SOCIOL 10 Lecture 10: Lecture 10 - Institutions_ Education
Document Summary
Americans have a strong fundamental belief in the educational institution what it can do for us as individuals and for society. Enriches life, makes our place in society important. We have faith in education believe education is the key to the american dream , key to individual achievement. We turn to education to solve problems (like drugs, crime, poverty, broken families) Underlying logic of educational institution = knowledge & credentials. 2 principles that are in tension that the educational institution is constantly trying to resolve = accountability & autonomy. Accountable to the public (partly through the state), to knowledge itself, funders / donors. Autonomy: educators are in charge of handling the institution on the basis of what they know is important, whether or not other people think it is important (think of themselves as professionals) Grew out of religious institutions in europe, several 100 years ago. Main function of education = to impart religious beliefs.
