Education is a factor that explains social change in various ways. Which of the following will be considered as the most appropriate indicators in this regard ?
Education is a factor that explains social change in various ways. Which of the following will be considered as the most appropriate indicators in this regard ? Correct Answer Investigation, Reflection, Attitude formation
Social change:
- Social change in sociology, the alteration of mechanisms within the social structure, characterized by changes in cultural symbols, rules of behavior, social organizations, or value systems.
- “Social change is a term used to education guides the social change. It helps an individual to take decision for accepting or rejecting society norms". - Jones.
- Social change is influenced by many factors, education is one of them. Education helps in eradication of poverty, class discrimination and gender biasness. It promotes equality and justice in the society.
Education as an instrument of social change:
- Education is the most powerful instrument of social change.
- It is through education that the society can bring desirable changes and modernize itself.
- Education can transform society by providing opportunities and experiences through which the individual can cultivate himself for adjustment with the emerging needs and philosophy of the changing society.
- A sound social progress needs careful planning in every aspect of life, social, cultural, economic and political. Education must be planned in a manner which is in keeping with the needs and aspirations of the people as a whole.
- Indian Education Commission (1964-66) observed that realization of country's aspirations involves changes in the knowledge, skills, interests and values of the people as a whole. This is basic to every programme of social and economic betterment of which India stands in need.
Important Points
The functions of education in the sphere of social change are outlined as under:
1. Assistance in changing Attitudes:
- Education helps to change the attitudes of people in favour of modern ways of life and develops attitudes which can fight prejudices, superstitions and traditional beliefs.
- It can bring about a change in attitudes of people in favour of small family towards rising above orthodox values and socio-cultural barriers of caste and class and towards religion and secularism.
- Education interacts with the process of social development which is another name of social change.
2. Assistance in creating desire for Change:
- Education creates a desire for change in a society which is prerequisite for any kind of change to come.
- It makes people aware of social evils like drinking, dowry, gambling, begging, bonded labour etc. and creates an urge to fight and change such things.
- Education makes underprivileged, down-trodden and backward people aware of their lot and instils a desire to improve their conditions. Thus education creates a desire for change.
3. Assistance in adopting Social Change:
- Whenever some social change occurs, it is easily adopted by some people while others find it very difficult to adjust themselves to this change.
- It is the function of education to assist people in adopting good changes.
4. Overcoming Resistance to Change:
- Certain factors create resistance in the way of accepting social change.
- Education helps in overcoming resistance.
5. Analysis in Change:
- Education invests the individual with the capacity to use his intelligence, to distinguish between right and wrong and to establish certain ideals.
- Education determines the values which act as a criterion for the analysis of social change.
6. Emergence of new Changes:
- Education initiates, guides and controls movements for social reform.
- Education helps in agitating public opinion towards the abolition of many social changes.
7. Advances in the sphere of Knowledge:
- New researches and inventions depends upon education, because only the educated individuals can search for new things in every field. Thus education contributes to social change by bringing changes in knowledge.
8. Transmission of culture:
- Education is the creator, generator and director of all social change. In short, education is a preservative, consolidating, establishing and creative force democracy. It can help in developing democratic attitudes and values for better living.
- Democratic values such as liberty, equality, fraternity, justice, tolerance, mutual respect, feeling of brotherhood and faith in peaceful methods are stabilized through education in free India. These values are helpful in bringing about social change.
10. National integration:
- Education can prove very useful in bringing about national integration which is the basis for unity among people.
11. Economic prosperity:
- Education is the most important factor in achieving rapid economic development and technological progress and in creating a social order founded on the value of freedom, social justice and equal opportunity.
12. National development:
- Education is the fundamental basis of national development.
- Education is the powerful instrument of economic, political, cultural, scientific and social change.
Key Points
Attitude Formation:
- An attitude is a general and lasting positive or negative opinion or feeling about some person, object, or issue. Attitude formation occurs through either direct experience or the persuasion of others or society.
Investigation:
- Investigation means to search out and examine the particulars of in an attempt to learn the facts about something hidden, unique, or complex, especially in an attempt to find a motive, cause, etc.
- Investigations engage pupils in active learning to explore a particular topic or problem. Therefore, through the search light of critical analysis, undesirable elements of social change are decried and discarded and desirable elements of social changes are accepted and propagated.
Reflection:
- Reflection is a meaning-making process that moves a learner from one’s experience into the next with deeper understanding of its relationships with and connections to other experiences and ideas to bring changes in the society.
- It is about learning from experience, and developing your own thoughts from the experiences. While it is a natural process we often take unconsciously, we also try to facilitate reflection consciously, both in ourselves in others, by asking questions
Assimilation:
- Assimilation is the cognitive process of making new information fit in with your existing understanding of the world. Essentially, when you encounter something new, you process and make sense of it by relating it to things that you already know.
- In socia change, Assimilation describes the process by which a minority integrates socially, culturally, and/or politically into a larger, dominant culture and society. Assimilation usually involves a gradual change of varying degree. Full assimilation occurs when new members of a society become indistinguishable from native members.
Transmission:
- Transmission is the process by which information, knowledge, ideas and skills are taught to others through purposeful, conscious telling, demonstration, and guidance. Thus it won't help in social change because it is just helping to learn the already existing norma of the society.
Preservation:
- Preservation is the act, process, or result of preserving something such as the activity or process of keeping something valued alive, intact, or free from damage or decay preservation of state parks/monuments preservation of an old tradition.
Conclusion: Assimilation, transmission and preservation won't help in bringing change in the society because it is just passing or keeping the existing norma rather than bringing the new norms. Hence, Investigation, Reflection, and Attitude formation will be considered as the most appropriate indicators that explains social change.