of reproduction and resistance.

Basic references:

• Macionis y Plummer (2012): Sociología. 4ª edición, Madrid: Pearson, Capítulo 18, pp. 537-560.
• Fernández Palomares, F. (2003): Sociología de la Educación, Madrid: Pearson. Capítulo 8, pp. 216-223.

Unit 5.  Education and social stratification.

• Concept and types of stratification.
• Theories to explain social stratification

Basic references:

• Macionis y Plummer (2012): Sociología. 4ª edición, Madrid: Pearson, Capítulo 8, pp. 214-238.
• Fernández Palomares, F. (2003). Sociología de la Educación. Madrid: Pearson, Capítulo 6, pp. 143-164

Unit 6. Education and social discrimination (gender, ethnicity and immigration)

• Gender inequality: the role of the education system
• Ethnic inequality: the role of the school.
• Case study: “los gitanos en la escuela paya.

Basic references:

• Fernández Palomares, F. (2003). Sociología de la Educación. Madrid: Pearson, Capítulo 13, pp. 367-381.
• Fernández Enguita, M. (1991) Alumnos gitanos en la escuela paya, Barcelona, Ariel.

Unit 7. School and classroom as systems of social interaction

• Teachers as a social category
• Teachers as a status group; The process of professional socialization
• Teachers as educational agents
• The social construction of student status
• The unequal distribution of power in the classroom
• What happens in classrooms?
• Violence in the classroom.

Basic reference:

• Fernández Palomares, F. (2003) Sociología de la Educación. Madrid: Pearson, Capítulos 11 y 12, pp. 307-356.

The methodology of the subject combines lectures (with a theoretical focus) and seminars (with a practical content) as well as other activities requiring the attendance of the students, such as group tutorials. The learning activities requiring attendance will have a total duration of 60 hours, according to the following distribution:

1) Lecture with a theoretical focus (35 hours).

These will be weekly sessions of two and a half hours each, in which the professor will provide the basic theoretical concepts and the terminology of sociological analysis as well as the fundamental notions for the understanding of the macro-processes and structures of society, with the aim of fostering their capacity of critical reflection.

2) Seminars with a practical content (21 hours).

These sessions of an hour and a half each will be held once a week and require the active collective and individual participation of the students in the exercises provided by the professor. These exercises will be aimed at complementing and reinforcing the theoretical contents of each unit. The seminars will also require the utilization of different instruments of text analysis and techniques of qualitative and quantitative analysis of social phenomena which will the basis for the subsequent interpretative debate.

3) Group Tutorials (3 hours).

Additionally, complementary sessions of Group Tutorials will be held, which will require the attendance of the students.

Apart from the activities that require the attendance of the students, they will also develop learning activities that do not require their attendance (90 hours). These activities occupy 60 % of the course and include the work to be carried out independently by the student (individually or in groups) in order to prepare and revise the practical exercises provided in the Seminars, the preparation of work essays, the study and reading for the Evaluation Sessions and the use of the different bibliographic, audio-visual and electronic resources related to the subject.

4) Written and oral evaluation sessions (1 hour)

* On the established dates.

Tutorial Action Plan (TAP)

During the course, we will attempt to reflect, in a cross-cutting manner, on the career opportunities of students. Apart from that, in three units of the course, the teaching profession and career prospects will be brought to the fore. In Unit 4, we will analyze jobs as the fundamental element for the elaboration of social classes; this will be exemplified by reference to teaching jobs. Unit 6 is on the transition from school to work; here, we will refer to existing itineraries for (or chosen by) teachers. Finally, Unit 7 is entirely on the teaching profession from a social and educational perspective.  

Evaluation of the subject will rely on the following instruments: a final written exam, continuous assessment based on graded assignments, course work in groups, and active participation in classroom debates.

We differentiate between Ordinary Assessment and Differentiated Assessment:

For the Ordinary Assessment, attendance of, at least, 80 % of the seminars is a compulsory requirement to pass the course.

In the case of Differentiated Assessment, students should do the graded assignments that are part of the continuous assessment in the Virtual Campus.

The evaluation of the course consists, in both cases, in:

            - An exam of the theoretical content.

            - The evaluation of practical tasks or activities.

The evaluation of theoretical contents will be done through a final exam that represents 60 % of the end mark. Students should at least score 2.4 points out of 6 (or the equivalent) to pass the course.

The evaluation of practical tasks or activities (i.e. the Continuous Assessment) is divided into two parts:

1) The evaluation of two individual tasks, which have to be carried out during the semester and submitted through the Virtual Campus, equals 20 % of the mark. The realization of the tasks should be submitted before the deadline, except in the case of force majeure.

2) Coursework carried out in groups equals 20 % of the mark. The written papers will be submitted during the course. The evaluation comprises the following criteria: student’s capacity of analysis and synthesis, adequate presentation, creativity and linguistic abilities, including the appropriate use of the terminology of the subject, the order and consistency in the presentation of the written discourse and the accurateness in syntax and spelling.

Students who do not attend classes (Differentiated Assessment) have to do the coursework individually, apart from the exam and the graded assignments. The instructions for the tasks and their deadlines will be published sufficiently in advance in the Virtual Campus.

In both evaluation modalities, the marks for individual assignments and coursework will be maintained in all calls for exams during the course, but NOT in the following courses.

Extraordinary call

The same criteria as for the ordinary call apply in the case of the extraordinary call, except for the requirement of attendance to the seminars.  

The students will have to use and consult on a regular basis a number of basic references in order to complement the theoretical and practical materials provided during the course.

• Demaine, J. (ed.) (2001): Sociology of Education Today. Palgrave.
• Fernández Palomares, F. (2003): Sociología de la educación, Madrid Ed. Pearson Prentice Hall.
• Elwell, F.W. (n.d.): Glossary of the Social Sciences.  URL. http://www.faculty.rsu.edu/~felwell/glossary/Index.htm

Additionally, the professor can propose complementary references to be consulted in relation to a particular unit of the course programme.

Basic skills of written and oral presentation and of working with Word, PowerPoint, Excel (or similar software programmes) are expected.