Sociology of education: a personal reflection on politics,power and pragmatism

Abstract

This paper attempts to work on a number of different levels. Firstly, it comprises my personal reflections on a career in sociology of education. These reflections are entwined with a history of the discipline that emphasises themes of power, politics and pragmatism. This subjective, and inevitably partial, account is combined with an examination of the structure and composition of the academic field of sociology of education and its relationship with the two disciplines it originates from, sociology and education, but also with the wider field of politics. The ways in which these different strands within sociology of education coalesce or diverge, and the consequences in terms of tensions, fissures and struggles within the field will be considered. I also discuss the subject and content of sociology of education, and its future possibilities for radical as opposed to reactionary or reformist agendas.     

Linking faculty development to community college student achievement: a mixed methods approach

Using a mixed methods, multilevel research design, this pilot inquiry explored the relationship between college faculty professional development and the academic achievement of diverse students by coupling two separate links: (a) the effects that professional development activities have on improving teaching strategies, and (b) the effects these teaching strategies have on student learning. Data were collected from administrators, faculty, and students to discover what teaching strategies are being used and, in their view, how these strategies affect learning outcomes. Data sources included a survey, documents, interviews, and observations. The case study institution is a New Mexico community college, and the research focuses on two academic programs with 145 students enrolled. Data analyses revealed three main themes: (a) faculty development and its link to teacher effectiveness and student learning outcomes are embedded in the mission, goals, and policies of the institution; (b) faculty development is considered vital, funding is always available, and faculty participate in on- and off-campus development activities to enhance their teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes; and (c) the institution focused on collecting and analyzing student learning outcomes data, but no data-driven means for assessing the effectiveness of faculty development activities existed.     

The relationship between high school students' perceptions of teaching as a career and selected background characteristics: Implications for attracting students of color to teaching

This study sought to determine: What influence do background characteristics of high school students have on their perceptions of teaching as a career choice? The independent variables, or background characteristics, were ethnicity, gender, the work status of parents, and grade level. Of particular interest was the extent to which African Americans were receptive to teaching as a career choice. The dependent variable of the study was students' perceptions of teaching as a career. Students perceptions were ascertained from their responses to an instrument administered to over 800 high school students. The inventory sought students' attitudes regarding: (a) the extent to which they valued teaching as a career; (b) the importance they assigned to teaching relative to other professions; (c) the influence of significant others in encouraging them to go into teaching; and (d) their desire to meet the prerequisites to becoming a teacher. Although the findings were in general those to be expected, some surprising ones were also observed.     

Troubling the discourse: applying Valsiner’s Zones to adolescent girls’ use of digital technologies

ABSTRACT

Young people’s use of technology has been extensively explored in the literature. However, there has been less work theorising their technology-enabled behaviours, integrating understandings of adolescence into explanations of technology use. The study reported here begins to address this gap. It explores the digital lives of 15 young women in the United Kingdom over one year, using the tools and conceptual categories of social cognition in novel ways. An adaptation of Valsiner’s Zones makes it possible to offer an account of technology use which avoids romanticism and pessimism, and enables us to: (i) recognise choice and agency; (ii) articulate technology-mediated development across disciplines and paradigms; and (iii) locate physiological development within the broader social, psychological and socio-technical realms. The paper concludes by applying the adapted framework to a single case, Megan, illuminating unresolved issues for future studies and theorising technology as shaping, rather than defining, adolescent perspectives, behaviours and relationships     

Spanish-Speaking Children's Social and Language Development in Pre-Kindergarten Classrooms

The current study examined the social and language development of 345 Spanish-speaking pre-kindergartners who attended pre-kindergarten programs that varied widely in how much Spanish was spoken in the classroom by the teacher. Previous studies on English language learners have focused on how the language of instruction impacts children's language proficiency, ignoring the context in which children are learning. The current study found better social skills and closer teacher—child relationships in classrooms where teachers spoke some Spanish. Teacher ratings of children's peer social skills and assertiveness were positively associated with increased amounts of Spanish being spoken. More Spanish language use in the classroom was also related to a decrease in children's likelihood of being victims of aggression as rated by independent observers. The findings have implications for better understanding how policy decisions regarding language of instruction impact children in the social domain. As early education programs are faced with the challenging task of developing best practices for English language learners, it is essential that programs are attentive to the social implications of language.