Theoretical Perspectives
Conflict theorists maintain that education:
a. reduces achievement gaps.
b. creates and perpetuates social inequality.
c. provides people an opportunity for upward mobility.
d. contributes to society's stability and well-being.
b. creates and perpetuates social inequality.
According to conflict theorists, schools are also gatekeepers that control and maintain the status quo.
As more people obtain a college degree, the value of a degree diminishes and students from low-income families, who are the least likely to have access to higher education, fall further behind. Which term refers to this phenomenon?
a. hidden curriculum
b. credential inflation
c. tracking
d. cultural capital
b. credential inflation
Because a large supply of high school graduates, employers can demand higher levels of education even though some jobs don't require a college degree for competent performance.
Which of the following terms describes learning about cultural values, norms, and expected behaviors by participating in a society?
a. Formal education
b. public high school
c. universal access
d. informal education
d. Informal education
Malcolm X's "Learning to Read" discusses one example of informal education.
Affirmative action opponents praise bans on the policy for reinforcing:
a. tracking
b. grade inflation
c. meritocracy
d. hidden curriculum
c. meritocracy
Meritocracy is a system that rewards people because of their individual accomplishments.
Which theoretical perspective focuses on evidence that sexism in education contends to prevent women from achieving a full measure of social equality?
a. functionalism
b. conflict theory
c. feminist theory
d. symbolic interaction
b. feminist theory
Nadia is a middle school student. In addition to emphasizing academic excellence, her school also puts stress on the importance of conforming to school rules, dressing appropriately, and being respectful to all authority figures on campus. In this case, which of the following terms best describes the nonacademic requirements of the school?
a. Tracking
b. Credentialism
c. Achievement gap
d. Hidden curriculum
d. Hidden curriculum
Schools in low-income and working-class neighborhoods tend to stress obedience, following directions, and punctuality so that students can fill low-paying jobs. Schools in middle-class neighborhoods emphasize proper behavior and appearance, cooperation, and conforming to rules since many of those students will go on to work in bureaucracies that have such attributes.
Which of the following is NOT true of education in the United States?
a. While students in South Korea spend 220 days in school, students in the US spend 180 days in school.
b. In 2006, the US ranked 5th among 27 countries for college participation.
c. In 2006, the US ranked 16th among 27 countries for number of students who receive college degrees.
d. According to the 2010 Program for International Student Assessment, US students have risen the ranks from 25th to 15th in science and math.
d. According to the 2010 Program for International Student Assessment, US students have risen the ranks from 25th to 15th in science and math.
US students fell from 15th to 25th in that year's test in science and math.
Which of the following is a reason for the presence of grade inflation in many colleges and universities?
a. It increases the chances of students' challenging a grade.
b. It increases the credibility of colleges and universities.
c. It reduces the chances of students' cheating in an exam.
d. It decreases student complaints.
d. It decreases student complaints.
Do you think grade inflation exists? What should we do about it? How about in this class?
Which of the following is a criticism of the functionalist perspective of education?
a. Functionalists overlook the fact that a college degree is important.
b. Functionalists ignore the fact that college provides people an opportunity for upward mobility.
c. Functionalists ignore rising college costs and student loan debt.
d. Functionalists gloss over the latent functions of education.
c. Functionalists ignore rising college costs and student loan debt.
This has primarily been the domain of conflict theorists.
Connie was always considered a bright student. As a result, she was assigned to classes that involved critical thinking and complex problem solving, while other students were assigned to classes that involved simple skills. She was allotted large quantities of homework that was conceptually complicated. Moreover, she was provided with better quality instruction than other students. In this case, Connie's separation from average students is a result of _____.
a. hidden curriculum
b. credentialism
c. an achievement gap
d. tracking
d. tracking
Some educators believe that tracking is beneficial because students learn better in groups with others like themselves, and it allows teachers to develop curricula for students with similar ability. Others contend that tracking creates and reinforces inequality. What do you think?
In December 2010, the Program for International Student Assessment shows that students with the top rankings hailed from Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, and which European country?
a. Sweden
b. Finland
c. Netherlands
d. France
Finnish education breaks a lot of rules we take for granted. Children enter school at 7 years old, and students have more recess and less homework.
As of 2010, what was the average rate of student loan debt upon graduation?
a. $15,000
b. $19,500
c. $25,250
d. $29,200
According to functionalists, which of the following is a latent function of education?
a. schools are socialization agencies that teach children how to get along with each other.
b. education transmits knowledge and culture.
c. education promotes cultural innovation.
d. schools provide childcare.
d. schools provide childcare.
Particularly after school programs for the growing number of single-parent and two-income families.
Other latent functions your book mentions include courtship, creating social networks, and creating a generation gap.
Tracking often leads to:
a. labeling
b. cultural innovation
c. credentialism
d. meritocracy
a. labeling
According to symbolic interactionists, labeling can result in a self-fulfilling prophecy. Students live up to teachers' high or low expectations and evaluations that may be influenced by a student's social class, skin color, hygiene, accent, and test scores.
a. below 10%
b. below 20%
c. below 30%
d. below 50%
c. below 30%
Why do you think the US has fewer "resilient students"?
What is sociological consensus on homeschooling?
a. Most homeschooled students test higher than those in public schools.
b. Most homeschooled students test higher than those in public schools, but not private schools.
c. Most homeschooled students test lower than students in public and private schools.
d. Sociologists have not come to a consensus about homeschooling.
d. Sociologists have not come to a consensus about homeschooling.
Which term refers to idea that cultural knowledge serves as currency that helps us navigate society and alters the experiences and opportunities available to people of different social classes?
a. hidden curriculum
b. cultural capital
c. latent function
d. grade inflation
b. cultural capital
This term was created by French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. One example of this is the wording of some standardized test questions.
Which of the following statements best describes the difference between the views of functionalists and conflict theorists on credentialism?
a. Functionalists maintain that credentialism restricts upward social mobility, while conflict theorists contend that credentialism offers a great sense of achievement.
b. Functionalists maintain that credentialism gives rise to achievement gaps, while conflict theorists contend that credentialism reduces achievement gaps.
c. Functionalists maintain that for many positions, people succeed because of ability or other factors, while conflict theorists contend that credentialism stimulates upward social mobility.
d. Functionalists maintain that credentialism rewards people for their accomplishments, while conflict theorists contend that for many positions, people can gain skills on the job with a few weeks of training.
d. Functionalists maintain that credentialism rewards people for their accomplishments, while conflict theorists contend that for many positions, people can gain skills on the job with a few weeks of training.
How important is graduating from a prestigious college or university? Steven Spielberg, the well-known movie producer and director, graduated from California State University at Long Beach after being rejected by the more prestigious University of Southern California and UCLA film schools.
Which 1972 court case was brought on behalf of seven school-age children with special needs who argued that the school board was denying their access to free public education?
a. Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia
b. Plessy v. Ferguson
c. Brown v. Board of Education
d. Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District
a. Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia
-1896 Plessy v. Ferguson - allowed racial segregation in schools and private businesses
-1954 Brown v. Board of Education- declared 'separate but equal' unconstitutional
-1969 Tinker v. Des Moines- students have a right to free speech in public schools
In Singapore, 48% of 4th grade math teachers majored or minored in math. What percentage of US math teachers did?
a. 8%
b. 15%
c. 20%
d. 32%
a. 8%