Educational Sociology : Concept and definition , Nature , Scope , Functions and importance

by - February 28, 2023

Educational Sociology : Concept and definition , Nature , Scope , Functions and importance



Educational Sociology : 

1. Concept and definition , 
2. Nature , 
3. Scope , 
4. Functions 
5. Importance


1. Concept of Educational Sociology :-

Education is the process of a student's healthy and proper adaptation to the social environment. One of the main elements of this social environment is people. Each person in society learns to understand through mutual understanding and through that understanding develops his sense. Through the mutual understanding of society and individuals, a specific agenda and subjective knowledge is established, which is called Educational Sociology.

Education and Sociology are two different subjects. However, not all modern sociologists have emphasized the distinction between sociology of education and educational sociology. Those who treat the two as separate, point out the difference only on the basis of importance.

In the late 19th century, three different directions of the study which education and sociology started together can be seen under three different names, -
(i) Sociological Foundation of Education,
(ii) Educational Sociology and
(iii) Sociology of Education.

According to various sociologists, the definition of educational society is the application of general principles and conclusions of sociology to the administration and process of education. According to this orientation, sociological principles are applied by treating education as a distinct social unit.

Professor Taylor (W Taylor) thinks that the first of these two orientations gives its sociological interpretation with emphasis on various aspects of the educational process. And the second focuses on how sociological processes work in education. That is, in the case of the first, educational sociology is its background and sociology of education is the main subject of practice; Education is his research. A similar distinction has been made by R J Stalcup and J E Jensen.

Professor Brown says educational sociology helps to understand the inseparable relationship between the individual and society.

According to Cook & Cook, educational sociology requires sociological knowledge and techniques to solve various problems of worldly content and human relations.

Thus educational sociology is a special aspect of sociology as a whole which deals with the structural and dynamic aspects of the educational process in the social context.


2. Nature of Educational Sociology:-


Educational sociology has been created by combining education and sociology. Determining the nature or nature of this educational social theory, we see that education  and sociology are filled and enriched by each other.
Science of the behavior of the individual in society is framed in its institution. It is in this perspective that the nature of educational sociology is determined.

According to Young, educational sociology deals with human interaction. So pedagogy has developed educational sociology as an applied branch of sociology.

Social interaction is the natural aspect of educational social theory. That is, in social life, social groups, social institutions, social relations, and social communication systems are related to socialization. For this , sociology has provided the theory and data and pedagogy has provided the policy and strategy. The combined flow of these two has created educational sociology.

  As a result, society, class, people, home to school, school to university and people's workplace are all bound in a balanced bond and justice and fairness, judicial system, equal rights, equal opportunities and mutual harmony are established in the society.

Therefore, various social institutions such as schools and social relations, social change, social progress, social process and social organization have been applied in the balanced progress of scientific consciousness.


3. Scope of Educational Sociology :-


Education and Sociology have been linked together to advance the welfare of individuals and society and establish a healthy and harmonious relationship between society and individual. There are certain scopes in educational sociology . Both disciplines have combined to form the scope of educational social sociology. For example:-

A. Basic tools in building society that link education and society. For example - population, geographical location, communication system, human nature etc.

(a) Population is one of the resources of the country through which a healthy society is created on the one hand and proper education system on the other hand. Therefore, one of the tools in the scope of educational sociology is the population and its natural development organization and natural development and progressive development are the orientation of education.

(b) Communication systems are the third major instrument of a developing country. This branch therefore discusses the validity and development of communication systems within the context of educational social theory.

(c) Geographical location is the second most important aspect of a country with respect to which educational sociology seeks to discuss, think and find favorable conditions.

(d) The resource at the root of all management is human resource. Thus analysis of the nature of human resources is the fourth important scope of this discipline.

B. Social interaction is another sub-field of educational sociology. By which people form social groups interact with each other. Hence this topic discusses the nature of the interaction process.

C. One of the scope of Educational Sociology is discussing Social Structure. This topic discusses the nature of society formation, rules, customs, group consciousness etc.

D. Educational Sociology discusses Social groups and various institutions . By discussing the characteristics, nature and significance of groups, educational sociology establishes the clear concept about society in education. 

E. Educational Sociology deals with the principles governing the formation and flow of democratic ideas in social life.


4. Functions of Educational Sociology :-


(i) To teach students an ideal civic life, so that they become fit to lead their social life.
(ii) To involve all people irrespective of caste, religion, sex and age in education in regulated educational institutions or in education in non-regulated educational institutions.
(iii) To inculcate social principles in the learner through the educational process. Such as - Socialism, Democracy, Collective Life, Human resource - etc.
(iv) Establishing social values. For example - cooperation and sympathetic mentality, sympathy, sense of brotherhood, sense of nationality - etc.
(v) Cultivating scientific attitude among students by removing prejudices.
(vi) To develop self-esteem and self-awareness in every student.
(vii) To create earning skilled citizens, so that students can acquire jobs and skills.
(viii) To organize various series of educational programs to increase the sense of self-awareness in illiterate people. For example - seminars, presentations, discussion meetings, debate meetings - etc.
(ix) To awaken the power of responsibility, sense of duty and sense of rights in all members of the society.
(x) Sociology enriches students with historical information as well as makes them up to date with geographical information.
(xi) To inculcate good habits among students about hygiene along with environmental education.
(xii) Building cultural awareness among students.
(xiii) Provision of educational entertainment.
(xiv) To engage the student in philanthropic work for the benefit of the individual - group, society and country.
(xv) Teaching social values. For example, courtesy, politeness, ethics - etc.
(xvi) To inculcate nationalism among the students.
(xvii) Teaching universal humanity to students.
(xviii) Making students aware of the environment.
(xix) Encouraging to explore the mystery of the country and the world through the space-time-pot relationship. 
(xx) Finding the path to the light of education from a dark uneducated life.
(xxi) To make people free from caste, religion, gender and capitalism by preventing class differences among people.


5. Importance of Educational Sociology :-


An important aspect of individual education is social education. Just as philosophy and psychology give fullness to the inherent wealth of man, sociology gives fullness to it. Because people are social creatures. Society determines the merits of inherent wealth and socialized people realize its importance. Therefore, educational sociology is important in teaching socialization to students through mass education. Important aspects of this educational Sociology in student's life are –

(i) To develop a close and emotional relationship of the group with the students.

(ii) Educational Sociology helps the individual learner to develop mutual understanding, sympathy and empathy and compassion with other learners.

(iii) Educational Sociology instills in students the quality of social values embedded within sociology. Here therefore by combining both the subjects we can say that educational sociology develops the human qualities of the students along with the social qualities.

(iv) Educational sociology inculcates in the students a rational scientific outlook, by which the students can differentiate between the reforms and superstitions of the society. Social systems can remove obstacles and move society forward on the path of progress.

(v) Educational Sociology in every student -
a. Helps to form social duty.
b. Helps achieve social rights.
c. Helps in building social consciousness.
d. Helps to develop an independent, reflective attitude in students.
e. Society creates a benevolent mentality.
f. It helps society progress.

(vi) The important contribution of educational sociology is to consciously coordinate moral, political, economic and cultural aspects in the personality development of the student, so that the student can become an ideal society conscious and responsible citizen.


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