Key Terms

Key Terms

credentialism the emphasis on certificates or degrees to show that a person has a certain skill, has attained a certain level of education, or has met certain job qualifications

cultural capital cultural knowledge that serves (metaphorically) as currency to help one navigate a culture

cultural transmission the way people come to learn the values, beliefs, and social norms of their culture

education a social institution through which a society’s children are taught basic academic knowledge, learning skills, and cultural norms

formal education the learning of academic facts and concepts

grade inflation the idea that the achievement level associated with an A today is notably lower than the achievement level associated with A-level work a few decades ago

hidden curriculum the type of nonacademic knowledge that one learns through informal learning and cultural transmission

informal education learning about cultural values, norms, and expected behaviours through participation in a society

social placement the use of education to improve one’s social standing

sorting classifying students based on academic merit or potential

tracking a formalized sorting system that places students on “tracks” (advanced, low achievers) that perpetuate inequalities

universal access the equal ability of all people to participate in an education system

Section Summary

Educational systems around the world have many differences, though the same factors—including resources and money—affect each of them. Educational distribution is a major issue in many nations, including in the United States, where the amount of money spent per student varies greatly by state. Education happens through both formal and informal systems; both foster cultural transmission. Universal access to education is a worldwide concern.

The major sociological theories offer insight into how we understand education. Functionalists view education as an important social institution that contributes both manifest and latent functions. Functionalists see education as serving the needs of society by preparing students for later roles, or functions, in society. Critical sociologists see schools as a means for perpetuating class, racial-ethnic, and gender inequalities. In the same vein, feminist theory focuses specifically on the mechanisms and roots of gender inequality in education. The theory of symbolic interactionism focuses on education as a means for labelling individuals.