Contest vs Sponsored Mobility (Turner)
What is contest mobility?
A system where everyone competes and success is based on effort.
What is bureaucracy?
A system based on rules, hierarchy, and structure.
What is community cultural wealth?
The strengths, skills, and knowledge in Communities of Color.
What is human capital?
Skills, knowledge, and abilities that increase productivity.
A student believes “if I work hard, I’ll succeed.” What theory is this?
Contest Theory
What is sponsored mobility?
A system where elites select who will succeed early on.
What role do exams play in education?
They measure knowledge and act as gatekeeping tools.
What is deficit thinking?
The belief that students lack skills or value.
How is education viewed in this theory?
As an investment that leads to higher income.
A student is placed in honors classes early and given more opportunities. What is this?
Sponsored mobility
Give one example of contest mobility in schools.
Open admissions, GPA competition, class rankings, etc.
What is credentialism?
Valuing degrees/certificates over actual skills.
Name one type of cultural wealth and explain it.
Example: Linguistic capital = ability to use multiple languages.
What is one benefit of human capital theory?
Explains link between education and economic growth.
A bilingual student helps translate for family. What type of capital is this?
Linguistic capital
Why might contest mobility seem fair but still produce inequality?
Not everyone starts with equal resources or opportunities.
How do credentials create inequality?
They limit access to jobs and require time/money to obtain.
How does Yosso challenge traditional ideas of cultural capital?
Yosso argues schools only value dominant (White, middle-class) forms.
What is one critique of human capital theory?
Ignores inequality and structural barriers.
A job requires a degree even if skills could be learned on the job. What concept is this?
Credentialism
In what ways do U.S. schools reflect BOTH contest and sponsored mobility?
Open competition in schools does exists but tracking, honors programs, and selective colleges act like a sponsored mobility.
Why does Weber argue education is not just about learning?
It’s about sorting people and assigning status.
Why is recognizing cultural wealth important in education?
It promotes equity and values students’ lived experiences.
Who benefits most from the idea that education = economic investment?
Governments, employers, and those already with access to resources.
A hardworking student struggles because they lack resources. Which theory best explains this and why?
Turner (inequality in contest mobility), Weber (system barriers), or Yosso (unrecognized strengths)