Why Go to Why Go to College?College?

Continued…Continued…

For questions, please contact Zoë Williams at socpr@u.washington.edu or 206-543-

1665

Career Discovery Week and the UW Sociology Department present the career panel discussion:

Wednesday, January 303:30 – 5:00

Anderson Hall Room 8

Soc Lexicon TermsSoc Lexicon Terms NormsNorms

Rules that define behavior that is expected, Rules that define behavior that is expected, required, or acceptable in particular required, or acceptable in particular circumstancescircumstances

StratificationStratification The unequal division of rewards or valued things The unequal division of rewards or valued things

within a populationwithin a population Social MobilitySocial Mobility

A change of position within a stratification systemA change of position within a stratification system Social ReproductionSocial Reproduction

The process by which features or characteristics The process by which features or characteristics of social life are transmitted from one group to of social life are transmitted from one group to another, especially position in a stratification another, especially position in a stratification systemsystem

ReadingsReadings

This weekThis week Maureen Hallinan. “Tracking: From Maureen Hallinan. “Tracking: From

Theory to Practice” Theory to Practice” Sociology of Sociology of EducationEducation

Jeannie Oakes. “Response to Hallinan.”Jeannie Oakes. “Response to Hallinan.”Next weekNext week Jonathan Kozol: Jonathan Kozol: Shame of the NationShame of the Nation

Chapter 2: Hitting Them Hardest When Chapter 2: Hitting Them Hardest When They Are SmallestThey Are Smallest

Chapter 3: The Ordering RegimeChapter 3: The Ordering Regime

A quick look at social A quick look at social reproductionreproduction

Issue of the Day…Issue of the Day…

We know that a great deal of our We know that a great deal of our socio-economic position is socio-economic position is inherited…inherited…

How does this happen?How does this happen?(answer: largely through education, (answer: largely through education,

which allows parents to pass on their which allows parents to pass on their socio-economic status)socio-economic status)

All this points to the All this points to the importance of education in importance of education in

contemporary lifecontemporary life

Above all things I hope the education of the Above all things I hope the education of the common people will be attended to, convinced common people will be attended to, convinced that on their good sense we may rely with the that on their good sense we may rely with the most security for the preservation of a due most security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty. degree of liberty. Thomas Jefferson, 1787Thomas Jefferson, 1787

Functions of educationFunctions of education

Is the function of education to sort Is the function of education to sort people into positions? people into positions?

To help develop people who will be To help develop people who will be good workers:good workers: i.e., easy to controli.e., easy to control able to pay attentionable to pay attention be on timebe on time

To help develop people who will think To help develop people who will think for themselves, make trouble, be for themselves, make trouble, be interesting?interesting?

Schooling in the USSchooling in the US

In theory, in the US all children In theory, in the US all children between 6 and 16 have equal access between 6 and 16 have equal access to free and mandatory educationto free and mandatory education

In this sense, schools offer kids a In this sense, schools offer kids a ‘second chance’‘second chance’

But what really happens in schools?But what really happens in schools?

Equality of Opportunity?Equality of Opportunity?

Do schools break the link between Do schools break the link between parents’ social position and parents’ social position and children’s social position?children’s social position?

Do schools offer kids a second Do schools offer kids a second chance?chance?

Christopher Jencks, Christopher Jencks, InequalityInequality

Early conclusionsEarly conclusions

Kids do learn in schoolsKids do learn in schools Resources aren’t the whole storyResources aren’t the whole story

Two CaveatsTwo Caveats Research on education is contested Research on education is contested

businessbusiness Focus on measuring achievement Focus on measuring achievement

and inequalityand inequality

Big Question: What is Big Question: What is the goal of schooling?the goal of schooling?

Raise overall achievement?Raise overall achievement?

Or…Or…

Diminish the gap between the top and Diminish the gap between the top and the bottom?the bottom?

Measuring Achievement Measuring Achievement and Inequalityand Inequality

Use of standardized testsUse of standardized tests Culturally biasedCulturally biased ‘‘plastic’plastic’

What to measure?What to measure? Absolute achievementAbsolute achievement Gap between top achievers and bottom Gap between top achievers and bottom

achieversachievers

Achievement and Achievement and InequalityInequality

0

50

100

150

1 6 12Grade

Achievement

"Top" Students"Bottom" Students

Different views of Different views of outcomesoutcomes

0510152025

Grades

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1009080706050

Grades1009080706050

Which distribution do you prefer?